BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University junior quarterback Aiden McCown completed 17-of-29 (.586) passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns and carried the ball nine times for a team-best 54 yards (6.0 ypc) to lead Big Red to a 45-26 victory over East Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
The Cardinals improve to 9-2 (.818) on the season setting a new single-season school record for wins (as a four-year institution), move to 7-1 (.875) in Southland Conference play setting a single-season school record for Southland wins and will be no worse than a tie for first place in the SLC standings when all the day’s games are complete. Lamar also wrapped up an undefeated regular-season home schedule.
LU ended the night with 401 yards of total offense outgaining the Lions by more than 50 yards. The Cardinals rushed for 126 yards and threw for 275.
McCown connected with six different receivers and completed touchdown passes to Jaydn Girard, Blake Thomas (2) and Kyndon Fuselier. Girard hauled in a game-high five passes for 66 yards, while Thomas caught four passes for 100 yards. Thomas’ TD receptions were from 19 and 29 yards out.
Lamar’s defense held East Texas A&M to 350 yards with only 51 of those coming on the ground. Senior Andrew Huff led the defensive effort with seven tackles and an assisted sack, while Christian Booker added four tackles and a sack.
“It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but a win is a win,” said LU head coach Pete Rossomando. “We knew coming in that they had a good defense they were going to fight for the full 60 minutes. They made a run in the second half, but I felt like we responded in the fourth quarter.”
Lamar jumped out to a 14-0 lead before East Texas was able to get on the scoreboard. The Cardinals managed to extend their lead right before halftime. Big Red made it a 24-7 advantage when Thomas capped a seven-play, 61-yard drive with a 29-yard pass from McCown for a touchdown with 28 seconds remaining in the half. The Lions fumbled the ball on the ensuing kickoff which was recovered by Lamar’s De’Kelvion Beamon. Two plays later, the Cardinals were back in the end zone on a pass from McCown to Girard (from 18 yards out).
The Cardinals pushed their lead to 38-13 midway through the third, but ETAMU would attempt to rally. The Lions scored the next 13 points to pull within 12 with just under 12 minutes remaining.
The Red and White responded by turning to its ground game and answered at the 8:40 mark of the fourth when senior running back Parker Jenkins punched it in from nine yards out to cap a five-play, 58-yard drive. The Lions never got back on the scoreboard after that.
The Cardinals will now turn its focus to the annual Battle of the Border rivalry against McNeese. There will be more than just bragging rights on the line as Lamar heads across the border in pursuit of a share of its first Southland Conference title since 1971. The game against McNeese is set to kick off at 3 p.m. from Cowboy Stadium. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
Photo Credit- Daniel Bowden
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