Box Score
Mississippi College gained 582 yards of offense and used four first-half touchdown passes from Adam Shaffer to demoralize McMurry in a 47-14 victory on the road at Wilford Moore Stadium Saturday night. Shaffer finished the game with 310 yards through the air, Dusty Coleman scored on an 82-yard punt return in the first quarter, Hunter Clark returned a 48-yard interception for a score and Kyle Kruse booted through two field goals in the Choctaws' scoring fiesta.
McMurry scored twice on the night with Rashon Lewis scampering for a 40-yard touchdown run on a quarterback scramble in the first quarter. The junior later found Dusty Thornhill for a 5-yard score in the third quarter to account for the home team's only two touchdowns.
After trailing 35-6 at half, McMurry played better football to start the second half. After Thornhill's touchdown catch, C.J. Villegas picked off the 10th pass of his career and narrowly missed returning the interception for a touchdown as he was forced out at the Choctaw 4-yard line for a 58-yard return..
However, McMurry's offense was unable to score on Villegas' momentum-shifting play and turned the ball over on downs after three straight incompletions capped by a Choctaw sack on fourth down by Clint Champagne for a loss of 11 yards.
Mississippi College started the ensuing drive and drove down to the McMurry 10-yard line where they settled for Kruse's first field goal from 27 yards out. McMurry and the Choctaws then exchanged possessions before Trey Brown recovered a fumble for McMurry at the Choctaw 43-yard line with 11:34 to go in the game.
McMurry drove to the Mississippi College 10-yard line but Lewis threw one of his three interceptions on the night in the endzone. 12 plays later Kruse added a 35-yard field goal to put Mississippi College up 41-14. Kruse tied Mississippi College's career record for field goals with 22.
To add insult to injury, Lewis was intercepted again on the next McMurry drive, but this time Clark to the miscue the distance and scored the final points of the game with a 48-yard return.
Thornhill's touchdown reception marked the 20th of his career. After a 10-catch 110-yard performance, he is 70 yards shy of moving to second all-time on McMurry's career receiving list.
Lewis, who has had trouble finding the target all season largely due to constant pressure by defenses and a lack of protection from his line, connected on just 22 of 54 pass attempts. He gained 216 yards through the air and gained 34 yards on 12 carries on the night. Mississippi College's defense was credited with 10 quarterback hurries on the night including five from Corey Cooley.
The Choctaws' Brannon Willisson added three hurries of his own and had six tackles including three for a loss. Brown and Gene Vogelman had solid individual defensive performances for McMurry in the losing effort.
Brown posted a career-high with 14 tackles, 2.0 for a loss, recovered a fumble and broke up four passes on the night. Vogelman had 10 tackles, two for a loss, and one sack which forced a fumble that Brandon Murray recovered.
McMurry's defense has allowed 1,209 yards of offense in its last two losses and has gained just 561.
Mississippi College improved to 3-0 on the season and 2-0 in American Southwest Conference play. McMurry fell to 1-3 and 0-2 in the ASC. McMurry could have trouble finding its next win Saturday when the team heads to Belton to play the No. 2 team in the NCAA Division III in Mary Hardin-Baylor.
