CLEVELAND, Miss. – Top ranked the University of West Florida (4-0, 1-0 GSC) outscored Delta State University (2-3, 0-2 GSC) 29-3 in the second half to rally for a 39-33 win at Parker Field-McCool Stadium on Saturday night.
THE BASICS
Score: Delta State 33 | #1 West Florida 39
Records: Statesmen (2-3, 0-2 GSC) | Argonauts (4-0, 1-0)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 |
TOG: 3:28
Location: Parker Field-McCool Stadium | Cleveland, Miss.
Series: Delta State trails the series 3-2
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Delta State took a 7-0 lead on a Patrick Shegog to Todd Lee Battle 48-yard touchdown pass with 2:10 gone off the first quarter clock.
- West Florida took one-play to answer when Austin Reed tossed a 90-yard touchdown pass to David Durden, tying the game 7-7 with 12:31 left in the first quarter.
- Rico Owens gave the Statesmen a 14-7 lead on a one-yard run at the 6:15 mark of the first quarter.
- West Florida cut the DSU lead to 14-10 on a Griffin Cerra 26-yard field goal to open the second quarter scoring.
- Corintheus Edmonds hauled in a 64-yard pass from Shegog to stake the Statesmen to a 21-10 lead with 9:24 to go before halftime.
- A high snap on a Argonaut punt resulted in a safety to push the lead to 23-10 with 4:56 let in the second quarter.
- Deion Dampier's one-yard plunge gave the Green-and-White a 30-10 halftime.
- The Argos took the third quarter kickoff and drove 75 yards in five plays, scoring on a Reed to Jared Smith 17-yard pass to cut the DSU lead to 30-17.
- Connor Mantelli connected on a 28-yard field goal after a DSU drive stalled at the UWF 11 to push the lead to 33-24 with 6:24 remaining in the third quarter.
- Austin Reed hooked up with Durden again for a 14-yard touchdown pass to trim the deficit to 33-24 and close the third quarter scoring.
- Raveion Hargrove scored on a 10-yard rush to cut the Delta State lead to 33-31 with 7:37 to go in the fourth quarter.
- UWF took advantage of a DSU fumble to take its first lead, 39-33, with 5:32 remaining. Shomari Mason caught a 10-yard pass from Reed and Reed completed a pass to Maverick Wolfley for the two-point conversion.
- The Statesmen had one last drive to win the game but a turnover on downs at the UWF 44 ended the Statesmen's final offensive possession.
OFFENSIVE NOTEABLES:
- The Statesmen finished with game with 580 yards, surpassing 500 yards for the second time this season.
- Edmonds had 161 yards as the first Statesmen to have 150-plus yards receiving since Chris Robinson's 175 yards against West Alabama (Oct. 6, 2016). Edmonds finished with a career-high eight catches on the night.
- Shegog had 459 yards passing and is the first Statesmen to pass for over 400 yards since Tyler Sullivan's 491 yards against West Alabama on Oct. 24, 2015.
- Shegog completed 32 passes as the first Statesmen with 30 or more completions since Breck Ruddick completed 30 against North Greenville on Sept. 28, 2019.
- Shegog attempted 50 passes, the first since Tyler Sullivan's 52 attempts against Florida Tech on Oct. 3, 2015.
- Owens and Dampier combined for 101 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
- Dohnte Meyers had seven catches for 75 yards and Todd Lee Battle had a career day with five grabs for 84 yards.
DEFENSIVE NOTEABLES:
- Sherrod Paige led the Statesmen with six tackles, five solos, and a pass breakup.
- Dayreke Snow broke up four passes and had four tackles, three solos.
- John Boyd and Lemarques Thomas recorded an interception apiece.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEABLES:
- Mantelli had one field goal and was perfect on four extra-point attempts.
- Parker Burleson punted two times for a 41.5-yard average with a long of 50 yards.
- Kory Gainwell returned five kickoffs for 122 yards.
- The Statesmen recorded a safety on special teams in the second quarter for the first-time since Shorter on Oct. 25, 2018,
OTHER NOTEABLES:
- The two teams combined for 18 penalties for 202 yards (100 DSU yards/102 UWF yards).
- Delta State ran 102 plays to West Florida's 56 plays.
UP NEXT:
Delta State plays No. 4 Valdosta State University at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. (CT).