The Austin College football team jumped out to a 16-3 lead in the second half, but 35 straight points including 28 in the second half for Texas Lutheran University led to a 38-16 defeat for the 'Roos at Jerry Apple Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The 'Roos are now 0-1 on the year.
The Austin College defense put the 'Roos on the board early when Nathan Packard picked off a pass and raced 68 yards for the touchdown with 12:18 minutes to play in the first quarter. TLU responded with a 27 yard field goal from Allen Cain four minutes later, but the 'Roos put together a nine play, 83 yard scoring drive culminating in a five yard touchdown pass from Noah Jesko to Travis McClinton to make it 13-3 with 4:16 left in the first quarter.
The 'Roos would add three more points on a 37 yard field goal by Andrew Klink to make it 16-3 with just over ten minutes to play in the first half, but that would be the last time Austin College would get on the board on the day. The Bulldogs pulled to within a touchdown when Brent Peavy found Trey Enterline for an 11 yard scoring strike, and the 'Roos went into halftime leading 16-10.
That remained the score until Jo Jo Epps scored from a yard out to capp of an eight play, 49 yard drive with 2:45 left in the third quarter, and on the ensuing Austin College possession the 'Roos gave the ball right back on a fumble and DeMarcus Boyd scored on a six yard run to make it 24-16 with 1:11 left in the quarter.
Peavy found Enterline for the second time with 6:30 to play in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 31-16, and Epps scored his second touchdown of the game, this time on a two yard run with 2:45 left to play, to put the game away.
Jesko completed 9-of-16 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown and Sean Sweeney ran the ball 16 times for 76 yards and added three catches for 32 yards, and PJ Fuller grabbed a pair of passes for 79 yards to lead Austin College offensively. Jantzen Foster made 11 tackles, Stephen Young had 10 stops and Scott Loy added nine tackles and an interception to lead the 'Roo defense.
The Bulldogs rolled up 562 yards of total offense on the day, including rushing for 246 yards as a team. Peavy completed 20-of-32 passes for 268 yards and Therron Jerome carried the ball 17 times for 110 yards to lead TLU, while Cameron Peavy hauled in five passes for 104 yards. Bradley Snowden had nine tackles and a fumble recovery to lead the Bulldog defense.
The 'Roos are home again next week when they play host to East Texas Baptist University with kickoff time set for 2:00 p.m. at Apple Stadium.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
About Austin College
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope's influential book Colleges that Change Lives.