While last week's 52-49 win over East Texas Baptist was highlighted by a few outstanding performances from some of Louisiana College's established veteran stars, Saturday's 55-28 win over Howard Payne saw the emergence of a freshman running back who broke an 11-year-old school record. That, plus a dominant performance by LC's "White Shirt" defense at Wildcat Stadium in Pineville came on perhaps the most beautiful football afternoon this fall. 

Freshman running back Devin Sylve, who had just 30 carries all season coming into Saturday's contest, was seemingly unstoppable on the afternoon, as he ran the ball 21 times for 172 yards and five touchdowns and added 5 catches for 74 more yards and another touchdown to total 6. Sylve's five rushing touchdowns and six total touchdowns both set new Louisiana College single game records.

The LC defense was equally as dominant, as they intercepted a school record six passes off Howard Payne starting quarterback Richard Young and racked up nine tackles for loss. 

The Wildcats wasted no time taking an early lead, as they marched down the field on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Sylve, capping a 9-play, 59-yard drive.

Sylve would strike again later in the first quarter, as he scored on a 5-yard touchdown run following an interception by LC safety Trent Hall to put the Wildcats up 14-0 at the 2:40 mark. 

Howard Payne, who came into the contest with one of the nation's most potent passing attacks, showed off their big-play ability on the ensuing possession, as Young hit Sayvon Young-Cormier down the right sideline for a 65-yard touchdown to draw the Yellow Jackets closer at 14-7.

But the Wildcat defense would not let HPU sustain much momentum on the Yellow Jackets' next possession, as linebacker C.J. Hawkins picked off a Young pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to give the Wildcats a 20-7 lead after the first. 

Sylve would add two more scores in the second quarter, the first on a beautifully drawn up 28-yard touchdown pass from Easton Melancon and the second on a 3-yard touchdown plunge where the freshman ran over several HPU defenders to get into the end zone to give LC a 34-14 lead at the half.

With all the momentum on his team's side, LC senior defensive back Ira Jewitt would end HPU's first drive of the second half with another interception at Yellow Jacket 31-yard line.

The Wildcats would again convert that turnover into points, as Sylve touched the ball on all three plays on the ensuing possession, finishing off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, his fourth touchdown run of the game. That score tied him legendary Wildcats running back Wayne Davis, who also ran for four scores against McMurry in 2003. That gave LC a 41-14 lead, which was never really threatened despite a 6-yard touchdown run by HPU's Caisson Montieth on the Jackets' next drive to make the score 41-21.

With the hot hand and the single game rushing touchdown record well within his sights, Sylve set sail one final time with 11:43 left in the fourth quarter, as he hit a huge hole opened up by the left side of the offensive line and sprinted to the end zone for a history-making 46-yard touchdown run.

The Wildcats final score came on a 14-yard pass on a rollout from Melancon to fullback Austin Carlin with just over seven minutes left in regulation.

Wildcat senior linebacker Grayson Pylant enjoyed perhaps his finest outing in an LC uniform to date, as he collected a game-high 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and intercepted a career-high two passes to lead LC's defense.

Melancon finished the game with 256 passing yards and two touchdowns while sophomore receiver Shed Davis finished with 12 catches for 132 yards.