Oct. 9, 2004
Final Stats
SAN MARCOS - Florida Atlantic scored 20 first-half points including a 31-yard touchdown pass from Danny Embick to Brittney Tellis and then thwarted two, fourth-quarter Texas State drives to stave off a Bobcat comeback attempt and hold on for a 20-13 win Saturday.
With the win, Florida Atlantic improved to 4-0 with its 14th win in its last 15 games. Texas State University fell to 2-3 with its third seven-point loss this season. The `Cats also suffered a 24-17 loss at Baylor last month and, against No. 21 Appalachian State last week, had another comeback fall short in a 41-34 loss.
"We've lost three by seven. That's a jackpot in Vegas," said Texas State first-year coach David Bailiff. "We're turning this thing around right now, today."
Trailing 20-13 heading into the fourth quarter Saturday, the Bobcats had two scoring opportunities.
Texas State started its first drive of the fourth quarter at its own 23 after Tellis fumbled a reception that was forced by Walter Musgrove and recovered by Epsilon Williams for the `Cats.
The Bobcats moved the ball to the FAU 31 where they faced first-and-10. Running back Douglas Sherman would pick up a yard on first down before quarterback Barrick Nealy suffered a 1-yard loss. Nealy ran for seven on third down but facing fourth-and-three, Nealy's pass completion to Tyrone Scott went nowhere as Florida Atlantic linebacker Chris McKinley dropped him for a 1-yard loss.
Despite two pass interference calls that aided Florida Atlantic's next series, Texas State would get another chance.
This time Jeremy Castillo forced and recovered an Aaron Sanchez fumble at the FAU 42 and the Bobcats were back in business with 3:45 to play.
Nealy would complete a first-down pass to K.R. Carpenter at the FAU 32 before a pair of incompletions. He was sacked on third down to bring up a fourth-and-12 from the 34. This time Nealy's pass attempt to K.R. Carpenter fell incomplete and the Owls would run out the clock.
Nealy completed 14-of-25 passes for 167 yards and also ran for 70 on 24 carries.
Florida Atlantic jumped out to a 7-0 early lead. On the Owls' first play from scrimmage, quarterback Jared Allen completed a 65-yard pass to Roosevelt Barnes at the Texas State 15.
Doug Parker would tally 14 yards on four straight carries before Sanchez scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 12:09 to play in the first quarter.
Texas State would take advantage of a 14-yard punt and a 15-yard personal foul to start a first-quarter series at the FAU 47 which led to a 20-yard touchdown run by Terrell Harris. Harris also had a 49-yard run in the first half but the play would go for naught as Steven Dietz missed a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Florida Atlantic place kicker Mark Myers had a 35-yard field goal as well as a 44-yarder early in the second quarter to give the Owls' a 13-7 lead.
After Dietz's missed field goal, FAU came up with back-to-back big plays as Embrick completed a 37-yard pass to Anthony Crissinger-Hill before hooking up with Tellis for the 31-yard scoring play.
Texas State would cut the lead to 20-13 with 3:50 to play in the first half when Wellington Deshield scored on a 24-yard touchdown run. For Deshield, the touchdown came on his first collegiate carry. The true freshman has also played on defensive and tight end in addition to fullback for the Bobcats.
Texas State controlled the clock and had possession for 33:25 of the game and also outgained FAU in total yards finishing with 420 (253 rushing, 167 passing) compared to the Owls 331 yards.
"Our losses have come against two Division I-A schools and a team ranked in the Top 25 of Division I-AA," said Texas State coach David Bailiff. "We're not a bad football team. Hopefully this schedule helps get us prepared for conference.
Things don't get easier for Texas State this week as the Bobcats travel to Cal Poly to take on the 10th-ranked team in Division I-AA. The Mustangs were 4-0 heading into Saturday's game at Southern Utah.
