The Austin College football team fell 43-27 on the road at East Texas Baptist despite racking up 520 yards of total offense on Saturday, dropping the 'Roos to 0-2 on the year.
Austin College got on the board first when Bryce Murphy scored from two yards out to cap off a 56 yard drive, making it 7-0 early in the first but ETBU struck back just 17 seconds later with a 43 yard touchdown to pull even. The Tigers got a 63 yard touchdown four minutes later to take a 14-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
The 'Roos squared things up less than a minute into the second quarter when Noah Jesko found Mitch Trentman for a 21 yard score to make it 14-14, but after Austin College forced a punt on the ensuing ETBU possession, Murphy was caught in the endzone for a safety to put the Tigers on top 16-14. East Texas Baptist then went 52 yards in seven plays to go up 23-14, and the lead grew to 29-14 after a touchdown and failed point after.
ETBU had another chance to score before halftime, but the Austin College defense held on fourth and goal from the two just before the break to keep it a two possession game at the half.
The Tiger lead increased to 36-14 early in the third, but Austin College got a big fourth down conversion from Jesko to Kyle Crawford down to the one yard line on the next possession and Madison Ross plunged into the endzone from a yard out to make it 36-21. The 'Roos pulled to within nine at 36-27 early in the fourth on a 58 yard scoring pass from Jesko to Crawford, but that's as close as Austin College woudl get as the Tigers would add one more score just 1:39 later to make it a 43-27 final.
Jesko finished the game completing 23-of-45 passes for 293 yards and two scores, and Murphy carried the ball 19 times for 116 yards. Crawford hauled in six passes for 153 yards to lead the 'Roos offensively, while Brooks Ward made 13 tackles and picked off a pass in the endzone to lead the defense.
Austin College dominated in time of possession, holding the ball for nearly two-thirds of the game, but ETBU gained 616 yards and averaged 8.0 yards-per-play to topple the 'Roos. Josh Warbington threw for 408 yards and two ETBU receivers gained more than 100 yards in the game.
Austin College will be looking for its first win of the 2014 campaign when the 'Roos host Occidental next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Apple Stadium.