ABILENE, TX - The McMurry War Hawks opened their season at home against Southwestern University, battling from behind in a hard-fought 27-19 defeat. Despite a challenging start, the offense showed flashes of brilliance, compiling 380 yards of total offense, while the defense made key stops.

The War Hawks' special teams put them on the board with a 43-yard field goal by Jax Rodriguez. The offense then found its rhythm, with an 18-yard rushing touchdown by Drelon Burton in the second quarter and a successful two-point conversion by Kason O'Shields. In the fourth quarter, quarterback Jess Hoel, who finished with 309 passing yards, connected with Rhett Butler for a 4-yard touchdown pass before finding Thomas Chandler for the two-point conversion to make it 27-19.

While the comeback ultimately fell short, several War Hawks had standout performances. Thomas Chandler was a workhorse, hauling in 10 passes for over 100 yards, while Karmelus Card proved to be a big-play threat with 96 yards on six catches.

On defense, Bryce Neves led the team with eight total tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss. Kimani Smith added six tackles, and Jackson Harris was a force with two tackles for loss.

Despite the loss, the team's relentless attitude and strong individual performances showed promise for the season ahead. The War Hawks head across town to face #6 ranked Hardin-Simmons University at Shelton Stadium next Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.