EL DORADO, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech football team took part in the Murphy USA Classic in El Dorado against (rv/25) Southern Arkansas on Saturday afternoon and fell to SAU by a score of 42-7.
SAU would score on their first possession of the game after receiving the opening kickoff to go up 7-0. The Wonder Boys would tie the score a touchdown on their third possession of the game. That drive started with 1:38 to go in the first quarter and ended on the first play of the second quarter as
Carter Hensley connected with tight end
Cam McFarlin from 16 yards out.
That score was set up by a 43-yard pass from Hensley to
JD DeCausmaker on the final play of the first quarter.
The Muleirders then scored on consecutive drives to go up 21-7 with 6:16 left in the first half. Despite that, the Wonder Boys were still very much in the game knowing they were receiving the second half kickoff after winning the coin toss.
Tech would get the ball inside the SAU 10-yardline on their ensuing possession and had 1
st-and-goal from the SAU 9-yardline. Unfortunately, the Wonder Boys were unable to score any points and turned the ball over on downs at the SAU 3-yardline.
The Tech defense would make a stand and forced SAU to go 3-and-out, giving the Wonder Boys offense the ball back at their own 32-yardline with 1:44 left on the clock. Aided by a pass interference penalty against SAU, the Wonder Boys got the ball to midfield and then just outside of the redzone on a 29-yard pass completion to
Austin Marshall.
With less than a minute to go in the first half, the Wonder Boys took a shot in the endzone, but the pass was intercepted for a touchback. The Muleriders then delivered the big blow as they scored on the next play from scrimmage to go up 28-7, a lead they would take into the locker room.
Receiving the second half kick, the Wonder Boys engineered a methodical 16-play opening possession that saw them get the ball all the way down to the SAU 4-yardline. Unfortunately, that drive did not result in any points as the Wonder Boys turned the ball over on downs.
That would be the final scoring opportunity of the game for the Wonder Boys as they were held in their own territory the remainder of the game.
SAU would score a pair of touchdowns after that second turnover on downs to bring the score to its final of 42-7.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare to make a return home for a game against Henderson State on Saturday, October 25. That game is set to be Tech's Homecoming game this year and will have a 4 p.m. scheduled kick-off. Crowning of this year's Homecoming King and Queen will begin at 3:30 p.m.
