- Box Score
LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The Tarleton football team faced off against West Alabama for the first time in school history Saturday evening in Livingston, Ala. The Tigers got the better of the Texans by a score of 42-35.
The Texans got off to a strong start defensively after winning the coin toss and deferring. Tarleton was able to hold the host Tigers to a three-and-out on their first drive of the game.
Tarleton's first offensive drive of the game started at the 22-yard line for the Texans. They marched 78 yards on nine plays and ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nick Stephens to Clifton Rhodes. The Texans got on the board early, which was a point head coach Cary Fowler had made prior to the game.
The Tigers responded with a 70-yard fade right up the middle on the second play of the drive, as Gary Johnston hooked up with Ken May. The extra-point made it a 7-7 ball game with 10:02 on the clock.
Lowery countered with a big kickoff return, going for 61 yards and giving the Texans great field position. Tarleton marched into the red zone, before Devon Gray scored with six-yard touchdown reception from Stephens. Jerry Owens converted the extra point to give the Texans the lead, 14-7. It was a 30-yard drive, coming on seven plays.
At that point something triggered on the West Alabama sideline, who began to put a comeback together on both sides of the ball.
With 13:43 to go in the second quarter, the Tigers tied the game up with a four-yard touchdown reception by Gerald Worsham from Johnston.
After the kickoff and on the first play from scrimmage, Stephens dropped back and was hit by a blind-side rush. The ball popped out and was scooped up by the Tigers.
Immediately, Johnston capitalized on the turnover with a nine-yard rush for a touchdown, giving West Alabama a 21-14 lead.
Once again, Tarleton returned the kick and set up for a drive deep in their own territory. But once again, the Tiger defense forced another fumble after Lance Clark caught a pass from Stephens and then was stripped at the 29-yard line.
West Alabama began their next drive with 12:40 remaining in the second quarter and on the next play, the Tigers exploited the Tarleton defense for a 29-yard touchdown pass to Curt Amacker. That gave West Alabama a 28-14 advantage heading closer to the halfway point.
The Texans needed to do something before time ran out to give themselves a chance heading into the half.
Tarleton started their drive at the 39-yard line and used a little trickery to get things going offensively. Offensive coordinator Lee Hays called up a double-pass play that worked to perfection, as Stephens tossed it out to Roddy Green on his right, who then threw down the Tarleton sideline to Rhodes for a 48-yard completion.
That set things up for Lowery, who added his second touchdown with 0:33 left in the half on a one-yard rush, cutting Tarleton's deficit 28-21.
By halftime, Tarleton had amassed 231 total yards, 207 through the air and 24 on the ground. West Alabama was close behind with 229 total yards, 152 in the air and 77 on the ground.
Stephens had a solid first half, going 16-for-21 with 162 yards and two touchdowns. Rhodes led all receivers with four catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Lowery provided Tarleton with their lone rushing touchdown.
The difference in the first half was the two fumbles that the Tigers forced from the Texans.
The second half was a different story as Tarleton's defense began to settle in while the offense struggled to move the ball past a quick West Alabama defense.
The Texans got a break at the start of the fourth quarter when West Alabama fumbled a punt. With a short field, Tarleton managed to punch it on a 10-yard rush by Lowery. The drive went 43 yards on six plays and the offense began to come alive just in the nick of time.
With 8:27 on the clock, the Texans jumped ahead on a Stephen's six-yard rush for a 35-28 lead. That wrapped up a 90-yard drive that took eight plays and shifted all momentum in Tarleton's favor.
West Alabama attempted to answer with their own drive down the field and ate away at the clock with their option attack. They were able to tie the game at 35-35 when Johnston got wrapped up at the eight-yard line, but tossed the ball to his running back Don Smith, who took it in for the score.
Time started to become a factor as West Alabama had the ball with the clock under two minutes, marching down the field for at least a field goal attempt. A couple of big plays and some costly penalties put the Tigers in good field position while the Texans' backs were against the wall.
West Alabama would not settle for a field goal though, as running back Mathew Willis scrambled in from the 15-yard line. The Tigers went 85 yards in eight plays and moved the clock under a minute of action.
For the second straight week, the Texans had one last drive to stay in the ball game, but this week left them with only 0:53 of clock. Tarleton managed to drive all the way down to the 42-yard line, but time just ran out as the Tigers escaped with 42-35 victory.
The Texans amassed 445 yards of total offense, with 355 yards coming through the air and 90 yards coming on the ground. West Alabama was right there with 446 total yards, but 229 of their yards came on the ground.
Stephens finished the game with 310 yards on 32-of-51 passing, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Rhodes had another outstanding game with 147 yards on nine receptions and a touchdown, while Gray had a receiving touchdown as well.
The ground game was not a major factor statistically, but did set up the passing game. Lowery led all rushers with 47 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 137 return yards from kick-offs.
Johnston was the majority of the Tigers' offense with 118 yards on the ground and 217 yards through the air. He passed for three scores and rushed for another.
Defensively, Tarleton was led by Marquis Wadley, who had 15 tackles, and Logan Johnson, who had two sacks.
The Texans fall to 0-2 on the season, while the Tigers improve to 1-1. Tarleton's next game will take place in San Marcos on Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. when the Texans take on Texas State.
For more information regarding the 2011 Tarleton football season, check out TarletonSports.com.
