Costly mistakes doom WTAMU football team in home opener to No. 15 Western Colorado

There will be no doubt that the West Texas A&M football team and head coach Josh Lynn will think “what if” after Saturday night’s home opener against Western Colorado in front of an announced “White Out” crowd of 6,219 fans at Bain-Schaeffer Buffaloes Stadium on Saturday night.

In the end, WTAMU had too many costly mistakes throughout the contest against the No. 15 Mountaineers which resulted in a 26-17 loss.

Big moments that will stand out for the Buffs (1-2) came at crucial moments starting toward the end of the first half.

Following a Western Colorado (2-0) touchdown from quarterback Drew Nash on a 6-yard keeper putting the Mountauneers up 13-10, WTAMU got a huge play on the ensuing kickoff when Zorian Stanton broke loose for 61-yard return, setting up the Buffs inside the Moutaineers 35-yard line with 19 seconds remaining.

That set up a game-tying 43-yard field goal attempt from Caprock graduate Cason Polivoda, but the kick was no good as time expired to close the first half.

Late in the third quarter, with the score still 13-10, WTAMU was marching down the field on an 11-play drive inside the WCU five-yard line. The Buffs looked to be going in to take the lead, however, quarterback Sean Johnson threw a pass that was picked off by Mountaineer linebacker Cooper Cameron who took it back 96-yards for a touchdown swinging the WCU lead at 20-10.

The Buffs responded in a hurry on the ensuing possession when Johnson hit a wide-open Stanton for a 72-yard pitch and catch, getting the Buffs deficit down to 20-17.

The defense then came up with a huge turnover early in the fourth that gave the Buffs a chance. Nash threw an interception right at WTAMU defender Cam Manahan who took the return back 61 yards inside the WCU 25-yard line.

Once again, the WTAMU offense stalled as Polivoda went for another game-tying field goal, but like earlier his kick was wide leaving points off the board for the Buffs.

That allowed WCU to put the game away as Nash capped a 79-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run putting the game away at 26-17.

“I think we get points, and it is a different game if we don’t throw that pick six,” WTAMU head coach Josh Lynn said. “We responded right after. But then we have to look at special teams. We missed a field goal before half to tie the game and another one in the third. We just didn’t play good enough to win. The defense was on the field too much and there are things we have to get cleaned up.”

WCU finished the game totaling 435 yards of offense to WTAMU’s 293. Nash was efficient running the offense for the Mountaineers, going 13-of-26 for 185 yards and rushed for 136 yards with three touchdowns, including a 62-yard TD scamper on the second play of the night.

Stanton had a great effort, leading the Buffs with six catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. Johnson was 20-of-33 for 216 yards with a TD pass but did have that devasting interception.

“We need to eliminate mistakes,” Lynn said. “There is just a lot of things we have to clean up and get better at right now.”

Defensively, senior linebacker JT Cavender was all over the field, making a team-high 13 tackles. Teammate Pretson Steszewski added 11 tackles.

The Buffs open Lone Star Conference play hosting Central Washington (1-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday.