SAN ANGELO – The No. 12-ranked Angelo State football team scored 29 points in the second quarter to pull away from Oklahoma Panhandle State to win its season opener 52-31 at LeGrand Stadium at 1^st Community Credit Union Field.

The Rams (1-0) racked 566 yards of total offense and scored two special teams touchdowns. The Aggies (0-1) forced two interceptions and scored two special teams touchdowns of their own. Fred Lawrence scored the first touchdown of the season on a punt return of 74 yards while Dominique McCoy returned a blocked field goal 77 yards.

Kyle Washington threw for 291 yards on 22-of-32 passing and two touchdowns while added 89 yards on the grounds and two touchdowns. He broke the ASU career record of total offense and now has 8,246 yards in his career. Talon Smith caught six passes for 155 yards and Donovan Thompson recorded a career high 11 catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Richard Franklin led the defense with 12 tackles.

Angelo State's defense started the game by forcing three punts and a turnover on downs in the first four possessions of the game during the first quarter. The first punt return of the season was a memorable one. Lawrence let the ball bounce over his shoulder but chased after the ball. He picked up the ball at the Rams own seven yard line and proceeded to weave his way 93 yards for a touchdown.

The second quarter provided some entertainment for the home crowd. After the defense forced a punt, the Rams would score on four straight possessions and six of the next seven. Starting on their own five-yard line, ASU would drive 95 yards in nine plays. Washington would hit T. Smith for 13 yards to put the ball on OPSU's 13-yard line. The very next play Anthony Pierson hauled in his first touchdown catch of his career form Washington for a 13-0 lead.

It wouldn't take long for the second special team touchdown of the night for ASU. The Aggies, who recorded 451 yards of total offense, drove down to the ASU 13-yard line. On third and one from the 13 the OPSU quarterback was sacked by Markus Jones and Willie Brown to force a fourth down. The Aggies lined up for a 33 yard field goal but Franklin had other ideas. The junior came around the end and blocked the kick. McCoy picked the ball up and followed some blocking for the 77-yard touchdown return.

The Aggies answered immediately on the kick-off. Devon Williams took the kick and returned it 92 yards to cut the lead 20-7. The Rams didn't slow down on offense. Washington found T. Smith for a 24-yard strike to move the ball deep in OPSU territory. Washington would take it in from one-yard out to make it 28-7 after Jacob Burtch found Emmanuel Anderson on a two-point conversion.

A quick three and out force by the ASU defense gave the offense one more chance to score but Washington was intercepted by Byron Edward's to end the half. The Rams gained 291 yards by air in the first half while limiting OPSU to just 102 total yards of offense in the first half.

The Aggies came out in the second half and almost matched the Rams second quarter. OPSU would score 24 points in the third quarter alone trying to close the gap. The Aggies drove 75 yards in six plays on the opening drive of the half capping it off with a three-yard run by Christopher McClendon.

Washington showed his speed and answered the Aggies start. After an incomplete pass, the senior quarterback out ran the OPSU defense for a 74-yard touchdown run.

Oklahoma Panhandle State made it 42-21 on a 55-yards touchdown reception by Xazier Murry. Another answer by the Rams would extend the lead to 49-21. Trey Green and Tyler Middleton each broke a run of at least 20 yards while Jacob Burtch threw his first career touchdown pass. The sophomore hit Thompson on an 11-yard fade route.

OPSU added a Nikolas Clarkson 28-yard field goal and followed it up with a 92-yard touchdown run by McClendon to cut the lead to 49-31. The only points scored in the fourth quarter were a Josh Sparkman's 36-yard field. It is the first career field goal for the sophomore.

The Rams will hit the road for three-straight games away from LeGrand Stadium at 1^st Community Credit Union Field. ASU will travel to Gunnison, Colo., for a matchup with Western State Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 2 p.m.