The Howard Payne Yellow Jackets stumbled for the first time this past Saturday against Belhaven, and must now regroup with a pair of Top 10 opponents next on the schedule. First, is the No. 8 Hardin-Simmons Cowboys, who invade Gordon Wood Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday in a battle of teams tied for second place in the American Southwest Conference.

Reflecting on last week’s 24-10 loss to Belhaven, HPU first-year head coach Jason Bachtel said, “A really good defense is a really good offense, and they took the ball away and kept it for 42.5 minutes and gave it to us for 17.5. We had some plays to be made, we just didn’t make them and ultimately that goes back on me. They did what they had to do to win a ball game and we didn’t. Now we have to regroup and reshuffle and play the next two like we know they’re the best in the league. It’s going to be a challenge, but our kids have had a good week and they’re looking forward to this ball game and we’ll see what they’ve got.”

Coming off their bye week, HPU (6-1, 5-1) ranked first in the nation in total yards per game at 614 and fourth in scoring at 52 points per outing. In the two games since, the Yellow Jackets have produced a total of 31 points and 569 yards – 15.5 points and 284.5 yards on average.

“I want to give credit to the last two teams because they’ve done some stuff that the first five opponents did not do to us,” Bachtel said. “They found a way to neutralize Jake Parker a little bit, but also we’ve been a team that’s lived and died by the long pass and they’ve taken that away. We’ve been a big play team and they’ve done a great job of taking that away. Another thing we’ve struggled with over the last couple of weeks has been running the ball consistently and we have to do that.”

In Hardin-Simmons (6-1, 5-1), the Yellow Jackets face a team that allows just 11 points and 275 yards – 158 passing and 117 rushing – per game, with 10 takeaways. The Cowboys have posted three shutouts, only three teams have reached double digits against them, and the most points allowed was to No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor in a 34-28 come-from-behind victory – the lone loss on HSU’s schedule.

“They’re one of the best defenses in the league and the nation,” Bachtel said. “Adding it up, they’ve allowed about 70 points on the season. They’re very sound, they’re well-coached, they do a good job tackling and covering. They’re very good.”

The Cowboys defense is led by Matt Mitchell (43 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 FR), Brock Bujnoch (36 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 FR), Zach Goodson (29 tackles, 3 for loss, 2 sacks), Terrell Franklin (26 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 2 INTs), Kelton McGee (24 tackles, 1 INT), Davonte Nephew (22 tackles, 3 INTs).

Howard Payne counters with an offense generating 42 points and 517 yards – 347 passing and 170 rushing – per outing, with 10 turnovers.

Landon McKinney has connected on 117 of 205 passes for 2,073 yards with 24 touchdowns and four interceptions. Leading receivers include Jake Parker (36-713, 9 TDs), Otis Lanier (28-558, 6 TDs), Selah Smith (12-184, 2 TDs), Hunter Cheek (8-97, 2 TDs), Josh Aldama (7-102), Tyler Vann (7-99), Javonte Russell (7-74, TD), Max McCuiston (6-206, 3 TDs), Collyn Shipley (5-86), Quentin Gray (5-77, TD),and Casey Dufner (4-78, 3 TDs).

The ground game is anchored by Tauren Bradley (443 yards, TD), Stephen Willis (301 yards), and Derrick Berry (163 yards, 2 TDs).

The Hardin-Simmons offense, meanwhile, is manufacturing 36 points and 439 yards – 240 through the air and 199 on the ground – with nine turnovers.

Kyle Jones has completed 131 of 196 passes for 1,573 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. Top receiving threats are Kevi Evans (21-286, 5 TDs), Gatlin Martin (18-216, 2 TDs), Matt Sandoval (15-151), Jalen Crawford (13-200, 2 TDs), Kai Brinkerhoff (13-183, 3 TDs), Rae Millsap (11-80), Cale Nanny (10-112, TD) and Cade Bell (10-101).

On the ground, leading rushers include Myles Featherson (434 yards, 7 TDs), Colton Marshall (401 yards, 2 TDs), and Kolby Youngblood (341 yards, 3 TDs).

“Offensively, they like to power run, run a lot of counters, it doesn’t matter what defense you give them, they’re going to do what they do,” Bachtel said. “They’ve done it for so long, that’s what happens with establish programs, they establish what they want to do. They’ve had several injuries at the running back spot so they’re playing running back-by-committee. They’ve got a good set of receivers, maybe the best in the league, and their quarterback is good. They do some things to stretch you vertically and also hurt you on the ground.”

The Howard Payne defense is coming off perhaps its best two outings of the season against Southwestern and Belhaven, and has yielded 26 points and 386 yards – 233 passing and 153 rushing – per contest, with a total of 14 takeaways.

Defensive standouts include Peyton Lowe (44 tackles, 8 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FR), Dai’Shawn Fisher (42 tackles, 4 for loss, 1 FR), James Jakubowski (39 tackles, 4 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 FR), Kyle Bell (37 tackles, 1 INT), and Aaron Alderete (33 tackles, 1.5 for loss, 1 sack).

“Every week we’ve said they’re getting better, and better, and better,” Bachtel said of the defense. “The last two weeks they’ve played really great. Not that they didn’t early on, but we were exposed a little bit against McMurry and since then it’s been ramped up and they’ve done a great job. When you look at the roster from top to bottom on defense it’s lots of sophomores, juniors and a few seniors. We’re very young and those guys just needed experience and playing reps and they’re getting it, so that’s built their confidence. If they’ll play like they did the last few weeks, barring some missed tackles, I think they’re going to give us a shot to be in the ball game late like we need to be.”

Among the additional keys to an HPU victory, Bachtel said, “We have to be sound in every phase of the ball game in order to give ourselves a chance. We have to eliminate turnovers, sustain drives offensively, and if we can do that and get into the fourth quarter and have a chance, I think our kids will feed off that. That’s what we’re preaching right now, get to the fourth quarter and have a chance.”

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American SW Conference		Conference Wins	Conference Losses	Overall Wins	Overall Losses
Mary Hardin-Baylor		6	0	7	0
Hardin-Simmons		5	1	6	1
Howard Payne		5	1	6	1
Belhaven		4	2	5	2
East Texas Baptist		3	3	4	3
McMurry		2	4	2	4
Texas Lutheran		2	5	2	5
Austin College		1	5	1	5
Sul Ross		1	5	1	5
Southwestern		1	5	1	6

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Week 8 Games

Belhaven 24, Howard Payne 10

Mary Hardin-Baylor 72, Sul Ross 14

Hardin-Simmons 69, Southwestern 7

East Texas Baptist 37, Austin College 30

Texas Lutheran 28, McMurry 21

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Week 9 Games

Hardin-Simmons at Howard Payne

Belhaven at Mary Hardin-Baylor

Texas Lutheran at East Texas Baptist

Sul Ross at McMurry

Austin College at Southwestern