Stephen Spillman / Amarillo Globe-News Muleshoe receiver Victor Vasquez loses control of a pass when hit by Bushland's Wes Weiss during a Class 2A Division I bidistrict game Friday night at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium. Muleshoe won, 34-20.

The expected all-out offensive explosion in this battle of unbeatens between Muleshoe and Bushland didn't really materialize Friday night.

But this whale of a football game was decided by an explosion of 14 points over a span of 1 minute, 40 seconds.

Muleshoe scored 14 points in those 100 seconds by taking advantage of a Bushland gamble on a fourth-down punt and recovering a fumble on a kickoff to sweep by Bushland, 34-20, in a Class 2A Division I bidistrict game on a cold, windy night in Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.

Those two touchdowns turned No. 9-ranked Bushland's 20-13 lead into a 27-20 deficit and was the catalyst for the No. 3-ranked Mules' victory.

"Mistakes," Bushland coach David Flowers said. "Against a team that good you can't make those kind of mistakes. But I'm so proud of these kids and thought the game lived up to the billing."

Bushland - and the windy conditions - had kept the Mules much-ballyhooed passing offense in check and held a 20-13 lead late into the third quarter.

Bushland had stunned Muleshoe on the opening offensive play when Micheal Matthews ran 74 yards for a touchdown. Then with 9:36 to play in the third quarter, the Falcons built a 20-13 lead when Sawyer Cornelius' pass deflected off Rawley Gomez and was snagged for a touchdown by a diving Crockett Gillmore.

"I thought we were playing really well right there," Flowers said.

Muleshoe changed the momentum late in the third quarter when Bushland punter Caleb McGuire attempted to run for a first down on a fourth-and-3 from his own 17.

Muleshoe's Cooper Washington and Lane Wood stopped him for no gain.

"The game was going back and forth, and Bushland has a great team," Muleshoe quarterback Wes Wood said. "We were thinking if we can convert here and make a big play, we could get a little edge. Man, I guess it happened."

Five plays later, Wood scored from a yard out on a keeper, and kicker Jared Skipworth's point-after had this game knotted at 20 with 11:55 to play.

"We had a miscommunication there," Flowers said. "He's just trying hard to make a play. He's a champion."

On the ensuing kickoff, Bushland's Rawly Gomez had a strong return going before he fumbled in a pileup near midfield, and Muleshoe's Danny Montejano hustled his way to the recovery.

Three Wes Wood completions later, Muleshoe was in the end zone, the final one a 2-yard touchdown pass to Victor Vasquez with 10:15 to play for a 27-20 lead.

The touchdown pass was Wes Wood's 54th of the season, tying him for the all-time area record for touchdown passes in a season with Valley's Kirk Saul (1986).

Wood finished 15-of-33 for 195 yards and a touchdown and scored on a pair of short runs. Muleshoe surprisingly picked up its opening six first downs by way of the run and used the running of cousins Lane Wood (13 carries for 72 yards) and Wes Wood (14 carries for 75 yards) to move the ball against Bushland.

"That was the turning point for us," said Muleshoe coach David Wood of the quick scores. "Now, they had some momentum swing there way, too. The fourth quarter told the tale."

For the most part, Bushland's defense kept in check the Mules' dangerous passing game and seemed to have an upset in hand after the tipped touchdown pass catch by Gillmore. Gillmore made the catch of the game in the second quarter, leaping for a pass and going 32 yards for a touchdown from Cornelius.

Cornelius was sacked on five straight plays late in the game as the Mules defense put the icing on the win. Cornelius finished with 155 yards passing, while Matthews ran for a game-high 106 yards.

"The big play of the game changed the outcome," said Wes Wood.

Muleshoe will advance to the area round against another unbeaten team, Littlefield (11-0).

Bushland ends its season having accomplished school history with its first unbeaten regular season in school history.

Bushland 6 6 8 0 - 20
Muleshoe 7 6 0 21 - 34

B-Micheal Matthews 74 run (kick failed)

M-Victor Vasquez 2 run (Jared Skipworth kick)

M-Lane Wood 2 run (kick failed)

B-Crockett Gillmore 32 pass from Sawyer Cornelius (kick failed)

B-Gillmore 11 pass from Cornelius (Mason Harris pass from Cornelius)

M-Wes Wood 1 run (Skipworth kick)

M-Vasquez 2 pass from Wes Wood (Skipworth kick)

M-Wes Wood 1 run (Skipworth kick)

Bushland Muleshoe
First Downs 13 18
Yards Rushing 125 149
Yards Passing 155 195
Total Yards Gained 280 344
Comp-Att-Int 13-29-0 15-33-0
Punts-Avg. 4-28 4-30.5
Fumbles-Lost 3-2 3-1
Penalties-Yards 4-30 7-65

Individual Statistics

RUSHING - Bushland: Micheal Matthews 9-106, Mason Harris 4-7, Tyler Moore 2-(-)1, Sawyer Cornelius 14-14, Rawley Gomez 1-0, Collin Perry 1-3.

Muleshoe: Lane Wood 13-72, Wes Wood 14-75, Victor Vasquez 2-2.

PASSING - Bushland: Sawyer Cornelius 13-28-0-155; Caleb McGuire 0-1-0-0; Muleshoe: Wes Wood 15-33--0-195.

RECEIVING - Bushland: Tyler Holmes 1-8, Rawley Gomez 3-22, Crockett Gillmore 4-61, Tyler Hunt 2-25, Collin Perry 2-17. Muleshoe: Victor Vasquez 3-43, Lane Wood 4-46, Ray Ramirez 2-62, Nathaniel Chavez 1-3, Cooper Washington 2-36.