MARS HILL, N.C. – The No. 18 ranked Statesmen of Delta State University (1-0) put up 37 second-half points, extending their road win streak to 13 games in a 47-16 victory against Mars Hill University (0-1) Thursday night in their season opener at Meares Stadium.
 
Senior Jaylen Green had five catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns as a part of a Delta State offensive attack that had 498 total yards. Sophomore transfer Qualon Farrar had 70 total yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
 
In the second half, the Statesmen scored on five out of six of their possessions. From the 2:32 mark in the third quarter, to the end, the Statesmen outscored Mars Hill 30-6.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, the Statesmen had nine TFLs and six sacks including three sacks from sophomore defensive lineman Chris Bonner. Jarius McFarland got his first interception as a Statesmen late in the first quarter. 
 
A scoreless first quarter ended with a Kelvin Smith 47-yard run that led to a Nick Herber 35-yard field goal to give the Statesmen a 3-0 lead with 14:55 to go in the first half. Two drives later, the Statesmen would take advantage of a seven play, 78-yard drive with big receptions from Michael Carley, and Neno Lemay that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from Farrar to extend the Statesmen lead to 10-0.
 
A Statesmen turnover before the half, would give the Lions a touchdown to make it a 10-7 halftime mark.
 
Coming out of the half, the Statesmen took the opening kickoff, marched down the field on a 10-play, 66-yard drive ending with Cole Kirk finding Green in the back corner of the endzone to give the Statesmen a 17-7 lead.
 
The Lions would answer on the next drive with a 30-yard field goal cutting the Statesmen deficit to 17-10. The Statesmen would punch back with a six play, 85-yard drive with Farrar's second touchdown rush of the evening to extend the Statesmen lead to 24-10. With a three-and-out and great field position off of an errant punt, Smith would score from six yards out on the second and goal to make it 31-10.
 
The Lions would score off a nine play 61-yard drive with a 15-yard TD pass from JR Martin to Malik Laurent to make it 31-16. The two-point conversion would be intercepted by senior defensive back Marlon Windham and taken back 100-yards for two-points to make it 33-16.
 
On the next drive, the Statesmen started the drive with four Farrar runs, followed by a 48-yard touchdown pass from Kirk to Green to make it 40-16.
 
With :32 seconds left; the Statesmen would put the final nail in the coffin with Jake Lange finding Marlon Palmer on a screen play to make it 47-16.
 
The Statesmen improve to 1-0, winning their 13^th consecutive road game will come back to McCool Stadium next Saturday for the 38^th annual Pig Pickin' game against Missouri S&T. Kickoff for next week will be at 6:00 p.m. (CDT).