Nov. 13, 2004

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Lance Moore scored four touchdowns to lead the Hardin-Simmons' football team to its 10th conference title in 12 years with a 59-29 win over Texas Lutheran, in American Southwest Conference action at a cold and wet Shelton Stadium.

The win secured the Cowboys a berth in the NCAA Championships.

HSU jumped out to a 42-10 lead midway through the third quarter and kept the pesky Bulldogs at bay the final quarter and a half.

Holt Storrie got TLU on the board first when he hit a 27-yard field goal at the 6:38 mark, after the Cowboys fumbled on the first possession of the game. HSU then came right back and moved right down the field. Matt Epperson had two catches on the drive for 65 yards, including a 45-yarder for a touchdown from Jordan Neal to make it 7-3 HSU with 4:55 to go in the first half.

Lance Moore then scored on runs of 11 and three yards to move the Cowboys out to a 21-3 lead. Andre Washington made it 28-3 when he caught a jump ball for a touchdown at the 4:56 mark of the first half. Merlin Friesenhahn then fell on a Kenny Gransberry fumble at the one for a touchdown for the Bulldogs at the 1:32 mark of the first half.

In the second half, the Cowboys came out strong and forced a TLU three-and-out and then drove four plays and 36 yards after a shank by TLU punter Marcos Valderas. Moore did the honors from 17 yards out on a screen pass.

HSU defense then forced a second straight three-and-out by TLU and came back with a 7-play 65-yard drive capped by a 1-yard Moore run to make it 42-10.

Gransberry then added a 4-yard TD run and Brandon Kyle scored on a 11-yard pass from Sean Salinas to cut the HSU lead to 42-23. Shane McCord made it 45-23 with a 26-yard field goal.

Micah Putnam then intercepted Salinas and ran it 38 yards for a touchdown to put the game totally out of control at 52-23. Each team scored another touchdown. Jason Trahan scored on an 8-yard pass from Salinas and Quinton Jones scored on a nifty 28-yard run for the Cowboys.

Moore finished the day with 106 yards and three TDs for the Cowboys. Donta' Hayward had 67 yards on 10 carries. Jordan Neal had 240 yards and three TDs. Sean Salinas led the Bulldogs with 286 yards passing and two TDs. Darrell White had six catches for 100 yards for the Bulldogs.

HSU ended the day with 498 yards of total offense. Texas Lutheran had 321 yards of offense. Reggie Robinson tied his own school record with four sacks and senior linebacker Brent Gailey had 13 tackles, forced a fumble and had an interception. David Garcia had 13 tackles for TLU.

Hardin-Simmons improved to 10-0 on the year and 9-0 in ASC play. Texas Lutheran finishes its 2004 campaign with a 7-3 mark overall and a 7-2 ASC record. HSU is 7-0 all-time against the Bulldogs.

HSU will wait for the NCAA selection show, which will be Sunday at 12:10 CST on ESPNEWS.