TOP 10 MOMENTS OF 2019-20: HOUNDS WIN 2019 HERITAGE BOWL

The number one moment in our “Top 10 Moments of 2019-20: series came back on Dec. 7 on an afternoon in which the Eastern New Mexico football team defeated Southern Arkansas by a final score of 20-13 to claim the 2019 Heritage Bowl.

That win in Corsicana, Texas gave the program it’s first postseason win in the NCAA Division II era and matched the second highest win total in program history with eight wins on the year. Senior Paul Terry closed out his historic campaign with 110 yards on the ground and all three scores for the Hounds, leading to a 2019 Heritage Bowl Most Valuable Player selection.

The 2019-20 Greatest Greyhound scored on the first two possessions of the ball game for the Hounds, once from one yard out and once from three yards out, as Eastern New Mexico never relinquished the lead for the entirety of the contest. Those early 13 points proved extremely beneficial for the Hounds as the second half of action turned into a defensive slugfest, with the Greyhound defense throwing the final blows with two key defensive stops throughout the half.

Southern Arkansas racked up 10 unanswered points in the second quarter to make it a 13-10 ballgame entering the halftime break. Terry recorded his third touchdown of the contest with 55 seconds left in the third quarter to push the Hound advantage back out to 20-10.

A quick three-and-out for the Muleriders made it appear as if the Hounds were in complete control of the momentum, but a costly fumble by Terry on the first play of the ensuing drive for the Hounds gave Southern Arkansas possession of the football at the Eastern New Mexico 22-yard line. The Hound defense stood strong and forced a 38-yard field goal that made it a one possession ball game with 14:50 remaining in the game.

Both teams alternated scoreless drives before the Hounds once again committed a costly turnover, setting the Muleriders up at the 50-yard line with 8:50 remaining in the contest. The defense for the Hounds stiffened up once again, tackling the Muleriders behind the line for a one-yard loss on first down and then forced two incomplete passes to force a punt, getting the offense for the Greyhounds back out onto the field.

That offense for the Hounds would go just five plays before once again punting the ball back into the hands of the Muleriders with 4:18 left in the contest. The Muleriders quickly took advantage and drove 81 yards on just eight plays all the way down to the Greyhound five-yard line with just over two minutes remaining in the contest.

The fourth down attempt of that drive for the Muleriders was stopped at the goal line with 2:15 remaining in the contest, turning the ball over on downs, and allowing Eastern to run out the majority of the rest of the clock and then make one more defensive stand on the last hail mary attempt for Southern Arkansas to solidify the win.

A host of records fell at the hands of the Eastern New Mexico offense throughout the game, including the school rushing record previously set in 2015 at 4,144 yards. The 201 yards on the ground for the Greyhounds in the contest gave them 4,184 yards for the season.

The Greyhounds also set the Lone Star Conference record for rushing attempts in a season, bettering the previous mark set by Eastern New Mexico back in 2016 with 731 attempts. The Hounds finished with 770 rushing attempts in 2019.
Terry’s performance on the big stage would later lead to his second straight All-American selection as well as the Greatest Greyhound Award.

Eastern New Mexico’s win finished off their record at 8-4 for the season, and gave the program their first ever win in the month of December, the first ever postseason win as a Division II program and the first ever win in a Division II bowl game.