Linebackers
41
Winner Florida Tech FIT 3-3 , 1-1
37
Delta State Univ. DSU 4-1 , 0-1
Winner
Florida Tech FIT
3-3 , 1-1
41
Final
37
Delta State Univ. DSU
4-1 , 0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FIT Florida Tech 10 10 21 0 41
DSU Delta State Univ. 3 10 14 10 37

Game Recap: Football | | Caroline George

Statesmen Fall in 41-37 Defeat; Comeback Falls Short

CLEVELAND, Mississippi – A comeback effort by the No. 5 Delta State University Statesmen came up short, as Florida Tech held on for a 41-37 victory on Saturday at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. 

The Basics:
  • Score:  Florida Tech 41, Delta State 37
  • Records: No. 5 Delta State (4-1, 0-1 GSC), Florida Tech (2-3, 1-1 GSC)
  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 3 | 6:00 p.m. (CST) Kickoff
  • Location: Parker Field-McCool Stadium | Cleveland, Miss.
  • Series: Statesmen lead 2-1.
 
How It Happened:
 
Offense:
  • A 63-yard opening drive from the Statesmen resulted in a 29-yad field goal by Vince Sciorrotta, his sixth of the season, giving DSU a 3-0 lead at the 11:54 mark.
  • The Panthers quickly answered with a threat of their own, but it was halted by the Delta State defense. Drake Hillman sent a 21-yarder through the uprights to tie the game at three with 8:45 to go in the first quarter.
  • Florida Tech used a late 7-play, 79-yard scoring drive to close out first-quarter scoring when Gary Holmes rushed for an 11-yard touchdown at the 1:38 mark, giving FIT the 10-3 advantage.
  • The momentum stayed with the Panthers into the second quarter, as they scored less than two minutes in. First-Team Preseason All GSC selection Mark Cato fired a 10-yard pass to Manny Abad for the touchdown, extending the FIT lead to 17-3.
  • Delta State used 11 plays and marched 64 yards that ended in Tyler Sullivan finding Justin Leavy for a five-yard score. It was Leavy's first touchdown since the season opener against Fort Valley. DSU cut the lead to 17-10 with 9:10 left in the half.
  • The battle of the kicking game continued when Sciorrotta answered a Hillman 29-yard field goal with a 27-yarder at the 2:22 mark, cutting the deficit to 20-13.
  • Florida Tech led 20-13 after the first 30 minutes. It marks the second time DSU has trailed at halftime this season.
  • FIT came out firing to start the second half as Gary Holmes returned a kickoff from deep inside his own end zone for a 100-yard touchdown. It was the second kickoff return for a touchdown that DSU has allowed this season, as Kentucky Wesleyan also reuturned a kick for a score.The PAT gave FIT a 27-13 advantage.
  • The Statesmen responded on their next opportunity, notching the score at 27-20, on a 14-yard run by Eddie McCadney.
  • FIT responded when Mark Cato's scored from two yards out to extend the Panther lead to 34-20 with 9:53 left in the third quarter.
  • On Florida Tech's ensuing kickoff, a Delta State fumble inside its 25-yard line was picked up by Josh Denton and brought back for a touchdown to give FIT a 41-20 lead. 
  • With 1:38 remaining in the third quarter, Justin McArthur snagged a nine-yard pass in the back of the end zone from Sullivan, McArthur's second score of the season.
  • Jamel Dennis recorded his first interception of the year and brought it back 26 yards for a touchdown, to make the score 41-34 with 12:29 remaining.
  • Following Jon Knox's third interception of the night, DSU ran seven plays but couldn't find the end zone. Sciorrotta's third field goal of the night, a 24-yarder, went through the uprights to make the score 41-37 with 6:58 to go in the contest.

Defense:
  • The DSU defense gave up a season-high 208 yards rushing, while allowing 383 yards of total offense.
  • Knox tied a DSU school record for interceptions in a game, with three. 
 
Special Teams:
  • Sciorrotta went a perfect 3-for-3 in field goals and 4-for-4 in PATs. He has made 17 of his last 19 attempts, dating back to last season.
  • Cody Mills continued his stellar kicking performance. The sophomore punter tallied five punts for 202 yards, with a 40.4 average.
 
Key Stat:
  • Florida Tech scored 10 points off of Delta State's three turnovers. DSU's four fumbles, three lost fumbles, proved detrimental in DSU's first loss of the season.
 
Game Changer:
  • Penalties played a huge factor in the contest. The two squads combined for 25 penalties for 265 yards.
 
Notables:
  • D'Juan Bellaire rushed for a career-high 131 yards on 28 carries, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
  • Delta State's defense has allowed just seven points in the fourth quarter.
  • The loss marks the first defeat at home in the regular season under coach Todd Cooley.
  • DSU had the lead one time to start the game, relinquished it at the 8:45 mark in the first quarter, and trailed from the 1:38 mark in the first through the end of the game.
  • The two squads combined for 782 yards of total offense, 397 rushing and 385 passing.
  • The Green-and-White held the advantage in passing (210 to 175) and total offense (399 to 383), but the rushing game was favored the Panthers (208 to 189).
 
From Todd Cooley:
"We didn't play well tonight. I didn't think we played very well. We kept hanging in the game and kept fighting. I give Florida Tech credit. They came in here, beat us, and took it to us. You can't make the mistakes we made, penalties and thing of that nature. You have to be able to cash in at the red zone. I just have to do a better job of coaching."

Up Next:
The Statesmen hit the road for a GSC contest against Shorter University on Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m ET.
 
 
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