'Roos Drop Road Finale at HSU

ABILENE, Texas - The Austin College football team kept within striking distance of No. 8-ranked Hardin-Simmons for the first three quarters, but the Cowboys pulled away with 10 points in the fourth to make it a 31-3 final in the last road game of the season for the 'Roos. Austin College is now 1-8 overall on the year.

Austin College came out strong defensively to open the game, keeping the high-scoring Cowboys off the board until just one minute left in the first quarter when HSU got a 5-yard touchdown run from AJ Hawkins. The lead would grow to 14-0 early in the third when Myles Featherston raced 30 yards for a score with 12:45 left before halftime, but Austin College got on the board six minutes later when John Aldridge drilled a 49-yard field goal to make it 14-3. However, HSU would score just before halftime on a touchdown throw from Gaylon Glynn to Kai Brinkerhoff to make it 21-3 at the break.

That remained the score throughout the third quarter as Austin College's defense continued to frustrate the HSU defense, though the 'Roos could not cut into the lead in the period. Hardin-Simmons got a field goal with 5:37 left to play in the fourth, and the Cowboys would extend the lead to 31-3 with 2:24 left to play and that's how things would end.

Ben Meraz rushed 23 times for 72 yards and completed 1-of-2 passes for 15 more to lead Austin College offensively, and Kennon Magers added 46 rushing yards on 14 carries. Jarrett Pleasant made nine tackles and had a pair of pass breakups to led the 'Roos defensively, while Colton Gerken added eight stops. Kolby Youngblood rushed for 111 yards and Featherston added 110 to pace Hardin-Simmons offensively, and Matt Mitchell had nine stops for the Cowboys.