BOX SCORE

Wichita Falls – A late game special teams mistake thwarted Angelo State's (3-4, 2-2) upset bid in a 35-28 loss at #13 Midwestern State (5-1, 4-1).

It was the Mustangs' 18^th consecutive victory at Memorial Stadium.

Last year Midwestern State rolled over Angelo State 68-20 to spoil the Rams homecoming in San Angelo, but Saturday night the Rams nearly turned the tables on the Mustangs.

Ram quarterback Blake Hamblin completed 13 of 27 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns and ran 10 times for 43 yards.

Mustang signal caller Brandon Kelsey was just as effective, passing for 59 yards and a score and running 20 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

ASU led 28-21 with just over 11 minutes left in the game, but the Mustangs scored two touchdowns in the final 7:17 to earn the win.

With the score tied at 28 and just less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Ram punter Joseph Pickett fumbled the snap, and then punted the ball into his own player and the Mustangs recovered at the Ram 10-yard line.

Keidrick Jackson ran it in for the go-ahead score on the very next play to give Midwestern State a 35-28 lead with 2:42 remaining.

ASU didn't fold as Hamblin drove the Rams down to the Mustang 32-yard line, but four consecutive incomplete passes ended ASU's attempt at a last minute comeback.

ASU actually out-gained the Mustangs 351-339 and had a very balanced attack with 183 yard passing and 168 yard rushing.

Blake Smith led ASU's rushing attack with 59 yards on 13 carries and Donavan Roberts had 37 yards on 11 carries.

CJ Akins had five catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns and Dakarai Pecikonis hauled in four passes for 63 yards and a score.

ASU out-played the Mustangs for most of the first half, but trailed 14-13 at the break and the Mustangs scored on their first drive of the second half to build the lead.

After completing just one pass in the entire first half, the Mustangs came out throwing to start the second half, completing four passes for 55 yards to key a 75-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 21-yard scoring pass from Kelsey to Jared Freeman to grab a 21-13 advantage.

The Ram defense stopped the Mustangs at the ASU 21-yard line on Midwestern State's next drive and MSU missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

ASU's offense used the momentum of the defensive stop to tie the game on the final play of the third quarter.

Roberts ran twice for 21 yards and caught a 13 yard pass and two pass interference calls against Midwestern State gave the
Rams third and goal from the Mustang two yard line.

On third and goal, Hamblin completed a scoring pass to Akins, his second scoring reception of the night.  Hamblin then ran in the two-point conversation to tie the game at 21.

The Ram defense then came up with two more big plays.

Austin Sparks intercepted a Kelsey pass at the Mustang 48-yard line, but the Rams turned it right back when Hamblin threw an interception.

But standout linebacker Rush Seaver picked off another Kelsey pass, this time deep in Mustang territory at the Midwestern State 31 yard line.

On third and 18 from the Mustang 41-yard line, Hamblin completed a pass to Pecikonis, he broke two tackles and scored to give the Rams a 28-21 lead with 11:07 left in the game.

But the Mustangs responded by rumbling 65 yard in just eight plays, all on the ground with Kelsey running in for a 10 yard touchdown to tie the game with 7:17 left in the game.

On their next drive, the Rams drove out to its own 44 yard line, but could not convert on third and one which led to the special team's mistake that resulted in the game winning score.

Midwestern State led the Rams 14-13 at the half, but Angelo State had the lead twice and had chances to score more than 13 points.

The previous week the Rams were unable to convert in the red zone against nationally ranked West Texas A&M failing to score on three trips inside the 20-yard line.

In the first half ASU was a perfect 2-for-2, but had to settle for field goals.

The Rams took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards to the Mustang 11 yard line, but couldn't convert on a third down and six and Jarred Martin kicked a 28-yard field goal to give ASU a 3-0 lead.

After not picking up a first down on its first drive, Midwestern State put together a 56 yards in eight plays with Kelsey running 19 yards for a score to give Midwestern State a 7-3 lead with 34 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Ram defense did an effective job of keeping the ball away from the Mustangs' high powered offense, allowing them just under six minutes of offensive possession.

ASU's defense stepped up and limited the Mustangs without a first down on its next two drives and then used a big play from its offense to take its second lead of the game.

On third and three from the ASU 34 yard line, Hamblin spotted Akins in man to man coverage and hit him with a completion and Akin pulled away from his defender and raced 66 yards for a touchdown.  It was Akins' fifth touchdown reception of the season, his third of 60 yards or better.

On the ensuing kickoff, Jonathan Family forced a fumble from Midwestern State's Jared Kutz and it was recovered by Samir Baker at the Midwestern State 27 yard line.

The Rams drove to the Mustang one-yard line, but could not convert on third and goal and were forced to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Martin.

The Mustangs seized on the momentum of stopping the Ram offense and put together their second scoring drive of the game to take the halftime lead.

It took Midwestern State just eight plays to travel 65 yards with Jackson scoring from one yard out to grab a 14-13 lead with just 1:09 left in the first half.

The drive was aided by a Ram pass interference penalty and the Mustangs recovered their own fumble at the ASU one yard line just before scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

The ASU defense held tough in the first half, allowing Midwestern State just 126 yards while the ASU offense compiled 181.