Box Score

CLEVELAND – The fourth-ranked Delta State University football team turned the ball over six times Saturday, leading to 31 North Alabama points, as the fifth-ranked Lions defeated the Statesmen, 55-34, in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Football Championship at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. North Alabama improves to 12-1 on the year, while Delta State closes the season at 10-2 for a second-consecutive year. 

After the Lions forced a three-and-out for the Statesmen at the UNA 49, North Alabama marched the ball 77 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead with 5:09 left in the first, as A.J. Milwee ran it in from the 1-yard line. 

The Statesmen answered right back, as Blake Barnes found Ben Stallings from 24 yards out to tie it at 7-7 with 2:54 left in the first. Statesmen starter Garrett DeWitt and Blake Barnes engineered the 60-yard drive in only seven plays and 2:08 off the clock. 

On the next UNA drive, the Lions marched 73 yards in 3:43 to take a 14-7 lead on Joemal Campbell's 15-yard touchdown reception from Milwee. 

After a Garrett DeWitt interception at the DSU 15, North Alabama quickly converted the field position into points, as Tom Schneider boomed a 29-yard field goal through the upright for a 17-7 Lions lead with 10:51 left in the half. The drive covered three yards in four plays and 1:20 off the game clock. 

The Statesmen would stall again on offense, punting the ball away to Lions. After UNA failed to gain a first down, the Statesmen muffed a golden opportunity by fumbling the punt at their own 1-yard line. UNA recovered the fumble and on the next play made it 24-7 on Mike McLendon's sixteenth touchdown run of the year with 8:08 left in the half. 

Both teams would exchange punts with the Statesmen setup first-and-10 at their own 11-yard line. The Lions would get tremendous pressure on Statesmen quarterback Garrett DeWitt forcing an errant pass behind intended receiver Trevar Deed. UNA's Darron Dampier hauled in the misfire and rumbled 16-yard for the touchdown and a 31-7 UNA lead with 1:02 left in the half. 

Delta State wouldn't go down in the first half without a fight, as the Statesmen marched 59-yards on four plays to cut the UNA lead to 31-14 on Trevar Deed's 16-yard reception from Garrett DeWitt with one second left in the half. The score was setup by a 40-yard reception by Greg Betterson on third-and-long. 

The score stood 31-14 North Alabama at the break. 

As the second half began, the Statesmen needed to find a way to stop the Lions, but UNA senior quarterback A.J. Milwee had other plans. The Boaz, Ala., native drove the Lions 77-yards on the opening possession of the second half, hooking up with Ed Gant on a 13-yard score with 10:59 left in the third for a 38-14 lead. 

North Alabama's Michael Johnson made it 45-14 with a 77-yard interception return for touchdown on Delta State's next drive with 7:38 left in the third. 

Delta State answered 2:33 later, as Trevar Deed hauled in a 42-yard touchdown pass from DeWitt to make it 45-21 with 5:05 in the third. 

Answered right back with 1:48 left on the clock in the third, as Milwee connected with Campbell for a 20-yard score, giving the Lions a 52-21 lead. 

In the fourth quarter, Delta State scored on its first two possessions, both touchdown receptions by Trevar Deed, cutting the North Alabama lead to 52-34 with 9:44 left to play. 

On the ensuing possession, DSU needed a stop on fourth-and-four from the DSU 48, but Milwee once again found a way to convert, finding Campbell for a five yard gain and a first down. Three plays later, Tom Schneider booted a 33-yard field goal to put the Statesmen away 55-34 with 5:43 left on the clock. 

Neither team would scratch the scoreboard again, as UNA ended Delta State's season 55-34. 

Despite outgaining the Lions 541-434, the Statesmen dug too deep a hole by allowing 31 points off turnovers. In the end, six turnovers cost the Statesmen and gave the Lions at shot at Northwest Missouri State, who defeated Abilene Christian 45-36 in Super Regional Four, next Saturday in the semifinals. 

The Statesmen finished the day with 541 yards of total offense on 79 plays. Sophomore receiver Trevar Deed turned in a school record 16 receptions for 203 yards and four scores. Deed's 16 receptions snapped the record of 14 formerly held by Chris Parks (2003) and Kyle Finney (1984). Deed's four touchdown receptions tied current teammate Greg Betterson's mark of four from the Harding game earlier this year. 

Garrett DeWitt finished with 464 yards passing on 36-of-57 attempts. The Destin, Fla., native tossed four touchdowns, but tied his career-high of four interceptions, both coming against UNA, as well.
Ben Stallings also had a solid performance with for grabs for 87 yards and a score, while rushing five times for 38 yards. 

Defensively for Delta State, Lardester Hicks-Green turned in career-high 17 tackles in the loss. Anthony King added 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. 

North Alabama tallied 434 yards on 73 plays. Milwee finished the day with 281 yards passing on 24-of-35 attempts with three scores and one interception. Milwee also ran for 51 yards on 14 carries with a score. 

Campbell wrapped up the game with eight receptions for 122 yards and two scores. Rockey Coleman added seven catches for 79 yards. 

Santana Suggs and Anton Bowen led UNA with eight tackles each. Johnson, Chad Daniels, Courtney Moore, and Darron Dampier all recorded interceptions for the Lions.