LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The Delta State University football team had its (9-3, No. 5 seed) rally from a 17-point deficit come up just short, as top seeded the University of West Alabama (10-2, No. 1 seed) held on for a 27-20 win, in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs at Tiger Stadium.
 
Senior Chris Robinson rushed for over 100 yards for the fourth consecutive week, gaining 105 on 23 carries with a touchdown. The Bude, Miss., native's five-yard touchdown run was his 44^th career score, tying Trevar Deed (2008-2010) for DSU's career mark. Robinson finished with 1,328 yards rushing and 20 total touchdowns this season, marking the second straight season with 20-plus touchdowns.
 
The Statesmen defense held the Tigers under 30 points for the second time in two meetings. It was also just the third time this season that the Tiger offense was held below 30 points. DSU also held UWA to 406 total yards, 45 below its season average (451.2 ypg.).
 
West Alabama advances to play the University of West Florida in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals on Sat., Dec. 2 at Tiger Stadium in Livingston, Ala.
 
THE BASICS

• Score: #17 West Alabama 27, Delta State 20
• Records: Statesmen (9-4) | Tigers (10-2)
• Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, | 12 p.m. Kickoff | TOG: 3:02
• Location: Tiger Stadium | Livingston, Ala.| Attendance: 4,893
• Series: Delta State leads 35-26-3
• Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateFB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Statesmen scored on their first two possessions to build a 10-0 in first quarter lead.  Breck Ruddick capped the 11-play, 75-yard opening drive with a four-yard run with 10:27 remaining. Robinson carried the ball six times for 48 yards on the drive.
• Vince Sciorrotta split the uprights from 36-yards out to stake the Statesmen to a 10-0 advantage heading to the second period.West Alabama scored 20 straight points to close the second quarter with a 20-10 halftime lead.
• Harry Satterwhite found Donta Armstrong for a 27-yard touchdown to cut the DSU lead to 10-7 at the 7:32 mark.
• Tyler Rogers plunged in for a one-yard touchdown run to give UWA its first lead of the afternoon. Tramond Lofton blocked Colin Douglas' point after attempt to keep the Tigers' lead at 13-10.
• The Tigers recovered a Statesmen fumble on the ensuing kickoff and would need just four plays to cash in on the turnover. Lakendrick Thomas scored from four-yards out to take a 20-10 lead at the 2:29 mark of the second quarter.
• UWA recovered a muffed punt at the DSU 26 with 46 seconds left in the half, only to see the Statesmen hold strong and force a field goal attempt. Johnquavious McBride intercepted a Zach Gaines' pass following a bad snap to end the scoring threat, and keep UWA's lead at 10 points.
• Satterwhite hooked up with Armstrong for a 15-yard touchdown on the Tigers first possession of the third quarter to extend the lead to 27-10 with 11:05 remaining.  
• Robinson's five-yard touchdown run cut the UWA lead to 27-17 with 3:45 left in the third quarter. The touchdown was his 37^th career rushing touchdown and ended UWA's 27-point run.
• Sciorrotta got the Statesmen to within a touchdown, as he converted a 30-yard effort with 8:41 left.
• The Statesmen had one last possession with 1:47 remaining but Tevin Madison recovered a DSU fumble at the DSU 36 with 1:37 left. UWA would run out the clock at the DSU 8.

 
OFFENSIVE NOTEABLES:

• Robinson rushed for 100 plus yards for the fourth consecutive week, rushing for 105 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown. The Bude, Miss., native's five-yard touchdown run was his 44^th career touchdown, tying Trevar Deed (2008-2010) for career touchdowns, and was also his 37^th career rushing touchdown, two shy of Rico McDonald's 39 (1998-2001).
• Robinson finished with 1,328 yards rushing and 20 total touchdowns this season, marking the second straight season with 20-plus touchdowns.
• Breck Ruddick completed 17 of-27 passes for 95 yards and rushed 16 times for 71 yards and a touchdown.
• Kam Myers had a team-high eight catches for 30 yards to lead the Statesmen receivers.
• Satterwhite passed for 275 yards, completing 25-of-37 passes with two touchdowns for UWA.
• Thomas rushed 17 times for 57 yards and a touchdown and Rogers finished with seven carries for 20 yards and a touchdown to pace the UWA on the ground.
• Armstrong, the GSC's top receiver, had six catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns while Bernard McGhee also had six grabs for 45 yards as the top UWA receivers.

 
DEFENSIVE NOTEABLES:

• The Statesmen defense held UWA (39.4 ppg.) to less than 30 points for the second time in two meetings and for just the third time this season.
• UWA's 405 yards of offense was 45 less than its season total. 
• McBride led the Statesmen with 10 tackles, nine solo, followed by Chandler Ector with eight.
• Senior Landry Tullo tallied four tackles to finish with 252 career tackles, with 152 solo stops. Tullo wore No. 93 in memory of the late Adrian Dinkins for the second time in 2017.
• UWA was led by Taderion Myhand, who recorded 12 tackles, nine solos, and force a fumble. Javante Davis and Jordan Jones had nine stops.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEABLES:

• Sciorrotta scored eight points to add to his mark as the second place scorer on the GSC's career scoring list with 340 points. The Gainesville, Ga., native connected on two field goals and two extra points to cap his career with 46 field goals and 202 extra points, both school records.
• Lofton's blocked extra point after UWA's second touchdown was his first blocked kick and the Statesmen's seventh blocked kick this season.
• Ladarion Peterson returned three kickoffs for 66 yards to cap his career with 72 returns for a school record 1,786 yards. The Woodville, Miss., native's 934 kick return yards ranks second in a single season at DSU.

  OTHER NOTEABLES:

• The Statesmen conclude the season with a 9-4 overall record under fifth year Head Coach Todd Cooley while making the school's 10^th NCAA Division II playoff appearance. The playoff win over Bowie State on Nov. 18 was the first of Cooley's career and the first for the Statesmen since 2011.