Thunderbirds Prevail Over Colonels 42-21
CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah continued conference play with a homecoming win against Eastern Kentucky. The Thunderbirds took down the Colonels 42-21. The win brings SUU's record to 3-4 on the season with a 2-1 mark in conference play. Eastern Kentucky drops to 3-3 this year with a 1-1 record in the United Athletic Conference.
The victory marked the 100th career coaching victory for Head Football Coach DeLane Fitzgerald.
1st Quarter:
The Thunderbirds started with the ball but were forced to punt after a short drive. Eastern Kentucky had a solid drive but stalled when the T-Birds made a big fourth-down stop. Southern Utah promptly drove 69 yards to take a 7-0 lead on a short touchdown rush by Targhee Lambson.
2nd Quarter:
After a long drive to finish the first, the Colonels started the second quarter on the SUU three-yard line. The Thunderbirds forced EKU to take a field goal to make the score 7-3. Southern Utah answered with another long drive, punching it in on an 11-yard pass from Jackson Berry to Gabe Nunez, making the score 14-3. Eastern Kentucky drove down the field and kicked a 47-yard field goal with two seconds left to score 14-6 heading into the half.
3rd Quarter:
Eastern Kentucky started with the ball in the second half and drove down the field to score a touchdown, adding a two-point conversion to tie the game up at 14-14. The T-Birds bounced back, scoring on the next drive when Berry connected with Devin Downing on a 12-yard touchdown pass. Jayden Rodgers added the extra point to bring the score to 21-14. Southern Utah forced a fumble on the next drive and punched it in on an eight-yard touchdown run by Lambson, who also crossed the 1000-yard threshold during the short drive.
4th Quarter:
The Thunderbirds scored again on a long pass down the middle of the field from Berry to Gabe Nunez. The Colonels answered with a sustained drive capped with a touchdown, making the score 35-21. Southern Utah kept the ball on the ground for most of the fourth quarter, taking the clock down below the two-minute mark before pushing the ball in with a one-yard run by Lambson. The Third touchdown of the day for Lambson made the score 42-21, and the T-Bird defense put an end to the Colonels' hopes when Geroge Ramirez intercepted a pass in the middle of the field, allowing the Thunderbirds to run out the clock on the game for the win.
Offensive Leaders
Jackson Berry led the offensive charge, completing 13 of 23 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns, with a long throw of 45 yards and no interceptions. On the ground, Targhee Lambson dominated the rushing game with 34 carries for 170 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns. Lambson became the first Thunderbird to post a 1000-yard season since 2017. Niko Alailefaleula provided additional support with 37 rushing yards on just two carries, including a 36-yard run on a fake punt. Devin Downing was the top receiver in the game, catching three passes for 69 yards and one touchdown, highlighted by a 45-yard reception. Gabe Nunez and Shane Carr also contributed with touchdown catches of their own, helping the offense put up impressive numbers.
Defensive Leaders
In a dominant defensive performance, the Thunderbirds stifled Eastern Kentucky, with Kameron Rocha leading the way. Rocha recorded eight total tackles, seven of them solo, and broke up two key passes to shut down the Colonels' passing game. Josh Dunn was a force in the trenches, adding six tackles, including a tackle for loss, while George Ramirez came up clutch with an interception to halt Eastern Kentucky's momentum. Rylen Sua-Filo was relentless, notching five tackles and disrupting the backfield with 2.5 tackles for loss. Henry Harper wreaked havoc, tallying two sacks for a loss of 12 yards and forcing a fumble. The Thunderbirds' defense showcased their depth, as Raymon Crump, Anisi Purcell, and others contributed crucial stops to seal the win.
Next Up
The Thunderbirds will be on bye next week before traveling to West Georgia to take on the Wolves in a UAC conference showdown. The game will take place on October 26 and kicks off at noon MT. You can watch it live on ESPN+.