CARROLLTON, Ga. - The University of West Georgia football team fell in their return to United Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon, dropping a week nine contest to Southern Utah, 28-17 at University Stadium.
West Georgia (2-6, 0-6 UAC) led briefly in the second quarter, but 21 unanswered points from Southern Utah (4-4, 3-1 UAC) was the difference as the Thunderbirds got a road win behind a 432-yard performance from their offensive attack.
The Thunderbirds rushed for 175 and threw for 257 while UWG threw for 242 using both Davin Wydner and Quincy Casey and rushed for 93 on Saturday.Â
Southern Utah struck first, scoring late in the first quarter on a 56-yard pass from Jackson Berry to Shane Carr to make it 7-0.
The Wolves would then score twice to take a 10-7 lead. A touchdown from Quincy Casey to Cedric Seabrough at the 13:39 mark of the second quarter opened the scoring for UWG. The two connected on a six-yard pass on fourth down to tie the game up, 7-7. Chance Gagnon then hit a 42-yard field goal to put the Wolves up 10-7 at the 7:22 mark.
Late in the half, the Thunderbirds drove 71 yards on 13 plays and capped it off with a one-yard rush from Targhee Lambson to make it a 14-10 lead for SUU with 53 seconds left.
Out of the halftime break, SUU got a 12-yard TD pass from Berry to Chase Merrell, followed by another Lambson touchdown to extend their lead to 28-10.
West Georgia then had a costly turnover as a fumble deep into Southern Utah territory went out of the end zone for a touchback, but the Wolves did add one more score, with Wydner finding a wide-open T.J. Lockley in the endzone to make it a 28-17 final.
Casey threw for 139 yards while Wydner tossed for 103 with each throwing one touchdown. Devion Newson had a big day for UWG's receiving corps with 105 yards on four catches and 76 yards after catch.
Defensively, West Georgia had one takeaway as Anthony Rochester picked off the Thunderbirds. The UWG defense was led by Micah Thurman with 10 tackles and the Wolves' had three sacks.
West Georgia is home again next for a non-conference clash with the Lincoln Oaklanders. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. from University Stadium.
