CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Southern Utah University football team will close its 2021 campaign Saturday when it welcomes rival Weber State to Eccles Coliseum for an afternoon kickoff. The Thunderbirds will honor their seniors prior to the start of the game.

GAME #11

Southern Utah vs Weber State

Date: November 13

Kickoff: 2 p.m. MT

TV: ESPN+

Radio: KSUB 590 AM

Live Stream | Live Stats | Game Program | Southern Utah Notes (PDF) | Weber State Notes (PDF)

ABOUT WEBER STATE

Weber State enters Saturday's contest with an overall record of 4-5 and conference record of 3-3. The Wildcats most recently took on Portland State at home but fell by a score of 30-18. WSU has spent most of the 2021 season in the Top-25 but will be unranked in Saturday's matchup. Bronson Barron quarterbacks Weber State and owns 1,135 yards passing to go with three touchdowns on the season. Dontae McMillan leads the Wildcats on the ground with 391 yards rushing and three touchdowns, while Rashid Shaheed is Weber's leading receiver with 549 yards and two scores. Defensively, Preston Smith is WSU's leading tackler on the year with a total of 56, and Ja'Kobe Harris has claimed two interceptions to date.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday's rivalry game will mark the 29th meeting between Weber State and Southern Utah. The Wildcats currently own a 20-8 advantage in the series and have won the last four matchups. The most recent meeting between the two schools took place in the spring 2021 season when Weber State narrowly left Eccles Coliseum with a 19-16 victory. Southern Utah's last win in the series came in 2017 when it went up north and defeated the Wildcats by a score of 32-16 in Ogden.

LAST TIME OUT

In its final road test of the 2021 season, the Southern Utah University football team was unable to generate enough opportunities as the Thunderbirds fell to Idaho, 42-24, Saturday afternoon at the ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center.

Idaho quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead, but freshman running back Preston Larson helped the Thunderbirds get back into the game with an impressive performance on the ground. Larson rushed for 27 yards on SUU's first scoring drive of the game and capped the drive with a touchdown from one yard out. The score was aided by Frank Harris III who converted a third down and seven from near midfield in the form of a 44-yard reception that placed SUU inside the Idaho 10-yard line.

The T-Bird defense made a big stop on the following Idaho drive and gave the offense the ball back which resulted in a field goal for Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds were unable to add any more points before halftime, though, and the Vandals capitalized by scoring two more touchdowns of their own to take a 28-10 lead into the locker room.

On its first possession out of the halftime break, SUU recaptured some momentum as it went on a 75-yard scoring drive. The Thunderbirds went 62 yards down the field before Justin Miller found Brandon Schenks wide open in the front corner of the endzone for a 13-yard touchdown strike. Southern Utah's defense appeared to have the Vandals stopped on the ensuing drive, but a measurement on fourth down proved otherwise and Idaho extended its lead with a touchdown run just a few plays later.

Later in the half, an interception by Alonzo (L.J.) Davis led to a touchdown for the Thunderbirds when Miller snuck the ball into the endzone from the one-yard line, but that would be all the scoring SUU could manage as the T-Birds ran out of time in their comeback efforts.

Miller finished the day with 231 yards passing and a touchdown in addition to his score on the ground. Schenks led the team in receiving with five catches for 83 yards and a score, and Larson was the leading rushing with 26 yards and a touchdown.

Treyson Johnson led SUU with 12 tackles on the day and was followed by Jayden Clark who recorded eight. Akili Gray chipped in seven tackles and an interception as well with Southern Utah going on to win the turnover battle three to one.

NOTES AND QUOTES

-The Thunderbirds and Wildcats play in what has been designated as the Beehive Bowl. The rivalry's nickname comes from Utah's nickname, the Beehive State. This year's matchup between SUU and WSU will hold special meaning with it being Southern Utah's final season in the Big Sky Conference. The winner of the 2021 Beehive Bowl will claim bragging rights until whenever the two schools meet again.

-With Saturday's game serving as the final contest of 2021, Southern Utah will honor its seniors and players departing from the program. Before kickoff, the Thunderbirds will honor brothers Phillip and Justin Brown, Thomas Duckett, Akili Gray, Kameron Jackson, Quaid Murray, Greg Rogers, Jalen Russell and Mykeal White.

-The Thunderbirds will close out their 2021 season Saturday against Weber State. The T-Birds have not won their regular-season finale since the 2017 season when they took down Northern Arizona to close out the year. SUU won its final regular season game every year from 2014-17 but has not capped off the year with a win since.

"Idaho was more physical than us today. They ran the ball down our throats, and we couldn't stop them. The offense couldn't keep up and score enough points, so now all we can do is lock in for next week. We have one more game against Weber State, so we just have to turn around and get ready for that one."

-Head Coach Demario Warren after a tough defeat at Idaho

"I'm proud of the guys and the way they fought. They came out here and fought their guts out. I love the way they competed and I'm so grateful for their effort."

-Warren after his team nearly upset Montana

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