After a dominating 51-22 win over Eastern New Mexico to begin Lone Star Conference play, the No. 3 A&M-Commerce Lions football team moved to 3-0 on the season.

The game was closer than the final score indicated, as both teams were clicking offensively in the first half. The Lions struck first with a rushing touchdown in the game’s first three minutes. The Greyhounds and their time-consuming triple option attack countered with a field goal and trailed 7-3. TAMUC answered with a quick drive and a touchdown pass from Luis Perez to Vincent Hobbs from 56 yards out and led 13-3 after the extra point was blocked. Eastern New Mexico would score a touchdown to start the second quarter and make it a four-point game again after their extra point was blocked, but that was the closest they would be to the Lions for the rest of the game. A&M-Commerce scored four more touchdowns in the second quarter, three drives lasting under 30 seconds, and held a 41-15 lead at the break.

The performance of the offense will be what gets the most attention, but the Lions defensive unit performed exceptionally. Despite spending more time out on the field and not causing any turnovers, head football coach Colby Carthel said the squad met the expectations placed on them by him and his staff.

“We challenged them to be disciplined defensively, you have to be disciplined playing that offense and they did a really good job holding those guys to two touchdowns and a field goal,” Carthel said. “It was a really, really good job by our defense and our offense was clicking. We told them they need to score on every single possession, and they did.”

Luis Perez had an exceptional day, going 20-24 for 357 yards and five passing touchdowns, and also added a touchdown on the ground, his first career rushing touchdown. His favorite target was Darrion Landry, who had his best game of the season so far, hauling in seven passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Carandal Hale led the Lions rushing attack, carrying the ball eight times for 62 yards and a score.

Conference play continues this weekend as the Lions hit the road to travel down south and face A&M-Kingsville for the Chennault Cup. A&M-Commerce has won the last five in a row over the Javelinas and will not want that streak to end as they begin a stretch of their season where they are away from home for almost a month.

“[Head] Coach Wilkins [of the Javelinas] has got a good team down there and they’ll be locked and loaded waiting for us,” Carthel said. “It’s a hostile environment down there in Kingsville but it’s a fun place to play. These rivalries like the Chennault Cup, they’re fun games to play and throw the records out the window and know there’s going to be some good football played Saturday night.”

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