CANYON, Texas – McMurry University's football team put on an offensive show in a loss to West Texas A&M University, 56-21, in a game played a Kimbrough Memorial Stadium. The loss evened the War Hawks record at 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the Lone Star Conference, while the Buffaloes improved to 3-2 on the year and 2-1 in the LSC.
 
The two teams combined for better than 1,000 yards of total offense – 510 for McM and 537 for WTAMU – for the second consecutive year. This year's total paled in comparison to last year's record-setting 1,400 yards between the clubs, but it still gave the crowd of 10,592 plenty of entertainment.
 
Early on, the War Hawks stayed close to the perennially-tough WTAMU team, which had built a 14-0 lead within the first 11 minutes of the game. The Buffs scored on drives of 80 and 77 yards.
 
With 1:26 left in the opening stanza, McMurry climbed back in the game, thanks to a nine-play, 75-yard drive of its own. The series was culminated on a nine-yard aerial from Matthew McHugh to Jeret Smith. Joey Silva's extra point kick made it 14-7.
 
But the Buffs didn't permit McMurry time to celebrate much, returning the ensuing kickoff 81 yards to the War Hawks' three.  WTAMU needed just a single play to extend its lead to 20-7, after the missed PAT, with over a minute to play in the first still.
 
Early in the second quarter, WTAMU would score following an interception deep in McM's own end, as well as another lengthy drive – this one 80 yards – as the Buffs pushed their advantage up to 33-7 9:31 left to play in the first half.
 
The War Hawks showed some quick-strike capability of their own on the next series. McHugh lofted a 71-yard catch-and-run to Smith, capping the 75-yard,three-play drive that cut the deficit to 33-14.
 
After a WTAMU safety made it 35-14, McM kept the first half scoring extravaganza going. Beginning at its own twenty and with 2:09 on the second quarter clock, McHugh engineered an eight-play drive.  As the second period clock hit 00:00, McHugh connected with Dexter Garrett for his first McM touchdown, shaving the margin to 35-21 at the intermission.
 
In a somewhat sedate second half, the War Hawks were held scoreless.  WTAMU, on the other hand, added three more scores on drives of 93, 86 and 78 yards for the 56-21 final score.
 
McHugh had his best passing day as a War Hawk, completing 29-of-44 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns. McHugh upped his TD total to 10 in 2014.
 
McMurry reserve signal-caller Cy Ward completed 5-of-10 passes for 62 yards.
 
The main benefactor of McHugh's arm was Smith who had 10 catches for 203 yards, his highest single-game receiving yardage total as a War Hawk.
 
Smith's totals also gave him 2,009 career receiving yards, making him just the fifth player in McMurry history to surpass 2,000 receiving yards. He also climbed to the No. 3 position in career receptions with 150.
 
On defense, defensive back Ryan Williams had 12 tackles to lead McM. Fellow DB Desmond Guy had nine stops. Josh Jones and Jordan Washington each booked seven tackles.  Washington also had the lone sack of the game by either team.