The Howard Payne football team’s last minute drive comes up short and the Yellow Jackets fall to Hardin-Simmons University 38-31 in American Southwest Conference Saturday afternoon.

HPU quarterback Zach Hubbard was sacked 8 times but still was 34 of 49 for 363 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. 

Hardin-Simmons seemed to have the game in hand after a 47-yard run for a touchdown with 1:42 to play to make the score 38-24.

However, Howard Payne went 73 yards in three plays and scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Zach Hubbard to Tre Mason to make it 38-31. Then the Yellow Jackets came up with an on-side kick and the Jackets got the ball to the Hardin-Simmons 11-yard line before Hubbard was tackled on second down as time expired.

HSU scored first in the game on a 6-yard run with 4:06 left in the first. Later in the second quarter HSU fumbled in the backfield and HPU linebacker Kevin Reyna picked it up and ran 5 yards for a TD to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:51 left in the first half. 

On the HSU next play, they completed a 56-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-7. Just before the end of the half, Tre Mason caught his first touchdown catch of the day with :35 to play in the first half, a 10-yarder from Hubbard to tied the game at 14.

HSU was able to go 36 yards in four plays and set-up a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give the HSU a 17-14 halftime lead.

Hardin-Simmons expanded the lead to 24-14 with 4:08 to play in the third quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass. 

HPU came right back and went 60-yards for a score as Hubbard hit Edward Cody over the top for a 39-yard touchdown to make it 24-21 with 1:21 to play in the third quarter. Mitchell Bailey then hit a 28-yard field goal for HPU to tie the game at 24 with 11:29 to play.

HSU came right back on a 31-yard pass to make it 31-24 with 7:01 to play. 

Mason had 10 catches for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns. Edward Cody also had a great game with 9 catches for 111 yards and one TD. 

Defensively HPU was led by Dustin McClure with a game high 9 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack. Allen Dixon, Dezell, and Kevin Reyna each had seven tackles.

Howard Payne is 3-3 overall and 1-3 in league play and HSU now 3-4 on the year and 2-3 in ASC play.
The Jackets will take on Louisiana College next week during the HPU homecoming game at 2:00 pm.