Southern Utah Falls To Idaho State On Last Second FG In Home Opener
Mar 6, 2021, 3:46 PM
No. 8 Southern Utah hosts Weber State in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 at 6 p.m. MT in Cedar City. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
CEDAR CITY, Utah – For the second straight week, Southern Utah football suffered a heartbreaking defeat after falling to Idaho State 26-24 in their home opener.
With eight seconds left in the game, Southern Utah was up 24-23 over Idaho State when kicker Kevin Ryan gave the Bengals the win after hitting a 30-yard field goal.
In their season opener last week, SUU lost to Northern Arizona on a last second touchdown.
Justin Miller threw for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns, completing 20 of his 30 pass attempts. Dayne Christiansen racked up 80 rushing yards and a touchdown on just three carries. Judd Cockett caught five passes for 50 yards and a score. Landen Measom hauled in four receptions for 75 yards and a TD.
FINAL | Tough loss at home ⚡️#StormTheSky x #11United pic.twitter.com/WRsxR70ibG
— SUU Football 🏈 (@SUUFB) March 6, 2021
It was a defensive-heavy first half as both teams didn’t find the end zone. Southern Utah scored first with a field goal on their second possession. Idaho State answered with a field goal of their own early in the second quarter.
After SUU turned the ball over on downs late in the second half, Idaho State capitalized with a touchdown pass from Tyler Vander Waal to Jeff Harris. The Bengals took a 10-3 halftime lead.
The third quarter was full of touchdowns as the Thunderbirds found the end zone on a 45-yard pass from Justin Miller to Landen Measom to tie the game at 10 with 12:22 left in the quarter. Idaho state responded with a 29-yard TD throw from Vander Waal to Jalen Henderson. That put the Bengals back on top, 17-10 with 2:11 remaining in the third. Just two plays into SUU’s drive, Dayne Christiansen broke off a 69-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 17 with 1:29 left in the third quarter.
Q4 | HE GOT THERE ⚡️
#80 Judd Cockett with 16 yards for the Touchdown
⚡️ | 24
🐅 | 23#StormTheSky x #11United pic.twitter.com/WQjidoksFO— SUU Football 🏈 (@SUUFB) March 6, 2021
Idaho State took the lead back after Vander Waal threw a 31-yard TD to Xavier Guillory to put them up 23-17 with 7:25 remaining in the game after missing the extra point. When SUU got the ball back, they drove down the field in 8 plays and 58 yards that capped off with a 16-yard touchdown catch from Judd Cockett, giving Miller his second TD pass. SUU was up 24-23 with 3:38 left after converting the extra point.
Southern Utah dropped their record to 0-2 on the season. They will be on the road to face Cal Poly on Saturday, March 13 at 1 p.m. MT on Pluto TV channel 1062.
