The No. 4 WTAMU Buffalo football team traveled to Stephenville, Texas on Oct. 12 to take on the undefeated No. 21 Tarleton State Texans in an important Lone Star Conference matchup. After building a 27-3 halftime lead, the Buffs were outscored 28-0 in the second half, including 21-0 in the fourth quarter. The loss snapped an eight game winning streak WT had against Tarleton dating back to 2003.
Senior linebacker Taylor McCuller recovered a fumble by the Texans running back on the first offensive play of the game. The Buffs offense would quickly strike first on a seven yard pass from senior Dustin Vaughn to fellow senior Jace Jackson, but the point after attempt would be blocked, giving WT a 6-0 lead with 13:13 remaining in the first.
The missed PAT attempt was the first time in a school-record 95 tries that senior Sergio Castillo, Jr. has missed a kick after a touchdown. After a 30-yard field goal by TSU, senior Aaron Harris capped off a long Buffs drive with a one-yard touchdown run to make it a 13-3 ballgame after the first.
WT would capitalize on senior Curtis Slater’s third interception this season when sophomore Geremy Alridge punched in a five-yard score to make it a 20-3 game with 12:56 to play in the half. The Texans would miss a field goal on their ensuing drive, leading to Vaughn throwing his second touchdown to junior Anthony Johnson from six yards out to give the Buffs a 27-3 lead at halftime. Vaughn’s two touchdown passes leave him at 91 for his career, just one shy of WT all-time leader Keith Null.
The only points of the third quarter would come on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Aaron Doyle cutting the Buffs lead to 27-10 after three quarters. After Vaughn’s first interception of the season just 48 seconds into the fourth, senior Kyle Voss recovered a fumble two plays later to get the offense back on the field.
Despite the miscue, the TSU momentum would continue after a defensive stop led to Jake Fenske throwing a four-yard touchdown to Clifton Rhodes III to make it a 27-17 lead for WT. Fenske would get the momentum firmly on the Texans side with a 63-yard touchdown toss to Le’Nard Meyers to make it a three-point game, 27-24 in favor of the Buffs with 5:38 left on the game clock. After another WT three-and-out on offense, the TSU offense would drive 85 yards in nine plays, capped off by a five-yard touchdown from Fenske to Meyers with 44 seconds remaining to clinch the comeback.
The Buffs offense was outgained for the first time this season as Tarleton stacked up 560 yards to WT’s 360. The Texans rushed for 133 yards and passed for another 427. WT finished with 105 rushing yards and 255 passing yards.
Harris led the ground attack with 17 carries for 66 yards and one touchdown, while Alridge had 12 runs for 43 yards and a score for the Buffs. Vaughn finished 25 of 43 passing for 255 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Senior Torrence Allen led the receivers with five catches for 74 yards and Jackson finished with four catches for 51 yards and one touchdown.
The Buffs are now 5-1 1overall and 2-1 in the LSC, while TSU is now 5-0 and 4-0 with a two-game lead over WT and Midwestern State in the LSC standings, both teams the Texans have already defeated this season. The Buffs return to action Oct. 19 at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon as they host the Angelo State Rams at 6 p.m.
