For the first seven minutes of the game, the Bulldogs looked to be on their way to cap the Cinderella season as state champs, jumping out to a 13-0 lead.  After stopping Judson's offense on a three-and-out series, Midland High took the ball on its opening drive and went 80 yards on 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead as T.J. Barber ran in from 16 yards out.  The Dawgs upped the margin after Judson fumbled a pitch on their second possession and MHS linebacker Wade Koehl picked up the loose ball and ran it back 13 yards for a score to give the Bulldogs a 13-0 lead.

The Rockets cut the lead to 13-7 after Kyle Fox returned the ensuing kickoff to mid-field.  Judson moved into scoring position, as Chancy Campbell scored the first of his three first half touchdowns from 11 yards out.  After Judson cut the lead to 13-10 early in the second quarter on a 32-yard field goal by Quinney, the Bulldogs suddenly had trouble holding onto the ball, as they lost three fumbles in the second quarter.  The most damaging loss came shortly after the Bulldogs had a second-and-goal at Judson's 1-yard line, and Koehl plowed over from a yard out to apparently extend Midland High's lead. An illegal motion call moved the ball back to the Judson 6, where Barber couldn't handle a pitch from Rowland, and Judson's Shannon Anderson recovered the loose ball at the Judson 11.  After the Bulldogs took over at their own 9, Koehl fumbled and Judson's Berlon Jones recovered the ball at Midland's 13.  Campbell went over for his second touchdown to give the Rockets a 17-13 lead.  The third fumble came when the Bulldogs were driving for a go-ahead score.  With the ball at Judson's 19, Rowland was sacked by Jones, knocking the ball loose as teammate Brandon Jackson recovered at the Judson 33. On Judson's first play, Quinney hit T.C. Wilson for a 47-yard gain and two plays later Campbell scampered in from 17 yards to give Judson a 24-13 halftime lead.

The Dawgs cut it to 24-19 midway through the third quarter on a 16-yard scoring pass from Rowland to Russell.  Barber scored his second touchdown of the day on a 45-yard scoring pass from Rowland with just over four minutes left in the game to give Midland a 25-24 lead.  The Bulldogs had to resort to the two-minute drill since Judson had taken a 27-25 lead with 1 minute, 10 seconds left in the game on a 27-yard field goal by Dustin Quinney.  But the Bulldogs moved 66 yards in five plays, capping the drive with Rowland's pass to Sledge which looked like enough to bring the Bulldogs their first state title.  Just 10 seconds and 76 yards later, the ball soared through the Alamodome, and it was apparent the Judson receiver had beaten the MHS secondary, and he outraced the Bulldogs into the end zone for the game-winning score.