Lamar University jumped out to a two touchdown lead and never looked back defeating Houston Baptist, 38-9, Saturday evening on Senior Night at Provost Umphrey Stadium. The victory assured LU of a winning season – just its fifth in the past 30 years – and its first since 2014.
The victory pushed the Cardinals’ (6-4/5-3 Southland) win streak to five straight which is the longest since the 1972 season.
The Cardinals finished the night with 372 yards of offense, including 205 on the ground. Big Red’s defense held HBU’s high-powered offense to less than 300 (278 yards), and just 19 rush yards.
Junior Jordan Hoy got the start Saturday and finished the game with six completions (.667) for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He also carried the ball 12 times for 83 yards. Senior Darrel Colbert, Jr. saw his first action since an injury in the victory over Sam Houston State. Colbert finished the game with three completions for 56 yards. He also had five carries for eight yards.
Sophomore Myles Wanza led the ground attack for the Red and White carrying the ball a team-high 13 times for 88 yards and a score. Junior Case Robinson hauled in a team-best three catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
“It was a good win tonight,” said LU head coach Mike Schultz. “It wasn’t always pretty, but it was a win. I thought our kids played hard. HBU has a good offense, but I thought our defense was up to the challenge.
“Our kids are excited because it’s the first time a team has won five straight here since 1972. They’re also happy about the winning season. It was something that they have worked all season for. I’m very happy for this team and for the seniors,” added Schultz.
The defense forced HBU into three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) and two of those led to Cardinal scores. For the defense, it marked the 14th and 15th interceptions of the season. The Cardinals also finished the day with 10 tackles for losses and 7.5 sacks. Senior Lane Taylor finished off his last home game with nine solo stops, including one for a loss and an interception. The other interception came from Garrison Mitchell who returned it 76 yards to setup a score.
The Cardinals jumped out to two-touchdown lead to open the game on two contrasting drives. LU took their opening drive and drove it 81 yards on 12 plays which was capped by a five-yard run from Kirkland Banks. HBU followed by driving the ball deep into Big Red territory only to have Mitchell snag a ball on the LU 8 which had been batted in the air and return 76 yards. The interception set up Big Red’s next touchdown which came on the very next play, a 16-yard pass to Case Robinson.
The Huskies finally cracked the scoreboard midway through the second quarter when Bailey Zappe connected with David Racine from 14 yards out to trim the lead to seven, 14-7. After pinning LU deep in its own territory just minutes later, the HBU defense recorded a safety to pull with five, 14-9.
The defensive score sparked its offense as HBU was on the move again and marched the ball down into LU territory attempting to take the lead heading into the locker room, but on the final play of the half Zappe took a 14-yard sack and fumbled the ball which was recovered and returned 47 yards by senior Chaston Brooks. The play gave LU a 21-9 lead heading into the locker room and the Huskies never recovered.
The Cardinals came out in the second half and tacked on three more scores to pick up their sixth victory of the season. The first was a 46-yard pass from Hoy to Robinson – his second of the night – followed by a 22-yard scamper from Wanza. LU closed out the game with a 30-yard field goal from Elvin Martinez in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals close out the regular season Saturday, Nov. 17 with their annual rivalry game at McNeese. The game against the Cowboys will kick off at 3 p.m. from Cowboy Stadium.
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