STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton football team kept possession of the Presidents' Cup trophy with a 54-27 thumping of Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday night at Tarleton Memorial Stadium.

The Texans won the second annual competition for the trophy, after defeating the Lions in 2010 by a score of 34-31 in Commerce.

After scoring just 13 points both of their previous two games, Tarleton exploded for 54 points, 425 yards and 27 first downs.

Courtney Vaughn broke open the scoring with just 0:28 left in first quarter with a three-yard run.  The Jose Serrano extra-point gave the Texans a 7-0 lead at the end of the first 15 minutes of play.  The scoring drive took nine plays and went 77 yards over 3:38.

The Lions responded quickly in the beginning of the second quarter when Tyler Rawlings caught a 39-yard pass from J.J. Harp for the score.

Justin Sturns put the Texans back on top with 11:33 on the clock with a seven-yard rush.  The 10-play, 70-yard drive gave Tarleton a 14-7 advantage.

The Texans were able to add to their lead with a Serrano 39-yard field goal, but Commerce answered with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Harp to Marcus Graham.

On the ensuing extra-point attempt, defensive back Gaston Benson got penetration up the middle and blocked the kick.  Fellow defensive back Dashaun Phillips scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 98 yards for the two point bonus.

The two teams entered the half with just a six-point lead, but momentum strongly in their favor.

The second half would be all Texans as they put a whooping on the A&M-Commerce defense.  Tarleton racked up 35 points in the second half alone.

Cordell Valentine got the second half started with a stellar kick-return that went 87 yards for the score on the opening play.  It came just one week after his last kick returned for a touchdown, a 76-yard return against No. 18 Midwestern St.

Vaughn added his second score of the game at the 9:20 mark with a four-yard rush.  He went on to finish the game with 117 yards, Tarleton's first 100-yard rusher of the season.

Valentine also added his second touchdown on the opening play in the fourth quarter with a 16-yard pass from Nick Stephens.  That put Tarleton ahead with a commanding 40-13 lead as the Lions began to panic.

A&M-Commerce managed a futile score on a one-yard pass from Harp to Kevin Bevans, making the game 40-21 with 11:39 remaining in the game.

Tarleton's defense stepped up yet again at the 8:24 mark when defensive end Rufus Johnson recorded his second sack of the game.  This time however, he jarred the ball loose from Harp which was picked up by Brian Ford for the fumble recovery and the touchdown. 

The flood gates were open and Ford Renfro scored Tarleton's seventh touchdown of the game and his first as a Texan on a one-yard pass from Aaron Doyle with 4:16 on the clock.

The Lions would add another score with four seconds left in the game, but it would be far from enough to rally against Tarleton, who wins their second game of the season.

Vaughn led the Texans with 117 yards on the ground and a pair of scores, while Sturns added a rushing touchdown of his own. 

Stephens finished the game 21-of-33 passing with a touchdown.  Doyle also passed for a touchdown and was a perfect 5-for-5 in the contest.

Brad Croak caught eight passes for 99 yards to lead the receivers, with Valentine adding a touchdown and 50 yards.

Defensively, Tarleton was led by the LSC's leading tackler in Marquis Wadley, who added eight to his total.  Rufus Johnson recorded two sacks and seven tackles, six of which were for a loss.

Tarleton improves to 2-5 and 2-3 in the conference.  The Texans will travel to Texas A&M-Kingsville next Saturday, Oct. 22 to take on the Javelinas.

For more information regarding the 2011 Tarleton football season, check out TarletonSports.com.