Taking on No. 24 Austin Peay at home Saturday night, SUU fell in another close contest.
It was the T-birds who would get the scoring started early, with quarterback Justin Miller finding Chase Merrell for a seven-yard score just over six minutes into the game.
Q1 | Justin Miller ➡️ Chase Merrell ➡️ TOUCHDOWN 🔥
SUU: 7
APS: 0 pic.twitter.com/BJfXpsn5v4— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 22, 2023
Austin Peay (5-2, 2-0 UAC) responded to SUU’s early score, recording a pair of touchdowns to take a 14-7 lead into the second quarter.
The T-birds answered with a big second quarter. First, Braedon Wissler found the endzone on a two-yard rushing score to knot the score at 14-14 with just over 10 minutes to play until halftime.
Q2 | @Wiss_Mode punches it in 🥊
TOUCHDOWN 🔥
SUU: 14
APS: 14 pic.twitter.com/S8CvV5INL2— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 22, 2023
Grady Robison then put SUU back in front, ripping off a 73-yard touchdown run for the 21-14 advantage at the 6:50 mark of quarter two.
Q2 | GRADY ROBISON TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE 🏠🤯
SUU: 21
APS: 14 pic.twitter.com/L8wEAeWdf9— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 22, 2023
Southern Utah scored its third touchdown of the period as time expired in the first half. With the T-birds near midfield, Robison took the snap and launched a 47-yard Hail Mary that found Gabe Nunez for the 28-14 lead heading into the break.
Q2 | THE PRAYER IS ANSWERED 🙏
Grady Robison finds Gabe Nunez for the last second TD 😱‼️
SUU: 28
APS: 14 pic.twitter.com/h4ogtlor4t— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 22, 2023
Second half
SUU began the third quarter the way they finished the second, scoring another touchdown to increase its advantage.
Just under three minutes into the second half, Justin Miller found Isaiah Wooden for an 8-yard score to push the score to 35-14.
Q3 | @justinmiller_12 finds @wooden_isaiah for the easy TD 🔥
SUU: 35
APS: 14 pic.twitter.com/4Lf9gHSoTR— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 22, 2023
Austin Peay wasn’t about to fold, however, determined to prove they belonged in the Top 25 rankings.
The Governors recorded a pair of touchdowns in a six-minute span, cutting SUU’s lead to 35-28 entering the fourth quarter.
Austin Peay’s momentum carried into the final period of action, scored two more touchdowns to take a 42-35 lead with just over two minutes to play.
Facing a deficit for the first time since early in the second quarter, the T-birds orchestrated a six-play, 75-yard drive to tie the score. Miller capped the march down the field with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Acord with 1:02 to play, sending the game to overtime.
Q4 | @justinmiller_12 is THAT GUY 😤
He finds @acord_joshua in the end zone to tie the game with 1:02 left 🔥
SUU: 42
ASP: 42 pic.twitter.com/D8hHurw3Rh— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 22, 2023
Overtime
Following the late score to send the game to overtime, it seemed as though SUU would notch the victory in the first extra period.
After the T-birds intercepted the Governors on their first possession, the offense needed just a field goal to secure the victory. Instead, a 42-yard attempt hit the left upright and bounced back into the field, sending the battle to a second overtime.
SUU received the ball to begin the second extra frame. Despite gaining an early first down, the offense was forced to settle for a field goal. Tyler Graham converted the 40-yard try, putting the T-birds ahead 45-42.
Needing a touchdown to win, Austin Peay quarterback Mike DiLiello found Trey Goodman for an eight-yard score to seal the 48-45 comeback victory.
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Another close loss
The loss drops Southern Utah to 2-5 overall, including 1-2 in conference action.
The defeat also continued a trend of the T-birds falling in close games, where they now have a 1-4 record in matchups decided by three points or less.
Alongside Saturday night’s loss, SUU has lost by three at Arizona State (24-21), by two at FCS No. 16 UC Davis (23-21), and by two at home versus FCS No. 25 Central Arkansas (29-27). The lone single-possession win for the T-birds came at Tarleton State on Oct. 7 (27-26).
Miller sets new mark
Redshirt senior quarterback Justin Miller had a solid outing on offense for the Thunderbirds, completing 24-of-42 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns.
The three scoring tosses now place Miller atop SUU’s all-time list, having thrown 62 touchdowns over his five seasons at the school.
Up next
The T-birds (2-5, 1-2 UAC) will host Abilene Christian in a conference tilt on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.
The matchup can be streamed on ESPN+.
