The No. 4-ranked WTAMU Buffalo football team opened their home schedule against the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions on Sept. 21 at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The Buffs offense exploded for 38-second half points en route to a 62-28 rout of the Lions.
For the second straight week the Buffs fell behind 7-0 after the first play of the game as Commerce quarterback Tyrik Rollison hit Vernon Johnson for a 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown. WT responded with a 10-play 75 yard drive capped off by a 13-yard scoring run by senior Aaron Harris to tie the game at seven all. Rollison’s second touchdown pass to KJ Garrett gave the Lions their last lead of the game, 14-7, before Senior Dustin Vaughn threw his first touchdown pass of the game to senior Nathan Slaughter and scored again on a quarterback sneak from the one-yard line to give the Buffs a 21-14 lead after the first.
“It all goes back to the kids,” said Interim Head Coach Mike Nesbitt. “They continue to show their heart and that they’re going to keep battling.”
After the WT special teams unit blocked a punt deep in Commerce territory, senior Sergio Castillo, Jr. gave the Buffs the only points of the second quarter on a 32-yard field goal with 12:46 remaining on the clock. WT would take a 24-14 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Buffs offense would increase the lead on their first play in the second half, as Vaughn would connect with junior Anthony Johnson on a 53-yard touchdown strike to put WT out in front 31-14. The Lions would answer when Rollison threw his second touchdown pass to Johnson to bring the score to 31-21. However, Slaughter would take the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for a score and put the Buffs ahead 38-21 after three.
After a 42-yard field goal by Castillo, Vaughn would hit sophomore Jarrian Rhone for a 15-yard score to increase WT’s lead to 48-21 with 11:40 left in the game. The Lions scored one more touchdown on a pass from Harrison Stewart to Jordon Jenkins, but the Buffs would answer with a 26-yard pass from Vaughn to Harris and a 35-yard run by sophomore Geremy Aldridge to give WT the rout victory.
Vaughn finished the game 36 of 62 passing with a new career-high 508 yards and four touchdowns. Harris ran the ball 11 times for 30 yards and one score, and Aldridge ran it four times for 44 yards and a touchdown. Johnson led the Buffs’ receivers with nine catches, 181 yards and one touchdown and senior Torrence Allen had eight catches for 108 yards without a score.
“[Vaughn] did a great job tonight,” Nesbitt said. “He’s just ‘Steady Eddy’ every week; we give him a scouting report and he executes a great game plan.”
WT is now 3-0 this season and 1-0 in Lone Star Conference play after the victory over Commerce. The Buffs will return to action against the Javelinas of Texas A&M-Kingsville, in Kingsville, Texas, on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.
