THURSDAY'S SCORES
@UT Martin 17, Tennessee Tech 10
UT MARTIN 17, TENNESSEE TECH 10
MARTIN, Tenn. - Senior linebacker Tony Bell became the University of Tennessee at Martin’s all-time sacks leader in tonight’s 17-10 victory over Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech at Hardy Graham Stadium.
In a game that endured a 127-minute rain delay in the fourth quarter, the All-American from Memphis broke the record with his second sack of the game, which occurred early in the second quarter. Bell’s 18th career sack broke the record previously held by Emanuel McNeil (17 from 1985-88).
Overall, Bell compiled eight total tackles (three tackles for loss) to set the tone for a defense that allowed its lowest scoring output against a Football Championship Subdivision opponent this season. The stingy Skyhawk defense allowed only 262 yards of total offense while tallying 10 total tackles for loss and four sacks.
Offensively, Abou Toure rushed for a career-high 128 yards and a touchdown while UT Martin’s other touchdown also came on the ground in the form of a 35-yard rush from quarterback Jarod Neal.
Neal finished with eight rushes for 73 yards while completing 15 of his 20 pass attempts for 126 yards. Kyle Kerrick hauled in a team-high four catches for 45 yards to lead the Skyhawks (2-5, 1-3 OVC).
Darian Stone went 10-for-22 for 149 yards and an interception while adding a team-best 37 yards on 14 rushes for the Golden Eagles. Brock McCoin was responsible for a game-high 85 yards on five receptions while Austin Tallant (13 tackles) and Marty Jones (11 tackles) each registered double-digit stops to pace Tennessee Tech (2-4, 1-2 OVC).
With the win, UT Martin takes a 1-0 lead in the eighth annual Sgt. York Trophy series presented by Delta Dental of Tennessee. The Sgt. York Trophy goes to the winner of the quadrangular season series between the four OVC football playing schools located in the state of Tennessee (Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin). Tonight’s win extended the Skyhawks’ record in the series to 14-8 – which is the best mark of the four schools.
The Skyhawks scored on the first drive of the game, piecing together a 13-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 6:21. Neal went 4-for-4 while Toure was a workhorse, carrying the ball eight times on the drive – including a two-yard rush up the middle to give UT Martin an early advantage.
Tennessee Tech was held to three-and-outs on its first two drives, including a key third down sack by Bell to force a punt late in the first quarter.
The Golden Eagles received the ball to begin the second quarter but UT Martin held Tennessee Tech to 19 yards in six plays before the Golden Eagles punted again.
UT Martin’s next drive ended in a punt which set up Tennessee Tech’s lone scoring drive of the evening. A 31-yard rush by Stone placed the ball at the Skyhawk 16-yard line but Bell’s milestone sack and another sack by Deantae Glover followed to push the Golden Eagles back to the 32-yard line. John Arnold then successfully booted a career-long 49-yard field goal at the 4:28 mark of the second quarter to make the score 7-3.
A Skyhawk lost fumble on the first play of the ensuing drive gave Tennessee Tech prime field position on the UT Martin 10-yard line. Devontay Barnett then came up with a big play with a 12-yard sack on the first play of the drive but the Golden Eagles would advance the ball to the Skyhawk 1-yard line. On fourth-and-goal, Barnett and Leon Carlton III then made sure that UT Martin kept the lead by breaking through the line for a tackle that resulted in no gain.
The Skyhawks picked up a first down before running out the clock to take a 7-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
UT Martin set the tone defensively once again to start the second half, as the Golden Eagles were held to another three-and-out on the opening drive of the third quarter.
Tennessee Tech would once again be forced to punt after gaining 19 yards on six plays on its next possession.
Neal hit Wright with a 25-yard strike on the first play of UT Martin’s next drive but the Skyhawks would soon punt the ball away. The Golden Eagles would follow with 51 yards on nine plays but UT Martin once again kept Tennessee Tech off the scoreboard, forcing another punt.
The Skyhawks would add on to their lead on the ensuing drive. Starting on its own 11-yard line, Neal escaped pressure in the pocket with an eight-yard rush. Ladevin Fair then gained 17 yards on a rush through the right side. After another Fair rush and a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Golden Eagles, Neal found Wright for a 13-yard gain before finding the endzone. Neal once again broke loose from a Tennessee Tech defender and juked his way to a 35-yard score for his sixth career rushing touchdown.
UT Martin held Tennessee Tech to yet another three-and-out on its next offensive possession. The Skyhawks then came up with a turnover on the Golden Eagles’ next drive, as Jaquille White leaped up for an interception on UT Martin’s 10-yard line after Tennessee Tech had driven into Skyhawk territory.
Toure had rushes for 17 and 46 yards on UT Martin’s subsequent drive to set up a Jackson Redditt 23-yard field goal to extend the Skyhawk lead to 17-3 with 6:20 to go in the contest.
Tennessee Tech would gain 37 yards on three plays before play was suspended because of a lightning delay. The game resumed play after the lengthy delay and the Golden Eagles needed five plays before scoring on a two-yard touchdown rush to get the score back to one possession.
Receiving the ball with four minutes left, Neal rifled a 15-yard pass to Kerrick on the first play of the drive for a first down. Two plays later, Neal used his feet to once again make a big play, scrambling for 11 yards to keep the clock moving. Tennessee Tech was flagged for pass interference on third down with just under two minutes to play, allowing the Skyhawks to kneel out the clock and clinch their first OVC win of the season.