COMMERCE, Texas – Texas A&M-Commerce scored 17 third-quarter points to put away HCU, 31-3, in a Southland Conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Houston Christian University (HCU), formerly Houston Baptist University (HBU), underwent a name change in September 2022.
 
Sophomore quarterback Justin Fomby completed 23-of-43 passes for 110 yards for the Huskies (2-5, 1-3 SLC). Freshman Deuce McMillan made six catches for 39 yards and freshman Ismail Mahdi rushed five times for 65 yards.
 
Senior Brennan Young and sophomore Rodney Dansby each had 11 tackles for HCU. Junior Jalyx Hunt added eight tackles and two sacks.
 
Eric Rodriguez completed 17-of-30 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown TAMU-C. Andrew Armstrong made six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
 
Kendall Paul and Dee Walker each had six tackles for the Lions and Michael Noble returned an interception for a touchdown.
 
TAMU-C recorded 22 first downs and 375 yards of total offense, while HCU had 11 first downs and 203 total yards. The Lions overcame being penalized 16 times for 107 yards, while the Huskies had six penalties for 43 yards.
 
The Huskies took the early lead on senior Nery Enriquez's 47-yard field goal with 4:51 to go in the first quarter.
 
TAMU-C got the wind in the second quarter and took advantage with Mitchell McGarry's 37-yard punt pinning the Huskies at their own 2. Brady Buell's punt after a three-and-out only went 11 yards into the wind and set the Lions up deep in Husky territory. TAMU-C struck quickly with Rodriguez's 15-yard touchdown to Armstrong with 5:01 remaining in the half.
 
The Lions were set up with another short punt in Husky territory and were within field goal range with six seconds left, but an intentional grounding call resulted in a 10-second runoff, which ended the half with TAMU-C leading 7-3.
 
TAMU-C scored on its opening possession of the second half and Emmanuel Adagbon hit a 49-yard field goal. On HCU's next play from scrimmage, Noble intercepted Fomby and ran it back 32 yards for a touchdown to lead 17-3 with 10:14 left in the third quarter. Rodriguez's 20-yard completion to Reggie Branch got TAMU-C down to the HCU 1, but a false start pushed it back five yards. Cameron Nellor then took a direct snap and ran it in from six yards out as the Lions led 24-3 with 2:19 to go.
 
HCU came right back with Mahdi breaking off a 55-yard run to the TAMU-C 20, but the Huskies were stopped on fourth-and-goal at the 5.
 
The Lions got the first score of the game going into the wind on J.T. Smith's 14-yard touchdown run with exactly seven minutes left in the game.
 
The Huskies return home to face FBS foe UT Martin from the Ohio Valley Conference Saturday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. at Husky Stadium.