By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With UT Martin facing 3rd-and-7 in the overtime session at the Tennessee Tech 9-yard-line, the Golden Eagle defense looked to hold the Skyhawks out of the end zone and force another go at a score.
UT Martin quarterback Kinkead Dent fired toward Zoe Roberts and Cameron Hudson was there, batting the ball downward.
The play wasn't over though – Roberts reached out his hand and kept the ball from hitting the ground and managed to pull the ball in to give UT Martin the heartbreaking 44-41 victory over the Golden Eagles on Homecoming Saturday at Tucker Stadium.
Tech (3-6, 1-3 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference) kept battling to keep pace with the visiting Skyhawks (7-2, 4-1 Big South-OVC), then the Golden Eagles built a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, UT Martin rallied to tie the game with just under two minutes remaining to force the extra session.
Tech got a 47-yard field goal from Hayden Olsen in the overtime period after a sack forced the Golden Eagles back to the 30 on the series. The Skyhawks countered with two quick runs for nine yards before an illegal formation call brought UTM back to the 21. A nine-yard pass to Roberts moved the chains, but Franklin was caught in the backfield for a loss of six yards. Dent threw back-to-back nine-yard completions to claim the touchdown.
As tough as the result was, there was still some great highlights for the Golden Eagles. True freshman Jordyn Potts set the freshman single-game touchdowns thrown record as he threw five touchdown passes in the contest, putting him one shy of Bailey Fisher's single-game record of six against Eastern Illinois in 2019.
Potts ended the game 24-of-38 for 209 yards. For UT Martin, Ole Miss transfer Kinkead Dent had to match Potts to rally back, also throwing five TD strikes as he completed 24-of-40 passes for 318 yards.
Metrius Fleming and Justin Pegues each caught two touchdown passes, while Hunter Barnhart had the other scoring catch.
Tech's defense held the Skyhawks to 101 rushing yards – snapping the five-game streak of holding opponents under the century mark – but held UTM running back Sam Franklin to 78 yards as the Golden Eagles kept the top two rushers in the conference – Franklin and Southeast Missouri's Geno Hess – to under 100 yards.
The first half saw both teams trading jabs back and forth as Fleming caught a 17-yard pass for a TD, then Dent followed suit with a 23-yard strike to Roberts. Franklin put the Skyhawks on top with a three-yard run to the end zone, then Barnhart caught an 18-yard touchdown pass after the Golden Eagles recovered a fumble at the Skyhawk 21. DeVonte Tanksley caught an 11-yard touchdown with seven seconds remaining in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead at the half.
After the Skyhawks were silenced on the first drive of the second half, the Golden Eagles went on an 11-yard drive, going 78 yards as the series ended on Potts' second touchdown pass to Fleming for a 14-yard score.
On the next drive, Olsen lined up for a 54-yard field goal try and split the uprights, completing the longest field goal of his career and tying Haidar Zaidan and Nick Madonia for the second-longest field goal in program history.
Jyron Gilmore got the ball right back to the Golden Eagles as he picked off a Dent pass at the UTM 40. Five plays later, Pegues scored on an 18-yard completion with the PAT giving Tech a 31-21 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The Skyhawks got a 25-yard field goal from Aidan Laros to get back within one possession, but Tech stretched its advantage back as Pegues caught a two-yard touchdown with Olsen's kick making it a 38-24 lead.
UTM evened the contest with two touchdowns in the final 8:16 of regulation as a four-play, 69-yard drive ended on a Franklin 21-yard catch, then D.J. Nelson's seven-yard catch at 1:57 left in regulation, followed by Laros' PAT knotted the game at 38.
The Golden Eagles return to action next Saturday as they host Gardner-Webb for Senior Day. Kickoff is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start.
Tickets are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Jim Dillon
