MSU upsets No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville 41-14

            WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State University scored four times before allowing Texas A&M University-Kingsville a tally as the Indians upset the sixth ranked Javelinas 41-14 Saturday night in Lone Star Conference South action at Memorial Stadium.

            MSU (3-4 overall, 2-4 LSC, 1-3 LSC South) dominated the game from the get-go, collecting 577 yards of total offense against the top defense in the league.  The MSU defense also held TAMUK (5-2, 4-2, 1-2) to 365 yards of offense.

            The win snapped a three-game losing streak for MSU, it's first since 1999.  Ironically, that 1999 streak which stretched to four games, was snapped by a 10-7 victory over A&M-Kingsville at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 16, 1999.  That was the last time MSU had beaten the Javelinas.

            Junior Ulysses Odoms of New Orleans, La./Ehret, came off the bench to rush for 132 yards for MSU.  He also caught two passes for 24 yards, including a four-yard touchdown grab.

            Junior Ross Harrison of Petrolia rushed 15 times for 63 yards and a pair of touchdowns, adding three receptions for 40 yards.

            The duo helped MSU collect 302 rushing yards against TAMUK that had allowed an average of 105.0 yards a game on the ground.

            Starting quarterback Ryan Roberts, the redshirt freshman from Keller, hit 10-of-17 passes for 162 yards with a touchdown, while sophomore Daniel Polk of Dallas/South Oak Cliff hit 6-of-8 for 113 yards and a touchdown.  Polk also rushed for 32 yards with a 15-yard touchdown run, while Roberts collected six on the ground.

            Senior receiver Myron Cooper caught four passes for 110 yards to lead the receiving corps.

            TAMUK was led by reserve quarterback Cory Miles, an Oxnard, Calif., junior, who came off the bench in the third quarter to throw for 199 yards on 12-of-19 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

            While the MSU offense collected the points, the MSU defense was also up to the task.

            The key to the game may have been the momentum-changing goal-line stand in the second quarter.

            After tight end Jonathan Ruzicka caught a seven-yard pass from Roberts to give MSU a 14-0 lead, TAMUK marched down to the MSU 1.

            On first down, Raymorris Miller was stuffed by a charge led by MSU's Glen Watkins and Donial Arps.  On second down, it was senior defensive tackle Marcel Moses and senior strong safety Jerome Jefferson who stopped Javelina quarterback Joey Pena on a sneak.

            Miller again got the call on third down, but was stopped in the hole by linebacker Fred Moore inches from the goal line.

            The fourth down play featured a line surge that caused Pena to drop the snap, then scramble after picking it up.  Indian linebacker Lance Gardner hurried Pena's left bootleg pass that dropped incomplete and gave MSU the ball.

            MSU also forced the Hoggies to attempt a pair of field goals, but TAMUK's Richard Hammond missed a try from 29 yards out in the first quarter and a 33-yarder in the third quarter.

            The defense also stopped the last two Javelina drives with interceptions.  MSU's Ola Muhammad, a senior who transferred from TAMUK before last season, swiped a pass at the Indian 38 to end one threat.

            The final Hoggie drive ended when Jefferson picked off Miles at the Midwestern 20, returning it 58 yards to the TAMUK 22.

            Adrion Butler broke a 14-yard run on fourth down, then burst up the middle for three yards with one second to play to give MSU it's final score.

            MSU entertains East Central in an LSC crossover contest for Homecoming next Saturday, while A&M-Kingsville hosts Eastern New Mexico in an LSC South matchup.

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