COMMERCE– The No. 11 Texas A&M University-Commerce football team defeated Western New Mexico University 52-3 on Saturday. The Lions jumped out to a 17-0 lead and scored the final 35 points of the game in front of a raucous Homecoming crowd.
 
The win brings the Lions to 5-1 and 3-1 in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs fall to 1-6 and 1-4 in conference play.
 
The Lions will next face Angelo State on Saturday at 4 p.m. The game will be played at Memorial Stadium. The game will be part of Youth Sports Day.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Luis Perez became the all-time program leader in touchdown passes. He went 22-for-31 for 345 yards and five touchdowns in the game, running his career total to 52 and breaking a 64-year old program record. Jim Gray threw 51 touchdown passes in his career from 1951-53.
- Kristov Martinez became the program leader in PAT's made. He scored 10 points on seven PATs and one field goal. He now has 141 career PATs made.
- Buck Wilson caught two touchdowns in the game. He had touchdown catches of 28 and 48 yards.
- D'Arthur Cowan led the team with 87 yards receiving and a touchdown. Shawn Hooks had a touchdown catch and Darrion Landry also had a touchdown catch.
- Gabriel Rodriguez had a rushing touchdown. Jay Bias scored on a punt block return, scoring from five yards after a punt block by Reggie Kincade.
- Alex Shillow had an interception and a fumble recovery. D.J. White also had an interception. Brent Walker forced a WNMU fumble.
- The Lions forced four turnovers in the game. The defense had two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After an onside kick to open the game failed for the Mustangs, the Lions began with good field position and proceeded to drive down the field. The drive stalled in the red zone and Martinez made a 27-yard field goal.
 
The Lion defense forced a Mustang punt on their first possession and this time, the Lions went down the field for a touchdown. Perez found Wilson 10 yards downfield. Wilson made multiple tacklers miss as he raced to the end zone, making a diving stretch to hit the pylon. The Lions led 10-0 after the 48 yard touchdown catch.
 
After another WNMU punt, Hooks fielded a low punt and returned the ball to the 31-yard line. A penalty put the ball inside the red zone to start the drive. It took two plays to score as Perez found Hooks in the back of the end zone. The PAT was good, moving Martinez into the all-time lead in PATs made. The Lions led 17-0.
 
The Lion defense then made a stop after a failed onside kick attempt. The Mustangs drove into the red zone but A&M-Commerce's defense held firm, breaking up a pass in the end zone on fourth down to cause a turnover on downs. The Lions led 17-0 after the first quarter.
 
It was a defensive affair in the second quarter as the Lion offense began to stall. The Lion defense forced multiple turnover on downs as WNMU was held to just 102 yards in the first half. A late WNMU field goal sent the Lions into halftime leading 17-3. Perez had 185 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.
 
The Lions scored early in the third quarter. After the defense forced a punt, the Lions took over after a short WNMU punt. Perez hit a 28-yard pass to Cowan before Rodriguez came in at quarterback. On his second rush attempt, he found the end zone. The Lions led 24-3.
 
WNMU then took the ball and started to move the ball. However, the Lion defense got a stop in the red zone. On a jump ball in the end zone, White got in front of the intended receiver and pulled down the interception for a touchback.
 
After a Lion punt, the Mustangs again had a drive going before the Lion defense forced another turnover. On a completed pass, Walker tracked down the receiver and poked the ball away and it was recovered by Shillow.
 
The teams traded punts and the Lions took over at the WNMU 44. It took the Lions two plays to score as Perez hit Cowan for a touchdown pass. With the pass, Perez became the program leader in touchdown passes. The Lions led 31-3.
 
WNMU fumbled again on their next possession, this time on a botched handoff. The Lions used the short field to add to their lead. Perez threw a contested ball to Landry, who fought off a defender and pulled in the ball with one hand. The Lions led 38-3 going into the fourth quarter.
 
The Lions intercepted the Mustangs on their next drive. Shillow returned the interception 25 yards to give the Lion offense yet another short field. Perez found Wilson for their second touchdown connection of the day and the Lions led 45-3.
 
A&M-Commerce's final score came on a blocked punt. Kincade blocked the punt at the five yard line and it was scooped up and run in for a touchdown by Bias. The final score of the game was 52-3.