MONROE, La. – The ULM football team (5-4, 3-3 Sun Belt Conference) was unable to overcome a 28-point first-half deficit and fell to Texas State (5-4, 3-2) on Saturday (Nov. 9) afternoon at Malone Stadium in Monroe, La.
Ahmad Hardy finished above 100 rushing yards for the sixth time in his sensational freshman season and scored both of ULM’s touchdowns to bring his season total to nine and brought the Warhawks within two scores in the third quarter. Texas State scored 10 points and held the Warhawks to three in the final quarter to secure the win.
“[I] give credit to our players for having the fight to get back in the game,” said ULM Football Head Coach Bryant Vincent. “We didn’t handle the conditions very well. We’re going to keep fighting.”
James Jones added 30 yards as the Warhawks totaled 159 rushing yards on the day. Aidan Armenta completed 13 of 24 passes for 119 yards with his leading receiver being Davon Wells, who caught three passes for 37 yards.
On defense, Travor Randle made a career-high 15 tackles to lead all defenders and made 1.5 tackles for loss. Wydett Williams Jr. and Carl Glass Jr. both made 10 tackles each. Korian Wilson and David Godsey Jr. both forced fumbles.
Texas State’s first touchdown was scored by Deion Hankins on a three-yard score that completed a nine play, 76-yard drive midway through the first quarter. After ULM went three-and-out on offense, Kevontay Wells and Tristan Shorter stopped Brad Jackson behind the line to gain and forced a punt by the Bobcats. Texas State punter Lars Rau pinned ULM at its own one-yard line, and the Warhawks were unable to move the football out of the shadow of its own end zone. Texas State took advantage of the favorable field position and on the first play of the Bobcats’ next drive, Jordan McCloud dumped a pass in the flat to Kole Wilson for a 41-yard pitch-and-catch to make it 14-0. On the final play of the first quarter, ULM attempted a fake punt but Hunter Herring was stopped short on a 4th and 3, and the Bobcats gained favorable field position on ULM’s 32.
McCloud kept it himself on second and goal from the six and increased Texas State’s lead to 21-0 early in the second quarter. ULM entered Texas State territory on its next drive after Armenta found Sullivan Jr. for 17 yards. On the next play, Brice Bass forced a fumble from Hardy and the Bobcats recovered. After both teams exchanged scoreless drives, Texas State added one more touchdown in the first half after Jackson finished off a 14-play, 83-yard drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown and the visitors seized a 28-0 lead at the half.
Out of the locker room, ULM answered on its first drive of the third quarter with six. Armenta and the offense converted a critical first down on 4th and 8 from Texas State’s 34 when he delivered a strike to Wesley Campbel VI for 12 yards to keep the offense on the field. Four plays later, Hardy barreled into the end zone on a one-yard carry for ULM’s first points of the day. After ULM’s defense delivered a three-and-out on the Bobcats, the Warhawks’ offense marched into the end zone again after Hardy crossed the goal line for the second time of the afternoon on another one-yard score, and the Warhawks cut Texas State’s lead to two scores.
In the fourth quarter, Texas State gained possession in ULM territory after an interception. The Bobcats increased the lead by three points after Mason Shipley made a 32-yard field goal to give Texas State a 31-14 cushion. Hardy’s longest rush of the day, a 48-yard scamper, brought ULM into the red zone on its next drive. The Warhawks settled for three points and Max Larson split the uprights on a 31-yard attempt to keep it a two-score game, 31-17. On the next Texas State drive, the Bobcats picked up a 3rd and 6 on a Jackson rush for 14 yards that drained the clock down to the two-minute timeout. Another Bobcats’ first down left ULM with only two timeouts under two minutes to go. Jackson broke free for a 13-yard score and Texas State moved ahead, 38-17.
ULM will be back on the road next Saturday (Nov. 16) when the team travels to Auburn to face the Tigers inside Jordan-Hare Stadium at 11:45 a.m.
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