BLACKWATER DRAW, N.M. - Midwestern State's Zack Eskridge used his arm to propel his way onto the national scene last season.

The senior from Rockwall is proving his legs work just fine, too.

Eskridge rushed for a game- and season-high 137 yards to lead the 13th-ranked Mustangs to a convincing 44-17 win over Eastern New Mexico Saturday night at Greyhound Stadium.

The Mustangs amassed 526 yards of total offense including 372 yards on the ground as Marcus Mathis rushed for 94 yards on 16 carries and Chauncey Harris ran for 63 yards on five carries to pace the MSU rushing attack.

Eastern New Mexico marched right down the field with a three-play, 46-yard drive to take the early 7-0 lead on Wesley Wood's 10-yard strike ot Chase Kyser just over 3 minutes into the game.

The Mustangs responded with a quick 5-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 2-yard plunge by Neal Carr to knot the game at 7-7.

Midwestern then took advantage of the first of six Greyhound turnovers as Patrick Roberts fell on a fumble at the ENMU 20-yard line and the Mustangs took the first lead of the game on Jose Martinez's 37-yard field goal to make the score 10-7.

The deluge continued for MSU when Tyler Maner picked off the first of five Mustangs' interceptions and returned it 36 yards for a TD to push the lead to 17-7.

Then right before the end of the quarter, Eskridge hit David Little on an out-route for an 18-yard score as the advantage grew to 24-7.

The Greyhounds would chip away to pull within a touchdown on Arvin Jackson's 2-yard TD reception with 5:06 left in the first half, but MSU quickly answered with a 9-play, 66-yard culiminated by a 1-yard Mathis touchdown as the Mustangs regained a 14-point cushion at 31-17.

It was all Midwestern in the second half.

Eskridge connected on 15-of-28 passes to finish with 139 yards and a touchdown, but it was the defense that proved to bend but snap back at the Hounds' wide open attack.

Five different MSU players including Maner, Trey Wolfe, P.J. Grundy, Ryan Craven and Ty Duncan each had interceptions for the Mustangs who festered Wood into a 32-of-53 passing night as he finished iwth 272 yards and two touchdowns.

Jeremy Smith and Ty Duncan paced the MSU defense with seven tackles each.

Midwestern State (2-0) takes on Southwestern Oklahoma in its home opener next Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Eastern New Mexico dipped to 1-2.