EL DORADO, Ark. – Playing in the annual Murphy USA Classic for just the second time in the game's 12-year history on Saturday, the Arkansas Tech football team came out of the gate on fire and took early control of the matchup with Southern Arkansas. Miscues that directly led to points for SAU, however, proved to be the undoing of Tech as SAU ended up winning the game 34-17.
 
Prior to the turning point of the game, the Wonder Boys (2-5, 2-5 GAC) had jumped out to a 14-0 lead through the first 10 minutes or so of game time as they scored touchdowns on each of their first two drives.
 
The first drive of the game for the Wonder Boys was a methodical 13-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up just over five minutes of clock and ended with a two-yard rush by Caleb Batie. The Wonder Boys then allowed just one first down on SAU's opening possession and regained the ball back on a punt with 8:11 left in the first quarter.
 
The Wonder Boys then engineered an 8-play, 53-yard drive that ended with a one-yard plunge by Kyren Harrison.
 
Tech's defense returned to the field for SAU's next offensive drive and were even better than the first forcing the Muleriders (3-4., 3-4 GAC) to turn the ball over on downs after going for it on 4^th-and-1 from the SAU-43 yardline.
 
With a short field, the Wonder Boys appeared to be marching down the field once more for a potential third scoring drive in as many opportunities. Three plays into that drive, the Wonder Boys were SAU 20-yardline following a 17-yard swing pass play from Jack Lindsey to Batie on 3^rd-and-4.
 
The next snapped flipped the script on the game, however, and suddenly breathed new life into SAU. That snap went high and tumbled back to the SAU 40-yardline before SAU's Brock Floyd scooped and scored, giving SAU their first points of the game.
 
Tech's return to the field on offense quickly led to a punt, but the Wonder Boys found themselves on the receiving end of a swing play as the punt return was fumbled and Tech's Koby Edwards recovered at the SAU 31-yardline, spelling the end of the first quarter.
 
Despite the short field, the Wonder Boys were still unable to move the ball and were forced to attempt a 41-yard field goal by Jesus Zizumbo. There was no issue with the distance of the kick, but it missed to the left, keeping the score 14-7, Tech with 13:45 left in the second quarter.
 
Neither team's offense was able to do much over the next 10 minutes or so of game action, but after receiving a punt at their own 30-yardline and quickly getting the 45-yardline on a pass interference call, SAU's Jariq Scales broke open for a 55-yard rush to tie the game at the 3:28 mark of the second quarter.
 
That would be the score at the break with all apparent momentum going the way of the Muleriders.
 
After winning the opening coin toss and electing to receive, the Wonder Boys were forced to kick to the Muleriders to open the second half and on that opening drive, the Muleriders put three points on the board on a 38-yard field goal to take their first lead of the game, 17-14, with 13:07 to play in the third quarter.
 
The snowball of momentum building for SAU struck again on Tech's opening drive of the second half as after a stalled drive, the Wonder Boys' punt attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown to put SAU up 24-14 with 11:12 remaining in the third quarter.
 
Following that, the Wonder Boys' offense continued to struggle without the services of starting quarterback Jack Lindsey who was knocked out of the game following a hit midway through the second quarter.
 
After forcing the Wonder Boys to punt the ball away on a three-and-out, the Muleriders kept their foot on the gas and ripped off a quick 4-play, 63-yard drive that ended with a 32-yard passing touchdown from Hayden Mallory to Matthew Whitten, to make it a 31-14 game with 7:30 left in the third quarter.
 
The two teams then go on to trade field goals in the fourth quarter to bring the game to its final score of 34-17.
 
The Wonder Boys will now turn their attention toward a tough home game against national-ranked Henderson State on Saturday, October 23. That game will serve as the Wonder Boys' Homecoming game and will feature a 2 p.m. kickoff. Homecoming ceremonies will begin out at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field at 1:30 p.m. with the announcement of this year's ATU Homecoming Queen and King.