WICHITA FALLS, Texas – McMurry University found itself overwhelmed on the road, falling at Midwestern State University, 71-13, at Memorial Stadium.
 
The loss left the War Hawks with a record of 2-4 overall and 1-4 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs, who received votes in the NCAA II national poll, improved to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the LSC with the win over McM.
 
One of the bright spots for McMurry – as has been the case most of the season – was senior wide receiver Jeret Smith.  For the third-consecutive week, Smith surpassed the century mark in receiving yards, making seven catches for 141 yards in the setback.
 
Smith moved up to the No. 2 spot all-time for receptions at McM, with 164 grabs (trailing only former teammate Greg Livingston's 202). Smith now also has 2,318 receiving yards in his career, which ranks No. 3 in school history (No. 2 is Livingston at 2,523 and No. 1 is Rory Peacock at 2,634 yards).
 
MSU led 35-0 early in the second quarter before McM finally responded. A 47-yard pass from Matthew McHugh to Smith capped a five-play, 74-yard drive that made it 35-7 with 8:33 left until the half.
 
The Mustangs added a safety to their coffers before the intermission, making it 37-7 at the break.
 
The second half proved much the same as the first, as two MSU third quarter touchdowns – and three more in the fourth – sandwiched another McHugh-to-Smith aerial for a 35-yard TD. That scoring pass finalized a 10-play, 88-yard marathon drive with 14:01 left to play.
 
The potent MSU offense more than doubled up the War Hawks – 566 to 243 – and the Mustangs held a 28-18 differential in total first downs. McM would net just 16 rushing yards while, conversely, Midwestern ran for 383 yards on the ground.
 
McHugh completed 18 of 39 passes for 227 yards and the two TD strikes to Smith. He was intercepted once and sacked three times.
 
The McMurry defense had a five players – Josh Jones, Decorian Johnson, Ryan Williams, Desmond Guy and Jared King – all amass six tackles in the game to lead the War Hawks. King and Andrew Sanchez each had a sack in the contest.
 
McMurry will host Tarleton State next Saturday in its final regular-season home game at 2 p.m.  It will be Senior Day, as well as Military Appreciation Day, at Wilford Moore Stadium.