MARSHALL, Texas—Special teams were the difference for East Texas Baptist University, which held off Howard Payne University, 42-33, in American Southwest Conference play. ETBU is now 4-1 and 1-1 in the ASC.
 
The special teams accounted for a 91-yard touchdown on a kickoff return, a blocked extra point, an HPU missed field goal, and a first down with a fake punt. On HPU's first extra-point attempt, Dominick Williams broke through for the block.  Justin Qualls went 91-yards on the kickoff return in the first quarter right after HPU took a 13-7 lead to put ETBU back in front, 14-13, at 2:47. On a fourth-and-six early in the second quarter and up, 14-13, Beau Kilgore ran up the middle on a fake punt for a 30-yard first down. Two plays later, ETBU extended their lead to eight, 21-13. In the third quarter, HPU missed a field goal on their first possession, which would have pulled them to within three.
 
ETBU finished with 380 yards of total offense, as 196 came in the air. Kaden Brown was 16-of-27 for two touchdowns. Paul Woodard led the rushing attack with 98 yards on 10 carries and three touchdowns. It is the second time he has recorded three rushing touchdowns this season, as he has joined nine other Tigers in history to reach this feat. Zay Thomas finished with 90 yards receiving on six catches. Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox had 39 yards and one touchdown. Jalen Smothers recorded the other receiving touchdown.
 
The defense held HPU to 117 yards rushing and recorded five sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. For the second week in a row, Keewan Grismore led ETBU in tackling with 13 and had a sack. Bron Melvin added 10 tackles and half a sack, while Jahkamian Carr had half a sack forcing and recovering a fumble. Tyler Wilkins also had an interception.
 
ETBU started the game going three-and-out with a penalty, giving the ball to HPU. The Yellow Jackets followed with a six-play, 81-yard drive for a 6-0 lead. Williams then blocked the extra point which became a difference in the game. ETBU responded with six rushes on seven plays, going 60 yards as Woodard ran in from three yards out to take the lead, 7-6. Woodard had 26 yards rushing in the series. HPU fought right back, going 75 yards on seven plays, finishing with a 41-yard pass and a 13-7 lead at 2:47.

The game changed at this moment as Qualls took the ensuing kickoff 91 yards back for a touchdown and a 14-13 lead at 2:32. It is the fourth-longest kickoff return in program history and the first returned for a touchdown since 2019.
 
HPU returned the ball with just 13 seconds left in the first quarter as ETBU had one play to mid-field. After two incomplete passes, ETBU faced a fourth-and-six to start the second quarter. As the punt team went out, Kilgore executed the fake punt perfectly with a 30-yard run to the HPU 13-yard line. Woodard rushed to the nine-yard line, and then Brown found Llanas-Wilcox for the third score of the game and an eight-point lead, 21-3 at 12:54. ETBU's defense dominated the next series with a sack by Bron and Conner Jones leading to a Wilkins interception at the HPU 18-yard line. Four plays later, Smothers caught a Brown pass from seven yards for a 28-13 lead. The defense again came through on the next HPU series, forcing a punt after a Grismore sack. ETBU went three-and-out, which turned into an HPU drive of 68 yards to cut the lead to eight, 28-20, just before halftime.
 
It was a quiet third quarter for both teams. HPU opened the quarter by driving to ETBU's two-yard line for a first-and-goal. In the first play, Wilkins stopped HPU's run in the backfield, eight yards deep, to make it second-and-goal from the 10-yard line. Two incomplete passes later and a penalty, HPU went for a 27-yard field goal that was missed. ETBU turned the ball over three plays later, which led to an HPU touchdown seven plays later to pull within one, 28-27, at the 3:58 mark.
 
ETBU drove 81 yards to the HPU six-yard line for the rest of the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, ETBU fumbled the ball at the one-yard line as HPU recovered. Four plays later, as HPU was driving down the field, Carr forced a fumble at the HPU 33-yard line and recovered it. Four rushes later by Woodard for 33 yards, ETBU pushed their lead to eight on a 16-yard touchdown run, 35-27, at 11:39.
 
Both teams' drives stalled after that until HPU scored with 2:12 left in the game. They went 83 yards, taking 3:30 off the clock, to come within two, 35-33. Their two-point conversion was denied as Zalick batted it down, keeping the two-point lead.
 
Responding to HPU's momentum, ETBU took just 29 seconds to score, stopping any idea of a comeback as Woodard ran in from 35 yards out, making it 42-33. ETBU's defense kept HPU in check with 1:25 to go with a Coby Walker sack at the HPU two-yard line. Three plays later, the game ended as ETBU held off HPU for their first ASC win of the year.
 
ETBU will host Westgate Christian University at 1:00 p.m. next Saturday for Homecoming.