The Texas A&M University-Commerce football team flexed its muscles Saturday night in Stephenville to grab a 63-0 victory over winless Tarleton State University. The win was also the first shutout for a blue and gold squad since 2004.
The Lions (4-1, 3-0 Lone Star Conference) did not score less than 14 points in any quarter and took advantage of five turnovers by the Texans (0-4, 0-3 LSC) to get the win. A&M-Commerce was also very efficient on the night, going 9-13 on third down as well as possessing the ball for more than 34 minutes of game time.
Once again, the running attack of the Lions was the star of the show, with Richard Cooper and Theo Wofford both rushing for over 100 yards each for the third straight game. Wofford led the charge this time 155 yards, more than half of which came on a 90-yard touchdown run, which stands as one yard short of the longest running play in A&M-Commerce history. Wofford also broke his own school record with 11.9 yards per carry. Cooper gained 133 yards on the ground.
Quarterback Harrison Stewart once again had a stellar game as he ended 14-20 with 196 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions. Backup quarterback Gabe Rodriguez made some noise of his own, as he completed both of his passing attempts for touchdowns, while also getting a score on the ground on fourth and goal.
The Lions defense snagged three interceptions on the night, as well as grabbing a fumble. The defense also held Tarleton to just 216 yards of total offense. Special teams were especially stout, with one of the most memorable plays of the game coming when a Tarleton kick returner fumbled a kickoff in the end zone, and Commerce native Buck Wilson scooped the ball up for a score.
Next week A&M-Commerce will return home to face their what many believe to be their biggest challenge yet against Angelo State University (4-1, 1-1 LSC)
The Rams will come to Commerce after suffering their first loss of the season against no. 20 Midwestern State. The Lions’ last meeting with Angelo State ended in heartbreak with a 35-33 loss in the final game of the Lone Star Conference Playoff last season. The Rams were ranked no. 6 in the country before their loss to the Mustangs.
The game at Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10 will also be broadcast by ESPN3 on their WatchESPN platform, which is currently available to 99 million homes. The game will be the first game at Memorial Stadium to be broadcast on a national network.