Last Second FG Lifts Weber State To Red Rock Rivalry Win Over NAU
Nov 19, 2022, 5:19 PM
Weber State quarterback Bronson Barron vs. Utah Tech on September 17, 2022. (Courtesy of Weber State Athletics)
(Courtesy of Weber State Athletics)
OGDEN, Utah – The Weber State Wildcats needed a last-second field goal to pick up a 33-31 win over NAU in the regular season finale and the Red Rock Rivalry.
Weber State was trailing NAU 31-30 with five seconds left when Kyle Thompson made a 23-yard field goal to give the Wildcats the win.
Bronson Barron completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 220 yards and one touchdown. Josh Davis racked up 80 rushing yards on nine carries. Ty MacPherson led the receivers with eight catches for 97 yards and one touchdown.
The game started with Barron connecting with MacPherson to give Weber State a 7-0 lead with 9:58 remaining in the first quarter. After getting the ball back, Weber State scored a one-yard touchdown on the ground from Creyton Cooper. The Wildcats extended their lead to 14-0 with 6:27 left in the opening quarter.
Northern Arizona answered with a 45-yard touchdown pass from RJ Martinez to Hendrix Johnson to trim their deficit to 14-7 with 11:23 to go in the second quarter. It didn’t take long for Weber State to stretch their lead to 14 when Abraham Williams returned the kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Weber State was up 21-7 with 11:10 left in the first half.
The Red Rock Rivalry trophy is heading to Ogden! #WeAreWeber pic.twitter.com/CEcSmTwc2V
— Weber State Football 🏈 (@weberstatefb) November 19, 2022
NAU scored two unanswered touchdowns beginning with a 12-yard run by Draycen Hall with 8:52 left in the half and a five-yard TD pass from Martinez to Isaiah Gerena as time expired in the half. The game was tied at 21 at the break.
The third quarter had two Kyle Thompson field goals from 39 and 29 yards respectively to give the Wildcats a 27-21 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. The Lumberjacks took a 28-27 lead with 11:40 left in the game on a six-yard TD pass from Martinez to Johnson.
Thompson put the Wildcats back on top with a 41-yard field goal to give WSU a 30-28 lead with 7:12 to go in the game. NAU picked up a 39-yard field goal from Collin Robbins to put the Lumberjacks in front 31-30 with 2:50 left in the game.
Then Thompson made his fourth field goal of the game to give the Wildcats the win.
Weber State finished the regular season with a 9-2 overall record and 6-2 in Big Sky play. They will find out their opponent in the FCS Playoffs when the Selection Show takes place on Sunday, November 20 at 12:30 p.m. MT on ESPNU.
