McMurry scored a lot of points. Hardin-Simmons scored more. The Cowboys won their 20th-straight game against cross-town rival McMurry Saturday night at Wilford Moore Stadium with a 71-56 win in a track meet of a football game. HSU drove down the field with 50 seconds remaining in the first half to score a touchdown and then scored 25 3rd-quarter points to gain the edge in the contest.

McMurry used an eight-play 82-yard drive in the second quarter, capped by a 14-yard touchdown run by Tristan Randle and then a successful 2-point conversion to get within three points before halftime. However, the Cowboys used the final 56 seconds of the quarter and scored in four plays to extend the lead to 31-21 at the half.

In the second half, the Cowboys struck first with a 29-yard field goal from Colt Williamson, but McMurry struck back when quarterback Rashon Lewis scampered in for an 18-yard score. From there, HSU's Quinton Jones score 1:07 later and ran in a 2-point conversion to make the score 42-28.

Randle responded 19 seconds later with a 52-yard touchdown run to make the score 42-34 after the Cowboys blocked the extra point. Then the Cowboys took over scoring three-straight touchdowns with ZaVious Robbins returning the next kickoff 67 yards for a touchdown, Justice Baker then added a 20-yard touchdown pass from Justin Feaster and Jones ran another six-pointer in from 43 yards out 16 seconds into the fourth quarter.

By then the score was out of reach at 63-34 in favor of the Cowboys. Even with three more touchdowns by McMurry in the fourth quarter, Mychal Carillo added another touchdown for HSU in the fourth to give the Cowboys 70 points for the first time in the 2007 season.

Many anticipated that McMurry's defense would give Hardin-Simmons trouble while McMurry's offense could struggle. However, it was the opposite story Saturday. The 56 points was a season-high and the most points McMurry had scored since the 2000 season when McMurry beat Sul Ross 56-28. HSU's 71 points was the most McMurry has ever surrendered to the Cowboys in school history.

Lewis was 15 of 33 for 264 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes in perhaps his best all-around game of the season. He was only intercepted one time and also rushed for 138 yards on 21 carries. For the season, he was 132 of 335 for 1,843 yards, 14 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He rushed for 569 yards and six touchdowns on the season.

Andrew Wallace finished the game with 11 tackles and three for a loss to accompany a forced fumble. He finished the season tied with Trey Brown for the team-lead in tackles with 78. Joe Alexander had 10 tackles on the night as well.

It was senior night for McMurry and several seniors had outstanding nights in their final games as collegiate football players. Randle, who had never scored more than one touchdown in a game his entire career before Saturday, added three touchdowns in his final contest.

Randle, a three-year letterman finished with 353 carries, 1,435 yards and 10 touchdowns in three seasons. He finished 15th all-time on McMurry's career rushing yards list. He is fourth all-time in career yards for McMurry since the school joined the American Southwest Conference in 1996. He also ranks 6th in rushing touchdowns among McMurry players since joining the ASC with 10. Saturday in the loss to Hardin-Simmons, he ran for a career-high 168 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries.

Dusty Thornhill also played his final game Saturday. Out of the 10 seniors, Thornhill was probably the most prolific of the players as far as statistics are concerned. He finished with 141 receptions, 2,288 yards and 24 touchdowns in his four-year stay at McMurry. He ranks second all-time in both yards and touchdowns and is third on the all-time list for receptions. He finished behind Rory Peacock (2,634 yards, 40 touchdowns) and may have had a chance to break both records had he not missed most of his sophomore season. He also struggled with injuries throughout his final two seasons.

Saturday night, Thornhill had nine receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns. That marked the ninth time in his career that he had at least 100 receiving yards and it was the fifth time in his career he caught multiple touchdown passes.

C.J. Villegas, the defense's only senior, finished his four-year career with a solid night. He had nine tackles, two for a loss, an interception and another pick that was called back on a questionable offsides penalty. Villegas finished his career with 11 interceptions, which ranks second all-time and is the most by a McMurry player since joining the ASC.

He also had 175 tackles as a defensive back ranking him 9th among McMurry players since joining the ASC.

Bert Green finished a three-year career as a wide receiver and punter for McMurry. He finished with 1,591 receiving yards, 85 receptions and 14 touchdown catches in three seasons. He will leave the team ranking 7th all-time in receiving yards, 12th all-time in receptions and tied for third in touchdown receptions among McMurry players since joining the ASC.

As a punter, he was first team all-conference in 2006. In 2007, he finished fourth in the ASC with a 41.1 yard average and he recorded the second-longest punt of the season with a 75-yarder. His career average for punting was 40.3 yards. He also had 1,913 all-purpose yards for his career.

Desmond Sanders played the final game of his four-year career Saturday. He did not record a catch at receiver Saturday but still left McMurry with 72 receptions, 771 yards and six receiving touchdowns in his career. He moved to 11th among McMurry players in receiving yards since joining the ASC and 22nd all-time. He also finished 15th all-time in receptions.

Sanders also had 325 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns and compiled 2,064 all-purpose yard in four seasons.

Chris Sanders' fourth-quarter touchdown Saturday gave him the first and last touchdown of his career in four seasons with McMurry. He finished with 372 yards rushing in his career.

Elton Powell finished his career with 213 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He had 15 catches for his career. He caught three consecutive passes on a game-winning drive in 2006 to beat Howard Payne.

Also playing their final games were center Uriah Chambers, center Marvin Zinsmeyer and linebacker Tony Miller. Miller finished with 15 tackles and a forced fumble in two seasons.

Donny Gray finished his first season as the head coach for McMurry. The team finished with a 2-8 record in his first year.