HOUSTON – HCU pulled within three early in the third quarter, but 18^th-ranked UT Martin answered with three long rushing touchdowns to pull away for a 52-28 victory in an FCS non-conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium.
 
Junior Vernon Harrell had a career game for the Huskies (2-6), with six catches for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Freshman running back Ismail Mahdi caught eight passes for 121 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 66 yards and a score. Sophomore quarterback Justin Fomby completed 31-of-46 passes for three touchdowns, but threw three interceptions and lost a pair of fumbles. Freshman Deuce McMillian added seven catches for 73 yards.
 
Sophomore linebacker Rodney Dansby recorded 15 tackles and a sack, while junior linebacker Jalyx Hunt and senior linebacker Brennan Young each had seven stops for HCU. Senior Coi Miller came up with his team-leading fourth interception, tying the school single-season record. Sophomore Devion Hargrove also had a interception.
 
Zak Wallace rushed 15 times for 155 yards and four touchdowns for the Skyhawks (5-3), while Sam Franklin rushed eight times for 139 yards and a touchdown. Colton Dowell caught six passes for 141 yards and DJ Nelson caught an 11-yard touchdown. Dresser Winn completed 12-of-22 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown.
 
T.J. Neal and John Ford each had nine tackles for the Skyhawks, with Ford adding a fumble recovery. Robert Hicks made eight tackles and returned an interception 20 yards. Giovanni Davis had six stops, forced a fumble, recorded a sack and an interception.
 
UTM gained 517 yards to HCU's 447, but outrushed the Huskies, 346-53. HCU had 19 first downs to UTM's 17. The Huskies were penalized nine times for 85 yards and the Skyhawks five times for 38 yards. UTM came up with seven takeaways, while HCU had two.
 
The Skyhawks got on the board first with a 26-yard field goal by Tyler Larco. After HCU made a goal-line stand with Miller's interception, Fomby fumbled into the endzone and Daylan Dotson recovered for a touchdown to put UTM ahead 10-0. The Huskies scored just before the end of the opening quarter on Mahdi's 55-yard touchdown reception to get back within three.
 
HCU took its only lead on Madhi's nine-yard touchdown run in the second, but UTM answered with a two-yard run by Wallace, then Winn found Nelson for an 11-yard touchdown with 4:59 left to give the Skyhawks a 24-14 lead at halftime.
 
Fomby hit Harrell for a 25-yard touchdown to close within 24-21 with 10:55 left in the third, but Wallace scored on a 17-yard run, then broke away for a 63-yard touchdown and Franklin followed with an 89-yard touchdown to put the Skyhawks ahead, 45-21.
 
Harrell broke away for an 88-yard touchdown reception midway through the fourth, but Wallace added a 41-yard touchdown with 5:58 to go.
 
The Huskies return to action when they hit the road to face No. 8 UIW Saturday, Nov. 5 in San Antonio.