Sunday, September 15, 1996

HSU Keeps "The Streak" Alive
By TED DUNNAM
Assistant Sports Editor

Prairie View A&M was driving for a potential tying score on its first possession of the third quarter when Ryan Jacobs figured it was time to make a big play.

"Nobody on this team wanted to be the answer to a trivia question," the Hardin-Simmons University linebacker said.

Jacobs responded in big-time fashion, intercepting a Panther pass at the Cowboy 28-yard line, setting up the first of four consecutive touchdown drives in the second half by HSU en route to a 42-12 victory.

The season-opening win for head coach Jimmie Keeling's team sent Prairie View A&M to its 60th consecutive defeat, an ever-growing streak of college football futility.

What might have been more important than avoiding becoming the Panthers' first victim in seven years was the fact that HSU won in convincing fashion, proving that it's ready to challenge Howard Payne for the American Southwest Conference title.

"We were ready to play today," Jacobs said. "This defense was built around one returning starter and we wanted to show people we could play. The pass rush was great and the secondary made big plays.

"When we went ahead 14-6, I felt we were going to win then. The offense deserves as much credit as us. They really came off the line of scrimmage and moved the ball up and down the field in the second half.

"We didn't underestimate Prairie View. We went out there to prove a point. We were going to play hard all four quarters and not let down. We never depend on the other team to create our success. There's self-based motivation from everybody on this team."

HSU led only 14-6 when Jacobs made his theft. HSU then marched 72 yards in eight plays with quarterback Todd Baumann sneaking in from a yard out for a 21-6 lead.

On the Cowboys' next possession - set up by another interception - HSU went 95 yards in just six plays to open a 28-6 advantage.

The big installment in the abbreviated march was the drive's final play - a 73-yard touchdown pass from Baumann to Mitch Ables. Ables shook off two defenders in the middle of the field and raced untouched the final 45 yards.

One play later, the HSU offense was back in business after Jon Dubroc intercepted a Panther pass to set the Cowboys up at the Prairie View 13-yard line. Jeff Callaway capped the three-play drive by powering in from three yards out.

With 9:06 left in the game, HSU led 35-6.

The margin would swell to 42-6 on the Cowboys' next possession with former Abilene High standout Nathan Mays sweeping right end from 12 yards to cap the Cowboy blitzkrieg.

HSU's dominance on offense was fueled by Cameron Creager who came off the bench to rush for 106 yards on 18 carries, inserting some life in an offense that started out somewhat punchless.

"We figured if we could get on top of them, we could wear them down," Creager said. "We managed to do that. Then we kept running in a lot of people to stay fresh.

"Midway through the third quarter, I felt we were in control of the game. We've been waiting a long time for this game. We were pretty hyped up."

HSU offensive coordinator Alan Wartes was glad to see his unit take advantage of the big plays made by the Cowboy defense.

"In the second quarter, we tried to run plays a little bit quicker," Wartes said. "We wanted to apply as much pressure to their defense as we could.

"Cameron came in there and ran really hard, and that kinda woke up Jeff (Callaway). Early in the game, I wasn't real happy, but those big ol' guys up front started opening up some holes and they just sorta wore Prairie View down.

"We made a few mistakes out there, but before the year's over I think we'll have a pretty good offensive football team."

Prairie View led 6-0 after one quarter, getting that advantage on a 7-yard run by quarterback Josh Barnes. However, HSU got two scores in the second quarter, the first on a 1-yard sneak by Baumann and the second being a 25-yard strike from the HSU quarterback to Mitch Ables.
That score seemed to set the tone for HSU's second-half uprising.

"For the first game, I was pretty pleased overall," Keeling said. "The guys really played hard for four quarters."