CEDAR CITY, Utah, Oct. 29 - Southern Utah had more rushing
than passing yards for the first time since the 2009 season-opener Saturday in
a 34-3 Great West Conference win over UC Davis.
With the win SUU improved to 5-4 on the season and 1-3 in
the GWC. The game was the Thunderbirds' final home game of 2001 as well as its
final GWC contest, as they are slated to move to the Big Sky next season.
The Thunderbirds ran for a season-high 251 yards, their most
since 2007, and passed for 238 yards. It was the first time SUU's rushing total
out-did its rushing total since the team ran for 244 yards and passed for 189
in a 36-7 season-opening win over Dixie State in 2009.
SUU scored touchdowns on its first two drives to take
control early.
After taking the opening kickoff the Thunderbirds drove 80
yards in seven plays, with Henna Brown carrying three times for 38 yards before
Brad Sorensen hit Austin Minefee on
a screen pass for a 3-yard touchdown.
SUU then kept UC Davis from getting a first down on its
first possession, and after a punt the Thunderbirds drove 81 yards in 10 plays,
getting into the end zone on an 11-yard Brown run .
From that point the Aggie defense stiffened, however,
limiting SUU to three field goal attempts through the rest of the half. One was
wide right and another was partially blocked but Colton Cook hit the third
attempt, from 45 yards out to give the Thunderbirds a 17-0 lead with 10 seconds
to go in the half.
SUU's defense held UC Davis to 99 yards of offense in the
half while the Thunderbirds racked up 280, including 97 on the ground and 183
through the air.
Southern Utah added a 24-yard Cook field goal with 9:24 to
go in the third that was set up by a 77-yard Austin Minefee run that began at
the SUU one yard line. SUU added a touchdown on a 3-yard Brown run late in the
period, then went up 34-0 on a two-yard Minefee run with 12:30 to go in the
fourth.
UC Davis finally got on the scoreboard when Sean Kelley
nailed a 54-yard field goal with 7:49 to go in the game.
SUU's defense held UC Davis to 193 yards and allowed the
Aggies into Thunderbird territory just twice, once at the end of the first half
when UCD got to the SUU 45 on the final play of the half, and again when the
drive ended with the field goal.
Chad Hansen led the SUU defense with eight tackles,
including a sack and two tackles for loss.
Minefee finished with a team-season-high 131 rushing yards,
while Brown finished with a career-best 82. Sorensen completed 23-of-34 passes
for 238 yards.
Aggie quarterback Randy Wright completed 14-of-23 passes for
a50 yards but was sacked three times. UCD finished with 43 rushing yards, the
fewest by an SUU opponent this season.
