SAN ANGELO – Blake Hamblin ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead Angelo State University to a 28-23 upset win Saturday night over No. 19 Abilene Christian University in San Angelo Stadium.
ACU (2-2 overall and 1-2 in the Lone Star Conference) took a first-quarter 9-0 lead, but Angelo State made life difficult for the Wildcats the rest of the half, sacking ACU quarterback Mitchell Gale seven times and holding his teammates to four yards rushing. The Rams (2-2 overall, 1-0 in the LSC) limited ACU to 16 yards on the ground for the game.
Hamblin completed 33 of 48 passes for 274 yards. He was sacked three times and intercepted twice, and Angelo State had 14 penalties for 152 yards, but the Rams held the ball for nearly twice as much time as the Wildcats. ACU converted only one of 13 third-down possessions in the game.
The Wildcats marched to their only TD of the first half on their opening drive when quarterback Mitchell Gale connected with wide receiver
Demarcus Thompson on a 33-yard touchdown pass. Thompson's special teams play gave the ball right back to the Wildcats when he blocked Joseph Pickett's punt and Jaime Walker recovered at the Ram's 15-yard line.
Morgan Lineberry kicked a 32-yard field goal to put his team up 9-0 with 9:21 left.
Angelo State got on the scoreboard when Hamblin's 1-yard TD run closed the ACU margin to 9-7, a drive set up by a 36-yard end-around run by wide receiver Dakarai Pecikonis.
Morgan Lineberry missed a 42-yard field goal with 10:38 left in the second quarter. Angelo State pulled ahead of the Wildcats when Donavan Roberts' 8-yard run around left end with 4:14 left put the Rams on top, 14-9.
Hamblin scored his second TD of the game with 1:50 left in the third quarter, running untouched around left end for 3 yards, upping the Ram lead to 21-9.
ACU took advantage of some Angelo State mistakes at the end of the third quarter to begin what looked like a promising rally. With the ball on his own 23-yard line, Gale's deep incomplete pass to wide receiver
Darian Hogg drew a 15-yard interference and a 15-yard personal foul penalty from the Rams, setting up the Wildats on the ASU 47. Four plays later at the top of the fourth quarter, Gale found freshman fullback Elton Chrochran open over the middle for a 33-yard scoring pass.
The Rams answered right back when Joey Knight caught a 13-yard pass from Hamblin, broke a tackle and scored to put ASU further ahead, 28-16, with 9:11 left.
Gale and the ACU offense responded again on the next drive, pulling the Wildcats to within five points, 28-23, with the senior quarterback finding
Taylor Gabriel wide open in the end zone for a 17-yard TD pass with 7:55 left.
ACU forced the Rams to punt, but turned the ball over on downs at their own 32 with 4:22 left. ASU couldn't advance the ball and Jarrod Martin's 42-yard field goal try went awry when the Rams were whistled for a false start with 2:50 remaining. On fourth and 12 from the Wildcat 34-yard line, linebacker
Thor Woerner sniffed out a trick play from the Rams and tackled Samir Baker for a loss at the ACU 39.
With 2:43 left, Gale then began what looked like a possible decisive drive but it ended two plays later when his first-down pass at the Ram 45-yard line deflected off freshman Travis Tarver and was intercepted by ASU's Ryan Clapsaddle.
Gale completed 14 of 42 passes for 308 yards and three TDs. Gabriel, a wide receiver, was the Wildcats' leading rusher with 22 yards. Thompson caught five passes for 131 yards,
Darrell Cantu-Harkless caught five for 69 yards and Gabriel had four for 33 yards.
L.B. Suggs led ACU with 10 tackles.
The Wildcats travel to Cleveland, Miss., next Thursday to face Gulf South Conference member Delta State University at 6:30 p.m.
