An often-maligned Mary Hardin-Baylor offense executed one of its best drives of the year in the fourth quarter to lift the Crusaders to a 29-22 road victory over Trinity in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
UMHB advances to the second round of the DIII playoffs, where they will travel to meet rival No. 2 seed Hardin-Simmons for the third time this season. While the Cowboys have won the last three meetings between the rivals in the regular season, including their first win inside Crusader Stadium earlier this season, the Cru own a 5-0 record against HSU in the playoffs.
On Saturday, the Cru improved its playoff record against the Tigers to 6-2. However, it took an 11-play, 71-yard drive by UMHB that took five minutes off the clock to propel the Cru to victory. Seven of the 11 plays were on the ground, with Asa Osbourn capping the drive with a one-yard plunge with 1:47 remaining.
Trinity’s final possession ended in an interception by Dorien Hill at the UMHB 33-yard line to seal the victory. The Tigers season ends in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, and they will rue multiple special teams mistakes that proved costly throughout.
A bad snap on a potential 21-yard field goal in the first quarter cost Trinity points despite a valiant effort by Raider Horn to corral the high snap and head toward the end zone before meeting a wall of Crusader defenders at the two-yard line. Other miscues that proved costly were a blocked punt that UMHB turned into a touchdown after being given solid field position, a blocked extra point attempt, an extra point that sailed wide left, and a fumble on a kickoff return that ended in a missed field goal attempt for the Cru.
Those mistakes left the Tigers needing a touchdown and a conversion on its final drive to send the game to overtime. Ultimately, it was too much for Trinity to overcome.
For UMHB, the Cru hopes this starts a run similar to the 2004 season when UMHB opened the playoffs with road games against Trinity and Hardin-Simmons on their way to the Stagg Bowl.
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