McMINNVILLE, Ore. – A pair of big plays gave No. 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor the advantage and a late touchdown provided the final margin as No. 6 Linfield fell 24-3 in nonconference football Saturday afternoon.
 
It was the first time the Wildcats (1-1) had lost their home opener since 2006, and Linfield's lowest point output since being shut out by Southern Oregon in 2001. For the Crusaders (2-0), the defending NCAA Division III national champions, it was their 17th consecutive win over two seasons.
 
On Saturday in front of a crowd of 3,245, UMHB scored on T.J. Josey's 74-yard run on its second play from scrimmage and that was the difference in the Crusaders' 10-3 halftime lead. On the opening play of the second half, Bryce Wilkerson returned Linfield's kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and a 17-3 advantage.
 
That's the way the score stayed until 4:31 remained in the game, when Josey connected with Isaiah Towne on a 35-yard touchdown pas to make it 24-3.
 
The Crusaders outgained the Wildcats 353-141 in total offense, including a 190-34 edge in rushing yards. UMHB limited Linfield to 45 total yards in the second half, when the Wildcats could penetrate no further than the Crusader 45-yard line.
 
Mary Hardin-Baylor's Markeith Miller rushed for 96 yards on 18 carries while Josey finished with 93 yards and that touchdown on nine carries. Josey, a wide receiver a year ago, also completed 12 of 17 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown and DeNerian Thomas had six catches for 50 yards.
 
For Linfield, Troy Fowler completed 13 of 21 passes for 110 yards. Dawson Ruhl rushed for 30 yards on 11 carries and had seven receptions for 35 yards. Chidubem Nnoli rushed for 21 yards on eight carries.
 
The game's momentum took a big swing early. Linfield took the opening kickoff and drove from its 27-yard line to the Mary Hardin-Baylor 24, but Willy Warne's 42-yard field goal attempt missed wide left. Earlier in the drive, Troy Fowler and wide receiver Tyler Torgerson just missed connecting on what would have been a 44-yard scoring pass as the ball was just out of an open Torgerson's reach in the end zone.
 
Josey's dash on an option play came moments later to put the Crusaders ahead 7-0 with 8:32 left in the first quarter. UMHB held Linfield to two first downs on its next three possessions and the Wildcats held the Crusaders to two first downs on its next two possessions to keep it a one-score game.
 
Mary Hardin-Baylor then drove 53 yards in nine plays and extended its lead to 10-0 on John Mowery's 44-yard field goal with 6:13 remaining in the second quarter.
 
A short Crusader punt set up Linfield's only score shortly before halftime. On the final play of the half, Warne drilled a 51-yard field goal to make it 10-3 at the break.
 
After Wilkerson's return, Linfield's defense kept the game in reach by holding UMHB scoreless on its next three possessions. That included turning back a Crusader drive that reached the Wildcat 29 in the third quarter, holding on downs when it forced back-to-back incom÷=pletions by Josey.
 
'CAT SCRATCH: In 2017, Linfield is trying for its 62nd consecutive winning season. The Wildcats' streak, which began in 1956, is the longest in the history of college football at any level. During the streak, Linfield is 492-113-10 for a winning percentage of .808 … Linfield has won four national championships (1982, 1984, 1986, 2004), finished runner-up three times (1961, 1965, 1992) and won 40 conference titles (32 outright) … Since the start of the 2009 season, Linfield is 86-12 overall (.878) … Linfield's all-time record against Mary Hardin-Baylor is now 4-3 in a series dating back to 2004, when the Wildcats took a 28-21 win in the Stagg Bowl to win the NCAA Division III national championship. UMHB has won the last three meetings over the past two seasons, and Saturday was the Crusaders' first win in McMinnville. Each team is now 2-1 at home in the series … Linfield's record in home-openers is now 73-27-3, including a Maxwell Field mark of 64-21-2.