The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets kicked off their 2024 football campaign against reigning American Southwest Conference champion and 16th-ranked Hardin-Simmons Saturday night, dropping a 38-6 decision at Gordon Wood Stadium.

In the first of two conference meetings this season between the longtime rivals, the Yellow Jackets (0-1, 0-1) were limited to 272 yards of total offense with one turnover, while the Cowboys (1-0, 1-0) generated 394 yards without giving away the ball.

Jackson Meller scored on a 74-yard touchdown pass from Zy Gravitt to cut the deficit to 7-6 with 5:34 left in the first period, accounting for the Yellow Jackets’ only points. Hardin-Simmons responded with the final 31 points.

Gravitt completed 14 of 20 passes for 206 yards with, while Meller finished with three grabs for 102 yards. Kristopher Creel also pulled down three receptions for 36 yards. Meanwhile, the HPU ground game was led by Blessing Ngene, with 32 yards.

Hardin-Simmons quarterback Kyle Brown connected on 22 of 33 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown, and rushed for 19 yards and another score. Noah Garcia added three touchdowns on the ground with 87 yards, while Tailon Garrett caught a team-high six passes for 56 yards and Justin Moore finished with three receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown.

The HPU defense was led by Jacob Korrodi with 15 tackles and Kale Shaw with 10 takedowns.

The Yellow Jackets are back in action at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at Nelson University, the former Southwestern Assemblies of God.