ABILENE – In recent years, it has seemed that Hardin-Simmons was prepared to take control of its rivalry with Mary Hardin-Baylor and the American Southwest Conference. After Saturday’s 27-19 HSU victory, the Cowboys have assumed control of the rivalry and the ASC.

From 2005 through 2022, the Cru lost only one game in the series. The first sign of a potential crack in UMHB’s armor happened in 2019 when the Cowboys held a 14-6 lead early in the fourth quarter, only to see Anthony Avila run on the field in the final seconds for a 43-yard field goal to secure the victory.

During the Spring 2021 season, UMHB used special teams and defense to earn a 23-15 win in Abilene. The Cowboys began to feel snakebit in the Fall of 2021 when the Cru stormed back from a 28-7 deficit at halftime for a 34-28 victory and another ASC title.

Many pundits thought 2020 was the year Hardin-Simmons would break its losing streak, only to see UMHB force multiple turnovers late in the first half of a 50-20 blowout victory in Abilene. The win sent a resounding message that UMHB expected to continue dominating the series under head coach Larry Harmon.

However, the Cowboys turned the tide in the series in 2023 with a 24-14 win at home to seal the program’s first outright ASC championship since 2004. HSU ruined UMHB’s homecoming festivities earlier this season with a 44-21 victory in Belton. Since the ASC decided to play a double round-robin format out of necessity, the two teams met again on Saturday afternoon in Abilene.

The result was the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys earning their second consecutive ASC title, an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs, and a third straight win over their rival.

While the final scores of the last three contests tell one story, the first three quarters of each game tell a different story. HSU has outscored the Cru 88-10 in nine of the previous 12 quarters. Meanwhile, UMHB has outscored the Cowboys 44-7 in the fourth quarter of those games.

Earlier this season, the Cowboys defense forced four interceptions while jumping out to a commanding 44-0 lead after three quarters. The Cru scored 21 points and produced 191 of their 425 total yards in the fourth quarter. On Saturday, UMHB was held to 77 yards of offense through three quarters and trailed 27-3 before gaining 161 yards and scoring 16 points to pull within one score.

The statistics show what the eyes have seen. Hardin-Simmons has assumed the mantle of being the best team in the American Southwest Conference and has proven themselves superior to UMHB over the last two seasons. The Cowboys are now the team with the potential to make noise on the national stage.

UMHB could make the playoffs despite three losses this season, which means a third meeting between these teams this season is possible. If that scenario were to happen, UMHB would be a heavy underdog, which is another sign that Hardin-Simmons has gained control of this rivalry.