GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Southwestern University Pirates football team committed five turnovers and surrendered 10 fourth-quarter points in a 24-16 loss to the Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets on senior day.
Southwestern looked sharp on its opening drive, executing its running game with surgical precision, marching 51 yards on nine plays to get inside the Howard Payne red zone.
The momentum was short-lived, however, as the Pirates fumbled on the 10th play of the drive at the Howard Payne 17.
The Yellow Jackets capitalized with a number of big plays off the arms and legs of quarterback McGwire Martin, who had a 44-yard run and 30-yard pass to setup a Tauren Bradley one-yard touchdown run to finish off a six-play, 83-yard drive for the 7-0 lead after the extra point.
After both teams exchanged three-and-out possessions, Southwestern quarterback Austin Emery led an eight-play, 80-yard drive, accounting for 53 of those yards on the ground and the 17-yard touchdown pass to Devin Shaw to tie the game with 1:22.
Howard Payne answered with an 11-play, 85-yard drive led by quarterback Caleb Estes, who completed 4-of-5 passes. Bradley capped the drive off with a three-yard touchdown, his second score of the day, giving Howard Payne a 14-0 lead after the extra point.
On the ensuing Pirates' drive, Emery rumbled 65 yards on one play and threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to senior David Brandenburg on another to tie the game at 14-14 heading into the break.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, exchanging punts and turnovers on downs.
Starting from their last drive of the third quarter, the Pirates ended three consecutive drives with turnovers, with Emery throwing an interception at the Howard Payne 37-yard line and then fumbling at the Howard Payne 46-yard line to setup a five-play, 39-yard drive capped off by third-string quarterback Kolbi Tate's nine-yard touchdown pass to DunTayviun Gross for the 21-14 lead.
Southwestern fumbled again at their own 26, setting up Blake Phipps 32-yard field goal for a 24-14 lead.
The Pirates scored a safety on a dropped punt attempt in the end zone but fumbled on the ensuing drive to put the game out of reach.
Southwestern accumulated 353 yards of total offense, getting 273 on the ground, led by Emery's 125 yards on 21 carries and Elijah Smith's 117 yards on 19 carries.
Howard Payne totaled 421 yards in a balance attack, getting 290 via pass and 131 on the ground. Estes was 11-for-17 for 119 yards and one interception. Kolbi Tate was 5-for-10 for 110 yards and one touchdown.
With the loss, the Pirates drop to 4-5 on the season and 3-5 in conference play. Southwestern will close out its season on the road against Hardin Simmons on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1:00 p.m.