BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team dropped a 26-6 decision to No. 16 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Saturday afternoon in Belton. The loss dropped the Cru to 1-1 on the season while the Warhawks improved to 3-0.
 
UWW got on the board first, using a four-play, 41-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead. Brian Stanton opened that series with a 28-yard rush before Justin Klinkner connected with Patrick Lippe for a seven-yard touchdown pass to the right corner.
 
The Cru drove into Warhawk territory on the ensuing possession, but a pair of penalties forced a fourth-and-21. Whitewater was unable to capitalize after that, giving UMHB the ball with 2:05 to go in the first quarter. UMHB ended that frame with a first down but another penalty stalled the offense, succeeding the ball to UWW on their 35-yard line. Whitewater drove 61 yards on eight plays, ending that series with a 21-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead.
 
UMHB responded with a 12-yard rush from Kamerin Ferguson, followed by trip of completions from Kirkland Michaux to put the Cru at the UWW 32. Michaux connected with Luke Vidal in the end zone but a missed extra-point kept it a two-possession contest. The Warhawks offense drove back into Crusader territory, capping an eight-play drive with a 29-yard field goal for a 13-6 lead.
 
The Warhawks ate up more than six minutes of clock at the open of the third quarter, driving 70 yards for another touchdown. Klinkner found Stanton for a 21-yard score and a 20-6 Warhawk lead. UMHB earned one first-down on the next possession but could not convert, giving UWW the ball back at the UMHB 20. A 13-yard completion and an 11-yard rush gave the Warhawks a pair of first downs. UMHB's defense finally forced a third down but a 16-yard quarterback keeper gave UWW a new set of downs at the Cru 30. Gaige Sanders and Lance Robertson teamed up for a seven-yard sack but Klinkner answered with a nine-yard run and 28-yard touchdown throw for a 26-6 lead.
 
UMHB got into Warhawk territory twice in the fourth quarter but came up empty on both drives, sealing the 20-point win for UWW.
 
Kirkland Michaux threw 16 completions for 153 yards and a touchdown while Seth Mouser added three completions for 33 yards. Asa Osbourn totaled nine carries for 24 yards while Kamerin Ferguson added 21 yards. B.J. Stewart led the receiving ranks with 10 catches, totaling 80 yards while Luke Vidal added three grabs and Tyler Woods tallied two.
 
Klinkner totaled 10 completions for 95 yards and three touchdowns for the Warhawks. Stanton led a Warhawk offense that averaged five yards per carry, rushing 11 times for 86 yards. Klinkner added 63 yards on the ground, followed by Tyler Vasey with 44 and Ty Shultz with 42.
 
Izeal Jones led UMHB with nine tackles, all of them in the second half. Ethan Rayfield and Layden Roque added eight tackles each while JJ Davis had seven. UMHB totaled nine tackles for loss and two sacks in the game while the Cru secondary tallied five pass breakups.
 
UMHB returns to action on Saturday, September 27^th in a 1 p.m. contest at Mars Hill University (Division II) in Mars Hill, N.C.