Game Day Central

While Hardin-Simmons is the obvious rival for McMurry University because just five miles separates the campuses, fans forget the close proximity and rivalry built between McMurry and Howard Payne. Brownwood, the home of the Yellow Jackets, is just 80 miles southeast of Abilene.

Both schools, hailing from the American Southwest Conference, have produced competitive contests over the past few years, especially with the highly powered women's basketball teams' national runs in the middle portion of the decade that saw McMurry and Howard Payne meet in the national tournament twice.

However, the gridiron rivalry between McMurry and Howard Payne has been a growing one as well, particularly over the last six seasons where the two programs have split the six matchups. The games since 2004 have been decided by an average score of 9.2 points and the teams have score on average a combined 63.5 points in those contests.

To start off in 2004, HPU overcame a 24-14 deficit to take a 42-39 victory at home before erasing a 27-14 deficit in Abilene the following season to take a 35-33 victory. Then, in one of the most exciting Homecoming games in recent McMurry history, McMurry scored two touchdowns in the final 4:46 including the game-winner with 12 seconds left for a 25-21 comeback win over the Yellow Jackets in 2006.

McMurry returned to Brownwood in 2007 and took a 34-24 victory over HPU on a day where the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over eight times. Then, in 2008, Howard Payne struck back with a 45-33 win at Wilford Moore Stadium.

Last season in Hal Mumme's first season as head coach of McMurry, the team went to Brownwood and took the largest margin of victory in the six-year span by defeating HPU 37-13.

In 2010, the stage is set for one of the biggest matchups in years between the two schools. For McMurry, a strong 2-0 start and a heart-breaking, but competitive 43-31 loss to No. 5 Mary Hardin-Baylor had fans from around the conference speculating a strong season for McMurry. However, East Texas Baptist spoiled its mood in Marshall Saturday with a 23-21 victory and dropped McMurry to 0-2 in American Southwest Conference play.

Howard Payne, like McMurry, stands 2-2 overall but gained its first ASC victory Saturday over Texas Lutheran 39-17. The Yellow Jackets also had a win over Southwestern Assemblies of God and a tough double-overtime loss to Trinity to start the season.

In the ASC, which has been dominated by Mary Hardin-Baylor and Hardin-Simmons for much of its existence, McMurry and Howard Payne are in similar situations as programs striving to dethrone the top two schools.

“I think this year, anybody can beat anybody,” said Mumme. “The league's getting a lot closer together and Howard Payne is an example of a team that's ready to start making waves. They had a signature win last season over Mississippi College, and their defense is much improved from the team we beat last year.”

HPU defeated the nationally-ranked Choctaws last season for its only league victory before Mississippi College went on to the national playoffs becoming just the fourth ASC team to reach the postseason since 1996. ETBU made the national playoffs in 2003 and UMHB and HSU each have had multiple playoff appearances.

Like Mumme in his second season, third-year Yellow Jackets head coach Steve Fanara is looking to revive a program that has been down in recent years.

“They've done a tremendous job working to turn it around,” Mumme said. “They throw the ball around pretty good like we do, and their defense is much improved like ours. I think that Saturday will be an extremely exciting game for both sides.”

The Yellow Jackets were the No. 1 passing offense in the ASC in 2009 while McMurry was No. 2, and each team finished with 4-6 records. Both quarterbacks are back in 2010 with Mullin leading McMurry and Zach Hubbard under center for HPU. Mullin threw for 2,749 yards in 2009 with 25 touchdowns while Hubbard threw for 3,140 and 24 touchdowns.

This season, Mullin has tallied 1,590 yards and 19 touchdowns in four games while Hubbard has 1,249 yards and 10 touchdowns in four games.

“I think that's one of the intriguing matchups of the season in our conference,” Mumme said. “The last time I remember going into a game with two really prolific passers was my first year at Kentucky when we sent out Tim Couch to face Tennessee and Peyton Manning.”

The game Mumme speaks of was Nov. 22, 1997 in Lexington, Ken. when the pair combined for 1,021 passing yards with Manning's 545 and five touchdown passes leading the Volunteers past the Wildcats 59-31. However, Couch threw for 476.

When asked about an emerging rivalry with Howard Payne, senior defensive lineman Josh McKinnis has his sights set elsewhere: McMurry's first conference win.

“It's just another game to win,” he said. “Coach Mumme tells us that every Saturday is the most important game you have, and you don't play two of them. I think with this group of guys on defense we'll always be able to be in the game.”

With all the accolades and publicity both offenses get, it may very well be the defenses that decide the game Saturday in this emerging rivalry. After ranking fifth and sixth respectively in 2009 in the nine-team ASC in total defense, McMurry is first in 2010 through four games allowing just 187 yards per game while Howard Payne has jumped to third allowing 312.2 yards per game in four contests.

Whatever your fancy, a high-powered offense or stifling defense, both teams have units on both sides of the ball that could make Saturday's contest at McMurry's Wilford Moore Stadium at 6 p.m. and intriguing matchup.