MOSCOW, Idaho — The Thunderbird football team traveled take on the Idaho Vandals this weekend, and fell to their Big Sky foe 31-12. The result moves the T-Birds to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in the Big Sky Conference.
“It’s just frustrating, we’re not getting the job done,” SUU head coach Demario Warren said. “We’ve just got to continue to work. Every time we do something well, it kind of backfires on us. We can’t get off to a quick start and those are things we’ve been working on. It’s a grind, it’s a process. It’s not fun to be 1-6, but it is what it is. We’re going to continue to be the type of program we are. We’re going to work hard, take it one day at a time and hope things break our way. But it’s got to get better, they’ve got to improve, they got to believe in it, and we’ve got to find a way to win on the road which has been difficult his year.”
The first three quarters of the contest were all Idaho. The Vandals held a 24-0 lead at the halftime break, and added to that in the third quarter with another touchdown to extend their lead to 31-0.
When the Thunderbirds started rolling offensively, Austin Ewing was at quarterback. He led them on a 16-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in a quarterback keeper for a touchdown to finally put SUU on the board. After a failed two-point conversion, the T-Birds trailed 31-6.
Later in the fourth, Ewing led the T-Birds on a seven-play, 60-yard drive that once again ended with a quarterback keeper ran in for a touchdown by the freshman.
“I think it just shows that no matter what happens we’re going to fight until the end,” Ewing said following the contest.
Ewing ended the game with 210 yards on the ground, and was five-for-six with 37 yards passing. Jay Green Jr. ended the contest with 158 yards rushing for the T-Birds.
Defensively, AJ Stanley led the Thunderbirds with 10 tackles. Taylor Nelson and Jalen Russell both had two tackles for loss in the contest.
The Thunderbirds will return home next weekend to host the Bears of Northern Colorado.
Story and Photography Courtesy of: SUU Athletics Strategic Communication
