By The Hays Daily News

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- The Fort Hays State University football team earned its first win of the season with a 37-23 road win against Truman State (Mo.) University. The Tigers outgained Truman State 541 yards to 434, including a 348-50 edge on the ground. Fort Hays forced two turnovers inside its 10-yard line.

Fort Hays improved to 1-4, 1-4 MIAA, while Truman State dropped to 3-2, 2-2 MIAA.

Freshman Treveon Albert had the best game of his career with 81 rushing yards, 72 receiving yards and a 53-yard touchdown pass on a trick play to Cornelius Gallon. Junior quarterback Tarean Austin completed 14 of 30 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed 13 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard run. Punter Cameron Owens had a 44-yard run on a fake punt. Senior Layton Hickel led the defense with 15 tackles.

Fort Hays led 21-10 at halftime, the first time the Tigers led at intermission this year. After a scoreless third quarter, FHSU outscored Truman State, 16-13, in the final quarter. Fort Hays took a 7-0 lead with 3:36 left in the first quarter on an Austin 5-yard run. Truman responded with a six-yard TD pass from quarterback Conrad Schottel to wideout Dallas Grier. Schottel passed for a career-high 384 yards. It was the first time FHSU scored a touchdown in the first quarter all season. Fort Hays took a 14-7 lead on Albert's pass to Gallon. The Tigers wouldn't lose the lead -- or have a tie score -- the rest of the game.

However, Truman kept it close until late. Fort Hays led 31-23 in the final minutes, but Truman couldn't convert a fourth-and-4 from the Tiger 28-yard line with 1:46 left. Austin scored the final touchdown with 42 seconds left.