An improving Rhodes offense and a defense that has given Austin College “fits every year concerned Austin coach Ronnie Gage coming into Saturday's game at Fargason Field.

His concern about the Lynx offense getting better was justified as Gage watched the Lynx crisply drive down the field on their first possession. Matt Gilbert ran the ball four times. Brett Stoots completed two passes to Jack Lartigue and Rhodes was on the Kangaroos' 26-yard line just like that.

Looking as if he is recovered from a knee injury, Josh McMurray ran for a 26-yard touchdown with 11:39 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.

“It was important for us to get back on the board quick,” said Gage and his team did. Sparked by a 28-yard run by Brogan Funderburg and a 19-yard pass from Andy Braly to Phillip Gonzales led Austin to the Rhodes 3-yard line where Ross Hasten scored a touchdown with 6:57 left in the first quarter.

 A 23-yard kickoff return by Jake Jackson, a 12-yard rush by Stoots, an 11-yard rush by McMurray led the Lynx on a 3-play, 59-yard drive that zenithed when Stoots completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Papermaster and Rhodes had pulled to within 31-21 with 4:39 left to play.

 Rhodes couldn't recover an on-side kick and Austin was on the Rhodes 1-yard line when the game ended and the Kangaroos captured a 31-21 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference victory on homecoming.

“The bottom line is that they made more plays than we did and they executed better,” said Rhodes coach Joe White. “We missed field goals. They made field goals. We needed to make a touchdown on that drive, not a field goal. We didn't execute well enough to get a touchdown.”

 White was referring to a Rhodes drive with 10:26 left to play. Lukas Stockhausen, who made kicked three extra points, came close to connecting on a 31-yard field goal.

 Austin then started an 80-yard drive that ended when Braly hit Greg Harrell for a 28-yard touchdown pass for a 30-14 lead.

Braly completed 13 of 20 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns while Hasten gained 139 yards on 22 carries. 

 McMurray sparked Rhodes (2-6, 0-4) with 128 yards on 16 carries. Chris Rose  scored on a 7-yard run that cut Austin's lead to 24-14 in the third quarter.

“We put enough points to win. The offense is playing better every week,” said Rhodes defensive back Andy Boucher. “We saw what Josh McMurray can do when he's healthy. He can do it all at running back. He's still not 100 percent (healed). He had a great game. It's good to see.”

 Austin (4-3, 2-3) played an error-free game. “We couldn't defend drives in the end and had limited possession time the way Austin was running its offense,” said Rhodes wide receiver Derek King.

“We couldn't finish our drives.”

 Braly said that Austin's spread-option offense that combines two tight ends and the on the next play four wide receivers makes it “a lot for other teams to prepare for. They're (Lynx) good on defense. They're no slouches out there.”

Harrell caught two touchdown passes from Braly, his first a 13-yarder that put the Kangaroos ahead 24-7. “The middle of the field was open on pass plays,” said Harrell. Gonzales, who had a game-high 63 yards receiving, caught a 46-yard touchdown from Braly in the second quarter that gave Austin the lead for good, 14-7.

Gage called Braly a “tough runner who has a great touch on the ball. He doesn't panic and made some plays for everybody.”

Defensively, Matt Stork, Chase Duke, Jimmy Eye had big stops for the Lynx along with linebacker Andy Meier who  had a game-high 16 tackles. Boucher had 12 tackles, Kendral Ellison 10 tackles, Austin Marcum 8.

Pleased with his team's effort, which he termed “hard,” White said getting yards and stats were “not enough.”

Rhodes had a great defensive stand in the third quarter that forced the Kangaroos to punt. Gilbert returned it to the Austin 31-yard line and Rose ran to the 14-yard line before a personal foul penalty on Austin gave the Lynx a first down on the 7. Rose scored from there with 6:32 left in the third.

A captain, Boucher is searching for more consistency on the Rhodes defense he said. “We missed some assignments and missed tackles. We walk away with the pride and respect. The effort is there. We've got to execute a little better on both sides of the ball.”