Commerce, Texas – Led by Deric Davis' 24-of-32 for 324 yards and two touchdowns through the air in his first start of 2014 under center, the A&M-Commerce football team pushed its winning streak to three games with a 53-25 win over the co-defending Lone Star Conference Champions, Tarleton State, Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
 
"We saw the same thing out of Deric (Davis) that we see everyday in practice," head coach Colby Carthel said.  "I think he proved he belong as one best quarterbacks in the Lone Star Conference today.  It shows a lot that as a backup quarterback he was voted a team captain and that tells you a lot about Deric (Davis)."
 
Davis got the start in relief of an injured Tyrik Rollison, and delivered a yeoman-like effort against the Texans, in his first career collegiate start.  He finished the game with four new career-highs including his 324 yards through the air.  He also set new personal marks with 24 pass completions, and total offense with 329 yards.  He tied his best touchdown passing performance with his two TD passes.
 
"It was awesome out there tonight," Davis said.  "My job is to be ready whenever my number is called.  I just made sure I was well prepared for this game so we could come out here and be efficient, make some plays and let the game come to us."
 
Ricky Collins proved to be a multi-threat weapon accounting for 112 yards on seven, and completed a pass on a reverse to Taylor Peasha for a 44-yard touchdown in the second quarter.  Vernon Johnson was held out of the endzone, but led the Lions with 10 receptions for 102 yards.  Peasha finished with three catches for 65 yards.
 
On the ground the Lions accounted for 141 yards on 37 attempts with Joe Bergeron grinding out 71 yards, including a season-long 43-yarder, on 18 carries with one touchdown, while Richard Cooper accumulated 62 yards on just eight carries including a career-long of 32 yards.
 
The Lions have now more than doubled up on the scoring of LSC opponents, outscoring them 156-77 thus far in 2014.  A&M-Commerce entered Saturday's contest ranked second in the NCAA in scoring offense accounting for 54.5 points per game.  In LSC play, the Lions average a whopping 52 points per game, while limiting opponents to 25.7 points per game.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions, who entered as the nation's leader in team tackles for loss, continued the trend with eight tackles for loss in the game.  Toni Pulu tallied three tackles for a loss giving him eight for the 8.5 for the season.  Overall Izzy Eziakor led the team with 13 total tackles, six solo and seven tackle assists.  The Lions also notched their fourth consecutive game with in INT.   This time defensive line Devar Brown picked off a pass and rumbled for 43 yards on the return.
 
A&M-Commerce took the opening kickoff and marched 69 yards in six plays capped off by a Bergeron four run touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead.  After forcing a Tarleton State three-and-out, Davis connected with Collins for a 51-yard touchdown pass on a 2nd and 17 to extend the lead out to 14-0 only 5:15 into play.
 
After the two teams traded field goals, the Lions special teams unit delivered with their fifth blocked kick and fourth block punt – all by Davarus Shores.  Shores came around the end and deflected the punt.  B.J. Mills collected the ball in the air and scampered 41 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first quarter with A&M-Commerce leading 24-3.
 
On its first possession of the second quarter, the Lions reached into the bag of trick plays as Collins came around on a double reverse and found Peasha for 44-yard score extending the lead out to 30-3 and seeming putting the game out of reach for the Texans.
 
Saul Martinez added a 43-yard field goal for the Lions, and the Texans ended an eight-play 75 yard drive with a five-yard TD pass from Collin Strahan to Clifton Rhodes III for their first touchdown of the game to give the game a halftime score of 33-10.
 
Martinez made his third field goal of the game, a 40-yarder, to extend the Lion lead out to 26 points, 36-10, but the Texans answered with a two-yard scramble by Strahan for a touchdown trimming the deficit down to 36-17 at the end of the third quarter.
 
The Lions added two more touchdowns, an eight-yard run by Cooper and a six-yard reception by Jordan Jenkins, and a field goal, 24-yards by Martinez, in the fourth quarter, while Tarleton State scratched out a 16-yard touchdown pass from Eric Mathews to Tyler Wright over the final 15 minutes of play.
 
A&M-Commerce has knocked off the defending LSC champions in the last two games and with the win over Tarleton State defeated the team picked to finish first in the preseason polls.
 
The Lions will prepare for a trip to San Angelo, Texas for a showdown with the Angelo State University Rams, who are 3-1 on the season and one of three teams at 2-1 in LSC play. The game is scheduled for Saturday, October 11 at 7:00 p.m.
 
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