LIVINGSTON, Ala. — The No. 17 ranked Delta State University football team continued its strong season with a thrilling 41-38 road win over West Alabama on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Stadium. The victory pushes the Statesmen to
7-1 overall and 1-0 in GSC play, showcasing a balanced offensive attack and key defensive plays down the stretch.
Senior quarterback
Cole Kirk led the way through the air, throwing for
222 yards and three touchdowns, including a 90-yard strike to
Neno Lemay, who finished with
135 yards receiving. Kirk also added a rushing touchdown to cap a four-touchdown performance.
The Statesmen offense piled up
453 total yards, averaging 6.8 yards per play.
Nick Clark provided a spark in the ground game with
101 rushing yards and a touchdown, while
Lawrence Armstrong hauled in two receiving scores, including a 75-yarder that swung momentum firmly in Delta State's favor in the second quarter.
Defensively, the Statesmen held firm when it mattered most.
Tavian Moore paced the unit with
13 tackles and an interception, while
Carl Hopkins returned another pick
76 yards to set up a key scoring drive. The defense forced two turnovers and tallied 90 total tackles to fend off West Alabama's late rally.
Freshman kicker
Dean Roberts remained consistent, converting
five PATs, while
Price Nixon averaged
42 yards per punt, including two pinned inside the 20.
Delta State jumped out to a commanding
34-17 halftime lead after scoring on its first four possessions and held off a second-half surge by West Alabama.
The Statesmen maintained the lead in the second half as
Curtis Rearden hauled in two key receptions including a one-handed grab in the endzone to put the Statesmen up 41-31 going into the final frame. Rearden had three receptions for 52 yards on the afternoon.
In the final frame, DSU's defense came up with a huge stop on fourth and two inside their own territory as
Nick Clark and
Garrett Ames would keep the ball on the ground to run out the clock, giving the Green and White a 1-0 start in GSC play.
The win marks a critical road victory as the Statesmen continue to build their postseason résumé. Delta State returns home next week to face a top five opponent in the Argonauts from the University of West Florida Saturday at 3:00 p.m. (CDT) from McCool Stadium
