PINEVILLE, La. —Taking a road trip to Louisiana for a rivalry game, East Texas Baptist University came up shy of bringing "The Claw" back to Texas as they fell to Louisiana Christian University, 50-36. ETBU threw for 331 yards and five touchdowns but was held to 62 rushing yards as they are now 2-3 on the year.
The Tigers generated their offense through the passing game, finishing with 331 yards through the air on 12 completions and producing quick scoring drives that included 85- and 40-yard pass plays. Louisiana Christian had 489 total yards, 221 rushing yards.
Jaylen Spriggs threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 8-of-18 passing and also converted a two-point pass.
Kyler Paul led ETBU with five catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Brandon Kennedy caught two passes for 50 yards, with both receptions going for touchdowns.
Dakarion Judge also had 102 yards receiving.
Toby White recorded a team-high 13 tackles and forced two fumbles.
ETBU answered Louisiana Christian's early touchdown with a two-play, 88-yard drive, capped by
Jack Crawford's 85-yard touchdown pass to Judge. After Louisiana Christian scored again, the Tigers created a short field with an interception return from Eldrick Murry to the Louisiana Christian 35 and scored one play later on Crawford's 35-yard pass to Kennedy to tie the game at 14 as the first quarter ended.
Louisiana Christian scored all 16 points in the second quarter and kept ETBU off the scoreboard, sending the Tigers into halftime trailing 30-14. ETBU's best drive reached the Louisiana Christian 43 after Crawford completed a 24-yard pass to Paul, but the possession ended on a fourth-down loss. Defensively,
Colton Wilson and White recorded sacks, with Wilson's stop helping limit one Louisiana Christian drive to a 45-yard field goal.
ETBU opened the third quarter with a 75-yard scoring drive, capped by Spriggs' 9-yard touchdown pass to Woodard after Spriggs earlier hit Paul for 31 yards. Louisiana Christian answered with a kickoff-return touchdown and later added a 70-yard touchdown pass, while the Tigers' next three possessions produced a fumble and two punts. ETBU closed the quarter with another scoring chance, moving from its 35 to the Louisiana Christian 15 behind a 40-yard Spriggs completion to Paul.
The Tigers' final scoring drive ended with Spriggs hitting Paul for a 14-yard touchdown on fourth-and-10, followed by Spriggs' conversion pass to
David Red that made it 50-36 with 3:26 left. Spriggs opened the fourth quarter with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Kennedy, while Louisiana Christian added a 3-yard scoring run in between. ETBU kept Louisiana Christian out of the end zone on the final drive, and the game ended with the Wildcats taking "The Claw", 50-36.
ETBU hosts Schreiner University on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. at Ornelas Stadium in Marshall, Texas, as they open American Southwest Conference play.
QUARTER BREAKDOWN
First Quarter
- ETBU answered Louisiana Christian's opening score with a two-play, 88-yard drive, capped by Crawford's 85-yard touchdown pass to Judge.
- Crawford also connected with Kennedy for a 35-yard touchdown one play after Eldrick Murray's interception and 21-yard return.
- Louisiana Christian scored on drives of 75 and 33 yards, while ETBU matched the home team with 14 first-quarter points.
Second Quarter
- Louisiana Christian scored all 16 points in the quarter, with two touchdowns and a 45-yard field goal.
- ETBU was held scoreless on four second-quarter possessions.
- Colton Wilson and Toby White recorded sacks for the Tigers, and White's late sack also produced a fumble that Louisiana Christian recovered.
Third Quarter
- Louisiana Christian outscored ETBU 13-7 in the quarter, with its points coming on a 93-yard kickoff return and a 70-yard touchdown pass.
- The Tigers opened the third quarter with a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive, including a 31-yard completion from Spriggs to Paul and a 9-yard touchdown pass to Paul Woodard.
- ETBU's defense kept Louisiana Christian from adding points after a fumble at the ETBU 32, allowing six yards before a fourth-down incompletion gave the ball back.
Fourth Quarter
- ETBU scored 15 fourth-quarter points on Spriggs touchdown passes to Kennedy and Paul, with the latter coming on fourth-and-10 before a two-point completion to David Red.
- Louisiana Christian's only points of the quarter came on a 3-yard rushing touchdown and extra point, while the Tigers held a 15-7 scoring edge in the fourth quarter.
- ETBU kept Louisiana Christian out of the end zone on the final possession after the home team started at the Tigers' 38 and reached the 15; the game ended with Louisiana Christian ahead 50-36.
ETBU Top Performers
Kyler Paul
- 5 receptions for 133 yards
- 1 touchdown reception
Jaylen Spriggs
- 8-for-18 passing for 169 yards
- 3 touchdown passes
- 1 two-point conversion pass
Brandon Kennedy
- 2 receptions for 50 yards
- 2 touchdown receptions
Dakarion Judge
- 2 receptions for 102 yards
- 1 touchdown reception
Toby White
- 13 total tackles
- 2 forced fumbles
