San Antonio - The Tiger football team lost its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener 42-38 against conference newcomer Texas Lutheran University on Saturday night.

Trinity fell to 1-1 on the season and 0-1 in conference play.  The loss is the first at home in the series with the Bulldogs since the 1976 season.  

The two teams got off to a fast start, and it was the Tigers who took a 17-7 lead after the opening quarter.  After Texas Lutheran cut it to 17-14, Trinity answered just nine seconds later on a 65-yard touchdown play to keep the lead at 10 points.  The Tigers then finished the first-half scoring with a 99-yard drive that followed a goal line stand to make it 31-14 at the break.

The second half would belong to the visitors, though, starting with a pair of scoring drives to make it 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter.  Trinity seemed to take back the momentum with another goal line as the final quarter began, but TLU forced a punt and needed just 38 yards on the go-ahead scoring drive that followed.

Trinity quickly reclaimed the advantage with its first scoring drive of the second half, but the Bulldogs used a 13-play drive on their next possession to score again with just over five minutes remaining.  

The final drive for the Tigers started with a 52-yard pass play, but a game-saving tackle at the 22 yard line kept Trinity from the end zone.  The Texas Lutheran defense held on the next four plays, and then iced the game with a pair of first downs.

Robert Broyles was 15-34 for 344 yards and three touchdowns through the air for the Tigers, connecting with Matthew Kennemer more than any other receiver.  Kennemer finished with seven receptions for 178 yards.  Weslyn Wagner, Cody Sandman, and Hagen Kattner all caught touchdowns in the game, with Wagner's coming on a 65-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter.

Travis Williams led the Tiger rushing attack with 95 yards on 18 carries, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the game.  Broyles added 57 yards on 11 rushes, but was sacked twice, and did throw an interception for Trinity's only turnover of the game.

James Hix finished with a team-best 12 tackles for Trinity, while Connor Yorloff added 11 stops of his own.  Bradley Drenon finished with four quarterback hurries and a pair of tackles for loss - including one of two sacks in the game for the Tigers.

The two teams combined for a staggering 1,135 yards of offense in the game, and both teams passed for over 300 yards.  Texas Lutheran posted nearly 600 yards of offense against Trinity.

Brent Peavy was 20-32 for 317 yards and four touchdowns for the Bulldogs, as well as picking up 85 yards rushing on 12 carries.  Peavy hooked up six times for 175 yards with his brother Cameron Peavy - including two for scores.  A.J. Saucedo carried 15 times for 105 yards to lead all rushers in the game.

Trinity will host Sul Ross State University next weekend, starting at 1:00 p.m.