ABILENE – Quarterback Jared Johnson threw five scoring passes and Sam Houston State University rolled to 28-0 first-quarter and 35-7 halftime leads in forging a 49-21 win Saturday afternoon over Abilene Christian University in a Southland Conference game in Shotwell Stadium.
The Wildcats fell to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the Southland, disappointing a Homecoming crowd that watched the 11th-rankd Bearkats improve to 4-2 overall and 4-1 in the league while amassing 12 first downs and 245 yards of offense in the game's first 15 minutes.
The game pitted two FCS teams and former rivals from the Division II Lone Star Conference, although SHSU had not played a game in Abilene in 31 years. The defending Southland champions made the most of their return, gaining 343 yards and averaging nine yards per play in the first first half in a game televised nationally by American Sports Network.
The Wildcats continued a three-game funk that has seen them outscored 91-14 in the first half of a trio of consecutive losses for the first time in 10 years.
Bearkat wide receiver Ladarius Brown slipped behind the ACU defense on the fourth play of the game to snag a 64-yard touchdown pass from Johnson on a perfectly executed flea flicker. Luc Swimberghe's successful PAT kick gave his team a 7-0 lead just 1:19 into the contest.
ACU's first play from scrimmage – quarterback
Parker McKenzie's pass down the left sideline – was intercepted by safety Alfonzo McMillian at the Wildcat 43-yard line. Abilene Christian's defense stiffened and the Bearkats had to settle for a field goal try, but Swimberghe's 45-yard attempt was wide right.
On Sam Houston's third drive, running back Corey Avery caught a swing pass from Johnson in the left flat and scampered 9 yards into the end zone for another Bearkat score, upping his team's lead to 14-0 with 8:07 left in the opening quarter.
The Bearkats pushed their lead to 21-0 when tight end Collin Rison caught a 24-yard pass in the left flat and ran untouched for another touchdown, this one with 3:53 remaining in the quarter. The six-play, 81-yard drive was fueled by a 28-yard pass-run play between Johnson and Avery.
Five plays later, cornerback Andre Moseley grabbed SHSU's second turnover of the quarter when he caught a tipped pass intended for wide receiver
Cedric Gilbert and returned it 14 yards to the ACU 37-yard line. Sam Houston State went on to convert a fake field goal from the ACU 9-yard line, with Don King III running the ball in for the Bearkats' fourth touchdown of the opening quarter and a 28-0 lead with 22 seconds still on the clock.
None of the four SHSU scoring drives took more than 1:49.
ACU finally figured out the Bearkat defense, driving 80 yards in 11 plays, largely on the arm and legs of backup quarterback
Dallas Sealey. His two first-down runs, the last for 9 yards and a Wildcat touchdown with 9:44 left in the second quarter, pulled his team to within 28-7.
Abilene Christian forced SHSU's first punt of the game on the ensuing drive, then repeated the feat, thinking it had avoided further damage on the scoreboard. But Avery ran for 52 yards on the first play and one yard on its last play of the Bearkats' final drive of the half, the short run building Sam Houston State's lead to 35-7.
The Bearkats' sixth touchdown of the afternoon was a 10-yard Johnson pass to Avery at the 9:24 mark of the third quarter, putting SHSU up 42-7. A 30-yard run by Avery was the key play in Sam Houston State's eight-play drive for a seventh score, capped by Johnson's 13-yard pass to Davion Davis with 3:01 left. The third quarter ended with the Bearkats leading 49-7.
ACU running back
Adrian Duncan pulled the Wildcats to 49-14 with a 14-yard run with 12:47 left and tight end
Jamie Walker made the score 49-21 with a 7-yard scoring pass from
Cody Ennis at the 4:45 mark.
SHSU led ACU in total offense yards (528 to 323) and its defense sacked Wildcat quarterbacks four times.
McKenzie (7 of 13 passes for 125 yards and two interceptions) and Sealey (10 of 14 passes for 73 yards) split the majority of time at quarterback for ACU.
Adrian Duncan ran six times for 41 yards and
De'Andre Brown had 38 yards on 12 carries, while wide receiver
Cedric Gilbert caught four passes for 56 yards.
Sophomore linebacker
Sam Denmark was the dominant defender for the Wildcats with 13 tackles (seven solo).
Johnson completed 17 of 24 passes for 250 yards and five scores. Avery ran six times for 108 yards and one touchdown, and caught three passes for 47 yards and two other TDs. Brown caught six passes for 108 yards and one TD.
ACU's game next Saturday with UIW in San Antonio's Benson Stadium kicks off at 2:30 p.m.
