CEDAR CITY – Hosting No. 18 West Georgia for the annual homecoming game, the SUU football team dropped to 1-4 with a 27-24 loss on Saturday night.
After a punt on the opening Thunderbird possession, West Georgia began its first drive.
It wouldn’t last long, however, as a pair of sacks by Southern Utah’s Lando Brown forced the Wolves to punt. The kick was shanked just moments later, giving the SUU offense the ball at the 20-yard line.
The T-birds weren’t able to break into the endzone, as they settled for a 44-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 10:34 on the first quarter clock.
West Georgia would find its footing on its next drive, kicking a 49-yard field goal to tie the score with 5:32 left in the period.
That proved to be a momentum changer – as did an SUU interception – as the Wolves would score a pair of touchdowns over the remainder of the half to take a 17-3 lead into the break.
Second half
West Georgia’s run would carry over to the early second half, as the visitors would add a touchdown to their lead on the first drive to make it 24-3.
Southern Utah would finally stop the Wolves’ run on their next offensive possession, marching 76 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-10. Running back Joshua Dye would break into the endzone for the 1-yard score to cap the drive.
After forcing a quick three-and-out on defense, the T-birds would quickly cut further into the deficit. Needing just one play, quarterback Bronson Barron would find Mark Bails Jr. for a 60-yard touchdown to make it 24-17.
SUU’s defense would once again keep UWG off the scoreboard, and the offense would respond with another touchdown to tie the game.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Dye would find the endzone from 23 yards out to wrap up a 4-play, 48-yard drive and tie the score at 24.
After forcing a West Georgia turnover on downs, the Thunderbirds would have a chance to take the lead as the offense drove into field goal range.
But with 5:45 to play, Jayden Rogers would miss a 36-yard field goal that kept the game tied.
The Wolves would follow on the next possession with a missed field goal of their own, and SUU would get the ball back with 1:51 left in the game.
Southern Utah was unable to capitalize on the potential chance to go ahead, being forced to punt the ball away with 24 seconds left.
A penalty against the T-birds on the kickoff would give UWG the ball on their own 27-yard line. Four plays – including long runs of 21 and 15 yards – later, the visitors would kick a game-winning 46-yard field goal to escape Cedar City with a 27-24 win.
The loss sends SUU to 1-4 on the season, and 0-1 in United Athletic Conference play.
SUU football postgame
Up next
Southern Utah (1-4, 0-1 UAC) travels to the Lone Star State to battle No. 3 Tarleton State (5-0, 1-0 UAC) on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. MT, and the game can be seen on ESPN+.
Photo courtesy of SUU Athletics.
