SEGUIN, Texas -- Second-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor turned a 6-3 early deficit into a 72-16 blowout of No. 17 Texas Lutheran, Saturday at TLU's Bulldog Stadium.
 
The Cru (7-0) defeated TLU (6-1) for the 15th time in 16 all-time meetings.
 
Saturday's matchup was the first between the two teams in TLU's new Bulldog Stadium and the first meeting with both teams nationally-ranked and undefeated.
 
TLU put together scoring drives of 52 and 69 yards on its first two possessions, but the Bulldogs settled for 40 and 23-yard field goals from Tyler Brandenburg (Spring/Concordia Lutheran).
 
TLU led 6-3 with 6:24 to play in the first quarter.
 
UMHB took the lead for good at the 4:15 mark of the first quarter, on a Duane Thompson six-yard scoring run.
 
From there, the Cru extended the lead to 59-6, scoring 56 unanswered points. Thompson scored four touchdowns in the first half alone, with TD runs of six, one, 26 and six.
 
UMHB led 45-6 at the half. The Cru compiled 441 yards on 42 plays in the opening 30 minutes.
 
UMHB quarterback Zach Anderson threw for 271 yards and two scores in the first half. He finished the day with 324 yards on 16-of-22 passing.
 
Cru receivers Marcus Wimby and Eric Nelson each went over the 100-yard receiving mark. Wimby caught seven for 120, and Nelson snagged three for 103.
 
Nelson scored a pair of TDs and had a 72-yard score on a tipped pass on which he was not the intended receiver.
 
Wimby scored on a 38-yard pass to close out the scoring of the first half.
 
UMHB averaged 16.9 yards per completion.
 
The Cru scored 27 points off turnovers. UMHB defensive end Ryan Allen returned a Zach Galindo (San Antonio/O'Connor) pass 40 yards for a score.
 
UMHB held the Bulldogs, the nation's second-ranked scoring offense, to 16 points and to 412 yards of total offense.
 
NCAA DIII rushing leader Marquis Barrolle (Ingleside/Ingleside) rushed for 85 yards in the first half against the Cru. Barrolle ended the day with 24 carries for 91 yards, with a long rush of 33 yards. The 33-yarder came on his very first carry of the day. He did not play in the fourth quarter as both teams emptied their benches.
 
Bulldog starting QB Trenton White (Sachse/Sachse) was 12-for-24 with a touchdown and an interception. White connected with Caleb Oliver (Pearland/Lutheran South) on a 15-yard scoring pass late in the third quarter.
 
TLU must re-group for next Saturday's Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener with Trinity University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at TLU's Bulldog Stadium.