The Southern Utah University football team will host Eastern Kentucky University on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. The matchup between the two United Athletic Conference teams can also be streamed through ESPN+.
The Thunderbirds enter the matchup with a 2-4 record and are 1-1 in the UAC. SUU was defeated last weekend in a heartbreaking thriller, losing to No. 14 Tarleton State University 38-37 in overtime. The Colonels are 3-2 overall, 1-1 in conference play, and their only losses are to Football Bowl Subdivision programs Mississippi State University and Western Kentucky University. EKU is coming off of a bye week.
Southern Utah
The Thunderbirds record doesn’t reflect the talent and how they have played through six games this season. They beat FBS University of Texas at El Paso, but have lost to the University of California at Davis, Idaho State University, University of Utah and Tarleton State.
Targhee Lambson has been a one man wrecking crew on the ground for SUU. He has accounted for over 40% of the team’s offensive yards. Lambson has tallied 928 yards on 138 carries, good for third best in the FCS. He has also scored nine rushing touchdowns.
Redshirt sophomore receiver Gabe Nunez has emerged as SUU’s number one receiver after tallying just one catch for six yards through his first two games. Nunez has a team-leading 20 catches for 335 yards and two touchdowns in the last four games.
Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels running-game is spearheaded by redshirt senior Joshua Carter. He has ran for 425 yards and four touchdowns. The second-leading rusher is sophomore Brayden Latham, who has rushed for 286 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore linebacker duo Maddox Marcellus and Braden Sullivan lead EKU in tackles, combining for 27 total tackles.. Sullivan has the most solo tackles with 17. Redshirt Junior defensive back Vito Tisdale has a team-leading six pass break-ups, with them all coming in two of the five games played.
The Colonels are 1-0 all-time against the Thunderbirds.
Author: Brig Pyfer
Photographer: Gannon Lovisa
Editor: Jack Paul