BROWNWOOD, Texas - The Howard Payne University football team posted over 450 yards of total offense in a 31-20 homecoming victory over Sul Ross State University Saturday afternoon at Gordon Wood Stadium.

McGwire Martin led the Yellow Jacket offensive attack with 299 yards passing and two TDs. HPU receivers Thomas Williams and DunTayvion Gross played a huge factor with over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown each.

Blake Phipps got HPU on the scoreboard first with a 26 yard field goal with 6:25 left in the first quarter. Then it was Thomas Williams on the Jackets first play of their next possession that scored on a 46 yard pass from McGwire Martin making the score 10-7 Yellow Jackets.

After playing to a 10-10 halftime score, Howard Payne used a 21-point third quarter to pull away from Sul Ross State. 

In the third, it was a Billy Reagins 6-yard TD run, a DunTayviun Gross 6-yard TD reception and a Kaidrion Latson 1-yard run that gave the Yellow Jackets 31-10 lead with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter.

Sul Ross was able to get a 35-yard field goal and score on a 14-yard TD pass in the fourth to round out the 31-20 HPU final.

HPU's Martin finished 14 of 16 passing for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Caleb Estes was 4 of 8 passing for 59 yards for HPU.

Williams had three catches for 110 yards with one TD and Gross hauled in five catches for 101 yards and one TD.

Stephen Darden and James Jakubowski led the HPU defensive unit with seven tackles each. Michael Davis had six tackles and a sack and a half. Brady Wade and Zeno Barnum also added five tackles and Wade assisted on a sack.

It was the first homecoming win for HPU since 2012 when the Yellow Jackets won 27-14 over Mississippi College.

Howard Payne is now 3-5 overall and 2-5 in American Southwest Conference play. Sul Ross falls to 3-5 overall and 3-4 in ASC action. The Yellow Jackets will be on the road next Saturday at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas for a 1:00 pm kickoff.