Utah
Southern Utah romps St Thomas 44-13 in home opener
The Thunderbirds will depart the Massive Sky for the Western Athletic Convention in most sports activities, together with soccer, on July 1, 2022. (Courtesy: SUU Athletics)
Estimated learn time: 3-4 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — It is a new period in Cedar Metropolis.
With a special stadium, convention, and head coach, Southern Utah kicked off the 2022 season with a win.
DeLane Fitzgerald’s Thunderbirds squad was in a position to kickoff the WAC period by powering via the St. Thomas Tommies of Minnesota. Southern Utah junior quarterback Justin Miller threw for 3 touchdowns in a formidable offensive show to capitalize off key St. Thomas miscues.
First quarter
St. Thomas began off the sport with a lighting quick landing drive that was arrange by a 60-yard run from working again Hope Adebayo on the sport’s first play. However the Tommies had been unable to construct off the momentum as Southern Utah took management of the primary half.
The Thunderbirds protection got here up clutch within the quarter and recovered two fumbles and stopped two fourth down makes an attempt by the Tommies, which helped the offense shift the momentum.
The Thunderbirds bought on the board with a 27-yard area objective from kicker Jake Geradi to take a 7-3 deficit. However Miller later accomplished a deep move to Isaiah Wood for a 42-yard acquire, which arrange a 1-yard touchdown run by Bobby Cole to take a 10-7 lead.
Second quarter
After buying and selling punts and recovering a fumble, SUU lengthen its lead when Miller threw a brief move to a wide-open Wood, who ran down the suitable sideline for an electrical 64-yard landing.
St. Thomas tried to reply when working again Shawn Shipman picked up an important first down, however the Tommies fumbled on a halfback toss, which led to a Thunderbirds area objective by Micah Petitt on the opposite facet.
A late second quarter try to attain within the pink zone by the Tommies failed as quarterback Cade Sexauer threw an incompletion on fourth-and-1 from the Southern Utah’s 14-yard line and the Thunderbirds went into the break with a 20-7 lead.
Third quarter
Southern Utah open up the second half with a punt, however the protection held St. Thomas on a fourth down try at midfield — its third cease on fourth down of the night time — and Miller quickly adopted it up with a play-action move it Mata’ava Ta’ase for a 6-yard rating.
The Thunderbirds then fooled the Tommies, and even the digital camera, with a faux PAT try that gave Southern Utah a profitable 2-point conversion to take a 21-point lead.
On their subsequent drive, St. Thomas took a methodical strategy and slowly moved down the sector in a 13-play drive that included a fourth down conversion try. Sexauer capped off the drive with a fourth-and-goal landing move to chop into the Southern Utah’s lead with slightly below 5 minutes left within the quarter.
St Thomas channeled their internal Nebraska and tried a shock onside kick that was rapidly scooped up by Southern Utah and returned to the Tommies’ 35-yard line, establishing the Thunderbirds in prime place for one more rating, a 23-yard area objective.
Fourth quarter
Blessed with good area place and a demoralized protection, Miller and the Thunderbirds capped off a two play, 51-yard drive when Miller discovered a wide-open Wood for a 25-yard landing move to take a 38-13 lead.
Later within the quarter, the Thunderbirds capitalize off one other interception that was later became a 1-yard dashing landing to take full management of the sport.
Miller completed the night time throwing for 364 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing, and Wood completed with two touchdowns and 142 yards on 5 catches.
What’s subsequent?
The Thunderbirds journey to Salt Lake Metropolis on Sept. tenth to face reigning Pac-12 champions Utah at 11:30 a.m. MDT.