Wildcats Fall on the Road to Mary Hardin-Baylor
BELTON, Texas – Despite controlling time of possession and outgaining Mary Hardin-Baylor in first downs and total plays, Bethel University couldn't overcome costly turnovers and big plays in a tough road loss to the Crusaders on Saturday.
The Wildcats ran 83 offensive plays compared to just 56 for UMHB, held the ball for nearly nine more minutes (34:15–25:45), and picked up 25 first downs to the Crusaders' 15. But Bethel struggled to finish drives and gave the ball away three times on fumbles, helping swing momentum toward the home team.
Quarterback Destin Chance led the Bethel offense, completing 21 of 37 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His top target was Micah Jones, who hauled in four receptions for 71 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown strike. Jayden Pressey added six catches for 62 yards, while Ethan Bunch chipped in four grabs for 54.
On the ground, Jordan Cason carried 24 times for 63 yards, while Jarvis Stockton posted 46 yards on 10 attempts. Chance also scored once on a keeper near the goal line.
Defensively, Bethel forced two interceptions. Brylan Jordan returned one 45 yards for a touchdown, while Durrell Miller added another pick. Linebacker Darrien Lewis paced the defense with 11 total tackles, including two stops for loss. Sean Martin contributed six tackles and was credited with 14 yards in tackles for loss.
Special teams gave the Wildcats solid field position at times, as they recorded 107 kick return yards.
Still, the difference came in efficiency. The Crusaders averaged 6.5 yards per play to Bethel's 4.0, and their running game proved more effective with 144 yards on 31 carries. UMHB also converted six of 12 third downs compared to Bethel's 5 of 15.
The loss dropped the Wildcats to 0-1 while UMHB moved to 1-0.
The Cats look to regroup as they travel to Keiser next Saturday.
Despite the setback, the Wildcats showed grit in extended drives and defensive takeaways, giving them positives to build on moving forward.
After the game, Bethel head coach Chris Springer reflected on his team's effort. "We played hard and gave ourselves chances, but turnovers and missed opportunities against a great program like Mary Hardin-Baylor will cost you, "Springer added. "I'm proud of how our guys competed, and we'll use this to keep improving moving forward."