The Angelo State football team improved to 4-0 in Lone Star Conference play for the first time since 2001 as the Rams downed Eastern New Mexico, 33-23, Saturday afternoon in Blackwater Draw, N.M.

What started as a defensive slugfest ended as anything but as the Rams and Greyhounds combined for 587 yards and 49 points in the second half alone. Angelo State extends its winning streak four games and improves to 5-1 for the first time since 2005. The Rams also improve to 2-0 in LSC South play for the first time in eight seasons.

Eastern New Mexico (2-4, 2-3 LSC, 0-2 LSC South) came into the contest as NCAA Division II's leader in total offense (595.6 ypg) and passing (521.2 ypg), but it was the Rams ended the day with nearly 600 yards of offense.  ASU collected a season-high 599 yards of total offense (403 passing, 196 rushing), while ENMU had 431 yards (394 passing, 37 rushing).

Angelo State junior quarterback became just the third Ram to pass for 400 yards as he ended the game with 403 yards on 29-of-47 passing with three touchdowns. Neiswander set career highs for yards, completions and attempts and he passed for more than 300 yards for the third time of his career, second this season. He also extended his own school record of consecutive 200-yard passing games to seven straight contests, dating back to last season.

The Rams opened the scoring with 5:09 left in the first quarter as junior Ryan Smith, last week's hero for the Rams, used a 23-yard field goal to lift ASU to an early 3-0 lead. ENMU would score its only points of the first half with 15 seconds left in the opening stanza as the Rams were called for a holding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety, trimming the ASU lead to 3-2.

Angelo State would explode for 16 points in the second quarter to seemingly take control of the contest. Smith would add his second field goal of the day, this time a 31-yarder with 10:16 left in the half, to boost the Rams to a 6-2 lead. Neiswander then tossed his first two touchdowns of the day before the intermission. Neiswander connected with freshman Dakarai Pecikonis for a 40-yard score with 1:22 left in the half and then found junior V'Keon Lacey for a 17-yard touchdown connection with just one second left before the break.

The Rams would be held scoreless in the third quarter as ENMU began to get a rhythm late in the frame. The Greyhounds scored their first touchdown of the game with 2:52 left in the third as J.J. Harp found Brandon Marbley for a 43-yard score, cutting ASU's lead to 19-9.

Then the fireworks began. Harp would find Jesse Poku for a four-yard touchdown pass with 14:34 left in the contest to trim the Rams' lead to down three points, 19-16, but Angelo State would not relinquish the lead as the Rams answered quickly. Just 65 seconds later, Neiswander found Pecikonis for their second touchdown of the day, this time from 37 yards out.

The ASU defense then got involved as Calvin Fance sacked Harp inside the Greyhound 10-yard line on ENMU's very next play from scrimmage, forcing a fumble, and D'Angelo Waites covered the fumble in the end zone to lift the Rams back to a 17-point lead, 33-16, with 13:18 left in the game.

The explosive ENMU offense then took little time of its own to score another touchdown as Harp tossed third score of the day as he connected with Matt Handler for an eight-yard score, trimming the Rams' advantage back to 10 points, 33-23, with 12:27 remaining.

The Rams would answer with 9:44 left as Austin Benson plunged in from two yards out to put ASU back up by three scores. Then the ASU defense would ice the game as Alvin Johnson would intercept Harp and return it 80 yards for the Rams' second defense score of the afternoon, lifting ASU to the 24-point victory.

Pecikonis would lead the Rams with a season-best 147 receiving yards as he had a team-high six catches, including his two scores. Lacey would end the game with five catches for 52 yards. Dwight Pete led the Rams on the ground with a season-high 96 rushing yards, marking the third straight game that an ASU running back rushed for at least 90 yards. Michael Simpers added 63 carries on 16 carries.

Linebacker Sebastian Lafaele led ASU with a career-high 12 tackles, five solo, adding a forced fumble and pass break up. Lance Tissue added six tackles and D.J. Clough had five tackles. The Rams sacked Harp six times, led by Fance who was in on 3.5 sacks of the Greyhound signal-caller. ASU, already one of the stingiest run defenses in the LSC, held the Greyhounds to just 37 yards on 24 carries.

Harp ended the game with 394 yards on 30-of-53 passing with three touchdowns and an interception. Dominic Preston led ENMU with 13 catches for 167 yards, both game highs.  Poku added six catches for 83 yards.

The Rams will return home next weekend as they host rival Abilene Christian to celebrate Homecoming. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at San Angelo Stadium.