SAN ANGELO - Limiting Oklahoma Panhandle State to just nine points, the Angelo State football team notched back-to-back wins for the first time this season with a 31-9 victory Saturday night at LeGrand Stadium at First Community Credit Union Field.

The Rams (3-3, 2-2 LSC) limited the Aggies to just 276 total yards of offense, including only 42 yards on the ground. The 42 rushing yards from OPSU were the fewest from an ASU opponent since Texas A&M-Commerce gained only 29 on November 2, 2013, and it is ninth time since Jeff Girsch took over as defensive coordinator that ASU has held a team to under 100 yards rushing.

Sophomore Markus Jones helped limit the rushing yards by recording four sacks for a loss of 27 yards on the night. The four sacks are a career-high for Jones and the second most in a single game by a single player in Division II this season. Jones ended the night with nine total tackles, which was second most on the team only behind Justin Jackson who finished with 12.

Josh Stevens led the way for the Rams offensively, carrying the ball 15 times for a career-high 131 yards and one touchdown, and Trey Green added in 64 yards on eight carries of his own. Carsen Cook rushed for 47 yards on 11 carries as well and also completed 16 passes for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns on the night. 

"It's a learning process for Carsen (Cook)," ASU head football coach Will Wagner said. "He has been able to learn from these experiences though because the competition gets tougher each week. We'll get the mistakes corrected this week, but overall I'm  excited about the maturity he's shown."

Neither team had much success offensively in the first quarter, but the Rams opened the second quarter with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Cook to Mark Munson to get on the scoreboard. One of Jones' four sacks setup the touchdown after the Ram defense forced one of seven punts. 

OPSU responded with a field goal on the ensuing drive and had a chance for another one when they took over on offense the next time, but Sterling Claphan pushed it wide left and the Rams took over with their 7-3 lead still intact. ASU got a 32-yard Casey Eyman field goal a couple drives later, pushing the lead back to seven, where it would stay for the rest of the half. It was Eyman's sixth field goal of the season. 

The Rams struck first in the second half as well. Stevens would move the ball early with three straight carries and one that covered 28 yards. On first and 10 at the OPSU 23-yard line, Cook through a quick pass to Ayo and the freshman found a seam for a 23-yard touchdown. The touchdown was the first of Ayo's collegiate career, and the freshman led all ASU receivers with seven receptions for 60 yards.

Both teams were unable to score for the rest of the third quarter, but the Rams got back into the end zone right after the start of the fourth quarter by way of another forced turnover by the ASU defense. With 12:49 left in the game, Justin Jackson picked off OPSU quarterback Shane Truelove and returned it 15 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. Jackson led the defense with 12 stops and three for loss and the interception return for a touchdown is the second of the season. The interception also extended the ASU streak to 11 games of forcing a turnover.

OPSU got its first and only touchdown of the game on the drive following the interception, but ASU followed with another touchdown of its own. Stevens took the ball around the left side and used his speed to cover 51-yards for a touchdown. It is the junior's longest rush of the seaosn. 

"Hats off to our coach for the adjustments they made during the game and to our kids for executing and being able to put it together on the field," Wagner said.

The Rams will hit the road again next, taking their shortest road trip of the season to take on Midwestern State at 7 p.m. on Saturday October, 7 in Wichita Falls.