BROWNWOOD, TX -- Wayland Baptist football went on the road Saturday and came away with a gritty 21-18 win over Howard Payne at Gordon Wood Stadium, picking up their first victory of the season.
The Pioneers (1-2) jumped out early when Damon Ford capped off a short drive with an 8-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. After Howard Payne answered with a field goal, WBU quarterback Khalon Davis connected with Mark Mukiibi on a 14-yard scoring strike early in the second quarter, sending the Pioneers into halftime up 14-3.
In the third quarter, Wayland extended its lead when running back Keamodre Horace broke free for an 18-yard touchdown run, putting the Pioneers ahead 21-3. The Yellow Jackets (2-1) mounted a comeback, scoring once in the third quarter and again with under four minutes remaining to cut the deficit to just three points.
But the Pioneer defense, which forced 14 penalties on HPU for 129 yards and got a key first-quarter interception from Donovan Henry, stood tall in the final minutes. Wayland's stop on fourth down at midfield in the closing seconds sealed the victory.
Ford powered the ground game with 23 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown, while Horace added 47 yards and a score on just seven attempts.
Defensively, Brayden Hamby led WBU with nine total tackles, while Jesus Lopez added a sack and Henry returned his interception two yards to set up the opening score.
Despite being outgained 318-226 in total offense, Wayland won the turnover battle and controlled key moments, converting three red-zone trips into touchdowns.
The victory gives the Pioneers momentum heading into their 2025 home opener on Saturday, September 27th against Texas College. Kick-off is scheduled for 2:00 PM.
