RICHMOND, Ky. (Interstat) — Victor Gabalis threw for 207 yards and a touchdown and the Tarleton State defense forced three turnovers as the Texans remained undefeated with a 31-7 road victory over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday at Roy Kidd Stadium.

Tarleton State improved to 7-0 for the season, while Eastern Kentucky fell to 3-3.

The Texans set the tone early with a methodical 12-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from backup quarterback Daniel Greek. The score gave Tarleton State a 7-0 lead with 3:43 remaining in the opening quarter, an advantage they would not relinquish.

Eastern Kentucky’s offense struggled to find consistency against a stout Texans defense. The Colonels managed just one scoring drive, which came late in the first half. Quarterback Myles Burkett engineered a 75-yard march, culminating in a 2-yard touchdown run by Brayden Latham with 15 seconds left in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 10-7 at halftime.

Any momentum the Colonels carried into the break was quickly extinguished in the third quarter. Tarleton State’s offense exploded for 21 points, effectively putting the game out of reach.

The Texans extended their lead on their first possession of the second half, with James Paige plunging in from 1 yard out to make it 17-7. Gabalis then connected with T’iar Young on a 7-yard touchdown pass midway through the quarter. Greek added his second 1-yard touchdown run of the game with 44 seconds left in the third to push the lead to 31-7.

The Tarleton State defense sealed the win with a pair of interceptions in the final minutes. Kasyus Kurns picked off a pass at the end of the first half, and Hagan Stephenson ended Eastern Kentucky’s final drive with an 83-yard return deep into Colonel territory as time expired.

Gabalis, a quarterback from Everett, Washington, efficiently managed the game, completing 18 of 27 passes. His top target was Cody Jackson, who hauled in six receptions for 94 yards. The Texans’ ground game was led by Tre Page III, who rushed for 74 yards on 13 carries.

For Eastern Kentucky, Burkett, from Franklin, Wisconsin, passed for 113 yards and added 50 yards on the ground, but was hampered by the two interceptions. Latham was the lone bright spot for the Colonels’ offense, scoring their only touchdown and finishing with 21 rushing yards.

The result defied the pregame betting lines, which had installed Eastern Kentucky as a 23.5-point favorite. The combined score of 38 points also fell well under the over/under line of 60.5. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a much closer contest, with Tarleton State winning 41-34.

Tarleton State will look to continue its perfect season on the road next Saturday at Abilene Christian. Eastern Kentucky will also be on the road, facing Central Arkansas.