By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
and Rob Schabert, TTU Sports Information Director
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After falling behind 7-0 on the
opening drive, the Tennessee State Tigers scored 34 unanswered
points on the way to handing Tennessee Tech a 41-21 loss Saturday
night in Tucker Stadium in the Ohio Valley Conference opener for
both teams.
TSU (3-1/1-0 OVC) found its offense through the air, with
quarterbacks Ronald Butler and Michael German combining to pass for
343 yards and four touchdowns. A.C Leonard had five catches for 122
yards and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard strike in the third
quarter.
The Golden Eagles (2-2/0-1 OVC) scored on a 79-yard, 12-play drive
from the opening kickoff for a 7-0 lead but made numerous critical
mistakes including losing three turnovers and being whistled for
nine penalties for 65 yards.
The first touchdown was scored by Golden Eagle senior center James
Normand, who recovered a fumble in the end zone when quarterback
Darian Stone fumbled trying to cross the goal line on a
third-and-one.
TSU answered with a 47-yard touchdown pass from Butler to Ryan
Mitchell, and five minutes later took advantage of a Golden Eagle
fumble at the Tech one-yard line to set up an easy second score and
a 14-7 lead.
Jamin Godfrey kicked field goals of 39 yards in the second quarter
and 22 yards in the third to make it a 20-7 lead, setting the stage
for the bomb to Leonard that made it 27-7. Leonard grabbed a
three-yard pass for a 34-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Backup quarterback Jared Davis ralied Tech with back-to-back
touchdown drives, the first culminating in a six-yard pass to Steve
Wilson and the second resulting in a one-yard run by the redshirt
freshman signal-caller from Tullahoma to make it 34-21.
Expecting TSU to run out the clock with the two touchdown lead,
the Golden Eagles were caught by surprise when German heaved a
43-yard touchdown ass to Lavatiae Kelly with 1:10 to play for the
final score.
Tennessee State finished with 438 yards of offense, despite being
held to just 95 rushing yards. Tech had 301 yards of offense,
rushing for 136 and passing for 165.
Defensively, Tra'Darius Goff paced Tech with 11 tackles while
Marty Jones added eight and Jordan Johnson had seven, incuding two
tackles-for-loss.
The Golden Eagles remain home next week to host a non-conference
game against Indiana State. Kickoff is at 7 p.m., on Faith, Fmaily
and Youth Night.
PREGAME NOTES
- Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State will open Ohio Valley
Conference play, competing in the first league contest of the
season.
- The Tigers own the series advantage, 16-10, and have won the
previous two match-ups by a grand total of three points.
- Tonight's game marks the start of the race for the Sgt. York
Trophy. Tech will host all three Tennessee School this season.
- Both teams come into tonight's contest 2-1 and having won their
previous contest. Tech beat Hampton, 30-27, on the road while TSU
took down Jackson State, 26-16, on neutral turf.
- The Golden Eagles rank second in the OVC in total defense while
the Tigers rank first.
- Today's game captains for Tech are #16 Zack Ziegler,
#60 James
Normand, #94 Malcolm
Mitchell, and #99 Jordan
Johnson.
- Tech has won the toss and elected to receive to start the
game.
FIRST QUARTER NOTES
- Cody
Forbes returns the ball to the 20-yard line as we are under way
in Cookeville.
- Quarterback Darian Stone
rips a 19-yard rush and is barely tripped up as Tech reaches the
50-yard line.
- Golden Eagles really moving the ball well. They are now in the
red zone after a 20-yard completion from Stone to Cody Matthews.
Ball is on the Tennessee State two-yard line.
- TOUCHDOWN!!!! Darian Stone muffs the snap at the one-yard line,
but senior center James Normand scores his first career touchdown
by recovering the fumble in the endzone!
- The score is the first points the Tigers have given up on
defense in the first quarter this season.
- Tech leads 7-0 with 8:54 to play.
- Tennessee State scores on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Ronald
Butler to Ryan Mitchell.
- Game is tied at 7-7 with 5:08 to go in the first quarter.
- Chad
Zinchini will enter to punt from his own endzone. He crushes
one with a favorable bounce. It goes 59 yards and TSU will take
over on its own 33-yard line with 3:07 to play in the first
quarter.
- Malcolm Mitchell with a great pass break-up and TSU will
punt.
- Tech takes over on its own one-yard line after a great punt by
the Tigers. Just 44 seconds to go in the first quarter.
- Golden Eagles fumble and TSU recovers at the Tech one-yard
line.
- Tim Broughton busts his way in for a touchdown and TSU takes the
14-7 lead with 33 seconds left in the first quarter.
- At the end of the first quarter, Tennessee State leads Tennessee
Tech 14-7.
SECOND QUARTER NOTES
- Zinchini back in the game and punts it for 38 yards out of
bounds at the TSU 32-yard line.
- SACK!!!! Midoho
Okpokowuruk and Kevin
Robinson-White combine to bring down the Tigers' quarterback
and force a long third down.
- TSU kicker Jamin Godfrey attempts a 39-yard field goal.
- It's good. Tennessee State leads 17-7 with 8:24 to play in the
first half.
- Tech starting to drive the ball again, the team crosses the 50
and is working towards another score.
- Big pass play from Stone to Stephen Bush. It
goes for 19 yards and Tech is at the TSU 25-yard line with 6:02 to
play.
- Zach
Sharp out to attempt a 46-yard field goal.
- It's blocked by Wilson Robinson and TSU recovers at its own
37-yard line.
- INTERCEPTION!!!! Bill Dillard
makes a diving pick after a pass attempt by Ronald Butler goes off
his receiver's finger tips!
- Tech takes over on the Tigers' 39-yard line with 4:14 to play in
the first half.
- Zinchini in to attempt a punt. He boots it to the TSU 15-yard
line.
- Big tackle by Jordan Johnson, forces the Tigers for a three-yard
loss.
- Tech takes over on its own 47-yard line with 2:19 to go in the
first quarter.
- Zinchini out to punt and he boots it 47 yards to the TSU 35-yard
line. Just 1:15 left in the first half.
- Godfrey out there for a 52-yard field goal attempt for TSU.
- It's no good as it falls short and Tech will take a knee with
two seconds left.
- The Tigers lead the Golden Eagles 17-7 at the half.
THIRD QUARTER NOTES
- Tennessee State returns the kickoff to its own 41-yard line and
we under way in the second half.
- A quick three-and-out by the Tigers will force them to bring in
the punt unit.
- The punt bounces down to the TTU five-yard line and Tech takes
over with 14:00 to go in the third quarter.
- Zinchini will punt and he BOOMS a 63-yard punt. TSU will take
over on its own 23-yard line after an illegal block in the
back.
- BIG LOSS forced by Jordan Johnson and Midoho Okpokowuruk! TSU
loses five yards and combined with two false starts, has second and
25 yards to go.
- Tech forces a Tiger punt. Leon Holderhead boots it 36 yards and
Tech will take over on its own 42-yard line.
- TSU defensive back David Van Dyke intercepts a pass and the
Tigers take over on their own 48-yard line.
- TSU is stuffed on third down and will have fourth-and-five at
the Tech 30-yard line. The Tigers are going for it.
- The Tigers convert and have first and goal at the three-yard
line.
- TTU holds the Tigers and they will have to attempt a 22-yard
field goal.
- It's good and TSU takes a 20-7 lead with 5:24 to go in the third
quarter.
- Ladarius
Vanlier returns the ball to the Tech 26-yard line and the
Golden Eagle drive begins.
- Zinchini out to punt and he puts it at the TSU 19-yard line for
a 41-yard punt. The Tigers return it one yard.
- Touchdown pass from TSU's Michael German to A.C. Leonard goes 80
yards. Tennessee State now leads 27-7 with 2:46 to play in the
third quarter.
- TSU recovers the onsides kick and takes over on its own 47-yard
line.
- Tech forces the Tigers to punt and Maleek Hall returns it
to the 15-yard line.
- Vanlier with a big first-down run and he gets an extra 15 yards
on a face mask. Tech up to its own 45-yard line.
- Stone rushes for 14 more yards and gets another first down.
- At the end of the third quarter, TSU leads Tech 27-7.
FOURTH QUARTER NOTES
- TSU forces a fumble and will recover it on its own 42-yard
line.
- Touchdown pass from German to Leonard and TSU takes a 34-7 lead
with 10:07 to play.
- Jared
Davis enters the game for the Golden Eagles.
- Tech crosses in the redzone after a catch and 15-yard penalty by
TSU.
- Neil
Gannaway with a 13-yard reception and Tech has a first-and-goal
at the TSU six.
- TOUCHDOWN!!!! Jared Davis connects with Steve Wilson and
Tech now trails 34-14 with 7:27 to play.
- TSU takes over on its own 35-yard line.
- FUMBLE!!!!! Tech recovers the fumble at the Tennessee State
37-yard line with 7:14 to go.
- BIG GRAB by Krys Cates on
fourth-and-five and Tech converts the first down and is in the
redzone again.
- TOUCHDOWN!!!!! Jared Davis sneaks in on third-and-one and Tech
cuts the lead to 34-21 with 2:49 to play.
- Tech's onsides kick attempt is recovered by TSU at the Golden
Eagle 46-yard line with 2:49 to go.
- Touchdown Tennessee State. German connects with Lavatiae Kelly
for a 43-yard touchdown with 1:10 to go. The Tigers now lead
41-21.
- Turnover-on-downs and TSU takes over on its own 45-yard
line.
- TSU takes a knee and the game is over.
- The final score is Tennessee State 41, Tennessee Tech 21.