ABILENE – McMurry entered Saturday's game with Texas Lutheran knowing they needed to show up with a big performance and the team responded with a convincing 31-10 victory.
 
Texas Lutheran came in at 2-0 with a statement win over highly ranked Trinity in the season opener, 35-10. But the statement Saturday was McMurry's.
 
The War Hawks passed for 200 yards and rushed for 135 while the defense frustrated the Bulldogs for much of the night.
 
"This was just a statement win for our football program," said McM head coach Jordan Neal. "I couldn't be more proud of the way we played. I told the guys after the game that the best news of all after getting a win like this against a really good TLU team is that I don't even think we're playing our best football yet."

The War Hawks ended the opening TLU drive with a James White interception on the seventh play and the offense quickly went to work capitalizing on the turnover.
 
After two completions and a first down, Jess Hoel tossed a short pass to Thomas Chandler who covered the final 28 yards for the touchdown. Jax Rodriguez added the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
 
The War Hawk defense forced a punt on the next TLU drive and Rodriguez made sure the special teams got some love, booting a 52-yard field goal with 5:41 to go in the first quarter.
 
Joaquin Rodriguez answered with a 36-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 8:43 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The War Hawks went up 17-3 with 1:26 left in the first half when Hoel completed two passes for 38 yards. Chandler reeled in a 30-yard gain to set up a two-yard touchdown run by Drew Hagler.
 
The Bulldogs fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Raymond Stanley was on the ball for McMurry. The War Hawks were in the end zone again when Hoel connected with Kristopher Martin from two yards out. McM took a 24-3 lead into the half.
 
After a scoreless third quarter, Karmelus Card caught a pass from Hoel at the 19 and went into the end zone for a 41-yard strike and a 31-3 lead with 14:48 to go in the game.
 
McMurry got another turnover deep in its own territory when Dylon Davis came up with a loose ball and returned in 30 yards to the McM 35.
 
The backup TLU quarterback got the Bulldogs on the board with 2:09 left in the game.
 
"I hated that they got a touchdown on the board there because we really felt like we kind of had a shutout," said Neal. "I'm just really fired up about this and I think we can take a lot of confidence and momentum moving forward."
 
Hoel was 17 of 26 on the night for 195 yards and three touchdowns and Jack Ishmael led the rushing attack with 71 yards on 15 carries. Martin had eight receptions for 65 yards and Chandler had 67 yards on four catches.
 
Timothy Leatherman and Kane Strohman had five tackles each for McMurry. Strohman, Ja'Hatten Edwards and Zachary Lambert all had tackles for loss.
 
Now alone at the top of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference standings at 2-0 (and 2-1 overall), the War Hawks travel to Austin College next week.