Rico Owens ii
38
Winner Delta State DSU 5-3 , 4-2
6
Shorter SU 0-9 , 0-7
Winner
Delta State DSU
5-3 , 4-2
38
Final
6
Shorter SU
0-9 , 0-7
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
DSU Delta State 7 17 7 7 38
SU Shorter 0 6 0 0 6

Game Recap: Football | | Fred Sington

Statesmen Defense, Owens, Dampier Shine In Win Over Hawks

ROME, Ga. – The thunder-and-lightning duo of Rico Owens and Deion Damper combined for three touchdowns to lead Delta State University (5-3, 4-2 GSC) to a 38-6 Gulf South Conference win over Shorter University (0-9, 0-7 GSC) on Saturday at Barron Stadium.
 
Owens rushed nine-times for 149 yards and one touchdown while Dampier added 84 total yards with one rushing and one receiving touchdown.  
 
Breck Ruddick completed 26-of-34 passes for 203 yards with two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 42 yards.
 
Not to be out done, the Statesmen defense tossed their second shutout in the second half this season while yielding a season-low 10-yards rushing and 126 yards passing on the day.

THE BASICS
Score: Delta State 38, Shorter 6
Records:  Statesmen (5-3, 4-2 GSC), Hawks (0-9, 0-7 GSC)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 | 12:00 p.m. CT Kickoff | TOG: 2:48
Location: Barron Stadium (Rome, Ga.) |Attendance: 1,028
Series: Statesmen lead 8-1 | 5-1 at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • The Statesmen used some lightning to get on the board first. Rico Owens, II scampered 90 yards on the first play of DSU's third offensive possession for a 7-9 lead heading to the second quarter.
  • Taylor Crabbtree opened the second quarter scoring connecting on a 39-yard field to increase the lead to 10-0 with 12:07 showing on the clock.
  • Kelon Wilson capped a 13-play, 70-yard drive with a one-yard run to make the score 17-0 with 7:02 to go in the second quarter.
  • Khalil Johnson pounced on a fumble forced by Marvin Terry in the end zone to stake the Statesmen to a 24-0 lead with 5:30 to go before halftime.
  • Aeneas Dennis completed a 38-yard scoring strike to Dillion Manning cut the DSU lead to 24-6 after the PAT was blocked by Terry with 2:41 left in the second quarter.
  • Following a three-and-out by the DSU defense, the Statesmen used 6:41 and 15-plays to drive 65 yards for their next scored. Breck Ruddick tossed an 11-yard pass to Deion Dampier to finish off the drive.
  • Breck Ruddick tossed a 48-yard touchdown pass to KJ Breeland for a 38-6 advantage with 10:22 remaining.
 
OFFENSIVE NOTEABLES:
  • The Statesmen rolled up a season-high 510 yards of offense which included a season-best 280 on the ground and 230 thorough the air.
  • Owens' 90-yard rushing score in the first quarter was a season-long rush and the first rush for 90-plus yards since Carl Grubb's 95-yard run against West Alabama on Nov. 5, 1955.
  • Owens finished with 149 yards rushing and on nine attempts and a 90-yard touchdown run and caught three passes for 39 yards.
  • Dampier rushed 18 times for 68 yards and had five receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown.
  • Hawkins and Tony Daggett led the receivers with five catches for 61 and 13 yards, respectively.  Breeland finished had three catches for 61 yards.
  • Quarterback Breck Ruddick completed 26-of-34 passes for 203 yards with two touchdowns and one interception on the day.
  • The 15-play, 65-yard drive that used 6:41 of the third quarter clock was season-long time of possession for a scoring drive.
  • The Statesmen were 5-of-6 on fourth downs and have converted 10-of-20 for 50 percent on fourth downs this season.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTEABLES:
  • Johnson's fumble recovery for a touchdown was the first fumble recovery for a touchdown since Tayvon Benjamin's 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown against North Alabama on Oct. 31, 2015.
  • The Statesmen defense shutout an opponent in the third quarter for the fourth time this season, previously accomplishing the task against Tusculum, No. 10 Grand Valley State, and North Greenville. The Green-and-White have only allowed 35 points in the third quarter this season.
  • Delta State did not allow a second half score for the second time (North Greenville) and shutout its fourth opponent in the fourth quarter.
  • Shorter gained 136 yards, rushing for 10 yards and passing for 126 yards, all season lows for yards allowed by the Statesmen defense.
  • Marvin Terry led the Statesmen defense with six tackles, three tackles for a loss of 10 yards while forcing a fumble the led to a first half touchdown for the Statesmen.
  • Delta State forced three turnovers. Junior Faulk intercepted two passes for his GSC leading sixth of the season while Johnson recovered Terry's second forced fumble.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEABLES:
  • Taylor Crabtree made a 39-yard field goal in the first quarter and has made his last 11 field goal attempts and was a perfe5-for-5 on PAT attempts
  • Sam Barge punted seven times for a 35.3-yard average including one inside the SU20.

OTHER NOTEABLES:
  • #22 Sam Barge, #9 Breck Ruddick, #32 Ryan Hudkins served as the Statesmen game captains.
  • Shorter won the toss and deferred to the second half.
  • The Statesmen are now 8-1 lead in the all-time series and 4-1 at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga
  • After having six penalties combined in the last two games, the Statesmen committed 10 penalties for 85 yards for the afternoon.
  • The Statesmen are 4-1 this season and 34-3 in seven season under Todd Cooley when leading at halftime.
  • Delta State improved to 5-2 on the season znc 32-14 under Cooley when scoring first.
 
UP NEXT:
  • The Statesmen return home to play the University of West Georgia for Homecoming and Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, at 2 p.m.
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