JACKSON, Miss. — Belhaven bulled past the Texas College Steers 47-3, pulling away in the second half of the season opener between NAIA schools on Saturday.

Texas College trailed 12-0 at halftime before Belhaven scored five touchdowns in a 15-minute span to take a 44-point lead.

Belhaven quarterback Jimmy Basford tossed three touchdown passes to three different receivers. Basford finished 24-for-36 for 314 yards.

Kylan Pollard pulled in four receptions for 121 yards, scoring on a 74-yard in the third quarter.

The game, TC’s first under new head coach George Cumby, played out eerily similar to last year’s opener, won by Belhaven 58-3.

The Steers struggled finding any kind of offense, scoring their lone points on Houston Creighton’s 33-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.

Belhaven outgained TC 356-69 in total yardage. TC’s passing game in particular sputtered, with the Steers completing only 7 of 22 passes for 18 yards.

The Blazers intercepted three passes as the Steers played without their expected starter at quarterback, Vincent McNeil, and several others who were awaiting clearance by the NAIA eligibility center.

TC converted only 1 of 14 third downs, and went 0-for-4 on fourth downs.

The loss marked TC’s 13th by 40 points or more in the Steers’ last 22 games dating back to the 2009 season.

TC returns to action on Saturday against Lamar in Beamount. The Steers play the following two weeks away at Arkansas-Monticello (Sept. 10) and Texas Southern (Sept. 17) before playing in Tyler a first time against Northwestern Oklahoma State (Sept. 24)

Belhaven 47, Texas College 3

 

At H.T. Newell Field

Texas College       0    0    3     0    —    3

Belhaven              2   10   21   14   —   47

First Quarter

BEL—Safety, 11:37

Second Quarter

BEL—Justin Gaines 1 run (James Bryan kick), 11:03

BEL—FG James Bryan 49, 1:03

Third Quarter 

BEL—Rashad Wynes 16 run (Bryan kick), 9:40

TEX—FG Houston Creighton 36, 8:03

BEL—Kylan Pollard 74 pass from Jimmy Basford (Bryan kick), 7:43

BEL—Gaines 5 run (Bryan kick), 2:38

Fourth Quarter

BEL—J. Gibson 19 pass from Jimmy Basford (Bryan kick),

BEL—Clinton Smith 13 pass from Basford (Bryan kick), 9:28

EST. ATT. —2,100.

 

                                    TC             BEL

First Downs                        6             17

Rushes-Yards              32-51        30-42

Passing Yards                  18           314

Comp.-Att.-Int.            7-22-3      24-36-1

Punts-Avg.                  7-38.7       5-44.8

Fumbles-Lost                   2-2            3-2

Penalties-Yards            9-101        14-94

 

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Texas College, Devin Lee, 8-51, Teddy Fully 5-21, Marques Thompson 5-18, Jonathon Parsons 2-(-3), Randall Harper 11-(-13), Houston Creighton 1-(-23). Belhaven, Ronnie Payne 4-26, Rashad Wynes 1-16, D’Ambro Chatman 4-14, Robby Robinson 1-13, Justin Gaines 3-8, Michael Pettus 7-(-1), Jameel Jackson 1-(-2), Team 1-(-4), Jimmy Basford 8-(-28).

PASSING—Texas College, Harper 7-22-3—18. Belhaven, Basford 24-36-1—314.

RECEIVING—Texas College, Je’Marius Allen 2-1, Lee 1-6, Fully 1-6, Johnny Thomas 1-3, Michael Sidberry 1-1, Joshua Issac 1-1. Belhaven, Joshua Hawkins 5-45, Kylan Pollard 4-121, Rashad Wynes 4-46, Drew Ezzell 2-23, Jackson 2-16, Justin Kenyon 2-15, J. Gibson 1-19, Pettus 1-0.