CANYON, Texas – The No. 6 Angelo State football team limited West Texas A&M to just 302 yards of total offense defeating the Buffs, 35-17, for the first time since 2005 in front of 13,798 fans at Kimbrough Stadium in Canyon.
The Rams (4-0, 1-0 LSC) racked up 606 yards of total offense with 376 in the air and 231 on the ground. The Buffs (2-2, 1-1 LSC) were held to 91 yards rushing and 211 passing yards. ASU's defense forced two turnovers (one interception, one fumble) recorded 5.0 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss. The win is the first for Angelo State at Canyon and in the series since 2005.
Kyle Washington broke his school record of total offensive yards with 500 yards. The senior threw for 376 yards on 34-49 passing and rushed for 124 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns. Ryan Byrd scored two touchdowns on the ground and rushed 13 times for 81 yards while Trey Green added 31 yards and a score. Donovan Thompson set a career high with 12 receptions and 143 yards. The 12 receptions broke the ASU record for receptions in a game.  Brett Rasberry caught seven balls for 80 yards.
The defense forced eight WT punts on the night and was led by Willie Brown's 12 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss. Raymond Coen and Clayton Callicutt each made six stops and 2.0 sacks. Coen recorded a fumble recovery in the third while Callicutt added 5.0 tackles for loss. Fred Lawrence picked off WT's Ethan Brinkley in the third. It is his fourth interception of his career.
The Buffs jumped out to a 7-0 after forcing an ASU turnover and punt. Jarrian Rhone caught Sam Fowler's punt at the West Texas A&M 35 yard line and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown.
The Rams offense responded with a 12 play 65 yard drive. ASU drove down the field converting three third downs before Washington scored his first rushing touchdown on a one yards keeper.
The fireworks continued on the next drive. West Texas A&M's Brinkley found Xavier Amey on the second play of the drive on a 73 yard pass to put the Buffs back up 14-7.
Not to be outdone, Washington found Thompson for 63 yards of the drive to put ASU inside the WT 20 yard line. Byrd carried the ball up the middle for four yards for his first score of the game to tie it at 14.
The ASU defense stepped up on the next drive. Callicutt got to Brinkley for the Rams first sack of the night. Two false start penalties backed WT into a fourth and 21 which resulted a punt. The offense used the punt to go 88 yards in nine plays. Byrd took the ball on third and three and rumbled for 23 yards and a first down. After a defensive pass interference penalty, Byrd rushed 16 yards for ASU's first lead of the game 21-14 and one they wouldn't relinquish.
The Buffs would score their final points of the half on the following drive. Geremy Aldridge-Mitchell found some daylight and ran for 72 yards down to the ASU 22 yards line. Another WT first down put the ball inside the Rams 10 yard line. The Ram defense forced an incompletion and dropped Brinkley for a two yard loss to force a field goal. Connor Hollabaugh kicked a 32-yard field to cut the Rams lead to 21-17.
The Rams would drive inside the WT 20 yard line but a fourth down pass fell incomplete. The defense forced another WT punt to give ASU the ball at its own 15 yard line. After a five yard rush by Byrd, Washington found a seam in the defense and rushed for 80 yards for a 28-17 lead with 4:24 to go in the first half.
WT punted on the ensuing possession and the Rams attempted to score but a fourth down pass was thrown incomplete.
The third quarter was scoreless for both teams. ASU forced an interception and a fumble but went 0-for-3 on third downs while WT was 4-for-7 and forced four Ram punts.
The Rams defense forced its seventh punt of the game in the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Rams put the game away on the next drive. ASU engineered a 14 play 84 yard drive. Green started the drive with a 16 yard rush. Washington found Munson, Rasberry and Thompson for completions. Thompson caught a 20 yards pass over the middle to take it to the WT 12 yard line. Facing a fourth and one, Green went around the right side and found the end zone to make it 35-17 with 6:53 to go in the game.
ASU limited WT to just 113 yards in the second half and zero points.
The Rams will return home to host Midwestern State on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field.Â
