The long-standing rivalry between the Lions and Javelinas - a tradition going back to the old East Texas State vs. Texas A&I years - returned in bizarre and dramatic fashion at Memorial Stadium in Commerce on Saturday night. The Lion's Hatari Byrd blocked a field goal attempt on the game's final play to secure a 38-36 victory for Texas A&M University-Commerce (3-0, 2-0 in the Lone Star Conference) over Texas A&M University-Kingsville (2-2, 0-2 LSC).
The Lions had taken a 38-30 lead with about four and a half minutes in the fourth quarter thanks to a strange play call and an even stranger bad snap that resulted in A&M-Commerce defensive back Danny Huckaby recovering a loose ball in the Javelinas' end zone. But with less than two minutes remaining, A&M-Kingsville quarterback Myles Carter connected with Jordan Thomas on an 89-yard pass play that brought the Javelinas to within two points.
Fortune seemed to favor the Lions, as the Javelinas' two-point conversion attempt and subsequent onside kick attempt both failed. A&M-Commerce seemed poised to cruise to victory with a first down near midfield and about a minute and half on the clock. But A&M-Kingsville forced a fumble and recovered the ball within field goal range. Only when a 55-yard attempt by the Javelinas' Julio de la Garza was batted down by Byrd did the clock run out on A&M-Kingsville's attempt to upset the no. 6-ranked team in NCAA Division II.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
A&M-Kingsville opened up the game moving the ball in the air then promptly earned a loss of yards (12 men on the field). The Javelinas got on the boards first with a 45-yard field goal from Julio De la Garza. The Javelinas had a crucial pass at 8:40, broken up by Garrett Blubaugh and they couldn’t convert on the 3rd down. Richard Cooper rushed 34 yards for the Lions first touchdown. With 2:38 left in the 1st the Javelinas couldn’t convert on the 3rd down. They went on to score on the 4th down with a 29-yard field goal. Buck Wilson is 35th in the nation in kick returns, it was on display when he ran for 54 yards on kick return that resulted in a 37-yard field goal by Kristov Martinez ending the 1st quarter with a score of 10-6.
2nd Quarter
Three straight drives allowed the Javelinas to take the lead at 13:35; 13-10 with a 10-yard pass to Richard Posada. The Javelinas defense was stingy in the 2nd quarter, sacking Luis Perez with a loss of 10 yards which resulted in a non-scoring drive for the Lions. The Lions received a break when Javelinas running back Nick Pelrean had a loss of 5 yards and recovered a fumble, stopping the Javelinas from scoring in the end zone. The Javelinas scored a 27-yard field goal on the drive. A major loss of yards after the kick return resulted in a sack and loss of 7 yards and a non-scoring drive by the Javelinas, changing the momentum for the Lions. It set up Richard Cooper for a 50-yard rushing touchdown putting the Lions up 17-16 with 3:27 left to complete the scoring drive ending the Lions first half. (3 Plays, 65 yards taking 0:53).
3rd Quarter
A 61-yard run for 200 running yards, a new career-high by Cooper, lead to a Lions touchdown to start the 3rd quarter. (4 plays, 72 yard 1:26)
The Javelinas survived the 1st turnover of the game when the Lions aren’t able to convert. They scored a 34-yard touchdown by Autry and kept it a contest, within a point of the Lions. Javelinas quarterback Myles Carr took charge towards the end of the 3rd swinging the momentum back to the Javelinas leading to a 2-yard touchdown by running back Luis Lopez with 17 seconds left in the 3rd. It gave the Javelinas a 30-24 lead going into 4th. (8 plays, 85 yards 3:54)
4th Quarter
The Lions were unable to score on the opening drive to start the 4th quarter.
The Javelinas weren’t able to convert when Yusef Sterling—Lowe broke up a crucial 3rd down pass, setting up a 20-yard punt return by wide reciever Shawn Hooks.
The Javelinas ended up with a huge penalty for holding giving way to a 52-yard run by Darby Smith putting the Lions back on top by 1 point. The Lions forced the Javelinas to punt after another non-scoring drive. The following Lion drive Cooper come out the game hobbling with an injury allowing Ovie Urevbu to have a few impressinve short yardage plays but still came up short of scoring. The Lions punt put the Javelinas on their own 9 out of bounds with less than 6 minutes in the game. The Lions defense came up big stopping the Javelinas on the next drive, when the ball was snapped on 4th down and Carr missed the snap allowing the fumble recovery by the Lions defensive back Danny Huckaby.
Lions wide receiver Jordan Thomas quickly scored an 89-yard TD pass with less than 2 minutes left in the game but it wasn’t enough when they failed to convert the 2 points. In a last ditch attempt by the Javelinas they attempted an onside kick, but Lions wide receiver Lance Evans received the ball. As the Lions attempted to run out the clock in the ensuing seconds, they turned the ball over after a bad snap on a kneel-down play. Once the Javelinas recovered the ball they attempted a 55-yard field goal by Julio De la Garza but it was blocked and recovered by defensive tackle Michael Onucha to seal the win.
Key players
A&M-Commerce
Richard Cooper, RB - 226 total yards, 11.8 yards
Luis Perez, QB – 10/19, 133 yards
Buck Wilson, Safety 138 yards
A&M-Kingsville
Myes Carr, QB - 25/40, 376 yards
Jordan Thomas, WR – 152 yards
Nick Pelrean, RB – 75 yards