CANYON, Texas -- For the fifth consecutive season, Azusa Pacific and West Texas A&M squared off to start the regular season, and entering the 2019 installment of the series, Azusa Pacific held a 4-0 record over the Buffaloes. The Cougars are now 4-1 against West Texas A&M, as the host Buffaloes won by a final score of 35-16, in front of a crowd of 10,145 who were there to witness the unveiling of the new Buffalo Stadium.

The capacity crowd was treated to a defensive battle in the first half, as both offenses combined for just 13 total points which resulted in a 7-6 West Texas A&M lead at halftime. The lone touchdown of the first half came on the very first series of the game for the Buffaloes' offense, as West Texas A&M had a seven play, 47 yard drive which ended in a rushing touchdown for quarterback Nick Gerber.

The Cougar defense would respond, as they forced West Texas A&M into three punts and a turnover on downs in the Buffaloes' ensuing drives in the first half.
Offensively in the first half, Azusa Pacific was unable to put together any touchdown scoring drives, however, freshman kicker Ramzee Jaridly put all six points on the board for the Cougars as he made a pair of field goals in the second quarter.

Coming out of the locker room at halftime, both teams looked to establish momentum. Following a 56-yard kickoff return for the Buffaloes to start the second half, West Texas A&M looked to capitalize on good field position at the Azusa Pacific 46 yard-line. However, the Cougar defense forced the Buffaloes into a turnover-on-downs on the first possession, keeping the deficit at one.

Azusa Pacific would score on its next drive, as the combination of senior running back Bryce Grandison and senior quarterback Tyrone Williams Jr. moved the ball up the field for the Cougars. While Azusa Pacific could not find the endzone on the drive, Jaridly hit his third field goal of the season, as he made a 39 yarder that allowed Azusa Pacific to take its first lead of the game at 9-7 with 9:23 left in the third quarter.

On the ensuing Buffaloes possession, Gerber completed a pass to Semaj Mitchell for 13 yards, however Azusa Pacific redshirt freshman Baraq Ross forced a fumble on the play and senior linebacker Willie Fair recovered the ball.

Following both offenses going three-and-out on the next two possessions, the Cougars would string together a five play, 54 yard drive that ended in Williams Jr. finding junior receiver Brandon Jackson for a 23 yard touchdown reception. Jaridly would convert the PAT, giving Azusa Pacific a 16-7 lead with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter.

Turning Point: The game changed when West Texas A&M waisted no time in responding to the Cougar touchdown. Following a 45 yard kick return by Tobias Harris, Gerber completed a 48 yard pass to Mitchell, which put the Buffaloes on the Azusa Pacific seven yard line. West Texas A&M running back Brandon Blair found the endzone on the next play, as his seven yard scamper and the ensuing PAT made it 16-14 Azusa Pacific with 3:27.
The Cougars would go scoreless over the remainder of the game, while the Buffaloes found the endzone three more times, twice via the running attack, and once through the air.

Team Statistics: The Buffaloes posted significant advantages in total offense, rushing yards, and redzone conversion, as West Texas A&M finished with 392 total yards, 200 rushing yards, and 5-for-5 with five touchdowns in the redzone, while the Cougars had 277 yards, 24 rushing yards and 2-for-2 in the redzone with two field goals. Through the air, Azusa Pacific out gained the Buffaloes, as the Cougars had 253 passing yards compared to 192 yards for West Texas A&M. The Buffaloes also won the turnover battle, as they forced two turnovers and scored two touchdowns off them, while the Cougars forced one and did not convert any points.

Azusa Pacific Individual Statistics: Williams Jr. finished 25-for-38 with 253 yards, one interception, and one touchdown on the game. Williams Jr. found nine receivers in the game, including five who had two or more receptions for more than 30 yards. Grandison and Jackson were the leading receivers for Azusa Pacific, as Grandison had seven catches for 62 yards and Jackson tallied six receptions, 63 yards, and a touchdown.

Defensively, junior Ben Sukut led the way with 10 total tackles, including seven solo and a sack. Senior defensive end Robert Bohanna finished with five tackles, including two and a half tackles for loss. Ross forced the lone turnover for the Azusa Pacific defense.

For the special teams unit, Jaridly put together an impressive collegiate debut. He went 3-for-3 on field goals, with a long of 39 yards, and also converted his lone PAT attempt. Junior Jake Gerardi handled the punting duties for the Cougars, as he had six punts for an average of 43.3 yards per punt and a long of 55. He had three punts that put the Buffaloes inside their own 20 to start a drive.

West Texas A&M Individual Statistics: Prince Ugwu was the game's leading rusher, as he had nine carries for 70 yards. Gerber completed 18 of his 27 pass attempts for 192 yards and a touchdown. His main targets were Mitchell, who finished with six receptions and 95 yards, and Jordan Johnson, who had 79 yards over seven receptions.
Defensively, Hayden Dennis and Frank Honang each had 11 total tackles in the game. Chris Thomas led the Buffaloes in tackles for loss with two and a half in the game.

Quotable: "West Texas A&M is a team that allows us to find out where we are really at as a team," head coach Victor Santa Cruz said, "every year we play them, we have tough, physical battles with them and it prepares us for the season ahead."

Coach Santa Cruz talked about what he saw from his team, "We had a few breakdowns at major points in the game, and in college football, you cannot have that happen and still be successful. The good news is, all of our mistakes are fixable, and this team is one that will respond and move forward… I am very excited for the core we have established in all three phases of the game (offense, defense, and special teams), we have a great blend of veteran and new players, and I am looking forward to getting back to work with them in preparation for week two."

Up Next: Azusa Pacific will be back on the road for the second straight week, as the Cougars travel to Missouri S&T for a 7:00 p.m. (CDT) kickoff on Saturday, September 14. Missouri S&T is coming off of a 35-28 loss to Eastern New Mexico.