Third-ranked Angelo State football team improves to 7-0 with LSC road blowout

Charles Bryce, San Angelo Standard-Times
·4 min read

Seven up, and seven down.

With a dominating performance on both sides of the ball, the No. 3 Angelo State University football team rolled to a 52-13 Lone Star Conference blowout against Western New Mexico in Silver City, New Mexico on Saturday.

ASU improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the LSC, while WNM dropped to 3-4 and 2-3. It was the Mustangs' first loss this season at Ben Altamirano Field.

The Rams will host No. 20 Texas A&M-Kingsville for homecoming at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1st Community Credit Union Field at LeGrand Stadium.

Former San Angelo Central High School receiver Thomas Aych caught a 27-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter against Western New Mexico.

The Rams finished with 521 yards total offense, including 294 on the ground. They held the Mustangs to 118.

"I'm super impressed and excited with how we responded, especially on offense," ASU head coach Jeff Girsch said. "After what we thought was a lackluster performance last week, even though we still won and still moved the ball, we felt like we didn't play our best game that day. Our O-line really took charge of this football game and our running backs. And we did what we wanted to in the throwing game, too.

"Zach (Bronkhorst) made some great decisions. But it really starts up front. We blocked who we needed to block and it starts with those guys every week and that's what we tell them. I'm just proud of them for the way they fought and battled. The defense did what they do and what we're used to seeing. It's kind of getting old hat for those guys to go out and play really good on defense and that was no different tonight."

As the rushing total would suggest, time of possession was heavily in ASU's favor, as the Rams had the ball for a total of 42:41, compared to just 17:19 for the Mustangs.

Rams senior running back Nate Omayebu churned out 155 yards rushing on 21 carries (7.4-yard average), including a 25-yarder. He didn't find his way into the end zone, but he wore the Mustangs' defense down.

Angelo State University linebacker Daron Allman, 14, makes a tackle during an NCAA Division II second-round playoff game against Nebraska-Kearney at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.
Angelo State University linebacker Daron Allman, 14, makes a tackle during an NCAA Division II second-round playoff game against Nebraska-Kearney at LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.

"Nate was rolling this week," Girsch said. "He got going and we fed him the ball and he ran hard. All the running backs did, but it doesn't go anywhere without that O-line blocking. We got so many kids in the game today, building that depth in the O-line and running backs."

Kason Phillips added 10 carries for 71 yards and a TD, and former Christoval High School standout Brayden Wilcox had a career-high 10 carries for 28 yards, with a long of 11.

Tre'Darius Colbert, a mammoth 6-foot-2, 346-pound defensive tackle, punched his way into the end zone for a 2-yard TD.

Western kept things close early on, as the Rams were clinging to a 10-6 advantage after the first quarter.

Angelo State University's Tre'Darius Colbert, lower right, puts pressure on the opposing quarterback during a game against Western New Mexico on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
Angelo State University's Tre'Darius Colbert, lower right, puts pressure on the opposing quarterback during a game against Western New Mexico on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.

And then things really got out of hands for the Mustangs, as ASU scored four TDs in the second period to build an insurmountable 38-6 halftime cushion.

Bronkhorst completed 14 of 21 passes for 200 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

In addition to the hookup with Aych, Bronkhorst's other TD connections went to Noah Massey (13 yards) and Rasheen Green (16).

Asa Fuller got things going with a 21-yard field goal for the Rams in the first quarter.

"It was a great win in a dominant fashion against a team that's really improved," Girsch said. "They've got a lot of good fooball players out there. They went and got a ton of transfers. There's no doubt it was a chippy game tonight, but for the most part our kids didn't fall for all the other stuff. They just lined up and played good ball."

And now the Rams will turn their attention to a Kingsville team that took a 6-0 record into Saturday night's homecoming game against UT Permian Basin.

"We love the fact that it's our homecoming game," the Rams coach said. "We get to play in front of a big crowd with our fans, alumni, boosters, staff and faculty. It's great to get home. And they're a really good football team. They're shocking a lot people being 6-0, but not me. I know what kind of players they've got and what kind of coaches they've got. We're going to have to play a great football game, but we're excited about the opportunity."

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: No. 3 Angelo State football team stays undefeated with LSC road win