Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
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Time of Poss.
BROWNWOOD, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team did not seem to miss a beat despite the game being pushed up 20 hours as the Cru rolled to a 55-0 victory over Howard Payne University Friday in Brownwood. The game was pushed up from Saturday afternoon in an effort to avoid potential weather issues forecast for Saturday. UMHB improves to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in American Southwest Conference play with the win. Howard Payne drops to 1-5 overall and 1-4 in the ASC with the loss.
The Cru started quickly with Markeith Miller racing for a 43-yard touchdown run on the first offensive play of the game. The two teams traded punts before Anthony Avila connected on a 35-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 10-0. DeNerian Thomas added a four-yard scoring run to make it 17-0 UMHB at the end of the first quarter. Jase Hammack hit Jonel Reed with a 24-yard touchdown pass to cap an 89-yard drive following a Raylon Hickey interception, Luke Poorman threw touchdown passes of 33 yards to both Miller and Kadarius Daniels and Avila connected on a 27-yard field goal as the Cru built a 41-0 lead at the half. Aaron Sims opened the second half scoring with a 50-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the third quarter. Marquis Duncan added a nine-yard TD reception on a screen pass from Poorman to close out the scoring in the fourth period.
UMHB's defense held the Yellow Jackets to just 95 total yards of offense in the game and has now held its opponents scoreless for 11 straight quarters. The Cru rolled up 475 yards of total offense with 246 of those coming on the ground and 229 through the air. UMHB did not turn the ball over and committed just three penalties.
Miller finished with 173 rushing yards and a TD on just 12 carries and added the 33-yard touchdown catch. Poorman was 8-10 passing for 153 yards and three scores and Daniels caught a team-high four passes for 48 yards and a score. Joey Longoria had six tackles and two sacks and Isaiah Johnson added six more stops to lead the Cru defense in its second consecutive shutout.
The Cru was playing a Friday game for just the fourth time in program history. UMHB will continue its two-game road trip with a game at Belhaven University next Saturday. The Cru and Blazers are scheduled to kick off at 12 pm in Jackson, Mississippi.