Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team exploded in the second quarter and made the most of numerous short fields on the way to a 59-13 victory over Belhaven University Saturday afternoon in Belton. The Cru, ranked 3rd in the country by the American Football Coaches Association, improves to 4-0 on the year with its 58th consecutive regular season win. The Blazers fall to 0-5 on the season with the loss.
UMHB drew first blood when Zach Anderson hit T.J. Josey with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 4:50 left in the first quarter. Blake Jackson scored on a one-yard run following a Belhaven turnover to make it 14-0 Cru after the first quarter. UMHB would then erupt for 36 second quarter points to put the game out of reach. Baylor Mullins intercepted a Blazer pass and returned it 29 yards for a score, Jackson added a three-yard touchdown run and Anderson threw a 14-yard scoring TD pass to Lin Gillham and a 40-yard scoring strike to Marcus Wimby to make it 43-0. Duane Thompson then closed out the half with a four-yard scoring plunge with 39 seconds remaining to five the Cru a 50-0 halftime lead.
The Cru forced six turnovers in the first half and started all but one drive on the Belhaven side of the 50-yard line. Tristan Hibbeler threw touchdown passes of 41 yards to Nate Williams and 61 yards to Jaquay Daniels in the third quarter to cut the gap to 50-13, but Matt Cody returned a blocked PAT the length of the field after the second score to make it 52-13 UMHB. The Cru closed out the scoring with Anderson's three-yard touchdown pass to Wykeyhe Walker just 37 seconds into the fourth quarter.
UMHB broke the NCAA Division III record for sacks in a game by sacking Belhaven quarterbacks 15 times in the contest. The previous mark of 13 was set by St. John's (MN) in a November 19, 2005 game against Monmouth. The Cru also set a new school record by holding the Blazers to -87 rushing yards in the contest. UMHB finished with 336 yards of total offense with 228 of those coming through the air.
Anderson was 18-23 through the air for 228 yards and he tied a school record with four touchdown passes. Wimby caught seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown and Thompson ran for 46 yards and a score on 14 carries. Haston Adams broke the UMHB single-game record with 4.5 sacks and he had seven total tackles, Teidrick Smith added 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked punt. Reggie Wilson also intercepted two passes for the Cru defense. Five different players finished with two or more sacks in the contest.
Hibbeler was 33-46 for Belhaven for 358 yards and two touchdowns. Clayton Webb went 12-18 for 101 yards. Jacob McNeill caught 13 passes for 106 yards and Daniels hauled in six for 116 yards and a score. Belhaven turned the ball over six times. All of them in the first half.
UMHB will continue its home stand with the American Southwest Conference opener next Saturday. The Cru will host Sul Ross State for a 1:00 PM kickoff at Crusader Stadium. That will also be "Hometown Heroes" Day at Crusader Stadium as UMHB honors first responders from across Central Texas.