STEPHENVILLE, Texas- In a thrilling comeback effort, Southern Utah triumphed in a battle with the Texans of Tarleton State 27-26. The game featured impressive second-half performances on both sides of the ball for the Thunderbirds culminating in a defensive score to seal the victory.
Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said
"We didn't do anything right in the first half of the game… but I am really proud of the way our guys came out in the second half and finished that game. We have got a lot of guys that are going to be exceptional in life after football because they finish what they start."
"We told them at the half, let's take this one play at a time… We are not a results-based program we are a process-driven team and that is where our focus had to be in the second half in order to win that game."
"We can count on Justin Miller to give us the same thing week in and week out. He is always going to be calm, composed, and relaxed in the pocket. He did exactly what we needed him to do in that game."
1st Quarter: Texans Take Early Lead
The Thunderbirds received the opening kickoff and after moving the ball a bit turned it over on an interception in the middle of the field. The Texans took advantage of the miscue and drove the short field scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The T-Birds drove nearly the length of the field before the Texans made a fourth down stop to turn the ball back over.
2nd Quarter: Texans Continue to Score
Tarleton started the second quarter by booting a 35-yard field goal extending the lead to 10-0. The Thunderbirds once again seemed to have the offense clicking but the drive stalled at about the 35-yard line. The Texan offense remained steady moving the ball well into plus territory before settling for a 40-yard field goal to make the score 13-0. Tarleton would add to their lead once more before the half with a rushing touchdown bringing the halftime score to 20-0.
3rd Quarter: T-Birds Find the Endzone
The second half of the game started slow for both teams but the T-Birds were finally able to break through on a 48-yard touchdown from Justin Miller to freshman Anson Kraut. Southern Utah scored again just a few minutes later when Miller found Timothy Patrick for a five-yard touchdown to make the score 20-14 in favor of the Texans.
4th Quarter: Comeback Completed
Tarleton bounced right back in their ensuing drive marching down the field to score another touchdown. The Texans attempted a 2-point conversion but failed making the score 26-14. The Thunderbirds refused to go quietly though as Miller would throw his third touchdown of the game finding Targhee Lambson in the corner of the endzone to bring Southern Utah back within one score. The Thunderbird defense would deliver the final blow in the comeback as Rylen Sua-Filo and Trevon Gola-Callard forced a fumble that was scooped up by Josh Lopez who returned it for a Touchdown. The defense would hold the Texans on the final drive to give Southern Utah its first United Athletic Conference victory of the year.
Offensive Leaders
Southern Utah quarterback, Justin Miller, has been a key contributor to the team's passing game. He finished the game with an impressive completion percentage of 76%, completing 34 out of 45 pass attempts for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns with just 1 interception. His quarterback rating for the contest was an impressive 151.7.
In the receiving corps, Isaiah Wooden stood out with 10 receptions for 48 yards. He was followed closely by Zach Mitchell and Josh Acord with 6 receptions for 34 yards and 5 receptions for 62 yards, respectively. Additionally, freshman wide receiver Anson Kraut made a significant impact in his Thunderbird debut with 4 receptions for 68 yards, including one touchdown. In the rushing game, Braedon Wissler led the charge with 14 carries for 69 yards, showcasing an average of 4.9 yards per carry.
Defensive Leaders
Several players made significant contributions in the game for Southern Utah's defense. Linebacker Aubrey Nellems led the team with 14 total tackles, including 5 solo tackles. He applied pressure on the quarterback with 1 quarterback hurry. Trevon Gola-Callard, a defensive back, was another standout performer with 10 total tackles, 3 of which were solo tackles. He managed 1.5 tackles for loss and forced a crucial fumble during the game. Robert Horsey and Rylen Sua-Filo added to the defensive effort with their work on the defensive line, contributing sacks and tackles for loss. Horsey also had a pass breakup to his name.
Linebacker Kohner Cullimore recorded five total tackles and was effective in pressuring the quarterback with two quarterback hurries and adding one tackle for a loss. These key defensive contributors, along with other members of the Southern Utah defense, played pivotal roles in the game by making tackles, generating pressure on the opposing team's offense, and creating turnovers when the opportunity arose. Their collective efforts helped the team maintain its defensive prowess and contributed to the overall success of the defense during the game.
Next Up
The Thunderbirds will head into the bye week and have extra time to prepare for a home matchup with Austin Peay on October 21st. The United Athletic Conference matchup with the Governors will kick off at 6:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Single Game Tickets
Single-game tickets for the 2023 season are now available. Get over to tbirdtickets.com to get your seats for this year's home games!
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