Box Score
Brownwood, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team took control of the game early and the Cru rolled to a 45-7 victory over Howard Payne University Saturday in Brownwood. UMHB improves to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in American Southwest Conference play with the victory. The loss drops the Yellow Jackets to 4-5 overall and 2-5 in the ASC on the year.
The Cru grabbed a 7-0 lead when Bryson Tucker exploded for a 67-yard touchdown run on the third offensive play of the game. UMHB would stretch the lead to 14-0 when Tucker scored on a seven-yard run at the 8:29 mark of the first quarter. Kyle Noack hit Pi’Dadro Davis with a 32-yard touchdown pass on the Cru’s third offensive possession to make it 21-0. LiDarral Bailey would add a five-yard TD pass to Tucker early in the second quarter and Quincy Daniels scored on a four-yard run to give the Cru a 35-0 halftime lead.
Brett Parker would intercept a Zach Hubbard pass and return it to the Howard Payne two-yard line to set up Tucker’s fourth touchdown of the day on a two-yard run 2:20 into the third quarter to make it 42-0 UMHB. Hubbard would score on a five-yard run as the Yellow Jackets finally scored with 9:58 remaining in the third quarter to cut it to 42-7. Alan Munoz hit a 33-yard field goal for the Cru to close out the scoring with 6:07 left in the third quarter.
Tucker finished with 119 yards rushing and three touchdowns on just 11 carries. His four total touchdowns tie the UMHB single-game record held by Jarvis Thrasher, Chris Owens and Matt Hurst. Quincy Daniels added 77 rushing yards and a score for the Cru. Noack was 3-4 passing for 45 yards and a TD and Davis finished with two catches for 29 yards and a TD. Parker intercepted a pair of passes to push his school record to 14 picks. Parker added a sack and four total tackles. Hubbard was 26-53 passing for 211 yards for Howard Payne after throwing for a combined total of 985 yards in the previous two games. Corbin Young had six catches for 50 yards for HPU.
The Cru rolled up 388 yards rushing and threw for 67 more yards. The UMHB defense held Howard Payne to -5 rushing yards and just 206 yards of total offense in the game. The Cru also forced three turnovers in the victory.
UMHB played without head coach Pete Fredenburg. Fredenburg missed the game on doctor’s orders after undergoing tests for shortness of breath earlier in the week. The Cru will now return home to host Sul Ross State in the regular season finale next Saturday at 1:00 PM at Tiger Field.