ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University could not overcome five of its own miscues in falling to Lone Star Conference second-place team Tarleton State, 64-7, at Wilford Moore Stadium. The War Hawks fell to 2-5 overall and dropped to 1-5 in the LSC.
 
Meanwhile, the Texans improved to 4-3 on the year and 4-2 in conference play.
 
TSU converted McM mistakes into 22 of its points. One of those was a 98-yard fumble return for a touchdown by TSU's Devin Figures that was – for all intents and purposes – a 15-point swing in the game.
 
Trailing just 21-7, McMurry had driven deep into Texan territory with a third-and-goal from the TSU one. Chris Simpson ran off left tackle but, as he tried to stretch across the goal, lost the football with Figures scooping it up and rambling the other way for the score. Tarleton ran in a two-point conversion to make it 29-7 with 4:51 left until halftime.
 
That play was made even more "expensive" for the War Hawks as quarterback Matthew McHugh was injured, as well.  After pitching the ball to Simpson and jogging behind the play, McHugh was cut down from behind by a blow to the knees from a TSU defender and was unable to return the rest of the game.
 
With its signal-caller sidelined, McM was unable to generate much offense the rest of the game, either. The War Hawks had amassed 172 yards of offense with McHugh under center, but managed just 67 yards the rest of the afternoon.
 
Before being injured, McHugh managed to connect with star senior wide receiver Jeret Smith on a beautiful 40-yard catch-and-run that, at that time, but TSU's advantage to 14-7 (after Joey Silva's extra point kick with 14:53 left until halftime).
 
Smith had four catches for 84 yards on the day.
 
Defensively, Greg Pinckney had eight tackles and one pass break-up. Joshua fisher also had eight tackles, to share team-high honors.  Desmond Guy, Jacob Ferguson and Ryan Williams all had six tackles, apiece.
 
The War Hawks will travel to LSC frontrunner Texas A&M-Commerce next Saturday at 4 p.m.