MARSHALL, Texas – Saying good-bye to 20 seniors in the final game of the year, the East Texas Baptist University football finished the 2018 season at 6-4 with their fourth straight winning season but fell to #2 the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 50-15. The senior class won 27 games and retained "The Claw" from Louisiana College in four years.
Brian Baca went 14-of-27 for 174 yards rushing for 78 yards on 25 carries, including a score.
Jeremiah Robertson would also have a touchdown run on 10 carries for 25 yards.
Tarek Beaugard (64 yards), Maurice Morris (42 yards), and
Jauque Kuykendall (26 yards) would each have three receptions. Zack Biles led the Tigers' defense with 13 tackles while
Zack Walker added 11 of his own. UMHB's offense was carried by Markeith Miller, who had 24 rushes for 173 yards to go with three touchdowns. T.J Josey (85 yards) would lead the team in receiving. De Jackson would head UMHB's defense with 11 tackles while Jefferson Fritz finished with two interceptions for the Crusaders.
The Tigers received the kickoff, but were unable to move the ball as they ended up punting. UMHB would get on the board two plays later (12:10) to lead 7-0. ETBU's next two drives resulted in three-and-outs, which would lead to UMHB scores. The Crusaders would move the ball six plays for 52 yards and another touchdown run (7:27) to lead 14-0. Then the Tigers punted the ball only to watch as UMHB returned the punt from forty-yards to lead 21-0 (4:23). ETBU would get the ball and would reach UMHB territory but they would turn the ball over on downs as UMHB took over leading by three scores through one quarter.
The second quarter saw ETBU put together a 16-play drive to the 10-yard line. But they could not capitalize as an incomplete pass on fourth and goal led to another turnover on downs. UMHB would then respond with a touchdown drive for 90 yards on 10 plays to lead 28-0 (2:28). ETBU would fumble on their next possession, which UMHB recovered. After six plays, the Crusaders would kick a 42-yard field goal to lead 31-0 (0:13) going into halftime.
UMHB started the third quarter by going on a 16-play drive for 76 yards, which ultimately ended with a 49-yard field goal that pushed UMHB up 34-0 (6:53). ETBU would then respond with an eight-play drive that ended with Baca running in from 10 yards to put ETBU on the board (3:31). ETBU would get an unexpected two-point conversion when a blocked extra point led to Beaugard recovering and rushing into the end zone for a 34-8 score. But again, UMHB would drive down the field for 69 yards on five plays to make the score 40-8 (0:35). ETBU's final drive in the quarter ended with an interception going into the fourth quarter.
The Crusaders would score two plays into the fourth quarter (14:09) to up the lead to 47-8. After the ensuing Tiger possession led to another UMHB interception, the Crusaders used another five plays before settling for a 38-yard field goal (10:51) as the lead was now 50-8. The Tigers would take over as they would run 10-plays for 81 yards, which concluded on a two-yard run from Robertson that would see the score at 50-15 (7:08). UMHB would be held three-and-out before ETBU would try to get one final score in. However, UMHB would intercept the final pass of the game and kneel down for the win.
With a 6-4 record, ETBU has recorded four straight winning seasons to establish themselves in the top tier of the American Southwest Conference. They ended with a 6-3 ASC record tied for third place behind UMHB and Hardin-Simmons.
