ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The fifth-seeded Texas A&M University-Commerce football team staged an epic comeback from a halftime deficit to defeat top-seeded Central Washington University, 34-31 in double overtime, at Tomlinson Stadium in the NCAA Division II Championship Super Region Four semifinals on Saturday.
 
The Lions trailed 28-7 at halftime and scored the game-tying touchdown with 3 seconds remaining in regulation. Kicker Kristov Martinez made 38-yard field goals in both overtime periods to win the game for the Lions.
 
A&M-Commerce advances to the Super Region Four final against Minnesota State University-Mankato on Saturday, December 2. The Lions will carry an 11-1 record into the regional final. CWU ends its season with an 11-1 record.
 
The 11 wins ties the school record, and the Lions will play a third postseason game for the first time in school history.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Lions were outgained 362-181 in the first half, but limited the Wildcats to 125 yards in the second half and both overtime periods.
- Quarterback Luis Perez completed 41-of-65 passes for 394 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. CWU came into the game averaging nearly six sacks a game and sacked Perez only three times.
- Buck Wilson had 12 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-tying effort with three seconds remaining in regulation.
- Marquis Wimberly caught nine passes for 120 yards. Vincent Hobbs caught seven passes for 53 yards and a key fourth quarter touchdown reception.
- Running back Carandal Hale had 104 all-purpose yards with 58 on the ground and 46 receiving. He scored a 26-yard rushing touchdown on the Lions' first drive of the second half.
- Brucks Saathoff had 11 tackles to lead the Lions, with a sack, and a key pass breakup on third down in the second overtime.
- Travon Blanchard had 10 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Garrett Blubaugh had eight tackles and an interception.
- The Lion defense had three sacks and eight tackles for loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Central Washington came out as the aggressors after a week off, as the Wildcats scored on their first two drives of the game. A 6-play, 75-yard drive followed by a 16-play, 88-yard drive had the hosts up 14-0 at the 1:38 mark of the first quarter.
 
The Lions punched back quickly thanks to a 45-yard kickoff return by Reggie Kincade and a 52-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown from Perez to Wilson. On the ensuing drive, the Lions forced a fumble along the interior line, recovered by Deionte Haywood.
 
A&M-Commerce drove downfield and were in prime position to score when Perez was intercepted at the 2-yardline, snapping a string of 263 consecutive attempts without an interception. CWU needed nine plays to march downfield and score a three-yard touchdown to go up 21-7 with 10:08 to play in the half.
 
After a Lion three-and-out and a punt, the Wildcats pushed their advantage to three scores on an eight-play, 64-yard drive with a short touchdown run to go up 28-7. Perez was intercepted to end the Lions' next two drives and send the game to halftime at 28-7.
 
The Wildcats elected to kickoff short to open the second half, and the Lions used the short field to their advantage. A 28-yard pass from Perez to Wimberly set up Hale's 26-yard rushing touchdown, narrowing the deficit to 28-14 with 13:41 left in the third quarter.
 
A&M-Commerce forced punts on the next three CWU drives, and Blubaugh's interception snuffed out a drive inside the red zone. The Lions manufactured a grinding drive of 11 plays and 67 yards that rolled into the fourth quarter. Hobbs fought through a pass interference penalty for a juggling 9-yard touchdown reception, cutting the CWU lead to 28-21 with 12 minutes remaining in regulation,
 
The teams traded punts, and the Lions got their last crack at tying the game with 2:37 on the clock and 64 yards to go.
 
The Lions didn't make it easy on themselves, facing long conversion attempts thanks to a fumble and penalties. Distances of third-and-14 and fourth-and-7 were converted as the guests moved downfield. Perez found Wimberly open for an 18-yard completion to get down to the Wildcat 3-yardline with just over 20 seconds remaining. A sack and two incomplete passes put the game on the line at fourth-and-goal from the 4-yardline. With three seconds to go, Perez fired a low bullet pass to Wilson just over the goal line to get the Lions within one point. Martinez' extra point was good, tying the game at 28-all. A short kickoff and a kneel down sent the game to overtime.
 
Central Washington won the coin toss and elected to defend first. The Lions gained four yards on a pair of rushes, and Martinez' field goal from 38 yards out gave the visitors their first lead of the day at 31-28.
 
CWU was able to get first-and-goal at the 8-yardline when the Lion defense buckled down. Yusef Sterling-Lowe made a tackle for a loss on second down, and Blubaugh rushed the quarterback into an incompletion on third down. The Wildcats were forced to settle for a 22-yard field goal, sending the game to the second overtime period tied at 31-all.
 
With darkness looming – and no lights at Tomlinson Stadium – rain also began to materialize as the teams switched ends of the field. CWU had possession first and the Lions were exceptional in pass coverage. Saathoff nearly intercepted a third down pass, and Dominique Ramsey broke up the fourth down pass to keep the Wildcats off the board.
 
The Lions ran the ball three times for a total of four yards to the CWU 21, setting up Martinez' 38-yard attempt. The A&M-Commerce all-time leading scorer drilled the field goal, setting off a wild celebration that ended with Martinez being carried off of the field towards the scoreboard which read "Lions 34, Wildcats 31".