SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College football team capped off the 2013 season with a dominant 35-7 win over Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Trinity University on Saturday, marking the first time the 'Roos have knocked off the Tigers since 1993. The 'Roos finish the season with a 5-5 overall record and a 2-1 mark in SCAC play.
The game started out as a defensive struggle with neither team being able to get any momentum going on offense, and the teams entered the second quarter with no points on the scoreboard. However, after the 'Roos took over at their own 35 early in the second, Noah Jesko found Cooper Woodyard for a 65 yard touchdown strike to make it 7-0. However, two possessions later the Tigers were able to put together an eight play, 80 yard drive capped off by a nine yard touchdown run from Travis Williams to send the teams into halftime knotted up at 7-7.
It was in the second half that the 'Roos took control of the game, with Tre Stewart forcing a fumble on the first possession for Trinity in the third quarter and James Nwankpah scoring from a yard out after Austin College recovered on the Tiger 28 yard line to make it 14-7. Austin College forced a Trinity punt on the next possession, and on the very first play of the 'Roo offensive possession, Jesko found Woodyard for a 58 yard score to make it 21-7 with 8:10 left in the quarter.
That remained the score heading into the fourth, but just five seconds into the final quarter Jesko found Gabe McCarthy in the endzone for a six yard strike to make it 28-7. The 'Roos took over on downs on another late Trinity possession, and with 6:25 left started a seven play, 31 yard drive culminating in the second one yard rushing score for Nwankpah to make it a 35-7 final.
For the game, the 'Roos out-gained Trinity 449 to 243 in total offense, rushing for 175 yards while throwing for 274 as a team. Jesko finished the season with arguably his strongest overall game, completing 16-of-23 passes for 274 yards and three scores, with Woodyard hauling in four passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Nwankpah carried 22 times for 90 yards and Bryce Murphy added 58 yards on 13 carries.
Murphy and Nwankpah finish the season as the number one and number two rushers in the SCAC, respectively, marking the first time teammates have done that in the 22 year history of the conference. Defensively, Brooks Ward led a defense that racked up six sacks, making 10 tackles including 1.5 for loss and a sack. De'Andre Holmes had seven stops, including 2.0 for loss, while Nathan Packard had seven stops and a sack.
For Trinity, Stephen Smith completed 13-of-21 passes for 151 yards to lead the Tigers offensively and Cody Sandman had seven catches for 68 yards. Jeremy Simmons rushed 11 times for 29 yards to lead the Tigers on the ground. Camdeb Joubert had 11 tackles to lead Trinity defensively.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
About Austin College
Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope's influential book Colleges That Change Lives.