Commerce, Texas — In a thrilling finish, Ron Peace connected with Sean Sallis for a 2-yard touchdown with just 36 seconds left on the clock, propelling East Texas A&M to a narrow 41-40 victory over Houston Christian. The dramatic win was sealed as Dillon Fedor’s 44-yard field goal attempt missed its target in the game’s final moment on Saturday.

Peace orchestrated an impressive 10-play, 56-yard drive that clinched the game for East Texas A&M (3-8, 2-3 Southland Conference). This drive came in the wake of Houston Christian’s (4-7, 2-4) struggles, which included two missed field goals, a fumble loss, and a trio of three-and-out possessions during their last five chances to score.

In a standout performance, Peace completed 40 of his 65 pass attempts, accumulating 400 yards alongside four touchdown throws, albeit with two interceptions. Notably, he targeted Christian Jourdain for three of those touchdown passes, with Jourdain tallying six catches for a total of 106 yards. Additionally, Max Epps made his mark with a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown which gave the Lions an early 14-7 lead in the first quarter.

For Houston Christian, Cutter Stewart was a force, throwing three TD passes to AJ Wilson, who had a remarkable game with four receptions totaling 206 yards. Semaj Brown also bolstered the team with a defensive score off an interception, and the Husky’s noteworthy third-quarter performance, which yielded 26 points, pushed them ahead 40-35 before East Texas A&M’s decisive drive.

Stewart’s overall stats stood at 310 yards on 15 completions from 30 attempts, including three touchdown passes but also one interception. The game was a showcase of offensive fireworks, with both teams combining for 710 passing yards and 197 rushing yards throughout the contest.

Houston Christian established an early lead, 7-0, midway through the opening quarter when Brown intercepted Peace and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. However, East Texas A&M quickly responded to tie the game with a 1-yard scoring run from BK Jackson just four minutes later.

Midway through the second quarter, Peace found Jourdain for a 20-yard touchdown, stretching the Lions’ lead to 21-7. Refusing to back down, Stewart responded with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Wilson to bring the Huskies within seven points at halftime.

The game continued to shift as Stewart delivered a 67-yard touchdown pass to Wilson for a 26-21 lead after a failed two-point conversion. In a flash, his next attempt saw Wilson score again on a 75-yard catch for a 12-point advantage.

The excitement built as Champ Dozier returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown amid a back-and-forth scoring spree, characterized by Peace’s two touchdown tosses to Jourdain, who caught balls over 15 and 17 yards.