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STEPHENVILLE – The drought continues. Tarleton State scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase a two-touchdown deficit and handed Angelo State its ninth-consecutive loss in the series, 37-34, at Memorial Stadium Saturday night.

The Rams (2-2, 0-2 LSC South) looked like they might top the Texans (1-4, 1-1 LSC South) for the first time in nearly 10 years with a 14-point lead and the ball entering the fourth quarter, but Tarleton State quarterback Nick Stephens engineered three scoring drives in the final five minutes to lift TSU to its first win of the season.

“It hurts,” Angelo State defensive lineman Devin McDonald said. “We should have finished harder, finished the game much better than we started. It just kind of hurts. We've got to go back, watch film, and get better. The next team we play, we've got to keep the pressure on at the end and keep going.”

Angelo State had highlights in all three phases of the game with booming punts and long kick returns on special teams, power runs and long pass completions on offense, and forced turnovers and a safety on defense, but in a five-minute span it all evaporated. With ASU leading 34-20 with 5:16 to play in the game, Stephens needed just two plays – both passes to Saalim Hakim – and 24 seconds to scoot the Texans 66 yards downfield for a score.

Tarleton State evened the tally just three plays later – a kickoff to pin the Rams at the four yard line, a fumble by ASU runningback Tristan Carter, and a four-yard scamper by Evan Robertson. Blake Wiest connected on the eventual game winning field goal from 27 yards out with 1:34 to play to complete the rally.

Angelo State quarterback Josh Neiswander connected on 20-of-34 attempts for 234 yards to move past 6,000 yards for his career and into second place on the Rams' all-time passing chart with 6,183 career yards. Tristan Carter ran for 70 yards to lead all rushers and was part of 143 total yards on the ground by ASU. Dakarai Pecikonis, V'Keon Lacey and Carter all caught five passes from Neiswander.

The once winless Texans looked like a different team from the start of Saturday's contest as Stephens made his first appearance since being injured in the team's opening contest. Tarleton State took a 10-0 lead early, marching 87 yards in 14 plays on the game's opening drive, and converting a field goal after blocking an Angelo State attempt on the Rams' first drive.

Angelo State senior return specialist Garrett Tidwell jolted ASU back to life with an 80-yard kick return on the ensuing possession and Dekarai Pecikonis scored on an end-around to make it a 10-7 contest. Tarleton State pushed the lead back to 14 with Stephens' first touchdown pass of the game, a 15-yard connection with Devin Gray to start the second quarter, but the Rams rattled off 17 unanswered points to close the first half up 24-17.

Ryan Smith knocked through a 31-yard field goal for ASU out of the break to extend the lead to 10, and after a Tarleton State field goal, Pecikonis caught a 17-yard pass from Tidwell on a wide receiver reverse around the right side to give the Rams the 34-20 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

Angelo State had four drives stall in the fourth quarter, twice being forced to punt and twice fumbling the ball away. The Rams had two possessions after Tarleton took the lead for the final time, the latter resulting in a failed desperation toss as time expired.

Stephens, a former starter at the University of Tennessee, completed 22-of-39 passes for a career-high 392 yards and two scores. The Texans' Hakim led all receivers with 166 yards, and Jeken Frye led all receivers with six catches. On defense for Tarleton State, Brandon Johnson and Damian Perkins tied for the game-high with 13 tackles, and Jacob Rowe blocked two of Angelo State's field goal attempts.

The Rams return to San Angelo Stadium Saturday, Oct. 9, for another Lone Star Conference match-up with Texas A&M-Kingsville. Tarleton State travels to Canyon, Texas, for a divisional game against West Texas A&M.