Former UNM signee Burston leads Tarleton past rusty Aggies, 43-17
NMSU embarrassed in first spring game against FCS-member Texans
EL PASO, Texas — Cameron Burston ran for a pair of scores in the first quarter and FCS member Tarleton overwhelmed FBS-level New Mexico State 43-17 on Sunday night.
The win was the first for the Texans (1-1) in just their second game at the FCS level following 26 years in Division II.
On the first play following the opening kickoff, Burston — who signed a letter of intent with New Mexico in 2017 but never enrolled at UNM — took the shotgun snap, ran to his left and sprinted 70 yards untouched to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
Tarleton forced New Mexico State to punt after the Aggies’ initial 6-play, 20-yard drive. Instead of using his legs, this time, Burston threw an 86-yard scoring strike to Gabe Douglas, running down the right sideline, for a 14-0 advantage.
On the ensuing kickoff, Juwan Price took the ball at his own 6-yard line, broke to the right and sprinted untouched 94 yards to reduce New Mexico State’s deficit to 14-7.
Still in the first quarter, the Texans’ defense recorded a safety on a botched pitch by New Mexico State quarterback Jonah Johnson in which an Aggies running back fell on the ball in the end zone for a 16-7 advantage.
With 3:29 left in the first, the elusive Burston recorded his second rushing touchdown on a
21-yard scamper in which he seemingly eluded the entire New Mexico State defense. He started his jaunt to the left before breaking back across the entire field and scoring in the far right corner of the end zone.
The Aggies’ Johnson finished 17-for-31 passing for 187 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times.
Tarleton outgained NM State 33755 in the first half and led 33-7.
Tarleton was missing starting quarterback Steven Duncan, along with a running back, a wide receiver and two offensive linemen, but you couldn’t tell. Burston passed for 118 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 91 yards and two scores in the first half. He finished with 252 passing yards on 15 of 29 passes after entering the game with six career pass attempts.
NM State paid UTEP $10,000 for the use of the Sun Bowl and paid Tarleton $150,000 for the game guarantee, which will provide plenty of film before their second and final spring game, against FCS team Dixie State on March 7 in El Paso.