By: Brandon Ireton (brandon.ireton@angelo.edu)

SAN ANGELO - The Angelo State football team returned a fumble and a kickoff for touchdowns to beat Eastern New Mexico 41-20 in Lone Star Conference action on Saturday night at LeGrand Stadium at 1^st Community Credit Union Field.

The Rams (5-2, 4-2 LSC) were limited to a season low 252 yards of offense but the defense was able to force three turnovers  and limited ENMU to only 110 yards in the second half. The Greyhounds (4-4, 2-4 LSC) rushed for 314 yards of the teams 362 total yards.

Rush Seaver set a career-high with 23 tackles and led three other Rams double-digit stops. Jarred Ross and Richard Franklin each made 11 tackles while Ryan Clapsaddle recorded 10 stops. Franklin and Paul Mason each intercepted ENMU's Jeremy Buurma. Five different Rams recorded at least a half a sack on the night. Kyle Washington threw for 174 yards on 18-of-26 passing while rushing for 29 yards on 11 carries. Ryan Byrd carried the ball 11 times for 43 carries.

After the Greyhounds opened the game with a 13 play 75-yard drive that was capped off by a E'lon Spight 1-yard run to put ENMU on top, Anthony Yancy electrified the home crowd with a 97-yard kickoff return to tie the game at seven. It is the senior's second kickoff return for a touchdown this season and of his career.

The Rams defense forced a punt and received good field position after only a 29-yard punt at the ENMU 47-yard line. Washington threw two-straight passes to Yancy to put the ball at the ENMU 10-yard line.  Warren Truesdale carried it in for his first career rushing touchdown three plays later to give ASU its first lead of the night at 14-7.  

The Greyhounds moved the ball to the 50-yard line on the ensuing drive when Spight rushed up the middle and was held up at the line. Blair Smith ripped the ball out and Hanson IV picked it up off the bounce and rumbled for a 49-yard touchdown with 1:48 to go in the first quarter.

ENMU responded by driving down the field to the Rams 15-yard line and faced a fourth down. Burrma would find Aaron Johnson for a 15-yard touchdown to cut ASU's lead to 21-14.

Paul Mason picked off Burrma, his third of the season, a few drives later to give ASU the ball at the ENMU 18-yard line. Washington scored his only rushing touchdown of the game from 6-yards out to make it 28-14 at the half.

 ASU was limited to 52 yards of offense in the first half while ENMU racked up 252 yards.

The Rams came out of halftime and went for it on fourth and one at the ENMU 44 but Washington was stopped for no gain. The Greyhounds capitalized and scored on a 2-yard run by Spoight but missed the extra point.

The Rams defense held strong after Peter Marquez kicked a 23-yard field goal for a 31-20 advantage. ASU would limit the Greyhounds to only 54 yards of offense over the next six drives by forcing two punts, three turnovers on downs and one interception.

Marquez added a 21-yard field goal and Washington hit Smith for a 4-yard touchdown for the final two scores of the night.

The Rams will play its regular season finale against Tarleton State in Stephenville at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1.