MARSHALL, Texas — In a back-and-forth battle in the in final home game of 2025 in Ornelas Stadium, East Texas Baptist University fell short of the win in overtime to Howard Payne University, 34-27. ETBU honored 24 seniors along with the 2015 ASC Championship team as it was the Military Appreciation game. ETBU is now 4-5 and 0-5 in the ASC.
 
The Tigers accumulating 487 total yards of offense with 191 yards rushing and 296 yards passing. Jaylen Spriggs threw for 109 yards while Shai Markajani recorded 187 yards passing and one touchdown. Jordan Woodard finished with 125 yards rushing  on 12 carries as Paul Woodard had 94 yard rushing. Eric Stovall had three catches for 99 yards as Zay Thomas caught the only touchdown and posted six catches for 58 yards. Mitchell White was 4-of-4 in field goals with his farthest being 45-yards.
 
Defensively, Dominick Williams finished with seven tackles and one sack. Kyle Zalick and Ramon Singleton each had six tackles and Kylevon Morrow recorded an interception.
 
ETBU started the first quarter forcing Howard Payne to punt after a brief advance. Spriggs initiated the Tigers' drive, connecting with Jordan Woodard for a 15-yard gain, followed by a 23-yard pass to Stovall, advancing the team into scoring territory. White then converted a 32-yard field goal, putting the Tigers ahead 3-0 at 6:18 in the first quarter.
 
The defense again showcased resilience, with Kylevon Morrow intercepting a pass. This turnover positioned the Tigers at the Howard Payne 46-yard line. However, a subsequent interception by Howard Payne the threat by ETBU as the quarter ended with a 3-0 lead.
 
In the second quarter, ETBU made a crucial defensive stop as Dominick Williams sacked Howard Payne's quarterback, forcing a turnover on downs. Following this, the Tigers' offense took over but was unable to gain momentum, punting the ball away after three incomplete passes. Howard Payne capitalized, moving the ball down the field in seven plays for a touchdown to take a 7-3 lead (7:26).
 
ETBU responded with a strong kickoff return by Justin Qualls, setting up a drive that culminated in a 45-yard field goal by White, narrowing the score to 7-6 (3:42). The defense then held Howard Payne, allowing the offense another opportunity. With time winding down, a series of completions by Markajani led to a 29-yard field goal by White as the clock expired, putting the Tigers ahead 9-7 at the half. The field goal was White's third field goal made in the first half.
 
The third quarter began with the Tigers' Jordan Woodard breaking free for a 58-yard run, setting up a scoring opportunity. That set up White to successfully converted a 24-yard field goal to extend the lead to 12-7 for his fourth made kick in the game. However, Howard Payne responded with a touchdown pass from 20-yards out, shifting the lead to 14-12 (3:42).
 
Howard Payne capitalized on a turnover on downs by the Tigers, marching down the field for another touchdown, increasing their advantage to 21-12 at 1:05. The Tigers made a late effort but were unable to close the gap, ending the quarter trailing.
 
ETBU opened the fourth quarter with a strong defensive stand, halting Howard Payne's initial drive. A crucial tackle by Zalick resulted in a three-yard loss for Howard Payne, forcing a punt. The Tigers capitalized on the opportunity, with Markajani connecting with Eric Stovall for a 39-yard pass, setting up a series of successful plays that culminated in Paul Woodard's two-yard touchdown run. This narrowed the score to 21-19 in favor of Howard Payne at 7:14 left to play.
 
Following a Howard Payne touchdown drive to push the score to 27-19, as Williams blocked the extra point to be within eight points, the Tigers responded quickly. Starting from their own 25-yard line, the Tigers drove 75 yards down the field. Markajani's passing, including a key 37-yard completion to Stovall, set the stage for a short touchdown pass to Zay Thomas, tying the score at 27-27 with 43 seconds left to play in the game. A successful two-point conversion pass from Kyler Paul secured the tie. ETBU then held HPU in the final 43 seconds to force overtime.
 
In overtime, the Tigers faced a critical moment as Howard Payne scored on their first play on a 25-yard pass, putting them ahead 34-27.
 
The Tigers responded with their possession as Woodard gained 8 yards on the ground, and Jordan Woodard secured a first down with a 2-yard rush. However, the drive stalled after an incomplete pass and a sack of Markajani to end the game.
 
ETBU finishes the 2025 season next Saturday in Abilene, Texas, against No. 5 Hardin-Simmons University at 1:00 p.m.
 

---

East Tex. Baptist Top Performers
Eric Stovall 
- 99 receiving yards 
 
Paul Woodard 
- 20 rushing attempts 
- 94 rushing yards 
- 1 rushing touchdown 
 
Jordan Woodard 
- 125 rushing yards 
 
Kylevon Morrow 
- 1 interception 
 
Dominick Williams 
- 7 total tackles 
- 1 sack 
- 1 blocked kick