GEORGETOWN – The offensive fireworks Howard Payne football has become known for this season weren’t on display Saturday, but when it was needed most the Yellow Jackets came through with a go-ahead touchdown with 1:29 left to escape an upset bid by the Southwestern Pirates, 21-17, Saturday afternoon in American Southwest Conference football action.

The game-winning drive for ASC co-leader HPU (6-0, 5-0) – which ensured it will complete the season with a winning record for the first time since 2005 – began following a Southwestern (1-5, 1-4) missed 45-yard field goal attempt with 2:31 remaining.

The Yellow Jackets then traveled 72 yards in seven plays as quarterback Landon McKinney connected with Otis Lanier on a 20-yard strike with 89 seconds left for Howard Payne’s first points since the 10:17 juncture of the second period.

McKinney – who passed for just 165 yards, completing 16 of 30 attempts with two touchdowns and an interception – completed 6 of 7 passes on the drive for 72 yards, with the last three completions being 16 yards to Lanier, 20 to Jake Parker and the 20-yard touchdown.

Southwestern’s last gasp drive began at its own 38, but ended at the HPU 22 when Parker, in on defense, picked off a pass – the Pirates’ second turnover – with 52 seconds to go.

Howard Payne entered the contest averaging an NCAA Division III-best 614 total yards per game, but was limited to 293 yards by Southwestern, which gained 331 against the Yellow Jacket defense.

Lanier finished with a team-high eight catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns, Parker chipped in four receptions for 32 yards, Selah Smith and Quentin Gray each caught 15-yard passes and Javonte Russell made a 2-yard catch.

Parker led HPU on the ground with 76 yards on just three carries, Stephen Willis tacked on 48 yards and Tauren Bradley was limited to 6 yards on nine rushes.

For Southwestern, Landry Gilpin connected on 11 of 27 passes for 166 yards with two scoring tosses and a pair of interceptions. Austin Castilleja caught five passes for 89 yards and both scoring receptions, while Jaquon Marion rushed for a team-best 62 yards. Gilpin added 45 yards rushing.

Defensive standouts for HPU included Peyton Lowe with nine tackles, including three for loss, and a sack; Kyle Bell, Dai’Shawn Fisher and Carson Padilla with eight tackles each; and James Jakubowski with seven takedowns. Padilla and Isaiah Milton also recorded sacks, while Parker and Dylan Zeno logged interceptions.

The Yellow Jackets took the opening drive of the game 84 yards in just four plays as McKinney scored on a 2-yard run to make the score 7-0 a mere 1:32 into the contest. Runs of 17 and 59 yards by Parker on the first two snaps quickly moved HPU into scoring position.

Howard Payne did not light up the scoreboard again until the second period when Lanier hauled in a 38-yard scoring reception from McKinney at the 10:17 mark, a two-play drive set up by a Parker punt return.

McKinney was later intercepted at the HPU 42 and the ball was returned to the 18, which set up Southwestern’s 25-yard field goal by Will Herbst that closed the gap to 14-3 with 1:23 left in the first half.

The Pirates then mounted the first two scoring drives of the second half as Southwestern traveled 75 yards in nine plays with Gilpin hitting Castilleja on a 29-yard pass to cut HPU’s lead to 14-10.

Then, with 13:05 left in the contest, Southwestern marched 54 yards in just four plays as Castilleja grabbed a 21-yard scoring reception from Gilpin to seize a 17-14 advantage.

Next Saturday, the Yellow Jackets return to Gordon Wood Stadium as they host Belhaven (4-2, 3-2) – a 44-0 winner over Sul Ross Saturday – at 1 p.m.