WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Eastern New Mexico (1-3) defeated Midwestern State (0-3) 56-31on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium, amassing 453 rushing yards to secure the win.
The first quarter opened with Eastern New Mexico quickly advancing downfield, culminating in a 50-yard touchdown run by Kyler Fossett at 13:36, putting them ahead 7-0. Midwestern State responded with efficiency as
Jakolby Longino connected with
Demonte Greene on a deep 46-yard touchdown pass, leveling the score at 7-7. A pivotal moment came when
Justin Hernandez forced a fumble recovered by
Oliver Jack at 8:35, halting Eastern New Mexico's drive in the red zone, although the visitors managed to regain the lead with a late touchdown in the closing seconds of the quarter, ending it 14-7 in their favor.
The second quarter began dramatically with
Jakolby Longino's pass being intercepted at 14:51, leading to an ENMU touchdown shortly after. The Mustangs responded with Longino connecting with Greene for a 65-yard touchdown pass at 13:31, narrowing the gap to 21-14. Despite a 27-yard rush by
Kenji Johnson setting up a scoring opportunity, a missed field goal kept the score unchanged, and the Greyhounds capitalized with a late 72-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead to 35-14 by the end of the quarter.
The third quarter began with a strategic MSU drive, highlighted by Longino's 15-yard pass to
Jamarion Carroll. Despite a brief setback, the team advanced with notable plays, including a 24-yard completion to
Case Peacock and an eventual 44-yard field goal by
Kohen Maroney that trimmed Eastern's lead. The quarter concluded with the Maroon & Gold showing resilience, with
Kenji Johnson recovering his own fumble and maintaining possession to set up the scoring opportunity with Maroney's field goal at 1:12.
The fourth quarter opened with ENMU extending their lead with a touchdown at 12:43. The Mustangs responded with a dynamic drive led by Longino, who connected with Greene for a 34-yard completion, followed by
Kenji Johnson's 20-yard rushing touchdown at 10:47. Despite a persistent effort, highlighted by another touchdown run by Johnson at 4:43, the Greyhounds maintained their advantage, concluding the game with a 56-31 victory.
Greene recorded six receptions for 168 yards and scored two touchdowns, marking a standout performance. Longino completed 24 of 37 passes for 350 yards and added two touchdowns to his tally. Johnson carried the ball 20 times for 139 yards and reached the end zone twice. On defense,
Noah Bustard led the team with nine total tackles.
Eastern New Mexico showcased a strong performance with several key players making significant contributions. Chad Ragle threw for 185 yards on a perfect 4-of-4 passing with two touchdowns, complementing his 84 rushing yards on 12 carries. Elias Santana made an impact on the ground with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown on six attempts. Fossett was a dual threat, rushing for 96 yards and a touchdown, while also catching a 72-yard touchdown pass. Defensively, Aaron Warren stood out with nine tackles and an interception, while DJ Moore added 1.5 sacks to his six tackles.
Looking ahead, MSU will travel to face UT Permian Basin on Saturday, September 27 at Ratliff Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
The Maroon & Gold falls to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play after the loss. ENMU improves to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play with the victory.
