COPPERAS COVE, Texas – Sophomore kicker Jacob Carpenter's (Winona, Miss.) 39-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Corey Hall with 17 seconds remaining in the game to preserve a 36-35 win for McMurry over Southern Arkansas in the inaugural NCAA Division II Heart of Texas Bowl Saturday at Bulldawg Stadium.

The loss spoiled a brilliant performance by Mulerider junior running back Mark Johnson (Longview, Texas) who rushed for a school record 264 yards and had three touchdowns.

SAU (8-3) piled up 618 yards of offense to the War Hawks' 470, but McMurry (8-3) scored 29 second half points in pulling out the win. Southern Arkansas finished with 306 yards rushing, without a lost yard, and 312 passing, all by junior quarterback Tyler Sykora (Hot Springs Village). McMurry quarterback Jake Mullin passed for 448 yards and three touchdowns en route to being named the game's MVP, completing 46 of 66 passes. The War Hawks had only 22 yards rushing.

The War Hawks rallied from an early third quarter 21-7 deficit and claimed their first lead of the game on the deciding touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion with 1:02 left in the contest. Trailing 35-28, Mullin hit Clinton McCoy with a 10-yard touchdown pass and then connected with Joshua Chatman on the two-point conversion to erase what would have been the Muleriders first bowl win since a 41-31 victory over the Mexican All-Stars in the 1990 Aztec Bowl in Mexico City.

Full Recap at MuleriderAthletics.com