Eastern records first win in August in school football history

Muskogee, Okla. – The Eastern New Mexico University football team easily defeated Bacone College, 63-20, in its season opener on Saturday, August 25^th  at the Indian Bowl. The Greyhounds rushed for over 500 yards to establish a new school record on their way to the first win in school football history in the month of August. This was their second game in a row with over 500 yards on the ground. By losing their home and season opener, the Warriors dropped their record to 0-1.

For the third year in a row, Eastern’s offense was led by quarterback Michael Benton (Sr., QB, Everman, Texas/Everman Joe C. Bean HS) who provided 190 yard of offense, including 182 rushing yards on only nine carries. Benton ran for three touchdowns, including one for 63 yards and another for 53 yards. Running back JT Thompson (So., RB, Sweetwater, Texas/Sweetwater HS) set a career record with 171 yards on the ground on 11 carries including four touchdowns, including a long for 47 yards.

On their first possession of the game, the Hounds ran eight plays for 60 yards, scoring on a 13 yard TD run by Benton for a 7-0 lead. Eastern doubled the lead with 6:21 left in the first quarter on Benton’s 53 yard TD run. With less than a minute left in the opening quarter, Jason Walker (Sr., RB, Houston, Texas/Texas Southern University) ran the ball into the end zone from three yards out to put the Hounds up by three touchdowns.

Bacone got on the board with 10:35 left in the half, as Dashaun Colbert threw a 25 yard TD pass for a 21-7 ENMU lead. Just over a minute later, Eastern recaptured a three TD lead with a 21 yard rushing score by Thompson. The Warriors scored on a 67 yard passing TD to cut the lead to 28-14. ENMU got one last score in before the intermission as Tim Hamet (Jr., WR, Midland, Texas/New Mexico Military Institute) ran it in from 26 yards out for a 35-14 advantage.

In case a three TD lead was not enough, the Hounds put the game away in the third quarter, scoring three times, including Benton’s 63 yard run and two TDs by Thompson. With 9:27 left in the game, Thompson scored for the final TD for the Hounds, a seven yard run for a 63-14 lead. Bacone added a TD in the final minutes of the blow out and had their extra point attempt blocked by Randall Hutchinson (Jr., DE, Navasota, Texas/Navasota HS).

Freshman kicker Jordan Walker (North Richland, Texas/Birdville HS) had very successful first day in a Hounds’ uniform, connecting on all nine of his extra point attempts.  Defensive back William Morris, Jr., (So., Odessa, Texas/Permian HS) recorded the only interception of the game.

The Greyhounds will have their home opener on Thursday, Sept. 6^th against Northeastern State University. Kick-off for the Lone Star Conference Crossover game is scheduled for 6 p.m. MST.