ABILENE, Texas – An eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter proved to be no problem for the McMurry University football team, as it scored a 34-28 come-from-behind victory over visiting Louisiana College at Wilford Moore Stadium. The win was the War Hawks' second in a row and helped the team reach the .500 plateau at 4-4 overall (2-3 in the American Southwest Conference).
 
McM rolled up 481 yards of total offense – 257 rushing and 224 passing – while keeping the Wildcats (4-5, 1-4 ASC) at 343 total yards. LC managed just 69 rushing yards in the game against a stingy McMurry defensive front.
 
The War Hawks' offense also controlled the ball on its side, with a huge advantage in time of possession (43:37 to 16:23 minutes), with six of its drives consuming nearly four minutes or more, five of which involved 10-plus plays. McMurry was 10-of-19 on third down conversions and two-for-two on fourth down attempts.
 
The War Hawks' opening series of the game was one of those, using 12 plays and consuming 5:19 of the first quarter clock. Stalling at the LC 26 yard line, McM head coach Lance Hinson called on Tanner Wright for a 43 yard field attempt which was good.
 
It was the longest field goal by a McM kicker since Jessie Garcia nailed a 44 yarder versus Texas College in 2010.
 
Early in the second stanza, the Wildcats took a 7-3 lead, which they held for the bulk of the period.  With just 49 seconds left until halftime, Corey Lopez caught a 12-yard pass from B.J. Ross (21-of-29, 224 yards) for a touchdown to cap a 90-yard drive. Wright's PAT made it 10-7.
 
Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, the War Hawks' defense rose to the occasion when Jordan Washington intercepted LC's East Melancon at the McMurry 34. Washington – producing an interception in his fourth-consecutive game and fifth pick in that span - returned the ball 66 yards to the Wildcats' four with 1.5 seconds left to the half.
 
Hinson again called on Wright, who calmly drilled a 22-yard field goal as the halftime clock expired and McM led 13-7 at the break.
 
Louisiana College emerged from the intermission and, after receiving the kickoff, scored within the first two minutes to regain the lead, 14-13.  But McMurry answered back when Ross ran in from four yards out to culminate a 10-play, 79-yard drive. Wright added the PAT to go up 20-13 with 8:41 left in the third.
 
Wright's extra point kick also made him a perfect 34-for-34 this season.
 
Two consecutive TDs by the Wildcats, however, left McMurry staring at a 28-20 deficit with 13:51 left to play.
 
But McM was far from finished. Taking the kickoff and beginning at their own 24, the War Hawks deftly drove down the field. Ross went 6-for-6 in the drive and had two carries for seven yards. Ross hit Eriel Dorsey with a four yard aerial. A two-point conversion failed, leaving McMurry still behind by a 28-26 count.
 
McM squandered a chance to score with just under three minutes left when, after a five-minute series, a fumble just outside the goal line by Ross was recovered by the Wildcats. The McM defense forced its second-straight three-and-out and McMurry got the ball back with 1:50 left to play and still down by two points.
 
Starting at its own 44, McMurry newcomer Wade Barthelemy Jr. added to his already impressive rushing totals in the series. After an 11-yard Ross rush, Barthelemy Jr. ripped off a 22 yard run and an eight-yard jaunt to move the ball to the LC 15. Amonte Bowen then carried the final 15 yards for the touchdown with 47 tics on the game clock.  Ross ran the ball in on a naked bootleg on the conversion, making it 34-28.
 
The Wildcats began to throw deep after the kickoff, missing on their first pass and then Melancon hooking up with Cole Crook for 20 yards.  But on the third play, Melancon was picked off by McM's Charles Smith, who returned it 27 yards to the LCC 35 and giving McM its 25th takeaway of the season.
 
All that remained was for Ross to take a knee three times to run out the clock and put the game in McMurry's win column.
 
Barthelemy Jr. rolled up 140 yards on 25 carries for his team's first 100-yard rushing game of the season, along with making six receptions for 29 yards. Ross had 87 yards on 22 attempts.
 
Smith finished with a team-leading nine tackles and also had a fumble recovery. Arian Torres added seven tackles and Patrick Morrison six.