Breck Ruddick
Hays Collins
20
West Georgia UWG 6-4 , 4-3
35
Winner Delta State DSU 6-3 , 5-2
West Georgia UWG
6-4 , 4-3
20
Final
35
Delta State DSU
6-3 , 5-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UWG West Georgia 7 10 3 0 20
DSU Delta State 14 0 7 14 35

Game Recap: Football | | Brian Ramsey

Defense, Rushing Attack Lead Statesmen To 35-20 Homecoming Win Over West Georgia

CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University Statesmen football team used three late touchdowns to defeat West Georgia on Saturday for a 35-20 Homecoming and Senior Day victory. The Statesmen (6-3, 5-2 GSC) opened the game with touchdowns on their first two possessions for the first time this season, but the Wolves (6-4, 4-3 GSC) answered with 20 straight points and held a six-point lead early in the third quarter. DSU took over from there with three straight scores, including a defensive touchdown, to move to 4-1 at home this year.

DSU junior defensive back Junior Faulk highlighted the Statesmen victory with his third multi-interception game of the season. The Jayess native had two picks in the win, giving him eight this season to tie a DSU season record.

With Saturday's win, the Statesmen have secured a winning regular season, the fifth winning season in the Todd Cooley era and the 51st winning season in program history.

  
THE BASICS
Score: Delta State 35 | West Georgia 20
Records:  Statesmen (6-3, 5-2 GSC), Wolves (6-4, 4-3 GSC)
Date: Saturday, November 9, 2019 | 2 p.m. Kickoff | TOG: 3:05
Location: Parker Field-McCool Stadium (Cleveland, MS) | Attendance: 5,165
Series: Statesmen lead 20-14
Get Social: Twitter - @DeltaStateFB | Facebook – DSUStatesmen | Instagram – DSUAthletics


HOW IT HAPPENED:
  • The Statesmen needed less than three minutes to reach the scoreboard, marching 58 yards on six plays on the game's opening drive, capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Rico Owens II. The scoring drive was aided by a 41-yard kickoff return by Trey Roberson.
  • Deion Dampier gave the Statesmen a 14-0 lead midway through the first on a three-yard touchdown run to cap a six-play, 52-yard drive.
  • The Wolves cut the deficit in half with just under five minutes remaining in the first on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Garrett Bass to John Hurst.
  • UWG kicker Omar Cervantes connected on a 33-yard field goal to cut the DSU lead down to 14-10 with 10:32 remaining in the second quarter.
  • The Wolves took the lead for the first time at 17-14 with 40 seconds remaining before halftime on a four-yard touchdown pass from Bass to Thomas Lester.
  • UWG took a 20-14 lead on the first drive of the second half with a 32-yard field goal by Omar Cervantes.
  • Owens II added his second rushing touchdown of the game, and eighth of the season, to put the Statesmen back on top 21-20 with 6:45 remaining in the third to cap a 12-play, 68-yard drive that used 4:28.
  • The Statesmen went up 28-20 with 3:32 remaining in the game on a 30-yard touchdown run by quarterback Breck Ruddick.
  • With under a minute remaining in regulation, the Statesmen had back-to-back sacks and forced a fumble on the second one, which was picked up by Marvin Terry and returned eight yards for a touchdown for the final score of the game.
 
OFFENSIVE NOTEABLES:
  • DSU outgained UWG 312-266 in total offense, including a 254-78 advantage in rushing yards. The Statesmen move to 6-1 this season when outrushing their opponent.
  • Quarterback Breck Ruddick paced the DSU offense with 154 rushing yards on 21 carries for an average of 7.3 yards per carry. It was Ruddick's second game this season with at least 100 yards on the ground. Rico Owens II added 80 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns.
  • Ruddick was 9-for-18 through the air for 58 yards.
 
DEFENSIVE NOTEABLES:
  • Junior Faulk had two interceptions in the win, his third multi-interception game of the season. He now has eight interceptions this season, which ties a DSU season record last accomplished by Garrett Williams in 2010.
  • Marvin Terry's scoop and score in the final minute of the game was DSU's third defensive touchdown of the season.
  • RJ Jarrett led the Statesmen with 10 tackles. Vada King added eight tackles.
  • The Statesmen had 11 tackles for loss in the victory, led by Marvin Terry with three.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEABLES:
  • Senior kicker Taylor Crabtree's consecutive field goal streak came to an end with 3:29 remaining in the second quarter when UWG's Latrell Gibbs blocked what would have been 35-yard field goal. Crabtree had been successful on his previous 11 field goal attempts dating back to the win over Florida Tech on September 21.
  • Sam Barge punted five times for 199 yards, including a long punt of 53 yards and three punts downed inside the UWG 20-yard line.
OTHER NOTEABLES:
  • The Statesmen are now 6-2 this season when scoring first and 33-14 in the Todd Cooley era.
 
UP NEXT:
DSU wraps up the regular season next Saturday, November 16 on the road for the Heritage Bell Classic against Mississippi College. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Clinton.


 
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