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Utah Tech at Weber State, Ogden, Utah, September 17, 2022 | Photo by Utah Tech University Athletics, St. George News
ST. george – The Utah Tech football team couldn’t overcome a stout second-half defensive effort by Weber State as it dropped a 44-14 road decision to rank No. 13/12 at Ogaden Stadium on Saturday night.
Weber State opened the game with a six-play, 77-yard drive in 95 seconds for two quick scores for a 14-0 lead. It ended with Bronson Baron’s 13-yard touchdown throw to Ty MacPherson.
After the Blazers’ first drive stalled after four plays, WSU needed just four plays to go 98 yards, with Barron capping the possession with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Sharp.
Utah Tech went on a 15-play, 75-yard scoring drive to cut the deficit in half at 14-7. UT’s drive started to falter as the Wildcats thought they had forced a three-and-out. However, Trailblazer punter Andrew Day drew a 5-yard penalty on his boot, leading to a UT fall.
Sophomore quarterback Kobe Tracy took full advantage of the secondary as he completed six of his eight passes, including a huge 11-yard connection with sophomore receiver Joey Hobert to keep the drive alive on 4th-and-4.
Tracy also ran for 13 yards on the drive, which ended with a 5-yard toss to David Fisher, who found himself alone after shedding defensive coverage in the end zone. Utah Tech’s touchdown was the first offensive TD scored by the Wildcats’ top-five nationally ranked defense this season.
However, the Blazers’ renewed momentum was short-lived as Weber State responded with its third touchdown of the quarter, a 36-yarder that put the Cats up 21 on a Barron-to-McPherson connection. -7 advantage.
The Trailblazers punched back on the ensuing possession, covering 75 yards in 9 plays to once again make it a one-possession game at 21-14. Tracy threw for 65 yards, more than half of which came on a 37-yard catch-and-run touchdown to Hobart on 4th-and-8 just 44 seconds into the second quarter.
Utah Tech seemed to regain that momentum after the Trailblazer defense forced the Wildcats on Weber State’s next possession. However, WSU turned the tables defensively when Maxwell Anderson got in front of Tracy’s pass to force the sophomore signal caller’s first interception of the season.
Weber State then drove down to the Utah Tech 2-yard line, and on fourth down, the Trailblazer defense opened up the challenge and answered the Wildcats with a big goal line stand.
Utah Tech went three-and-out on its next possession, and the Wildcats again set up on a short field after Haze Hadley returned the day 21 yards to the Blazer 30. Only Kyle Thompson’s 24-yard field goal extended the Wildcat lead to 24-14 at halftime.
Utah Tech followed with another long possession, this time a 15-play, 59-yard drive that took 6:32 left. Unfortunately, the Trailblazers came out of it with no points, after the drive stalled at the WSU 16, Connor Brooksby’s 33-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 1:07 left in halftime.
The Wildcats got themselves into field goal territory with four seconds on the clock. Weber State was gambling, because instead of Thompson lining up for a 46-yard attempt, WSU called a smart play that saw WSU run for 14 yards until UT defensive back Jordan Scott ended the half with a spot kick. Keep the game 24-14.
The second half was all Weber State, but the highly touted Wildcat defense limited Utah Tech’s offense to just 83 total yards over the next two quarters, the Cats scored 13 third quarter points and scored another touchdown in the fourth. To the coast of victory.
Utah Tech posted a season-low 331 yards of total offense, 245 of which came through the air, and Tracy was 20-of-47 passing for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Tracy (20 yards), along with teammates Boone Abbott (23 yards) and Victor Gabalis (19 yards) combined for 62 of the Trailblazers’ 86 net yards on the night.
Hobert amassed 114 yards on nine receptions, including his team-leading fourth touchdown catch of the year. With 114 receiving yards on Saturday night, Hobert became the first Trailblazer to record three straight 100-yard receiving games in the first three games of the program’s NCAA era and the first three games of a season overall.
The sophomore became the third player in the program to record three-straight 100-yard receiving games in four years. The last to do so was former Utah Tech wideout DeJuan Dantzler (three-straight) in 2018, while former Blazers tight end Joe Don Duncan accomplished the all-time feat twice in 2011 (five-straight) and 2013 (four-straight). American profession.
Barron added 368 yards on 25-of-33 passing and four touchdowns, while MacPherson accounted for three of those touchdowns and 140 yards on six catches. WSU running back Damon Bankston also rushed for 161 yards on 15 carries and a TD, as Weber State finished with a season-high 623 yards of total offense against a UTU-opponent.
Utah Tech travels north up I-15 to Cedar City for a WAC game at in-state rival and conference newcomer Southern Utah University next Saturday, September 24th. Kickoff at Eccles Coliseum is set for 6 p.m.
Written by UTAH TECH ATHLETICSMEDIA RELATIONS.
Copyright Saint George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.
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