TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – HCU football built an early 17-0 lead and held on to pick up a big 27-24 road win over the Indiana State Sycamores on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
HCU (2-3) won the coin toss, electing to take the ball and starting the opening drive at its own 25 after a touchback. The drive started with a 14-yard completion from
Eli Brickhandler to
Deuce McMillan and kept right on moving down field. A three-yard pass from Brickhandler to
Drake Martinez capped the drive with a score on third-and-three for a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive and a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.
The Huskies forced a quick three-and-out on the first Indiana State (1-3) drive and, following a punt, started their next possession at their own 43-yard line. The HCU offense again wasted little time moving the ball down field and into the red zone after just four plays. The drive stalled at the Sycamores' six with
Dillon Fedor connecting on a chip shot field goal from 20 yards to increase the HCU lead to 10-0 with 8:28 still to play in the first quarter.
Another three-and-out by the Huskies' defense set HCU up with the ball again on their own 35. This HCU drive was a bit more methodical than the previous two with the Huskies converting twice on third-and-long situations as they moved the ball 65 yards on 12 plays with Brickhandler scoring on a one-yard touchdown run to put his team ahead 17-0 in the first quarter.
The Huskies again held Indiana State on its next possession but was forced into the punt on their own possession following the turnover on downs. A
Reed Chandley punt left the Sycamores starting their drive at their own 11 and on the first play of the drive Plez Lawrence broke free and took it 89 yards to the house to cut the HCU lead to 10, 17-7, early in the second quarter.
HCU went three-and-out on the next drive before a 13-play, 64-yard drive by the hosts cut it to a 17-14 ballgame with 3:48 on the clock. The Huskies answered, however, moving the ball efficiently with a nine-play, 78-yard drive that took just 2:38 off the clock and was punctuated by a three-yard touchdown run from
Calvin Hill. The Sycamores then started the final drive of the half at their own 38, moving it 42 yards in 51 seconds to set up a 38-yard field goal to make it a 24-17 HCU lead at the half.
The Huskies forced their second turnover on downs of the game on the opening drive of the second half but failed to capitalize, going three-and-out before punting.
Marques Caldwell came up with a big interception on a tipped pass gaining possession at the Indiana State 45 and returning it 35 yards to put HCU in the red zone at the 10-yard line. HCU got as close as the four but settled for a Fedor field goal to extend the lead to 10, 27-17, midway through the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, a blocked punt by Indiana State gave the Sycamores a short field with their drive starting at the Huskies' 31. It took six plays and ISU quarterback Elijah Owens ran it four yards for the score and the HCU lead was cut to just three, 27-24, with 7:48 left in the game.
The Huskies came back and moved the ball into Indiana State territory and found themselves with a fourth-and-two at the Sycamores' 37. Going for it,
Darryle Evans was stopped a yard shy at the ISU 36, turning the ball over on downs with 3:42 to play.
Indiana State moved the ball 53 yards on nine plays down to the Huskies' 11-yard line for a fourth-and-two situation with just 59 seconds left on the clock. Jake Andjelic's 29-yard field goal attempt missed wide right and the Huskies kneeled to run out the clock and secure the win.
The Huskies finished with 348 yards of offense with 215 yards on the ground and forced the game's lone turnover. Indiana State, meanwhile, totaled 395 yards offensively with 264 yards rushing.
Brickhandler led the Huskies with 70 yards rushing on 12 carries with a score while also throwing for a touchdown with 107 yards passing on 12 completions. Hill added 64 yards rushing with a touchdown while Evans had 60 yards on the ground. Martinez led the receiving corps with four catches totaling 29 yards with the touchdown. McMillan had 37 yards receiving on three receptions.
Defensively,
Khary Crump led the way with nine tackles while the trio of
Semaj Brown,
Joe Cadette and
D.J. Harris all had eight. Harris was also credited with half a tackle for loss and a pair of quarterback hurries. Brayden Hay and
Zae Smith combined for HCU's lone sack of the day.
The Huskies return home to start Southland Conference play next weekend, hosting the McNeese Cowboys at Husky Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 6:00 p.m.
