Box Score

ABILENE, Texas – Louisiana College wide receiver Darnell Williams caught two touchdown passes, and then used his 6-foot four-inch height to his advantage as he played defense the final series and intercepted McMurry's Landry Gunter in the endzone with five seconds left to help the Wildcats outlast McMurry 35-32 at Wilford Moore Stadium Saturday afternoon.

McMurry playing without star quarterback Jake Mullin, also lost backup Stephen Warren with an elbow injury in the second quarter. Gunter was thrown into the fire against the Wildcats for the second-straight season, but this time Gunter kept McMurry in the game and nearly made the game-winning throw.
The junior third-team quarterback from Eastland completed 11 of 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the second half before Williams spoiled McMurry's final home game of the season. McMurry's staff called a fade rout to Marcus Franklin and Franklin was unable to break free of the Wildcat cornerback Pat Chitman, and Williams acting as the safety came in to intercept the pass in the endzone.

“I was really proud, it goes to show you what persistence will do, and Landry's a great example of that. He stepped up and really played well,” said McMurry head coach Hal Mumme. “It was not his fault on the last interception, we were being held. That's Marcus' play, he always make that play, they knew he was going to try and make that play. They held his jersey and we didn't get the call. “

Prior to the game-sealing turnover, McMurry's Will Morris ran an interception back 74 yards for a touchdown to put McMurry up 32-28 with 7:55 remaining. However, the Wildcats led by fourth-year quarterback Ben McLaughlin used a 10-play 83-yard drive capped by D'Mario's 18 yard touchdown reception from Laughlin to re-gain the lead with just 54 seconds remaining.

Landry marched McMurry back down the field with no timeouts remaining, keyed by 39-yard reception by R.J. Long, which he took to the Louisiana College 10-yard line. With 10 seconds remaining, Gunter took a snap and immediately threw the ball in the southeast corner of the endzone in an attempt to reach Franklin, but the ball was picked.

Long, who became the single-season record holder for receiving yardage last week against Hardin-Simmons, became McMurry's first 1,000-yard receiver with eight receptions and 119 yards. He also tied Rory Peacock's single-season record with 13 touchdown catches in a season. He scored from 45 yards out on a pass from Gunter in the third and Warren found him for a 7-yard strike in the second.

Warren exited the game after completing 14 of 25 passes for 130 yards and an interception in his first collegiate start.

Following Morris' touchdown return, McLauglin drove the Wildcats down the field into the redzone, but McMurry's Desmond Baker intercepted a pass in the endzone and returned it 81 yards to the Wildcat 19-yard line. However, a holding call put McMurry at the LC 27-yard line at 1st down and 18 yards to go.

“I think after Desmond's the key play in the game was the holding play on us when we had the big gain on first down,” Mumme said. “They called us for holding four times, and them zero. It kept them in drives and took us out of one where we needed to score to ice the game.”

Trying to run the clock, McMurry ran on three-straight plays with Austin Brooks to get back to the 17-yard line. However, on fourth down, McMurry attempted to go for it rather than kick a 33-yard field goal into the 20-mile an hour wind and the pass fell incomplete. That set up the game-winner from McLauglin to Parker.

Though McLaughlin threw three interceptions, the nation's top passer in yards per game, finished with 399 yards through the air and four touchdown passes. McMurry's Brooks rushed for a career-high 149 yards on 28 carries.

Morris finished with 10 tackles and also had a forced fumble to accompany his first career touchdown. Corey Hall added nine tackles and Kerry Gamble had eight. Brodrick Frederick and Nate Janzen each had 11 tackles for the Wildcats.

Louisiana College locked up third place in the American Southwest Conference with one game to spare against Hardin-Simmons. The Wildcats moved to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in league play

McMurry will need a win against Mississippi College on the road Saturday in Clinton, Miss. at 1 p.m. to gain its first winning season since 2000 and match its league record of 4-4 last season. McMurry moved to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in conference action.