STEPHENVILLE, Texas -- A pair of special teams blunders proved costly for No. 4 Midwestern State in Saturday night's season opener at Tarleton's Memorial Stadium.
The Texans converted both into scores to come away with the 20-17 upset win.
It was the first season opening loss for the Mustangs during the
Bill Maskill era and the first since MSU suffered a 34-13 loss at Texas State to open the 2000 season. Midwestern's last win in Stephenville also came later that season.
The first special teams miscue forced a momentum change after the Mustangs had rallied from a 7-0 first quarter deficit to take a 10-7 lead on
Greg Saladino's 37-yard field goal with 8:37 to go in the third quarter.
Midwestern held the Texans to three-and-out on the next possession but junior returner
Kendall Wrenn let the ball bounce twice inside the 10 before muffing it allowing Tarleton's Cameron Bridgewater to recover the ball at the 4-yard line.
Two plays later, Jerome Regal, who finished with a game-high 152 yards and two touchdowns, carried the ball in from a yard out to give the Texans 14-10 edge.
Tarleton State's Jamal Mays then blocked a
Garrett Rhodes punt on the next possession that led to the first of two 25-yard field goals by Blake Barnes as the Texans would lead 20-10 with 9:30 to play.
The Mustangs rallied for a nine play, 75-yard drive culminated by a 6-yard scoring run by
Brandon Kelsey to pull MSU to within 20-17 with 6:30 to play.
Midwestern eventually wrested the ball away from the Texans, but Kelsey's second interception of the game - by Marquis Wadley - ended the MSU's comeback chances.
Kelsey accounted for 244 yards of total offense including 71 on the ground while completing 16-of-32 passes for 173 yards.
Sophomore running back
Jimmy Pipkin added 40 yards on eight carries while junior
Keidrick Jackson had 32 yards on 13 totes.
Senior wideout
Jared Freeman paced the receiving corps making four receptions for 83 yards.
Junior linebacker
Gadrian Muse led the defense with 12 tackles while
Antoine Morris added nine.
