Tech football returns home to loss from UT Martin

Tech football returns home to loss from UT Martin

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – To build success, sometimes there must be some growing pains.

Saturday night was one of those times.

UT Martin came into Tucker Stadium and scored 48 straight points before the Tennessee Tech football team dented the scoreboard. As the final quarter wound down, the Golden Eagles added two touchdowns to keep from going empty-handed.

The Skyhawks ended the game 55-14 victors, improving to 3-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference, 4-2 overall. Tech enters its open date with a 4-3 record, 1-2 in the league.

UTM's players in the trenches made things difficult for the Golden Eagles on both sides of the ball, as Tech recorded a season-low 261 yards of offense, while allowing 553 yards of offense, the most the Golden Eagles allowed in regulation this season.

Quarterback John Bachus III threw for 331 yards and five touchdowns as he completed 16 of his 22 passes, connecting for two scores each to Colton Dowell and Kevin Butler, while Marqwell Odom picked up the fifth.

Dowell ended the game with five catches for 154 yards.

Peyton Logan rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on eight carries, while Jaimiee Bowe had a score and 74 yards.

Until the fourth quarter, the best scoring opportunity for the Golden Eagles was a 59-yard field goal attempt from Haidar Zaidan that had the distance, but sailed to the left.

Tech remedied that in the final period as Bailey Fisher threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Metrius Fleming. After reclaiming the ball on the onside kick, Luke Ward added another score as he completed a four-yard touchdown pass to Adam Browner.

Fisher ended the contest with 165 yards on 14-of-26 passing, while David Gist led Tech in rushing with 15 carries for 57 yards and in receiving with three catches for 27 yards.

Tech is idle next week and return to action on Oct. 26.