Things to watch: Lamar University Cardinals Football Fans Receives More Tantalizing News to Cheer About

The Lamar University football team snapped its short losing streak on Saturday with a last-minute field goal that secured a road win against Texas A&M-Commerce.

With the game tied at 20 and just 11 seconds left, junior kicker Ben Woodard successfully converted a 51-yard field goal to give Lamar the lead. The Cardinals then recovered a fumble in the end zone as Commerce attempted a last-ditch effort, finalizing the score at 29-20 at Memorial Stadium.

Woodard’s kick followed shortly after Luke Jackson’s 52-yard field goal that had tied the game for Commerce. This victory marked Lamar’s first road win of the season, improving their overall record to 4-3 and 1-1 in Southland Conference play.

Lamar head coach Pete Rossomando acknowledged that while his team missed some chances to extend their lead, he was pleased to leave a challenging road atmosphere with a win. “I’m proud of our guys for their effort and how they finished the game,” he stated. “Winning on someone else’s homecoming is no easy feat.”

The Cardinals had opportunities to win by a larger margin, finishing with 388 total yards, including 262 rushing yards. However, they struggled in the second half, losing a fumble and failing on a fourth-down conversion.

In the first half, Lamar established a double-digit lead thanks to two touchdowns from quarterback Robert Coleman in the second quarter—one a 10-yard run and the other a 12-yard pass to tight end Devyn Gibbs, putting Lamar ahead 17-3.

Commerce responded before halftime with an 11-play drive that culminated in a short touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 17-10 at halftime.

The Lions scored the only points of the third quarter, tying the game with a 6-yard touchdown catch by Jaden Proctor. The teams then exchanged field goals before Woodard’s game-winning kick.

“It was a great back-and-forth game, and I’m just glad we came out on top,” Rossomando remarked.

He expressed confidence in Woodard’s ability, noting the kicker had a strong week of practice leading up to the game.

Next Saturday, the Cardinals will travel to Natchitoches, Louisiana, to take on Northwestern State.