ABILENE, TEX. – A late third quarter/early fourth quarter 57-yard touchdown brought McMurry University's Parents Weekend crowd to its feet in anticipation of a late-game comeback Saturday, Sept. 17.

An 18-yard rushing score by senior running back Rajan Cunningham (Dallas, Tex.) beat East Texas Baptist's defense around the left end for six points. The War Hawks trimmed the Tigers advantage to 21-7 early in the final stanza of the 2022 American Southwest Conference opener at Wilford Moore Stadium. After holding ETBU deep in their own end on the ensuing kickoff, junior signal caller Richie Luna (Eagle Pass, Tex.) got the offense near midfield before a game-deciding pick six for the visitors closed out the 28-7 final.

ETBU, evening their record at 1-1, used the legs and arm of freshman quarterback Cornelius Banks to spark two touchdowns in the second period and one in the third to build the lead. Banks ran for one score and threw for another. Reigning league defensive Player of the Week Devin Nixon (Vidor, Tex.) didn't make it easy on Banks or the Tiger offense with seven tackles, while the sophomore defensive back combination of Timothy Leatherman (Ingram, Tex.) and Damon Dozier, Jr. (Royse City, Tex.) added five tackles each.

Head coach Jordan Neal's team, dipping to 0-3, goes on the road Saturday, Sept. 24, traveling to Georgetown, Tex., for a 6 p.m. kickoff against Southwestern University in ASC action.