FORT WORTH, TX - On Thursday night, in a tightly contested season opener, Texas Wesleyan University (TXWES) emerged victorious over #20 Lindsey Wilson College (LWC) with a 34-24 win.
The Blue Raiders struck first with a 21-yard field goal by Shaun Morse, capping a 14-play, 74-yard drive that consumed 8:50 of the clock. However, the Rams quickly responded with a touchdown run by Ernest Ceasar, putting them ahead 7-3.
The second quarter saw a flurry of action, starting with two interception returns for touchdowns by TXWES Deylon Rodgers (82 yards) and Jaiden Jones (45 yards), extending their lead to 21-3. Lindsey Wilson's Davontaye Saund provided a spark with a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, narrowing the gap to 21-10.
Lindsey Wilson continued their comeback with a 3-yard touchdown run by Reid Brickey, reducing the deficit to 21-17. However, the Rams Diego Chavarria added a 39-yard field goal to make it 24-17.
Just before halftime, Lindsey Wilson tied the game at 24 with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Brickey to Saund.
In the third quarter, TXWES took control with a 1-yard touchdown run by Ceasar, culminating in a 12-play, 75-yard drive. They extended their lead to 34-24 in the fourth quarter with a 31-yard field goal by Chavarria, sealing the victory.
Texas Wesleyan's quarterback, Carson Rodgers, passed for 206 yards, completing 16 of 26 attempts despite throwing two interceptions.
Their rushing attack was led by Ashton Mitchell, who contributed 40 yards, while Ceasar added 30 yards and two touchdowns.
Lindsey Wilson's offense, led by Pryor Lamb and Reid Brickey, managed 278 total yards, with 125 coming through the air. However, costly interceptions, including the two returned for touchdowns, undermined their efforts.
Defensively, Texas Wesleyan capitalized on turnovers, while Lindsey Wilson's Deuce Morton II led all players with ten tackles.
Special teams also played a crucial role; Saund's 92-yard kickoff return was a highlight for Lindsey Wilson, but it wasn't enough to overcome Texas Wesleyan's balanced attack.
The win gives Texas Wesleyan a 1-0 start to the season, while Lindsey Wilson drops to 0-1.
The Rams will travel to Arizona next Saturday to face off against #16 Ottawa University, with kickoff scheduled for 9 PM.
