MARSHALL, Texas – Under the lights in Ornelas Stadium on Saturday night, East Texas Baptist University opened the season with a 47-8 victory over Lyon College. ETBU had over 600 yards of total offense with 481 yards rushing. Lyon College took an 8-0 led only to see ETBU score 47 unanswered points with 21 points in the second and 17 points in the third quarter.
 
ETBU's 621 yards of total offense is the most since last season's season-opening 687 yards vs. LaGrange. ETBU also added 617 yards in game two over Hendrix in 2024. Along with the 481 yards rushing, ETBU posted two 100-yard rushers in Paul Woodard's 139 yards and Bryson Linnear's 105 yards. Jordan Woodard added 76 yards, and Kyler Paul had 74 yards on one rush. Paul Woodard recorded two touchdowns, as Linnear and Jordan Woodard each had one touchdown.
 
Shai Markajani received his first collegiate start, collecting 140 yards passing with two passing touchdowns. Eric Stovall was the leading receiver with 60 yards on one catch. Devin Phillips also had a catch for 45 yards. Stovall and Kobe Chambers recorded touchdown passes.
 
Dominick Williams and Kylevon Morrow led the defense with seven tackles each. Morrow had six solo tackles and also forced a fumble. Taylor Jacobs added another forced fumble as the defense had five pass breakups.
 
Lyon College took its second possession after ETBU missed a field goal from 42 yards and went 75 yards on eight plays to take an 8-0 lead. They opted for the two-point conversion and made it, taking just 3:42 off the clock. Shocking ETBU with the long drive, the Tigers responded with a 65-yard drive but missed the extra point, trailing, 8-6. Markajani found Chambers from 20 yards out for the first touchdown of the year.
 
In the second quarter, ETBU scored 21 points for 27 straight points. Three of their four drives ended in touchdowns for the 27-8 lead at the half. Stovall caught a 60-yard pass from Markajani to take the lead, 13-8 at 13:17. Just four minutes later, Paul Woodard went into the endzone from one-yard out (8:55). Just before halftime, Woodard found a hole going 33-yards for a 20-point lead, 27-7, at the half.
 
Two touchdown runs and a field goal gave ETBU a 44-8 lead in the third quarter. Jordan Woodard went seven yards for a 34-7 lead as the offense went 73 yards in just under three minutes. Mitchell White nailed a 32-yard field goal at 5:24, putting the lead to 37-8. Linnear made it 44-8 on a 91-yard run in his first game at ETBU. Mitchell hit his second field goal of the game in the fourth quarter from 30 yards out for the final, 47-8.
 
ETBU will host Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday, September 13, at 6:00 pm.