After coming up just short of a come-from-behind win in the season opener, the Southern Utah University football team turned the tables in their first home game. SUU defeated Weber State University on Saturday, Sept. 5, in the Eccles Coliseum by a score of 47-42 after trailing by double-digits in the first half.
SUU and Weber State each have a 1-1 record. The T-Birds are now 9-21 against the Wildcats all-time, and this is SUU’s first win against them since 2017. Their last game was a 62-0 loss for Southern Utah.
First quarter
The game started off swimmingly for the T-Birds, as they forced a punt then scored a touchdown off a run from quarterback Will Burns.
Both teams traded punts again before the rest of the quarter was eaten up by one WSU possession. The Wildcats trotted 95 yards down the field to tie the game with 36 seconds left in the period.
Second quarter
The punt party continued this quarter as SUU was forced to give up the ball after the first possession. However, the punt was blocked and taken to the endzone by Zach Smith for a Weber State touchdown.
Southern Utah didn’t take this lying down, though. They immediately answered with a 75-yard touchdown run by none other than Will Burns, showing off his incredible mobility.
The teams then traded two more 75-yard plays, as Weber State scored to increase their lead to 22-13 before SUU marched down the field to make it a two-point game. With just 20 seconds left in the half, the Wildcats scored yet another touchdown to lead 29-20.
Third quarter
SUU continued to take advantage of every possible opportunity, as a 39-yard rush from running back Floyd Chalk on the first possession of the half brought the T-Birds within two points again.
Southern Utah then capitalized on an error from WSU as a pair of T-Bird name twins — Christian Sampson and Tim Christian — forced a fumble and took hold of the ball for SUU respectively. Burns was able to find Joshua Acord down the field for a touchdown, putting the T-Birds ahead for the first time.
The Wildcats took the lead back on their next possession, but SUU did the same thing on their next drive as Devin Downing caught his first touchdown pass of the year.
As the quarter ended, the Wildcats attempted a fake punt but the SUU defense wasn’t fooled. They took control of the ball as the quarter turned over, leading 41-36.
Fourth quarter
With the game still on the line, Weber State intercepted an SUU pass and returned it down the field for a 24-yard touchdown pass. The following two-point conversion was no good, but WSU still led 42-41.
The teams traded the lead once more as Chalk took a 22-yard run up the middle to the house to put SUU ahead. Their two-point conversion was also unsuccessful.
Weber State had a chance to take back the win with less than two minutes left, but redshirt freshman safety Parker Vance snagged his first interception of the year to ice the game. SUU hauled in the conference win in a major shootout, 47-42.
Top T-Birds
— Floyd Chalk turned in a massive performance, notching 183 rushing yards with three touchdowns. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry with a longest run of 39 yards.
— Will Burns was practically a quarterback/running back two-way player this game. On top of 146 passing yards and two passing touchdowns on 10-for-18 completion, Burns rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns of his own. He only threw one interception.
— Even though he only had one catch, wide receiver David Spjut led the T-Birds in receiving yards with 44.
— Joshua Acord and Devin Downing both caught a touchdown. The former tacked on 42 yards from 5 catches while the latter had 16 yards on one catch.
— Aidan Hall and Myles Amey each recorded a sack. The former had two tackles, one for a loss, while the latter had six tackles, one and a half of them for a loss.
— Parker Vance had six solo tackles and an interception.
Next up
SUU will head to Fort Collins, Col. to face Colorado State University on Saturday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is at 5 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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Author: Payson Davis
Photograph by SUU Athletics
Editor: Briar Adams
