Box Score CANYON – Tarleton's Vaughn Smith (RB, Jr, Menlo Park, Calif.) rushed for 134 yards and one touchdown, but it was not enough as the No. 23-ranked West Texas A&M Buffaloes netted 502 yards of total offense on the way to a 41-21 Lone Star Conference win over the Texans Saturday night at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon.
 
Smith got the Texans going with the game's first touchdown, but WT countered with 24-unanswered points in the first half and outscored the Texans 17-14 in the second half. The Texans fall to 2-2 overall on the season and are 2-2 in LSC play. The Buffs improved to 4-1 overall and are now 3-1 in the LSC.
 
WT quarterback Dustin Vaughan completed 23 of his 37 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns, while Buffs running back Khiry Robinson netted 125 yards on 18 carries. Robinson also collected six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
 
Following a Buffalo fumble with 10:54 left to play in the first quarter, Smith scored the game's first touchdown, capping off a six-play, 52-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run for the Texans that took just 1:58 off the clock. Tarleton's Blake Barnes (K, Fr, Stephenville) hit the ex
 
WT countered though on the ensuing kickoff as the Buffs' Jarrian Rhone took the kickoff 79 yards down to the WT 15-yard line. Dustin Vaughan needed just one play to get the Buffs on the board as he connected with Trevor Hammargren from 15 yards out for the touchdown. Sergio Castillo Jr. was successful on the extra point, tying the game at 7-7.
 
The Buffs continued to score throughout the half, scoring 24-unanswered points on the way to a 17-point halftime lead over the Texans. Vaughan later connected with Torrence Allen from 56 yards out, again just one play following Tarleton's first fumble of the season. Castillo's PAT was successful to put WT on top 14-7 with 10:32 left to play in the second quarter.
 
With just 4:22 left to play in the game, Castillo capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal to put WT on top 17-7.
 
The Buffalo special teams blocked a Tarleton punt with less than three minutes to play in the half and recovered the football at the Tarleton 14-yard line and just two plays later, Vaughan connected with Khiry Robinson from 14 yards out for his third touchdown pass of the half to put WT on top 23-7. Castillo was again successful on the PAT, giving the Buffs a 24-7 advantage as both teams headed into the locker room at the break.
 
Tarleton came out of the half and capped off a six-play, 75-yard drive with a catch to Arthur Buckingham (WR, Sr, Pilot Point) from Aaron Doyle (QB, Sr, Evant) for 45 yards and a score. Barnes nailed the PAT and Tarleton pulled within 10 points of the Buffs, down 24-14 with 12:41 left to play in the third quarter.
 
WT would only counter with a 30-yard field goal from Castillo at the 9:40 mark in the third, giving WT just a 13-point lead up 27-14.
 
The Texans came right back to score another touchdown on its next possession as Doyle ran the ball in from six yards out to complete a 10-play, 77-yard drive with 4:51 left to play in the third quarter. Barnes made the extra point pull the Texans back to within just six points of the No. 23-ranked team.
 
Unfortunately, Tarleton would not be able to find the end zone again on the night, while WT put up two more scores – the first one with three seconds left in the third quarter and another with 7:12 remaining in the game.
 
WT's Geremy Alridge scored from one yard out late in the third quarter and Torrence Allen caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Vaughan midway through the fourth quarter. Castillo was successful on both extra points and his final PAT gave WT a 41-21 lead, which they would keep until the final horn.
 
Tarleton tallied 389 yards of total offense on the night, with 196 yards passing from Doyle and 193 total rushing yards.
 
The Achilles heel for the Texans seemed to be penalties, as Tarleton committed 12 penalties for a combined 108 yards. WT committed 12 penalties for 120 yards on the night as well, but the difference in the game was the timing of Tarleton's penalties.
 
The Texans led the game in time of possession, keeping the ball on the offensive side for 32:06 compared to WT having the ball for 27:54.
 
Smith's 134-yard effort was his second-consecutive 100-yard game for the Texans and Zach Henshaw (RB, Fr, Fischer) netted 64 yards on the night.
 
Buckingham led the receiving corps with four catches for 69 yards and the one touchdown. Cordell Valentine (WR, Sr, Vicksburg, Miss.) hauled in two catches for 17 yards as well.
 
The Texans will return to action next week as the team returns home to Memorial Stadium to host Gulf South Conference member Delta State. Kickoff between the Texans and Statesmen is set for 7 p.m. in Stephenville.