Mustangs smash Texas A&M-Kingsville 44-17
KINGSVILLE, Texas - It took a quarter before the Midwestern State University offense got cranking, but once the Mustangs got going Texas A&M University-Kingsville couldn't stop 'em as MSU chalked up a 44-17 Lone Star Conference South victory Saturday night.
MSU (6-2 overall, 4-2 all Lone Star Conference games, 2-2 LSC South) got it's first ever win in
The teams were scoreless after the first quarter when MSU switched to quarterback Daniel Polk.
The junior from Dallas/South Oak Cliff turned the game into his own playground, rushing for 172 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown to lead MSU to another 500-yard plus offensive effort.
But Polk wasn't the only runner - MSU had a total of three running backs with more than 100-yards as Adrion Butler came off the bench for a career-high 133 yards and Ulysses Odoms chalked up 105 yards on seven carries.
MSU rushed for 456 yards and totaled 537 yards for the night.
But it wasn't only the offense, the MSU defense was strong as well, holding the Hoggies to just 165 yards of total offense, TAMUK's lowest output of the season.
MSU had allowed the Javelinas only 68 yards through three quarters, but held a 37-3 lead. TAMUK collected 97 yards in the fourth quarter.
It was the third-highest rushing game in Polk's career and brought him across the 2,000-yard mark with 2,014 yards. He's currently third on the MSU career rushing list, 527 yards behind current Indianapolis Colt running back Dominic Rhodes who rushed for 2,541 yards.
Senior Ross Harrison rushed for just two yards on three carries in the opening drive and did not play again. Harrison now has 2,305 career rushing yards, 291 yards ahead of Polk and 237 away from passing
MSU opened the scoring with special teams, as Herman Walker blocked a punt through the end zone to give MSU a 2-0 advantage.
After the free kick which gave MSU the ball at the 50, Polk directed the first scoring drive that was capped by
The next series Odoms scored the first of three touchdowns on the night with an 18-yard scamper. He would also score on runs of 23 and 41 yards for the Mustangs.
Turnovers were a bug-a-boo for MSU, as they gave it away six times leading to all of A&M-Kingsville points.
+++ MSU +++