Junior kicker Ryan Smith hit a 36-yard field goal with 2.9 seconds left in the game to lift Angelo State (4-1, 1-0 LSC) to a 20-17 win over No. 17-ranked Midwestern State at San Angelo Stadium Saturday night.

The Rams led the way for the majority of the game, but a late score by Midwestern State (4-1, 0-1 LSC) forced ASU for its first dramatic win of the season on Smith's line-drive field goal.

ASU would force a three-and-out by the Mustangs and took over the ball with 1:02 left in the game. Ram junior quarterback Josh Neiswander would start the game-winning drive with four straight completions, including a 27-yarder to freshman Dakarai Pecikonis, to put the ASU in the red zone for a chance to win the game in regulation.

However, an incompletion on first-and-goal from the eight-yard line and a costly chop block penalty on second down put the Rams back to the 19-yard line, forcing the Rams to take their final time of the game. Midwestern State would call its first time out of the game to ice Smith, but to no avail.

Neiswander ended the night with 211 yards on 19-of-31 passing. He would connect with ten different receivers on the night with sophomore Zach McCormick the only Ram with three receptions, ending the night with 18 yards.  Pecikonis had a team-best 59 yards on two catches. Sophomore Michael Simpers rushed for a career-best 99 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns.

Midwestern State opened the scoring with 11:42 left in the first quarter as Jose Martinez capped the Mustangs' opening drive with a 35-yard field goal. Angelo State would answer, however, on its opening possession as Simpers found the end zone after a 16-yard run, putting the Rams up 7-3, with 8:08 left in the opening period. MSU would add another field, this time a 45-yarder by Scott Lee, trimming ASU's lead to 7-6 after the first stanza.

Angelo State would add a 21-yard field goal by Smith with 2:50 left in the half to take a 10-6 lead into the locker room. The field goal was the Rams' first of the season.

The Rams extended its lead to two scores with 3:55 left in the third quarter as Simpers recorded his second touchdown of the night, this time a 45-yarder as he outran the Mustang defense to the pylon, giving ASU a 17-6 lead. Midwestern State would use its third field goal of the night with a 32-yarder by Martinez, trimming the Rams' lead to 17-9 going into the final quarter.

The Mustangs would score their only touchdown of the game with 9:40 left in the game as Zack Eskridge connected with Sheldon Galloway for a 15-yard touchdown toss. MSU knotted the game, 17-17, after Eskridge found Andy Tanner for a two-point conversion.

The self-named "Four Horsemen", ASU's four senior starting linebackers, sparked a Ram defense that recorded a season-best six sacks.  Edward Cantrell ended the night with a game-high 11 tackles, four solo, while Ian Ritchey and Pete Parker each had nine tackles and D'Angelo Waites added seven stops.  Parker would lead the Rams with two solo sacks (14 yards) while senior defensive lineman Dustin Arthur would add 1.5 sacks (15 yards). Six different were in on at least one sack.

Eskridge completed 20-of-32 passes for the Mustangs for 345 yards with one touchdown. He connected with Tanner for six receptions for a game-high 109 yards and the two-point conversion.  Marcus Mathis led MSU on the ground with 74 yards on 19 carries.

The Rams hit the road next weekend as they visit Eastern New Mexico. Kickoff is 3 p.m. (Central) at Greyhound Stadium in Blackwater Draw, N.M.