Southern Utah Football Falls To Northern Arizona In 2021 Spring Season Finale

CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Southern Utah Thunderbirds football team couldn’t get past Northern Arizona, falling to the Lumberjacks 28-20 on Saturday at home.

Saturday’s contest in Cedar City marked the final game of the 2021 spring regular season for Southern Utah. Justin Miller threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Thunderbirds, while Lance Lawson ran in a score.

For the Lumberjacks, Keondre Wudtee had one passing and two rushing touchdowns.

FINAL. #StormTheSky x #BigSkyFB pic.twitter.com/OGX9uP9lyO

— SUU Football 🏈 (@SUUFB) April 11, 2021

After a scoreless first quarter from both teams, Southern Utah got going offensively in the second quarter as Justin Miller threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Landen Measom to give the Thunderbirds a 7-0 lead with 9:05 remaining in the half. They added on to that lead with a one-yard rushing TD from Lance Lawson, putting SUU up 14-0 with 52 seconds left.

Northern Arizona answered with a seven-play, 63-yard drive in just 38 seconds that resulted in a one-yard TD connection from Keondre Wudtee to Kevin Daniels. Southern Utah was up 14-7 at halftime.

And for your at-home halftime entertainment tonight, we have Lance Lawson going absolutely wild 👀@Lance_lawson14 🤝 @hokucurnan 📷#StormTheSky x #BigSkyFB pic.twitter.com/lyeEFNcS18

— SUU Football 🏈 (@SUUFB) April 11, 2021

Early in the third quarter, Northern Arizona tied the game off of a 15-yard rushing touchdown from George Robinson. The Lumberjacks had the ball at the SUU one-yard line on third down when Keondre scored a TD on a QB keeper to put NAU up 21-14 over SUU with 4:26 left in the third quarter.

Just under five minutes into the fourth quarter, Wudtee ran in a 17-yard touchdown that gave the Lumberjacks a two-possession lead. SUU made a run late as Miller threw a touchdown pass to Landen Measom from five-yards out with 2:28 left to get the Thunderbirds within one touchdown, 28-20 after failing to get the two-point conversion.

Southern Utah’s spring season ended with a 1-5 record. They will return to action in the fall for another football season.