STATS

Kingsville, Texas – Ram quarterback Michael Cochran, making his first start of the season in place of injured starter Blake Hamblin, completed 17 of 35 passes for 235 yards with two scores and one interception, ASU could not hold off Texas A&M-Kingsville and fell 35-21 Saturday night at Javelina Stadium. 
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville quarterback Nate Poppell threw for three touchdowns and ran for another touchdown to lead the Javelinas (5-4, 4-3) to a 34-14 win over the Angelo State Rams (4-5, 3-3) in a Lone Star Conference game at Javelina Stadium.

Poppell had touchdown passes of 6, 8 and 35 yards through the first three quarters and capped the Javelina scoring with a 4 yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.  He completed 16 of 28 for 209 and no interceptions.

Donavan Roberts led the Ram rushing attack with 60 yards on 15 carries and C.J. Akins caught 8 passes for 128 yards.

Texas A&M-Kingsville had 385 yards of total offense, 169 on the ground and 216 passing.  Javelina running backs Jonathan Woodson and Anthony Johnson combined for 119 yards on 30 carries.

Angelo State compiled 345 yards of total offense, 110 yard rushing and 235 yards passing.

The Rams had three turnover to just one for the Javelinas.

Trailing 27-14 entering the fourth quarter, Cochran led the Rams to the Javelina 10-yard line.  But on third and one, the Rams were called for a procedure penalty.  On the next play from scrimmage, Cochran was run down from behind by Javelina defensive back Angelo Looney, fumbled the ball and Texas A&M-Kingsville recovered at the Javelina 14-yard line.

It was the second time on the night that the Rams drove to the Javelina 10-yard line and came away with no points.

Texas A&M-Kingsville then put together a game clinching 10-play, 93-yard drive that took just over six minutes off the clock with Poppell scoring to give the Javelinas a 34-14 lead with 5:35 left in the game.

ASU put together its only scoring drive of the second half as Cochran completed an 8 yard scoring pass to Joey Knight with 3:43 remaining to cut the Javelina advantage to 34-21.

Cochran accounted for all the yards on the scoring drive, completing all five pass attempts for 55 yards, three of those completions going to Akins for 38 yards.

After an effective first half on offense, the Ram offense stalled in the third quarter and the Javelinas took advantage.

Leading 20-14 at the half, Texas A&M-Kingsville widened its advantage to 27-14 when Poppell threw his third scoring pass of the game, a 35-yard score to Robert Armstrong on second down and 18.  Two players earlier Poppell converted a fourth down and one situation with a 3-yard pass to Patrick LaFleur to give the Javelinas first down at the ASU 27-yard line.

ASU was unable to pick up a first down on three third quarter drives and had only 16 yards of total offense.

But the Ram defense kept them in the game, halting the Javelinas on fourth and one at the ASU 24-yard line, four plays after Cochran threw an interception.

The Rams trailed 20-14 at the half despite rolling up over 200 yards of total offense.

ASU could have easily had the halftime lead, but a failure to score inside the Javelina 10-yard line and a last minute Texas A&M-Kingsville drive put the Rams behind at the intermission.

The Javelinas scored the first points of the game, driving to the Ram 21-yard line on their first offensive possession, but had to settle for a 45-yard field goal by Matt Stoll.

ASU responded to take its first lead of the game when Blake Smith capped a 78 yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run.

The Rams drive featured an effective running game as Roberts picked up 24 yards on four carries.  Cochran had a pair of key pass plays sandwiched around a seven yard run by Roberts.  Cochran completed a 37 yard pass to Akins to give the
Rams a first down on the Javelina 25 yard line and after the Roberts run, he hit Pecikonis on an 11 yard completion to give ASU a first and goal at the Javelina 7-yard line.

The Javelinas put together another scoring drive late in the first quarter, but the Ram defense again stopped them short of the end zone as Stoll converted on a 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-6 end the first quarter.

ASU had a golden opportunity to increase its lead early in the second quarter when Austin Benson forced a fumble from Javelina running back Randall Toney and Wayne Blackwell recovered at the Texas A&M-Kingsville 21-yard line.

Smith ripped off a 15 yard run on the first play from scrimmage to give ASU a first and goal at the Javelina 6-yard line.  But ASU could not gain a yard on its next three plays and Jarred Martin missed a 23-yard field goal.

The Javelinas responded to the swing in momentum, driving 80 yard in 13 plays with Poppell completing an 8-yard scoring pass to Joseph Vela to give Texas A&M-Kingsville a 13-7 lead with 4:57 left in the half.

ASU appeared to grab the momentum heading into the locker room when it responded with its second long drive of the night to take a 14-13 lead.

The Rams drove 68 yards in 12 plays with Cochran completing a perfectly thrown pass to the back corner of the end zone to Pecikonis for a 15-yard score with 46 seconds left in the half.

But the Javelinas responded with big plays as Poppell scrambled 20 yards on the first play of the drive, Woodson ran 23 yards and ASU was flagged for a 15-yard penalty at the end of the run to give the Javelinas first and goal at the Ram 10.  Woodson ran for four yards and Poppell capped the drive with a 6 yard scoring pass to Woodson with 13 seconds left in the half to give Texas A&M-Kingsville a 20-14 halftime advantage.

ASU out-gained Texas A&M-Kingsville 218 yards to 202 as Roberts ran for 49 yards on 12 carries and Cochran completed 9 of 20 passes for 135 yards.