ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University football suffered its first home loss of the 2017 season, dropping a 31-21 American Southwest Conference decision to Texas Lutheran University at Wilford Moore Stadium. The loss was the second in a row for the War Hawks (1-4, 1-3 ASC).
 
Freshman quarterback Vincent James did not allow a first half interception in his first career start to hinder a good outing at the War Hawks' controls.  James, getting the nod for injured starter Kevin Hurley Jr., completed 31-of-46 passes for 370 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Eriel Dorsey and Justin Eaton.
 
Dorsey hauled in nine passes for 88 yards, with Eaton making five grabs for a game-leading 125 receiving yards. Dorsey had a 21-yard touchdown pass from James with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter.  Eaton made a 26-yard catch with just 54 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
McM actually tallied first with3:50 left in the opening stanza. The War Hawks took over on downs at their own 43 and promptly drove the 57 yards in five plays.  Junior running back Kelvaughn Hayes capped the series with a six-yard run. After Tanner Wright's extra point kick, McMurry led 7-0.
 
The Bulldogs reeled off 17 unanswered points in the first half to grab a 17-7 cushion. Eaton's scoring aerial from James cut the War Hawks' deficit to 17-14 heading into the halftime locker room.
 
TLU notched the only points of the third quarter with a 31-yard run and then added another score with an 11-yard pass early in the fourth to move ahead, 31-14. Dorsey's TD midway through the period – with the PAT - made it the 31-21 final score.
 
Texas Lutheran signal-caller Kyle Grona was a true double-threat to McM.  Grona ran for 139 yards on 21 carries and completed 16-of-31 passes for 196 yards. That helped the visiting Bulldogs to out-gain McM in total offense, 426-377.
 
McM's freshman linebacker Josh Smith had a game-leading nine tackles and one quarterback pressure. Fellow linebackers Jacob Ferguson and Michael Green Jr. had eight and six tackles, respectively. Green also forced a fumble, had a pass break-up and a quarterback pressure to his credit.
Derek Davis II also had an interception. It was McM's third straight game with a pilfered pass.
 
The War Hawks will look to right the ship next week in its annual homecoming game. McM will welcome Belhaven University, with a 12:30 p.m. kickoff at Willford Moore Stadium.