SAN ANGELO, Texas – The 22
nd-ranked Angelo State football team earned a decisive victory over the visiting Mustangs of Western New Mexico, winning 62-9 on Saturday night at LeGrand Stadium at 1
st Community Credit Union Field.
With the win, the Rams improve to 2-2 overall on the season and 1-1 in Lone Star Conference play.
Bradley Larson opened the scoring for the Rams, converting a 41-yard field goal attempt on the first drive of the game. Moments later, ASU scored again as
Alfred Grear broke away on a 40-yard touchdown run to give the Rams a 10-0 lead three minutes into the game.
The Rams added two more rushing scores in the first quarter, a 15-yard run by
Brayden Wilcox and a one-yard run by
Chad Pharies while Larson kicked his second field goal of the game, a 43-yard attempt, as the Rams took a 27-0 lead.
In the second quarter,
Andrew Pitts extended the lead for ASU after returning a punt 70 yards for a touchdown. He finished the game with 126 punt return yards on four returns.
Grear recorded his second rushing touchdown midway through the second quarter, taking the 34 yards for a score before
Gerald Gardner tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to
Albert Thomas IV to give the Rams 48 points in the first half.
The Mustangs broke the shutout with a 24-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Angelo State collected 557 total yards of offense on the night, including 341 yards on the ground. The defense held WNMU to only 134 yards of offense, including a negative 13 yards rushing.
Midway through the third quarter, the Rams tallied another rushing touchdown as
Braeden Fuller crossed the goal line from five yards out to make it 55-3.
The Mustangs scored their only touchdown of the game at the end of the third quarter, tossing a 37-yard touchdown pass before missing the extra point.
Jayden Jones became the fifth Ram to rush for a touchdown in the game, running in from 12 yards out for the final score of the game.
For the second straight game,
Zorhan Rideaux collected over 100 yards receiving, totaling 112 yards on five catches against the Mustangs to lead ASU.
The Rams continue LSC action on the road next weekend as they travel to Eastern New Mexico on Saturday, Sept. 30.