MONTGOMERY, AL- In a wild, high-scoring affair, the McMurry War Hawks fell to Huntingdon College 52-46 in a game that came down to the final play, giving McMurry their first 0-3 start since 2022. The War Hawks' offense was explosive, racking up 46 points and 335 yards of total offense, but a few key turnovers proved costly in the end.
The War Hawks' offense struggled to find its footing early, putting up 8 yards on the first drive and 28 on the second before punting. The defense had a solid first quarter, with Ty Williams recording a sack and Jackson Harris getting a tackle for loss. However, after a late turnover on an interception, McMurry was down 7-0 at the end of the first.
The second quarter was an offensive explosion for McMurry. Quarterback Jess Hoel started things off by hitting Xavier Williams for a massive 52-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion failed, but it ignited a fire. Corey Layne then broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run, and Thomas Chandler converted the two-point pass to tie the game at 14. The defense got in on the action when Bryce Neves scooped up a fumble and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown. Nyles Hullaby then ran in a 2-yard touchdown, followed by a successful two-point rush by Kason O'Shields. To cap off the half, Jess Hoel found Thomas Chandler for a 23-yard touchdown pass. The War Hawks ended the first half up 36-23.
The War Hawks' offense had a slower start to the second half but found its stride late in the quarter to push the score to 43-33. Jess Hoel connected with Karmelus Card on a 22-yard touchdown pass to end a 7-play, 69-yard drive. On defense, Jackson Harris made two more tackles for loss and forced two fumbles. Dorian LeBlanc also recorded a sack and a fumble recovery.
McMurry continued to fight in the fourth quarter. The defense made several key stops, including sacks from Jackson Harris and Dorian LeBlanc, and Dylon Davis picked off a pass, returning it for 20 yards. However, ultimately, Huntingdon started the quarter off with 13 unanswered points to regain the lead. With less than two minutes remaining in the game, Jax Rodriguez hit a 31-yard field goal to pull the War Hawks back even, 46-46. With time running out and both teams scrapping to be the last to score, McMurry's final drive ended with a heartbreaking pick-six interception as time expired to give Huntingdon College a 52-46 victory over the War Hawks.
Individual highlights included Jess Hoel, at quarterback, completing 14 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns. Corey Layne led the rushing attack with 65 yards on just seven carries, including a huge 53-yard touchdown run. On the receiving side, Xavier Williams had a big day with 125 yards and a touchdown on four catches, while Karmelus Card had 60 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.
On the defensive side, Dorian LeBlanc and Zach Mitchell both led the team with seven tackles. Jackson Harris finished with three tackles for loss and two sacks, and Bryce Neves also had a sack in addition to his fumble recovery touchdown return.
The War Hawks will look to get their first win of the season at home next Saturday, September 27, for their White Out game against Howard Payne University. Kick-off is set for 2:00 p.m. The game will also be part of the celebration of the inauguration of McMurry University's new president, Dr. Lynne Murray.
