ABILENE, Texas -  Sophomore quarterback Kevin Hurley Jr. handled matters with both his arm and his feet, leading the McMurry University football team to its first win of the season by topping Howard Payne University, 33-21.  The War Hawks improved to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the American Southwest Conference (ASC), while the Yellow Jackets fell to 0-2 and 0-1 in the ASC.
 
On the ground, Hurley ran for 102 yards on eight carries, including a 22-yard touchdown jaunt in the first quarter. Hurley's rushing total was the most by a McMurry signal-caller in a game since Rashon Lewis carried 21 times for 138 yards versus Hardin-Simmons in 2007.
 
Through the air, Hurley completed a sterling .739 percent of his pass attempts, 13-of-23. Hurley had a pair of aerial TDs, as well, both to wide receiver Trevion Harris. Hurley and Harris connected on scoring passes of 12 yards in the first quarter and 23 in the second.
 
Wade Barthelemy Jr. ran the ball 14 times for 73 yards.  Jeremiah Jefferson paced the McM receivers with six catches for 89 yards.
 
That firepower helped McMurry jump out to a 27-0 halftime lead and a 30-0 advantage early in the third stanza. The Yellow Jackets got off the deck to score their first points in the final minute of that third quarter and added a pair of fourth quarter tallies, as well.
 
Defensively, three McMurry players – Jordan Washington, Aaron Theut and Darius Brooks – each amassed seven tackles. All seven of the stops by Washington and Theut were solo tackles. Allen Scott and Josh Smith each chipped in six tackles. 
 
Brooks and Charles Smith each had a sack, as well.
 
McMurry will take to the road next Saturday to Alpine, Texas to face Sul Ross State University. The will be the 87th meeting between McM and the Lobos, making it the War Hawks most-contested series in its football history.