Oct. 24, 2004

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS - Texas State University backup quarterback Chase Wasson scored on a 41-yard run with 25 seconds to play in the third quarter as the Bobcats came from behind to upset No. 8 Stephen F. Austin 17-14 Saturday in Bobcat Stadium.

With the league-opening win before a homecoming crowd of 13,323 (ninth highest in school history), Texas State (3-4, 1-0) moved into a tie for first place in the Southland Conference with Sam Houston State. Stephen F. Austin fell to 5-2 and 0-1.

Wasson, who played in the second quarter, returned in the third after Texas State starter Barrick Nealy was sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Injuries had been a reoccurring theme during the week as the Bobcats entered the game without their leading rusher, Terrell Harris (fractured fibula), and wide receiver K.R. Carpenter (ankle) as well as the starting left side of its offensive line, guard Ken McKoy (ankle) and tackle Del Scales (shoulder).

Wasson's touchdown run, which gave the Bobcats the lead at 17-14, came on an option in which he cut up field and outraced the Lumberjacks' secondary for the score.

"We called a 36 option which is one of our base running plays and we have been pretty successful with," Wasson said. "The offensive line got a great push, the defensive end widened and there was a hole. One of the biggest blocks on the play came from the wide receiver (John Tyson) down field on the corner and that was what got me to the edge."

Texas State could have got a lot more out of the third quarter prior to Wasson's run.

Douglas Sherman fumbled on fourth-and-one from the SFA 15 and the Lumberjacks recovered. On the next drive, the Bobcats had the ball first-and-goal from the four after a 56-yard pass from Nealy to Markee White. But facing third-and-goal from the one, the `Cats were called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Texas State place kicker Steven Dietz would hit the right upright on a 33-yard field goal attempt.

In the fourth quarter, Stephen F. Austin punt returner Tony Tompkins returned a kick 17 yards to the Texas State 42. SFA would move the ball inside the 20 but facing third-and-five from the seven, Nick Clark and Melvin Webber would sack Lumberjack quarterback Zeke Dixon for a 13-yard loss. Ryan Rossner would then miss a 37-yard field goal attempt and Texas State would maintain its 17-14 lead with 7:15 to play.

The Bobcats would have an opportunity to add to its lead after Tompkins fumbled on his next return and Kenyon Leno recovered for the Bobcats at the SFA 24.

Runs of five yards by Morris Brothers and Wasson would give Texas State a first down at the 14. Wasson ran for another five before Sherman carried for two. Wasson would then be sacked for a 9-yard loss and Dietz missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.

SFA took possession with 2:16 to play at its own 20.

On first down, Fred Evans sacked Dixon for a 6-yard loss then the SFA quarterback threw three straight incompletions.

Texas State had lost three straight, including two games to nationally-ranked I-AA opponents before Saturday's win which proved special for first-year coach David Bailiff.

"This win is special for a number of reasons," Bailiff said. "It's special because we had a group of young men that never fragmented and continued to work hard. They continued to see how close we had been in so many ball games.

"It's special because it is conference. We talked all week about being 2-4 in preconference and learning from our experiences. The slate had been wiped clean and we had to forget about that.

"And it is special because my mom was diagnosed with cancer this week and these young men dedicated the game to her."

Bailiff's mother, Marsh, works two days a week in the football office and has been around the team since the preseason.

In the win, Texas State's defense held SFA to just 24 rushing yards and 228 yards of net offense, 148 yards below the Lumberjacks' season average. Despite injuries to its offense, Texas State tallied 365 yards - 215 rushing and 150 passing.

Douglas carried 18 times for 90 yards while Morris Brothers picked up 59 yards on 13 carries. Nealy completed 8-of-13 passes for 134 yards while White had three receptions for 68 yards.

Texas State jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard touchdown touchdown pass from Barrick Nealy to John Tyson with 5:31 to play in the first quarter.

The series, the Bobcats' second drive of the game, was 11 plays and covered 80 yards. The `Cats converted an early third-down conversion with a 2-yard run by Douglas Sherman to the 31. Nealy was 3-for-4 passing on the drive including a 29-yard reception by Ike Chekwa to the SFA 15.

Stephen F. Austin would answer with a 12-play, 73-yard drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown pass from Michael Williams to Matt Bodley on the first play of the second quarter.Williams started the series with four straight pass completions, including an 18-yarder to Cedric Reescano and a 14-yarder to Miguel Toulon.

SFA's scoring drive was also aided by a personal foul call on the Bobcats on a play in which the Lumberjacks faced third-and-12 from the 18.

On Texas State's next series, Nealy was sacked by Ryan Smith and forcing a fumble on the play which was picked up by Keldrick Holman and returned 12 yards for a touchdown that gave the `Jacks a 14-7 lead with 13:25 to play in the second quarter.

A 48-yard run by Sherman on the Bobcats' next offensive series would move the fall deep into SFA territory. The Bobcats would face first-and-goal from the nine but would settle for a 21-yard Steven Dietz field goal to cut the lead to 14-10 with 9:43 to play in the second quarter.