SHERMAN, Texas –The Austin College football team came up just short against visiting Rhodes College, falling 21-14 as their last second bid to force overtime ended with an interception at the goal line by the Lynx. The 'Roos finish the year with an overall record of 2-8 and a 2-6 mark in Southern Athletic Association play.
Rhodes struck first in the game, finishing off a 13 play, 70-yard drive that took up seven and a half minutes with a 27 yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 5:58 left in the opening quarter. The Lynx looked poised to build on that lead when Sharun Jones picked off a pass at the 2-yard line and returned it 45 yards. Five plays later Colt Collins found Aaron Rideaux for a 35 yard touchdown less than a minute into the second quarter, making it 7-0 with the 'Roos ahead.
The Lynx would regain the lead late with just under four minutes to play before halftime, as quarterback PJ Settles rushed 31 yards to get Rhodes deep into Austin College territory and then Monroe McKay carried three straight times, including a seven yard touchdown run to make it 10-7. That's where things would stand heading into halftime after the 'Roos were turned away after going for it on fourth down inside the Rhodes 5-yard line.
Austin College got back on top with 4:13 left in the third quarter, driving 74 yards with 28 of those yards coming on a strike from Collins to Adonis Martin. Collins followed that up with a 13 yard gain to Evan Powell, and four plays later the junior quarterback plunged in from a yard out to put the 'Roos ahead 14-10.
The Lynx got a 22-yard field goal on the first play in the fourth quarter to cut it to a 14-13 game, and four minutes later, Settles capped off a five play, 73-yard drive with a one yard touchdown. Settles did most of the work on the drive with his legs, including breaking off a 64 yard run to get the Lynx inside the Austin College 10-yard line.
Austin College had a chance late after forcing a three and out with under five minutes left, and after being sacked at the Rhodes 3-yard line, Collins connected on four straight passes to get the 'Roos out to the 35. Austin College would work its way down to the Rhodes 15, but with under 10 seconds remaining Collins went to the endzone and was picked off by Jacob Andersen, giving the ball back to the Lynx with just two seconds left.
Collins finished the game completing 27-of-45 passes for 260 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, adding 68 rushing yards and another score. Powell caught a career-high 13 passes for 101 yards, and Rideaux finished with four catches for 71 yards. Jackson Townsend led the Austin College defense with nine tackles.
Settles completed 14-of-23 passes for 145 yards and a pick, adding 157 rushing yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. McKay rushed 15 times for 94 yards and a score, and Alden Seger led the Lynx defensively with 10 tackles and an interception.