JACKSON, Miss. — Quarterback Landry Gilpin bounced back from a rough first week, and the rest of the Southwestern Pirates football team followed suit in a 34-27 victory over the Belhaven Blazers in the conference opener.
Gilpin was efficient through the air, completing 19-of-31 pass attempts (61.3 percent) for 155 yards with two touchdowns and no interception. He was dynamic on the ground, rushing for a game-high 112 yards on 19 carries with one touchdown.
After the Southwestern defense forced a punt to start the game, the Pirate offense set the tone on its first drive, marching 70 yards on 15 plays capped off by a touchdown pass from Gilpin to Austin Castilleja for eight yards. Throughout the drive, Gilpin showcased the positives of what Southwestern head football coach Joe Austin calls a freelance player, making several big throws on the run and a 15-yard run on fourth-and-eight from the Belhaven 25 to keep the drive alive and open with a 7-0 lead.
Belhaven responded with a seven-play, 52-yard drive capped off by a Brad Foley six-yard touchdown run, pulling within one after the missed extra point.
Southwestern was forced to punt on its next offensive possession but got the first of several big plays from 2019 Team MVP J.J. Slack on special teams, recovering a fumble on the punt return to give the Pirates the ball on Belhaven's 28-yard line with a fresh set of downs. Gilpin converted on another big fourth-down play, completing an eight-yard pass to Eric Ovalle on fourth-and-seven to extend a drive that ended with a Travis Moore three-yard touchdown run for the 14-6 lead after the extra point.
Belhaven running back Kolbe Blunt got free for a 49-yard run on the Blazers' ensuing possession, followed immediately by a Mayowa Asagunla 16-yard touchdown run. Belhaven completed the two-point conversion to tie the game for the last score of the half.
Southwestern appeared headed for a three-and-out possession to open the second half, but punter Wil Herbst converted a fake punt for a second consecutive week, completing a 24-yard pass to the Belhaven 43 on fourth and four. Gilpin capitalized, scoring on a 13-yard touchdown run for the 21-14 lead after the extra point.
Midway through the third quarter, Slack made another big play on special teams, blocking Andrew Norton's punt and returning it for the touchdown and a 28-14 lead after the extra point.
Belhaven answered with a 34-yard Asagunla touchdown run, with Slack blocking the extra point to keep the score at 28-20.
Southwestern extended its lead with a 13-play, 67-yard drive finished by an 18-yard touchdown connection from Gilpin to Castilleja, with Herbst missing the extra point. Belhaven pulled within a touchdown on a one-yard Asagunla run with 5:27 remaining, but Southwestern was able to pick up three first downs to run out the clock on the ensuing drive.
Southwestern improves to 1-1 with the win and will return home to host the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor next weekend.