HOUSTON, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word closed out the 2015 football season in style with a 30-3 win at Southland Conference rival Houston Baptist University at Husky Stadium.
Both teams had to deal with a strong wind throughout the contest. The Cardinals (6-5, 5-4) jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter going with the wind and then outscored the Huskies (2-9, 0-8) 14-3 going against the wind in the next two quarters. Head coach
Larry Kennan was able to substitute liberally throughout the game to give many of his youngsters a chance to play.
The win clinched the program's second ever winning season and first winning Southland Conference season. It also allowed the Cardinals to finish in fourth place in the conference standings.
The Cardinals opened the game by forcing a 3-and-out for the Huskies and then they embarked on a 13-play, 52-yard scoring drive.
Trent Brittain (Eastland/Eastland HS) completed a key fourth down pass to
Clint Killough (San Antonio/MacArthur HS) that kept the drive alive. Brittain finished off the drive when he scrambled out of the pocket and ran it in from three yards out with 7:08 to play giving the team a 7-0 lead.
The UIW defense put the Cardinals up 14-0 when
Myke Tavarres (Lake Oswego, OR/Lake Ridge HS) forced a fumble by HBU quarterback Max Staver that was recovered by
Padyn Giebler (Stephenville/Stephenville HS) and returned 47 yards for a touchdown with 1:40 left in the first quarter. It was the first fumble return for a touchdown for the Cardinals since Grady Achilles had one in 2012.
The Cardinals had the advantage of the wind in the first quarter, but that reversed in the second quarter and the Huskies used it immediately. They put their first points on the board thanks to a Travis Shinn 27-yard field goal with 10:44 left in the first half.
UIW was able to change the momentum of the game when
Robert Johnson (Richmond, CA/Berkeley HS) stepped in front of a Staver pass to give the team solid field position. Brittain guided the Cardinals on a methodical 13-play, 60-yard drive to go up by three scores. The team converted four third downs on the drive with Brittain completing two passes and
Dorland Fields (Sweeny/Sweeny HS) getting another with his legs. On third-and-goal from the 8-yard line, Brittain stepped up in the pocket and found running room for his second score of the game to make it 21-3 with 2:18 left in the half.
The third quarter started slowly with four straight punts to start. UIW started at their own 27-yard line.
Junior Sessions (Mesquite/Mesquite HS) got the drive started with three carries for 25 yards and then Brittain picked up a key third down with a 25-yard run. Sessions followed with a 10-yard run and then Brittain hit
Cole Wick (Hallettsville/Sacred Heart Catholic HS) on a 12-yard strike into the end zone with 4:00 left in the third quarter.
The UIW special teams unit did not want to be left out of the fun after the offense and defense both scored points. Early in the fourth quarter, freshman
Jawun Jiles (Farmerville, LA/Byrd HS) blocked his third punt of the year and the ball bounced back through the end zone for a safety.
The wind kept the offensive numbers to a minimum for both teams. The Cardinals finished with 256 yards of offense, 15 first downs and no turnovers. They converted 7-of-16 third down attempts and held the ball for 34:40. Sessions finished with a game high 85 yards rushing on 20 carries. Brittain finished with 44 yards and two touchdowns rushing on eight carries. He went 13-of-20 for 80 yards and a touchdown through the air. He finished the season with a team high eight rushing touchdowns. Killough led the team with 29 yards receiving while
Kody Edwards (Mesquite/Poteet HS) had four catches.
The UIW defense limited the Huskies to 154 yards of total offense and nine first downs while forcing two turnovers. HBU finished with only 45 yards passing in the game which is a UIW record for fewest passing yards allowed.
Joel Higgins (Sweeny/Sweeny HS) led the team with six tackles. All-America candidate
Myke Tavarres played a little over two quarters and finished with four tackles and a sack giving him 110 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks on the season, all school records. Giebler closed out his stellar four-year career at linebacker with his first career touchdown on the fumble return in the first quarter.
Larry Day and B.J. Kelly led the HBU offense with 60 and 59 yards rushing, respectively. Max Staver finished 5-of-19 for 27 yards and an interception through the air while Jonathan Fleming was 3-for-5 for 18 yards. Garrett Dolan led all players with 18 tackles and he added 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
The Cardinals have concluded their third season as a member of NCAA Division I. They will not be eligible for postseason play until the 2017 season.
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