RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech football team made its home-debut on Saturday night against visiting Southern Nazarene at the newly-adorned Simmons Bank Field at Thone Stadium. Unfortunately, the Wonder Boys would come up short in a one-score game, losing to SNU 38-31.
Playing on the new artificial turf surface, the Wonder Boys got off to a great start, scoring touchdowns on their first two drives of the game.
The initial drive was a 7-play, 42-yard drive that ended on a four-yard touchdown run by quarterback
Taye Gatewood. The relatively short length of the drive was a result of a monster kickoff return by
Ryan Wilkerson on the game's opening kick. It was Wilkerson's first-ever kickoff return as he has been listed as a backup quarterback on the roster for the last few years.
The Wonder Boys followed that first scoring drive up with an 8-play, 82-yard drive that ended with another Gatewood rushing TD, this time a 10-yard run.
Now trailing 14-0, the Crimson Storm answered back with a touchdown drive of their own. Their initial scoring drive was an 8-play, 69-yard drive that ended with a 26-yard run by last year's All-American quarterback Gage Porter.
The Wonder Boys' ensuing possession took the game into the second quarter, but on the first play from scrimmage in the second period, SNU came away with the game's first turnover as they hauled in an interception deep in their own territory.
SNU then took advantage of that and went on to engineer a 17-play, 84-yard drive that ended with a one-yard plunge by Porter, tying the game at 14-all.
Getting the ball back with just under five minutes left in the first half, the Wonder Boys would march down the field and got the ball down to the four-yardline before having to settle for a 21-yard field goal attempt by
Austin Hosier. The first field goal attempt for the junior transfer was good and Tech was not out in front, 17-14, and would lead by that margin heading into halftime.
Coming out of the locker room, both teams traded three-and-outs, but a sack deep in Tech territory on third down set up for a short field for SNU following a 41-yard punt by
Aaron Winn.
On their ensuing drive, the Crimson Storm were able to get the ball down to the Tech 1-yardline but fumble by Porter on 3
rd-and-1 from the Tech 1-yardline was recovered by Porter at the Tech 5-yardline, making SNU settle for a game-tying field goal.
The game really turned during the next sequence as the Wonder Boys, following a monster 51-yard return by up-back
Hunter Wilkinson that brought the ball all the way to the SNU 25-yardline, were unable to make a first down and were turned away on fourth down.
SNU was able to capitalize on that big stop quickly as four plays later, they were in the endzone for the go-ahead score on a 71-yard rush by Porter. The extra point would be no good, making it a six-point lead for SNU, 23-17.
The Wonder Boys' offense stalled again on their ensuing drive, giving the ball back to SNU, but a bit of favor returned to Tech shortly thereafter. That came in the form of a defensive touchdown that saw
Ben Stegall scoop-and-score from 36 yards out following a forced fumble of Porter by
Vershaud Richardson. Tech's PAT by Hosier was good, giving Tech a 24-23 lead.
SNU regained its composure following that Tech defensive touchdown and continued to methodically move down the field for another score. This drive ate up just over six minutes and encompassed 82 yards on 10 plays. Following the passing touchdown by Porter, the Crimson Storm went for two to try and push their lead back out to seven points.
The attempt was successful and with 9:38 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Crimson Storm led 31-24.
SNU's defense continued to stymie the Tech offense and forced another third-and-out to get the ball back with 7:27. That allowed the Crimson Storm offense to continue their production. On that ensuing possession, SNU was able to find the endzone once more to take a two-score lead, 38-24, with 2:42 left in the fourth quarter.
With time as a 12
th defender on the field, the Wonder Boys quickly marched down the field on five plays (two SNU defensive penalties) and scored with a 1:27 left to make it a one-score game, 38-31. The touchdown on that drive was a six-yard pass completion from Gatewood to Rivera.
With all three timeouts at their disposal, the Wonder Boys elected to kick the ball deep where it was fair caught at the SNU 11-yardline, which brough the ball out to the SNU 25 to start the drive. Unfortunately, the Wonder Boys weren't able to keep SNU from gaining a first down and the Crimson Storm were able to run out the clock.
The Wonder Boys will remain at home this coming week and will play host to Henderson State. Kickoff for the September 16 game is scheduled for 6 p.m.
