MARTIN, Tenn. – A fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the University of Tennessee at Martin football team came up just short this evening as the Skyhawks dropped a close 31-24 decision to Missouri State at Hardy Graham Stadium.
UT Martin held a 7-0 lead through one quarter before the visiting Bears reeled off 24 unanswered points. The Skyhawks scored again late in the third quarter and tacked on 10 straight points in a five-minute span in the final period but Missouri State (2-2) held on for the win.
Chris Hunter, Jr. posted a game-high 11 tackles and a team-best 1.5 tackles for loss for UT Martin (1-3). Charles Perkins and Keyshawn Johnson each had a sack while JaMichael McGoy, Jr. batted away a pair of pass breakups for the Skyhawks, who tallied seven tackles for loss as a unit tonight.
Making his first start of the season, quarterback Kaiya Sheron went 20-for-27 for 213 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Patrick Smith (game-high 64 rushing yards), Tyler Dostin (four receptions for 41 yards) and Max Dowling (three catches for 21 yards) each scored touchdowns while Trevonte Rucker tallied a game-high six catches for 73 yards.
On special teams, Jaren Van Winkle averaged 42.2 yards over four punts and nailed a 31-yard field goal to pull UT Martin within one score late. However, the Skyhawks did not get the ball back for a potential game-tying drive.
“Missouri State is a good team and we knew that coming in,” UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson said. “They didn’t turn it over and we turned it over twice so we were probably fortunate to make a game of it there at the end. It was a disappointing loss but when you play good teams, the margin for error is very small. Third downs have continued to plague us on offense and the defense wasn’t able to get off the field on third downs tonight. We have to coach them better – the kids played hard but we need to be more detailed on both sides of the ball.”
The Skyhawks conceded just 33 yards of total offense in the opening quarter. Sheron completed his first seven throws, including a nine-yard strike at the 6:28 mark to give UT Martin a 7-0 advantage.
The Bears got on the scoreboard via a 33-yard field goal at the 11:01 mark of the second quarter. Missouri State took a 10-7 halftime advantage courtesy of a touchdown after a seven-play, 90-yard drive in 48 seconds that ended with five seconds remaining before the intermission.
The Bears scored on their first two drives of the third quarter, taking the opening drive of the half in for a five-yard rushing touchdown and hitting a 35-yard touchdown pass on the first play following a turnover in Skyhawk territory.
Smith’s eight-yard touchdown scamper capped off an eight-play, 75-yard drive, slicing the UT Martin deficit to 24-14 at the end of the third quarter.
A Skyhawk turnover gave Missouri State another short field as the Bears took advantage, extending their lead to 31-14 at the 12:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
UT Martin marched 75 yards on 10 plays in their ensuing possession, ending with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Sheron to Dostin. The Skyhawk defense followed with a three-and-out and the UT Martin offense did their job as Van Winkle split the uprights from 31 yards out to trim the Skyhawk deficit to 31-24 with 2:24 to go.
The UT Martin defense forced a 3rd-and-6 from the Bears’ 39-yard line with 2:14 remaining but Missouri State was able to clinch the win after a 58-yard reception.
The Skyhawks go on the road in Week 5, taking on Football Bowl Subdivision member Kennesaw State at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 28.
