RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech football team suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday night at home against Arkansas-Monticello, falling by a score of 31-24.
In the game, the Wonder Boys fell into an early hole as UAM scored a pair of first-quarter touchdowns. Only one of their point-after-touchdown attempts was successful, giving the Boll Weevils a 13-0 lead through one.
Despite that, the Wonder Boys began to climb back into the game early in the second quarter. At the 13:21 mark, Tech capped off an 8-play, 69-yard drive with a 10-yard rushing touchdown by
Bryson Roland. After forcing the Boll Weevils to punt on the ensuing drive, the Wonder Boys were quickly deep in UAM territory thanks to a 44-yard rush by
De'Rion Crooms that brought the ball down to the UAM 13-yardline.
The Wonder Boys would get down to the UAM 4-yardline, but were forced to settle for a 21-yard field goal from
Logan Tymeson to make it a 13-10 game, which was the score at the break.
Receiving the ball to start the second half, the Wonder Boys again quickly got deep into UAM territory on a big run, this time it was a 34-yard rush up the middle by
Tracy Daniels that brought the ball down to the UAM 17-yardline. Tech scored a touchdown on the next play, but it was nullified on a holding penalty.
Two plays later, however, the Wonder Boys scored a touchdown that stood as
Jack Dawson connected with
Jared Long for a 27-yard score, which gave Tech their first lead of the game, 17-13.
Neither team would score the remainder of the third quarter.
UAM was the first to score in the fourth quarter, but were only able to pull within a point of the Wonder Boys as they settled for a 24-yard field goal. That scoring drive, however, was a methodical 6-play, 87-yard drive that ate up over eight and a half minutes of game clock.
Immediately following that, the Wonder Boys seemed to put all momentum on their side as Daniels returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to start Tech's next drive at the UAM 34-yardline. Exactly one play later, the Wonder Boys were in the endzone as Roland scored his second rushing touchdown of the game.
Unfortunately, the UAM passing attack was still potent and quick-striking as the Boll Weevils needed just five plays to score a touchdown of their own. UAM would elect to go for the two-point conversion and it was successful, tying the game at 24-all with 7:16 left in the game.
After a 12-yard rush by Roland on first down, the Wonder Boys' drive stalled three plays later and Tech was forced to punt the ball away with just over five minutes left on the clock.
Starting the drive at their own 19-yardline, UAM got to the Tech 40-yardline in four plays. The next play proved to be the most pivotal of the game as it would be a challenge that did not go the way of the Wonder Boys.
On 2nd-and-6 from the ATU 40-yardline, it was called on the field that UAM completed a pass down the left sideline at the ATU 23-yardline. On that called reception, Tech's
Caleb Arnold came over and delivered a big hit on the UAM receiver and the ball was jettisoned into the air for a fumble. Tech's
Jyrin Steward recovered the forced fumble at the ATU 12-yardline and returned it 29 yards to the ATU 41-yardline.
That play was challenged by UAM and after official review, the call on the field was overturned, making the play nothing more than an incomplete pass.
Retaining possession, UAM was able to bring the clock down to the 2-minute timeout where they faced a 4
th-and-1 from the Tech 35-yardline. The Boll Weevils would convert that short-yardage play and then some as their quarterback ran over left end for 21 yards to put the ball at the Tech 14-yardline.
The Wonder Boys would then be forced to use their three timeouts to try and preserve as much of the game clock as possible. After Tech took their third timeout with 1:03 left, UAM was at the Tech 4-yardline and scored on the next play to go up 31-24 with 1:01 on the clock.
Tech would get a big shot of life on the kickoff return as
Carldell Sirmons returned it 43 yards to the UAM 30-yardline. Unfortunately, that final drive would only gain seven yards as the Wonder Boys turned the ball over on downs with 28 second left. UAM would then be able to kneel the ball down to secure the win.
The Wonder Boys will look to bounce back next Saturday as they remain at home to face Southeastern Oklahoma. Kick-off for the game is scheduled for 6 p.m.
