Longview, TX – The NJCAA's top-ranked football team survived a scare against Kilgore College, needing a 28-point performance in the second half to take down the Rangers on the road, 31-24.
The New Mexico Military Institute came out slow again at the start, reminiscent of last week's home game against Navarro College. The Broncos again let the opponents post the first 14 points, despite an initial interception on Kilgore's 1st play on offense.
Darius McClendon had the pick for the Broncos, one of six turnovers created by the Black Swarm defense, but the NMMI offense struggled, managing just three points – a 43-yard field goal by William Testa – and 50 yards of total offense in the first half, which ended 14-3 in favor of the fifth-ranked Rangers.
The third quarter however, was all about the defending national champs, with the Broncos scoring 14 unanswered points thanks to some spectacular play on special teams.
The first seven points came four plays after the second-half kickoff. NMMI's kickoff coverage forced a fumble on the return and it was recovered at the Ranger 16 by one of a trio of NMMI players, either Keon Jones, Au'mhryaun Brown, or Moses Sarweh.
NMMI quarterback Koby Muasau completed a pass to WR Terrance Moore down to the one on the next play, then called his own number on the TD plunge.
The next seven came on a 43-yard punt return by Treyvion Beamon.
Testa connected on both extra point attempts, and the Broncos found themselves in the lead for the first time in the contest, 17-14, with just over six minutes remaining in the third.
NMMI DB Jones picked up another turnover credit with a pick on Kilgore's first possession in the fourth period, but the Rangers responded with an interception of their own, along with a 45-yard return for the touchdown, and Kilgore was back in front, 21-17, at the 12:23 mark in the fourth.
Kilgore tacked on another three points on a 41-yard field goal, making it 24-17 with just 2:35 left in the ballgame.
And that's when the NMMI offense finally came alive. Muasau connected twice with WR Malik Phillips, once for 10 yards, then another for a 61-yard touchdown to tie things up at 24.
After a quick stop by the Bronco defense, Muasau and the NMMI offense got the ball back on their own 39 yard line, with 2 timeouts and 1:01 on the clock. After a pair of incomplete passes, Muasau scrambled before spotting a wide-open Phillips in the center of field. His pass hit Phillips on-stride at the Kilgore 30, with Phillips using his break-away speed to split the pair of Ranger safeties and cruise into the end zone for the game-winner.
"Towards the end of the game, they were clogging up the middle," said Muasau about the first of the two TD passes at the end of the game. "I had thrown a pick-six up the middle earlier in the game, but after seeing the safety move to help cover a corner route, I knew the middle would be wide open. Malik was right there and made the big play."
"I saw Koby start to scramble and I knew I needed get open," said Phillips about the second TD. "It was another post route and the middle was wide open underneath the safeties. I honestly didn't think I'd be able score, I kept excepting to get tackled from behind."
NMMI collected just 240 total yards of offense in the game, with over half of that coming on their last two possessions. Muasau finished with 208 yards and 2TDs passing on 16 completions, but had 40 attempts and 2 INTs. The NMMI rushing game was squashed by a tough Ranger 'D', grinding out just 30 yards on 22 attempts. Phillips led the way in receptions with eight catches for 165 yards and 2 TDs.
The Bronco defense played a solid game of 'bend-but-don't-break', allowing 302 yards to the Rangers, but garnering two picks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and seven tackles for losses, including four sacks, two by DB Buju Aumua-Tuisavura.
"I almost had a heart attack," said an emotionally drained but extremely proud Bronco head coach, Kurt Tuafa'asau. "This game was crazy but credit goes to our guys for staying in the game and fighting back. We knew adversity was going to hit, we just didn't know when or for how long. This is the grindhouse. This is what I tell our recruits, and why they should come play for us. You've got to bring your game every week in this conference, or else you'll get beat. Credit Kilgore for coming out strong and building up a 14-point lead. They've got some great players on both sides of the ball over there, and their defense kept us confused almost the entire game."
"After that outing against Navarro, we had to redeem ourselves," continued coach Tuafa'sau, recalling the 600+ yards the NMMI defense gave up to the Bulldogs, and the kickoff coverage which gave up several big returns. "Last week we got bailed out by our offense, but today the defense and special teams showed up in a big way – just so proud of those guys. Also glad that Koby stuck with it and ended the way he did after throwing the interception. Credit goes to his work and the preparation he put in during the week."
With the win, the No.1-ranked Broncos move to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Southwestern Junior College Football Conference. Their next game will be back at home, a 6 o'clock showdown against conference opponent Blinn College, at the Wool Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 24.
"I want to encourage all the people in Roswell to come out and support your Bronco football team," finished coach 'T' about next week's game vs. the Buccaneers.