Playing in the American Southwest Conference third-place playoff game in front of a crowd that included Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Yellow Jackets (2-3) found themselves down 14 points just over midway through the first period. While Howard Payne managed to draw even early in the second period, Belhaven (3-2) regained a 10-point lead by halftime and the Yellow Jackets mustered only a second-half field goal.
Despite forcing a pair of turnovers, the HPU defense surrendered 573 yards of total offense – 317 through the air and 256 on the ground.
Belhaven’s Brad Foley rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown, Kolbe Blunt added 60 yards and a score, and quarterback Mayowa Asagunla chipped in 45 yards with two trips to the end zone. Asagunla also completed 23 of 29 passes for 252 yards, while Foley completed both of his pass attempts for 65 yards and a score. Terry Jones led the Blazers with five grabs for 75 yards and a touchdown reception.
Peyton Lowe led the Yellow Jacket defense with 16 tackles and a forced fumble, Kyle Bell added 14 takedowns, Jarrett Brown collected 10 tackles, and Dylan Zeno notched seven tackles with an interception in the the end zone – the third in two games for HPU.
Earlier in the week HPU head coach Jason Bachtel compared the Belhaven defense to Hardin-Simmons, which prior to Saturday was the only unit able to stymie the Yellow Jacket offense. But in the season finale, Howard Payne was limited to 352 yards – 215 passing and 137 rushing – with one turnover, while converting a combined 7 of 17 third and fourth down conversions.
Landon McKinney completed 16 of 32 passes for 215 yards and a 72-yard touchdown to ASC leading receiver Jake Parker, who grabbed six receptions for 121 yards. Hunter Cheek added four catches covering 76 yards. On the ground, Tauren Bradley led the charge with 79 yards, Billy Reagins was limited to 41 and McKinney tacked on 20 yards and a touchdown.
Belhaven needed just 1:14 to grab the lead on a 29-yard halfback pass from Foley to Jones. The Blazers boosted their advantage to 14-0 with 6:42 left in the quarter on Asagunla’s 4-yard keeper.
The Yellow Jackets rallied with a 1-yard touchdown run by McKinney with 1:33 left in the first quarter, then Parker made his catch and run to the end zone just 46 seconds into the second quarter, knotting the score at 14.
Belhaven reclaimed the lead for good, 17-14, on a 21-yard field goal by Andrew Norton with 7:38 left in the half. Then, with seven seconds to go before intermission, Asagunla dove into the end zone from a yard out for a 24-14 Blazer halftime lead.
HPU’s final points of the day came on a 25-yard Blake Phipps field goal with 9:38 left in third.
Belhaven then tacked on insurance touchdown runs of 13 yards by Foley and 38 yards by Blunt in the fourth quarter.
Howard Payne also finished with six penalties for 63 yards, each of which either extended a Belhaven drive or derailed a possession for the Yellow Jackets.
For more on Mahomes’ appearance, click here.