ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University football closed the books on the 2016 campaign, falling a crosstown foe Hardin-Simmons University, 47-17.  The War Hawks finished the season at 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the American Southwest Conference after dropping the decision to the No. 11-ranked Cowboys (9-1, 5-1 ASC).
 
The two teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but a 13 point second gave host HSU the halftime cushion. The Cowboys added 13 more in the third, with then War Hawks finally getting on the scoreboard with a 40-yard Tanner Wright field goal.
 
In the waning seconds of the third, Wade Barthelemy Jr. dove over the goal line on a one-yard run. Barthelemy's touchdown, and Wright's extra point kick, made it 26-10 through three periods. The score capped a seven-play, 87-yard drive.
 
HSU scored three more times in the fourth. Barthelemy capped the game's scoring with another one-yard run with 4:26 left to play.  The TD was set up when Cam Baker recovered a fumble deep in the War Hawks' end and returned it 64 yards to the Cowboys' six, before Barthelemy scored two plays later.
 
Six of HSU's touchdowns were by Jaquan Hemphill on runs of 5, 5, 18, 38, 7 and 2 yards (an HSU school record for TDs in a game).
 
McMurry was out-gained in total offense by a margin of 586-to-230.  McM had 132 rushing yards, but was held to just 98 in the air. HU had 353 rushing yards.
 
Quarterback B.J. Ross had 59 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Ross was 9-for-20 passing, but was intercepted twice and sacked twice. Ross finished the season with 524 rushing yards and 1,253 passing yards (both team leading totals).
 
Wright hit both of his extra point opportunities in the loss, finishing the season with a McM school-record total of 35-of-35 PATs in 2016.
 
Junior defensive back Jordan Washington finished the afternoon with a game-leading 12 tackles, 10 of the solo variety.  J.R. Arroyo capped his career as a War Hawk with 10 tackles. Junior linebacker Jacob Ferguson also had 10 tackles and forced a fumble.