ABILENE, Texas — It was a record-setting homecoming performance as No. 10 Hardin-Simmons beat Sul Ross State 73-7 in American Southwest Conference football action in front of 3,655 fans at Shelton Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
For the second straight week, the Cowboys came out and dominated from the start as HSU moved to 6-1 on the year and to 4-1 in ASC action. Sul Ross State fell to 1-4 overall and 1-3 in league play. HSU has now gone 160 straight minutes of action without allowing a defensive score (SRSU's score came on a kickoff return Saturday).
The offensive was in fine shape as well as HSU rolled up a school record 759 yards of offense in the win, including 398 yards on the ground and 361 through the air. HSU also set a school record for first downs with 39. HSU averaged 9.4 yards per play on its 81 offensive snaps.
Senior quarterback Justin Feaster also got in on the record setting festivities as he set the HSU record for attempts, completions and passing yards for a career. He now has 916, attempts, 622 completions and 8,393 yards. Feaster finished the game going 16-for-23 for 267 yards and he threw four touchdowns. He did not take a snap in the second half.
It did not take the Cowboys long to get on the scoreboard, after a quick three-and-out by the defense, HSU went 91 yards in seven plays. Feaster hit ZaVious Robbins for the 20-yard touchdown. Sul Ross then went three-and-out on the second possession and HSU went 44 yards in six plays as Feaster and Robbins hooked up for a 14-yard touchdown pass and with 8:17 to play in the first quarter the rout was on.
The defense forced a third straight three-and-out on the third drive and the Cowboys ended up with a short field and went 31 yards in three plays as Derrick Grant capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run.
On the fourth possession of the first quarter, the Cowboys forced a fourth three-and-out and has went 56 yards in seven plays as Devin Carver capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run and it was 28-0 with 1:33 to play in the first.
Thomas Labian made it 35-0 with a 48 yard touchdown reception from Feaster and then the Cowboys returned a botched field goal 64 yards for a score. L.C. Cisneroz scooped the ball and scored his second touchdown of the year. John Zamora then returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown to make it 42-7 and Feaster hooked up with Robbins on a 27-yard touchdown with 6:37 to play in the second quarter.
In the second half, Taylor Byrd ran the offense and HSU scored on a 2-yard touchdown run by Grant, a 28-yard field goal by Scott Newberry and Noel Phillips and Alex Thomas had 16 and 1-yard touchdown runs, respectively.
Carver had 114 yards on 13 carries. Labian led the team with five catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Nine different Cowboys had a rush and 13 different players caught a pass for HSU. Monty Morales completed 18-of-33 passes for 179 yards for Sul Ross State.
Patrick Flaherty led the Cowboy defense with seven tackles, including a half-sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Jay Wise broke up four passes and had an interception. Quinton Jackson had nine tackles for Sul Ross State.
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