ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Ax will stay in Cedar City as the Thunderbirds down the Trailblazers 28-7 at Greater Zion Stadium in St. George. Southern Utah improves to 3-5 on the season, with a 2-2 conference record. The Trailblazers fall to 1-7 this year with a 0-4 mark against the UAC.
Southern Utah set the tone early, marching down the field on the opening drive and never looking back after a 20-yard touchdown run by Joshua Dye, who powered the offense with 204 rushing yards and three scores. The T-Bird defense was relentless, forcing multiple key stops and holding the Trailblazers scoreless through three quarters, highlighted by a first-half interception from Mikey Allen and a goal-line stand in the fourth. Sebastian Adamski led the charge defensively with 15 tackles, while Lando Brown wreaked havoc up front with two sacks. The Thunderbirds' offense sealed the win with a 99-yard touchdown drive capped by another Dye run, and Jayden Rogers added a late field goal to put the finishing touch on the victory. With the win, Southern Utah retained the Ax and reaffirmed its dominance in the Battle for the Ax.
Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said
1st Quarter:
The Thunderbirds started the scoring on the first drive, taking over six minutes of the clock and grabbing the early lead on a 20-yard touchdown run by Joshua Dye. The T-Birds added a two-point conversion on a short run by Will Burns to make the lead 8-0. The SUU defense got the ball right back to the offense on an interception by Mikey Allen. Jayden Rogers put a 35-yard field goal through the uprights to extend the lead to 11-0 with just under five minutes to go in the quarter.
2nd Quarter:
The Thunderbirds got a stop to begin the second quarter, and the offense drove deep into Utah Tech territory before missing a field goal. The teams traded drives, and the Trailblazers had a chance to get on the board just before the half, but the Thundebirds' defense held firm, forcing a field goal that banged off the post and was no good.
3rd Quarter:
Utah Tech had the ball to start the second half and drove down into the Thunderbirds' territory, but another missed field goal gave Southern Utah the ball back on its own 20-yard line. SUU capitalized on the possession, driving 80 yards for the score, capped with a 13-yard touchdown run by Dye.
4th Quarter:
The Trailblazers had the ball deep on the T-Birds' side of the field to start the final quarter, but the Thunderbirds' defense was stout once again with a goalline stand. SUU's rushing offense took the ball 99 yards in just three plays to extend the lead to 25-0. With just over seven minutes to play, the Trailblazer got their first touchdown on a four-yard run to make the score 25-7. Southern Utah answered back, taking the short field and turning it into a field goal to make the score 28-7. The Thunderbirds' defense was able to once again hold strong, turning the ball over on downs with under a minute to go to secure the win.
Offensive Leaders
Southern Utah's offense was once again fueled by its powerful ground game, led by standout running back Joshua Dye. Dye turned in a dominant performance with 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, averaging an impressive 8.5 yards per attempt and breaking loose for a 92-yard touchdown run. Through the air, Bronson Barronefficiently guided the passing attack, completing 10 of 17 passes for 110 yards, while Will Burns added a perfect 3-for-3 outing for 43 yards. On the receiving end, Shane Carr led all pass catchers with 47 yards on three receptions, followed closely by Gabe Nunez, who hauled in four catches for 35 yards. The balanced offensive effort helped the Thunderbirds move the ball effectively both on the ground and through the air.
Defensive Leaders
The Thunderbird defense delivered another strong showing, led by Sebastian Adamski, who anchored the unit with a game-high 15 total tackles, including five solo stops and a shared tackle for loss. Lando Brown made a major impact in the trenches, tallying eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a team-leading two sacks, while also generating pressure with two quarterback hurries. Tavian Edwards and Josh Dunn were key contributors as well, each recording nine total tackles, with Dunn also adding a quarterback hurry. In the secondary, Tim Christian and Mason Stromstad both came up with crucial pass breakups, while Mikey Allen made a highlight defensive play with an interception on the first drive. Overall, Southern Utah's defense showcased its depth and physicality, limiting big plays, maintaining steady pressure, and shutting out the Trailblazers through three quarters.
Next Up
Next week, the Thunderbirds will be at home in Eccles Coliseum. The Thunderbirds will host Austin Peay on Saturday, November 1, at 6:30 p.m. MT. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN, and live stats are available on suutbirds.com
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