The 2016 West Texas A&M Buffaloes football team represented West Texas A&M University (WTAMU or WT) in the 2016 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Lone Star Conference (LSC). The Buffaloes were led by fifth-year head coach Mike Nesbitt and played their home games at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon, Texas.
On November 18, athletic director Michael McBroom announced that Nesbitt had been fired. Nesbitt finished his career at WT with an overall record of 25–17 through four seasons.
Preseason LSC media poll The LSC media poll was released on August 8, 2016. The Buffaloes were predicted to finish fourth.
Schedule
Game summaries At Azusa Pacific
Statistics WTAPU First downs 20 17 Total yards 273 242 Rushing yards 40 174 Passing yards 233 68 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 27:28 32:32
Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ethan Brinkley 28/46, 233 yards, 2 INT Rushing Devon Paye 16 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Ja'quarius Daniels 11 receptions, 93 yardsAzusa Pacific Passing Andrew Elffers 10/17, 68 yards Rushing Kurt Scoby 17 rushes, 118 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ethan Ziedler 3 receptions, 36 yards
At No. 19 CSU Pueblo
Statistics WTCSUP First downs 15 17 Total yards 298 321 Rushing yards 102 229 Passing yards 196 92 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 28:54 31:06
Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ethan Brinkley 24/33, 196 yards, TD Rushing Devon Paye 19 rushes, 100 yards Receiving Eppy Henriques 5 receptions, 65 yards, TDCSU Pueblo Passing Rex Dausin 7/16, 75 yards, INT Rushing Bernard McDondle 19 rushes, 139 yards Receiving Osha Washington 3 receptions, 41 yards
At UT Permian Basin
Statistics WTUTPB First downs 25 19 Total yards 460 262 Rushing yards 99 117 Passing yards 361 145 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 31:06 28:54 Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ethan Brinkley 34/50, 356 yards, 2 TD Rushing Devon Paye 14 rushes, 93 yards Receiving Michael Andrews 6 receptions, 87 yardsUT Permian Basin Passing Kameron Mathis 8/25, 74 yards, 2 INT Rushing Brandon Infiesto 12 rushes, 60 yards Receiving Kristian Brown 6 receptions, 58 yards
The game was originally scheduled for the previous night, September 17, but was postponed to the following morning due to severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings in Ector County.
Tarleton State
Statistics TSUWT First downs 21 21 Total yards 428 479 Rushing yards 60 123 Passing yards 368 356 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 26:03 33:57
Team Category Player StatisticsTarleton State Passing Zed Woerner 26/37, 368 yards, 3 TD Rushing Curtis McGregor 12 rushes, 46 yards, TD Receiving Jeff Thomas 8 receptions, 132 yardsWest Texas A&M Passing Ethan Brinkley 28/41, 356 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Devon Paye 21 rushes, 148 yards, TD Receiving Michael Andrews 3 receptions, 79 yards
At Eastern New Mexico
Statistics WTENMU First downs 19 21 Total yards 392 504 Rushing yards 47 433 Passing yards 345 71 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 22:03 37:57
Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ethan Brinkley 31/45, 345 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Devon Paye 12 rushes, 41 yards, TD Receiving Eppy Henriques 2 receptions, 77 yardsEastern New Mexico Passing Wyatt Strand 5/7, 71 yards, TD Rushing Chivasiay Gallagher 24 rushes, 122 yards, 2 TD Receiving Aaron Johnson 2 receptions, 53 yards
Texas A&M–Kingsville
Statistics TAMUKWT First downs 25 21 Total yards 445 510 Rushing yards 267 34 Passing yards 178 476 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 31:34 28:26
Team Category Player StatisticsTexas A&M–Kingsville Passing Myles Carr 10/19, 155 yards, 2 TD Rushing Greg Pitre 21 rushes, 130 yards, TD Receiving Stehly Reden 2 receptions, 74 yardsWest Texas A&M Passing Ben Arbuckle 18/33, 354 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Devon Paye 16 rushes, 86 yards Receiving Junior Pomee 6 receptions, 115 yards, 2 TD
At Oklahoma Panhandle State
Statistics WTOPSU First downs 24 24 Total yards 409 396 Rushing yards 117 157 Passing yards 292 239 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 30:29 29:31
Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ben Arbuckle 30/42, 292 yards, 6 TD Rushing Devon Paye 15 rushes, 80 yards Receiving Junior Pomee 11 receptions, 124 yards, 4 TDOklahoma Panhandle State Passing Shane Truelove 19/34, 218 yards, 2 TD Rushing Xavier Jones 10 rushes, 61 yards Receiving Devyn Williams 5 receptions, 78 yards
No. 4 Midwestern State
Statistics MSUWT First downs 18 21 Total yards 338 396 Rushing yards 192 215 Passing yards 146 181 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:11 30:49
Team Category Player StatisticsMidwestern State Passing Quade Coward 14/32, 141 yards, TD Rushing Vincent Johnson 17 rushes, 81 yards Receiving Breion Evans 4 receptions, 77 yardsWest Texas A&M Passing Ben Arbuckle 21/28, 181 yards, 2 TD Rushing Devon Paye 30 rushes, 177 yards, 2 TD Receiving Eppy Henriques 2 receptions, 52 yards
At No. 8 Texas A&M–Commerce
Statistics WTTAMUC First downs 12 19 Total yards 284 358 Rushing yards 43 124 Passing yards 241 234 Turnovers 6 1 Time of possession 25:51 34:09
Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ben Arbuckle 26/39, 241 yards, 4 INT Rushing Trent Canion 4 rushes, 18 yards Receiving Devon Paye 10 receptions, 73 yardsTexas A&M–Commerce Passing Luis Perez 17/23, 230 yards, TD Rushing Richard Cooper 26 rushes, 105 yards, TD Receiving Darby Smith 3 receptions, 84 yards
Angelo State
Statistics ASUWT First downs 18 8 Total yards 246 137 Rushing yards 190 71 Passing yards 56 66 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 42:00 18:00
Team Category Player StatisticsAngelo State Passing Jake Faber 8/13, 56 yards, TD Rushing Josh Stevens 30 rushes, 119 yards, TD Receiving Josh Stevens 5 receptions, 40 yards, TDWest Texas A&M Passing Ben Arbuckle 11/23, 66 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Trent Canion 9 rushes, 40 yards Receiving Junior Pomee 1 reception, 25 yards, TD
At Western New Mexico
Statistics WTWNMU First downs 16 26 Total yards 348 443 Rushing yards 38 251 Passing yards 310 192 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 20:59 39:01
Team Category Player StatisticsWest Texas A&M Passing Ethan Brinkley 14/26, 208 yards, 3 TD Rushing Devon Paye 12 rushes, 63 yards Receiving Chris Gilchrist 8 receptions, 109 yards, 2 TDWestern New Mexico Passing Javia Hall 20/40, 195 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing DeAndre Williams 27 rushes, 127 yards, 2 TD Receiving Xavier Ayers 7 receptions, 75 yards
References