Wrapping up a three-game road trip, SUU football lost a close battle with No. 16 UC Davis on Saturday night, 23-21.
The Aggies took a 6-0 lead with a pair of field goals in the opening quarter, adding a touchdown in the third quarter for the 13-0 advantage. Neither team scored any points in the second period.
Southern Utah was able to get its first points of the game with one minute to play in the third quarter. Justin Miller connected with Isaiah Wooden for a 3-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 13-7.
After UC Davis responded with a touchdown early in the final quarter, the T-birds once again cut the home team’s lead back to six points. Needing just 48 seconds, SUU capped a 3-play, 75-yard drive with a 66-yard touchdown by Wooden from Miller to make it 20-14.
The Aggies extended their lead with a field goal with just over two minutes to play, putting the T-birds behind 23-14.
Another close defeat
Southern Utah responded, scoring a touchdown with 45 seconds on the clock. This time Justin Miller found Zach Mitchell for a 13-yard score, cutting the deficit to 23-21. The Thunderbirds went for the onside kick but were unable to recover it, sealing its fate with a second close loss of the season.
Quarterback Justin Miller led the SUU offense in the game, throwing for 324 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
The T-birds had multiple standout performances from the receivers, led by seven catches, 122 yards, and pair of touchdowns from Isaiah Wooden. Zach Mitchell added 92 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while Tim Patrick Jr. caught four passes for 72 yards.
The running game struggled in the game for Southern Utah, only managing 57 yards on the ground.
With the loss, the T-birds drop to 0-3 overall.
Up next
SUU (0-3) now opens its home schedule with a game against Western Illinois on Saturday, Sep. 23.
The matchup between the T-birds and Leathernecks kicks off at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
