Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
SEMINOLE, Texas – Behind a solid effort from their punt block unit and 572 yards of total offense, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco football team knocked off the seventh-ranked team in the country.
On Saturday afternoon, NMMI won a shootout over the Navarro College Bulldogs 56-38 at Wigwam Stadium.
Two key punt blocks helped flip the script for the Broncos after trailing 10-0 in the opening quarter.
"The biggest thing was our punt block unit. We knew this week that we could really change a game on specials. Those were huge because we were struggling a little bit here and there," said NMMI head coach Joe Forchtner.
Navarro (1-1) got on the board with a 37-yard field goal from Alexis Lopez with 10:12 in the first quarter.
Dodge Delozier then found Jeremiah Aaron for a five-yard touchdown pass to extend the Bulldogs' lead to 10.
After failing to convert on fourth-and-nine, the Broncos got a spark in the form of a punt block by Jaylin Smith.
NMMI (1-1) was able to capitalize with a 28-yard touchdown run by Anthony Grant with 1:19 left in the first quarter.
The Bronco defense forced Navarro to punt on its next drive.
From three yards out, Grant scored for the second time to give NMMI a 14-10 lead with under 14 minutes in the second quarter.
NMMI got another key punt block when Jimmy Harrison broke the line and allowed Noah Holmes to pick up the loose ball for a 15-yard touchdown return.
Trailing 21-10, Delozier threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tru Edwards to chisel down the deficit with 5:57 remaining until halftime.
Grant found the end zone for the third time in the first half, this time he scored on a 79-yard run to extend NMMI's lead to 11.
The Bronco defense came into the clutch once more as Keivon Brooks grabbed an interception off a tip and returned it for a 37-yard touchdown to make the score 35-17 with 5:25 on the clock.
Delozier and the Bulldogs answered back with a seven-yard touchdown reception by Quentin Lee.
Down by double digits entering the second half, Navarro cut the deficit down to four points when Delozier connected with Edwards for a 10-yard touchdown with 13:45 in the third quarter.
For the fourth time, Grant found the end zone, this time from 14 yards out to make the score 42-31.
Delozier threw his fifth touchdown of the afternoon as he found Tyson Pipkin for an 18-yard strike to cut the deficit back down to four with 3:16 in the third quarter.
NMMI retaliated with a 13-yard scamper by Chandler Galban two minutes later.
Tyrique Thompson then put the game out of reach for the Bulldogs when he scored on a four-yard run with 7:07 left in the contest.
Grant rushed for 263 yards on 21 carries with four touchdowns while Thompson had 95 yards on 12 carries.
Galban and Diego Pavia went a combined 7 of 14 with 135 yards passing. Galban also rushed for 41 yards on 10 carries with one score.
Logan Compton led the receivers with three catches for 81 yards.
On defense, the Broncos had two interceptions by Brooks and Jayden Oliver while Carson Sullivan came away with one sack.
NMMI had 10 tackles for loss with Alonzo Urquhart tallying two.
Delozier led Navarro completing 33 of 61 passes for 338 yards and five touchdowns. The Bulldogs had 398 total yards of offense.
"The O-line did good," Forchtner said. "That's what we were after was just playing as hard as you can play and just having the determination and the will that won't let us lose. Credit to the players."
The Broncos will have to regroup and get ready for another challenge at No. 2 ranked Kilgore College at 2 p.m. MDT Saturday.
"I think that shows that anybody can beat anybody any week," Forchtner said after the win over Navarro. "We won the game this week in practice. If you don't practice well, you're not gonna play well.
"Hopefully they take that lesson and keep that in their head (about) how important practices are."