Facing the No. 14-ranked Texans, the T-birds’ comeback attempt fell short in a 38-37 overtime defeat on Saturday night.
First half
Tarleton State was firing on all cylinders out of the gate, needing just under two and a half minutes to score the game’s first touchdown. Kayvon Britten ran in the endzone from one yard out for the 7-0 lead at the 12:31 mark of quarter one.
The T-birds attempted to answer on their first drive, but back-to-back sacks for the Texans’ defense forced an SUU punt.
Tarleton State’s early momentum carried over after the defensive stop, as they took a 14-0 lead in just three minutes on their second possession.
After each team punted on their following drives, SUU took over still looking for its first points of the game. It looked like the Thunderbirds would cut the deficit in half just under four minutes into the second quarter, but Bronson Barron’s pass was intercepted in the endzone.
The interception on Southern Utah’s drive proved costly, as the Texans marched 80 yards in nine plays. Former Utah Tech quarterback Victor Gabalis capped the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, putting the visitors ahead 21-0.
Now facing a three-score deficit, SUU put together its first scoring drive on the ensuing possession. Needing just two and a half minutes, Bronson Barron finished the drive with a 27-yard scoring toss to Shane Carr. The touchdown made the score 21-7 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.
Shane shaking off tacklers like nobody’s business 😯 Touchdown T-Birds
⚡️: 7
🤠: 21📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/6xfpDeUM0G
— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 6, 2024
Any momentum the T-birds might have gained from scoring was thwarted with 1:41 left in the half. Tarleton State scored yet another touchdown, extending their lead to 28-7. Southern Utah had a chance to make it a little closer at the end of the half with a field goal, but Jayden Rogers missed a 29-yard kick as the clock expired.
Second half
After both teams went three-and-out on their first drives, it would be the T-birds who would score the half’s first points. A 64-yard pass play from Barron to Gabe Nunez brought the ball to the 11-yard line, but SUU didn’t make it much further.
HUGE catch and run from Gabe 🏃💨💨
⚡️: 7
🤠: 28📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/pojGacsW0v
— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 6, 2024
Instead, the drive ended with a 24-yard field goal to make the score 28-10 with 9:23 left in the quarter.
On the very next drive, Tarleton State looked to answer, but a big defensive play gave the ball back to the Thunderbirds. The Texans fumbled the ball at the 42-yard line and SUU scored a touchdown five minutes later. Barron found Chase Merrell for the score, cutting the deficit to 11, 28-17.
The momentum continued for the T-birds from there, as the defensive unit forced Tarleton State into back-to-back punts. The offense then took its turn, capping a 6-play, 62-yard drive with a 10-yard Targhee Lambson touchdown. SUU went for two but was unsuccessful, making the score 28-23 with 11:37 remaining in the game.
Thunderbirds jump in front
Following a missed 43-yard field goal on the next Texans drive, Southern Utah continued its second-half surge to take its first lead of the game. Targhee Lambson found the endzone for the second time, punching it in from eight yards out with 3:09 to play. The T-birds once again went for two, and Lambson converted on the ground to put SUU in front, 31-28.
.@nolimit_targ is all for 2️⃣s today
– 2️⃣00 yards
– 2️⃣ TDs
– 2️⃣-pt conversion⚡️: 31
🤠: 28📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/2YZ6YkdPyl
— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) October 6, 2024
It looked like Southern Utah was going to pull off the incredible comeback, but Tarleton State drove into field goal range and tied the game at 31 with just 1:02 on the clock.
Needing a field goal to win, the T-birds next drive lasted just one play. A pass attempt by Barron was tipped in the air and intercepted by the Texans, giving them the ball at the SUU 27-yard line. Tarleton State made it down to the 7-yard line but was forced to settle for a field goal attempt. Lining up for a seemingly easy field goal, the visitors missed from 24 yards to keep the score tied.
With just 25 seconds remaining, the T-birds ran out the clock and the game headed to overtime.
Overtime
Southern Utah won the toss in overtime, deferring to give Tarleton State the ball first. The visitors got down to the 1-yard line, but Texans quarterback Victor Gabalis appeared to potentially fumble on the play. After review, the official call stood as down on the play. On the very next play, Tarleton State broke through into the endzone for the score and 38-31 lead following the extra point.
The T-birds now had their chance in overtime, and they took advantage. Barron found Joshua Accord for a 14-yard touchdown, making the score 38-37 following a five-play series. Needing just an extra point to send the game to a second overtime period, kicker Jayden Rogers missed the attempt, and the Texans rushed the field after holding on for a 38-37 win.
Mistakes prove costly
Following the game, the T-birds were left to only wonder what could have been.
SUU had the No. 14 team in the FCS on the ropes, but a number of mistakes cost them a shot at an upset and did serious damage to their hopes of contending for the United Athletic Conference title.
While falling into a 21-0 hole did them no favors, neither did nearly 100 yards of penalties (94 to be exact). Southern Utah also threw a pair of interceptions, missed a field goal, and missed a PAT to force a second overtime.
Could they have pulled off a memorable upset? With a few less mistakes, it certainly seems likely.
Lambson continues strong season
Despite the defeat for SUU, running back Targhee Lambson continued his strong season.
Lambson racked up 217 yards and 2 touchdowns on 38 carries, while also converting a two-point conversion attempt.
On the season, Lambson has rushed for 928 yards and 9 scores, averaging 154.6 yards per game (6.72 yards per carry).
Tight game blues
While Southern Utah has certainly come a long way under third-year head coach DeLane Fitzgerald, one thing has plagued the T-birds in recent years.
SUU has often been in close matchups during the last three seasons, but their record in one-score games has been a struggle.
Since the beginning of the 2022 campaign, the Thunderbirds are just 4-10 in games decided by eight points or less, including 1-2 this season. The T-birds were 1-4 in such games in 2022 and 2-4 in 2023.
In 2022, Southern Utah beat Western Illinois (17-10), but dropped contests to Eastern Kentucky (35-28), Tarleton State (42-40), Abilene Christian (21-18), and Stephen F. Austin (41-38).
2023 was much of the same, as the T-birds won close contents against Tarleton State (27-26) and Utah Tech (24-16), but dropped games to Arizona State (24-21), UC Davis (23-21), Central Arkansas (29-27), and Austin Peay (48-45).
So far in 2024, SUU notched a 27-24 upset win over FBS program UTEP but has lost tight battles with UC Davis (24-21) and Tarleton State (38-37).
Perhaps the one bright spot of the close losses of the last few seasons is the quality of them. Of those 10 one-score defeats, the T-birds have dropped six games to ranked FCS opponents, while also falling to an FBS Power 5 program and both 2022 WAC co-champions.
Once SUU can figure out how to win tight games, they will be a perennial FCS playoff contender and one of the annual favorites to win UAC championships.
Coach Fitzgerald postgame
Up next
Southern Utah (2-4, 1-1 UAC) returns to the field next week, hosting Eastern Kentucky in its annual Homecoming game on Saturday, October 12.
Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. MT, while the game can be seen on ESPN+.
