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STEPHENVILLE – On a night when rain fell from kickoff to the final snap, the No. 22 Tarleton Texan offense and defense proved to be unstoppable as well, gaining 411 yards of offense while holding the Tigers of East Central to just 86 yards as the Texans defeated East Central 41-2 on Saturday in Stephenville.

The Texan offense led 34-0 at halftime thanks to a 49-yard touchdown run by Roderick Smith who tied a 22-year-old school record for career touchdowns with 33. The record is shared by Gaylon Bowser (1984-87). Neither of Tarleton's two leading rushers, Smith or Evan Robertson, played in the second half after running for a combined 331 yards in the first two quarters.

The Tarleton defense allowed just 11 first downs to the Tigers, but five of those were on penalties. ECU had 17 yards in rushing on 36 attempts, an average of 0.5 yards per carry. The Tigers passed for 86 yards, 37 of which came on one play – ECU's longest play of the game. The visitor's only score came on a high snap by Tarleton which led to a safety.

Tarleton (2-0) scored on its first four possessions and six of their eight first half possessions.

The Tigers verged into Tarleton territory only three times in the game, and the last time was just to the Texan 47-yardline. 

Tarleton got on the board when Robertson crossed the line from 15 yards out with 11:50 remaining in the first quarter. The score capped a four-play, 73-yard drive that took 1:43 off the clock. Garrett Lindholm added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Lindholm then ended a five-play, 15-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal with 8:13 left in the first to make it 10-0 Tarleton. 

Robertson again found the end zone, this time from 25 yards away, to close a 12-play, 48-yard drive that took just 30 seconds. Lindholm's kick put Tarleton ahead 17-0.

On the Tigers' fourth possession, the Texans forced the visitors' fourth punt of the game, and Tarleton took the ensuing drive 48 yards on 12 plays. Lindholm booted his second field goal of the contest – good from 46 yards – as Tarleton took a 20-0 lead with 10:02 left in the second quarter.

A Tiger fumble gave the ball back to the Texans with 9:48 remaining in the first half, but the Texans turned the ball over on downs after ECU stopped Tarleton at the Tigers' one-yardline on a fourth and goal. However, on second and 10 from his own one, Tiger quarterback Josh Phillips tried to throw a quick out to the right side, and Tarleton's Brandon Johnson was there to intercept the ball in the endzone and increase the Texan lead. Lindholm's kick made it 27-0 Tarleton with 7:38 left in the half.

The Texans needed just one play to score again when Smith tied the school record on a 49-yard score. Lindholm added the extra point to put Tarleton ahead 34-0 with 5:41 remaining in the second period. With time running out in the first half, the Texans were driving once again, and Tarleton's Devin Guinn dropped a pass from quarterback Scott Grantham in the end zone as the buzzer sounded to send the teams to the locker rooms.

The Texans racked-up 327 yards of total offense in the first half, including 316 on the ground while ECU had just 52 yards of offense, including five rushing yards.

Tarleton's first punt came early in the third quarter before Robert Payne had a nine-yard touchdown run to cap a four-play, 53-yard drive that took 1:44 off the third quarter clock on the Texan's next possession. With 9:59 remaining in the quarter, Tarleton led 41-0 after Lindholm's kick.

ECU missed its second field goal of the game – this one from 27 yards – when Blair Johnson blocked the attempt. Tarleton took over on its own 18-yard line, but a holding penalty put the Texans at the nine. Two plays later, a false start put Tarleton at its own seven before a high snap was recovered in the end zone by the Texans for an ECU safety.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter and the Texans claimed their third straight victory over the Tigers.

Tarleton's Smith had 16 carries for 204 yards and a score while Robertson tallied 115 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns as the squad had 347 yards total on the ground. 

Grantham was two-for-three for 47 yards and was not sacked. Luker added 17 yards passing after connecting on one-of-two passes attempted.

The Texan defense – which recorded 14 tackles for a loss of minus-48 yards – was led by Antone Saulsberry with six total stops and one sack for minus-four yards. He and Marcus Phillips each led the team with two and a half tackles for loss. Phillips and Matt Knicky each had five tackles to tie for second on the team.

ECU was led by John Gaines with 21 carries for 33 total yards after gaining 56 and losing 23. Phillips was six-for-16 for 69 yards and one interception.

Former Tiger quarterback and the LSC North Division Preseason Offensive Player of the Year had three receptions for 61 yards.

The Tigers were led on defense by J.P. Oliver with nine tackles as the Tigers had just four tackles for loss.

The Texans will return to action next Saturday, Sept. 19 at Central Oklahoma with kickoff in Edmond, Okla. scheduled for 6 p.m. The Tigers will host Angelo State for ECU's home opener at 6 p.m.