The Southern Utah University football team is back home as they host No. 14 Tarleton State University on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m. This game will be played at the Eccles Coliseum and will be Southern Utah’s Power in Pink Night. This game can also be streamed on ESPN+.
Tarleton State
The Texans enter this week 4-1 on the year and 1-0 in the United Athletic Conference. Tarleton State is on a three-game winning streak, and those three games they have averaged 33 points per game. Along with that they are averaging 256 yards on the ground. Tarleton State ranks in the top three in both offense and defense in the UAC.
Senior running back Kayvon Britten has been outstanding for the Texans. Britten has 834 total rushing yards on the year and six touchdowns to go along with it. In their first conference game of the season, Britten ran for 273 yards and four touchdowns, his second career four-touchdown game.
With the strong running game, Tarleton State hasn’t seen much in the passing game on the year. Junior quarterback Victor Gabalis has started three of the five games for the Texans under center. Gabalis had his best game of the year last week where he threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
On the defense, defensive back Blake Smith is first on the team and tied for No. 3 in the conference with two interceptions. Caimyn Layne has been a force on the defensive line as well. The senior from Fort Worth, Texas leads the team in tackles for loss and sacks.
Southern Utah
It has been an up and down season for Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds are 2-3 on the year and 1-0 in conference play. Both of SUU’s wins have come on the road, including a win against the University of Texas at El Paso. That win marked just the third win against a Football Bowl Subdivision in school history
Like Tarleton State, Southern Utah finds most of their success on offense in the run game. Senior running back Targhee Lambson has been electric for the Thunderbirds. Lambson has 711 yards on the ground and is tied for No. 3 in the conference with seven touchdowns.
Along with the Texans, SUU has found inconsistent play from the quarterback position. Bronson Barron earned his first start last week against Austin Peay State University. The redshirt junior tallied 243 yards through the air, but threw two interceptions.
If Tarleton State is going to turn to the passing game, Gabalis will need to stay away from freshman cornerback Jayden Robertson. As a true freshman, Robertson leads the UAC in interceptions with four, including a game-sealing pick-six against Austin Peay.
With both offenses focused on establishing the run game, whoever can control the time of possession will have a great chance of coming out on top.
Southern Utah is 2-1 all-time against Tarleton State, with Tarleton State coming out on top the last time these two teams met in Cedar City.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: Gannon Lovisa
Editor: Michele Fogg
