Box Score SEGUIN, Texas – Southwestern rallied with a fourth-quarter touchdown and held on for a 35-31 victory over Texas Lutheran Saturday in the regular-season finale at Bulldog Stadium, capping a perfect 6-0 record in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
The Pirates (7-3) went ahead with 7:57 left in the game after Bryan Hicks escaped pressure and found Kenneth Wynn Jr. in the back of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown.
Facing a fourth-down situation on Southwestern's 13-yard line with under 30 seconds remaining, Bulldogs quarterback Zach Galindo's final pass was intercepted in the end zone by Nik Kelly, sealing the win.
The Pirates, who won the SCAC title outright in the league's final season, held a 21-14 lead after the first quarter of play.
Hicks, who threw for 312 yards and five touchdowns in the game, heaved scoring passes of seven, 14 and 65 yards in the opening panel.
Texas Lutheran (2-8, 2-4 SCAC) received a six-yard touchdown run from Marquis Barrolle in the second quarter, allowing the hosts to pull even before halftime.
Southwestern regained the lead early in the third quarter, as Hicks threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Dante Smith.
However, the Bulldogs again pulled even four minutes later on Galindo's 33-yard pass to Tri-Rice Van Buren.
TLU then added a 38-yard field goal by Chadd Brown with 1:28 left in the third.
Frederick Hover started the Pirates' final scoring drive with 12:57 remaining the in game. The Bucs started on their own 26-yard line, but five rushing plays later found themselves at the Texas Lutheran 38.
Hover took Southwestern down to the 8-yard line before giving way to Hicks.
The senior quarterback threw and incomplete pass, but on the next play escaped from pressure and rolled to his left before he found Wynn Jr. for the go-ahead score.
Wynn Jr. finished with three catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns, including a 65-yard score in the first quarter. Colten Shea hauled in seven receptions for 112 yards and score, while John David Bishop caught two passes for 17 yards and a touchdown.
Hover finished with 84 rushing yards, while Matt Gillen caught 10 passes for 71 yards.
Zach Cole led all players with 13 tackles, including two for loss. Kelly and Chris Luca both picked off passes for the Pirates.
Southwestern's football program, which returned just four years ago, will join the American Southwest Conference next season. Texas Lutheran also will return to the ASC to join the Pirates and eight other schools.
– SOUTHWESTERN –
