BEAUMONT, Texas – HCU safety
Javon Bejarano returned an interception for a touchdown for the third-straight game but the Huskies suffered a 35-10 loss to 15
th-ranked Lamar on Saturday afternoon at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Both teams traded punts on their opening drives of the game and on the Cardinals' (?-?, ?-? SLC) second drive of the day they moved the ball 50 yards down field inside the red zone but a penalty and a stop eight yards in the backfield pushed the ball back to the 30 and Andres Sandoval pulled his 47-yard field goal attempt wide left. The Huskies (?-?, ?-? SLC) took over at their own 30 before taking it as far as the Lamar eight-yard line with
Lukasz Smolen booting a 26-yard attempt through the uprights for an early 3-0 lead.
Lamar answered with a touchdown on the ensuing possession, going 75 yards on seven plays with Davin Driskell catching a four-yard touchdown pass from Aiden McCown. Later in the second quarter, a strip sack of
Cutter Stewart resulted in a turnover in the red zone to give Lamar the ball at the 11. Four plays later, Jojo Uga scored on a two-yard run for a 14-3 Cardinal lead. HCU answered before the intermission, however, thanks to
Javon Bejarano's third pick-six in as many games, intercepting a McCown pass at the HCU 45 and returning it 55 yards to but the Huskies' deficit to just four, 14-10, at halftime.
HCU received the opening kickoff of the second half but on the third play of the drive, a completion to
Keith Wheeler that went for 13 yards, Lamar forced a fumble and recovered at the HCU 32-yard line. Uga then carried the ball five times to gain the 32 yards and score. Lamar scored touchdowns on each of the next two possessions, as well, while keeping the Huskies off the board in the second half.
Bejarano finished the game with six tackles to go along with his interception. He now has a team-high three interceptions on the year and stands third on the roster with 56 tackles.
Jeremiah Queen and
Trent Zappe tied for the team-lead with nine tackles each with Queen credited for 0.5 tackle for loss.
Jayven Anderson registered the team's lone sack, giving him 3.5 sacks for the season.
Offensively, Stewart ended the game 14-of-25 passing for 116 yards with an interception.
Champ Dozier totaled 100 all-purpose yards, rushing for 47 and adding 22 on the receptions while also returning a kickoff 31 yards.
The Huskies stay on the road next weekend to face a Stephen F. Austin team that entered this week ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Huskies and Lumberjacks are set for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff in Nacogdoches, Texas on Saturday, Oct. 31.
