UT Martin
0-2
Middle Tennessee
1-1
SKYHAWK FOOTBALL FLASHES POWERFUL OFFENSE BUT FALLS TO FBS FOE MIDDLE TENNESSEE 61-37
9/8/2018 10:20:00 PM | Football
The Skyhawks (0-2) would score first in the contest and even trimmed the margin against the FBS foe to as close as 10 points in the final quarter but allowed two late touchdowns which sealed the game's fate. UT Martin ran a season-high 94 plays – ranking as the most plays in a single game for the Skyhawks since running 95 against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 22, 2008. The offensive night featured 460 yards of total offense for the Skyhawks, including 358 yards through the air. Additionally, the team's 37 points scored ranked as the highest single-game scoring output against a FBS in program history.
Dresser Winn had a career performance against the FBS foe, completing 34-of-53 passes for 355 yards and four touchdowns. His 355-yards and four-touchdown performance ranked as the most passing yards by a Skyhawks since the 2015 season. His performance ranked as both the sixth most pass completions and pass attempts in program history while his 355 passing yards sits 20th on the all-time single-game leaderboard.
Running back Jaimiee Bowe tallied a game-high 66 rushing yards on eight carries, including a 37-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, LaDarius Galloway paced the Skyhawks with 12 carries while notching 48 rushing yards along with 61 receiving yards to tally 109 yards of total offense – highlighted by a 51-yard touchdown.
Wide receiver Terry Williams put on a show in his second game in a Skyhawk uniform, tallying a game-high 10 receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns. The game marked the first multi-touchdown performance for a Skyhawk receiver since the 2016 season-opener and the first to do it against a FBS opponent since 2011. Senior Devonte Howard was right behind him with eight catches for 56 yards and touchdown while junior Jaylon Moore eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career with seven catches for 117 yards.
Defensively the Skyhawks were led by senior James Gilleylen with 10 tackles – including eight solos – while notching one sack for an 11-yard loss. Hometown boy Kevin Prather, Jr. also put on a show in the middle of the field with nine tackles and one sack. Graduate student Porter Streator III led the secondary with seven tackles.
"We will take it one week at a time but I was proud of our guys," UT Martin head coach Jason Simpson said. "The guys competed, but we are stopping ourselves from being successful. I just expect more out of this team and we have to sure up a lot of spots. I told our guys that we go back to work tomorrow. You saw the plays we could make against a FBS team with 85 scholarships and an established bowl team. We just have to stop being our own worst enemy and go play some good football."
Middle Tennessee (1-1) picked up its first win of the season behind a strong offensive performance of its own. The Blue Raiders tallied 484 yards of total offense behind a strong game from graduate quarterback Brent Stockstill as he completed 23-of-32 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns. Brad Anderson led the receiving core with six catches for 141 yards while the duo of Patrick Smith and CJ Windham combined for five touchdown receptions. Meanwhile, Chaton Mobley notched 14 carries for 70 yards and two scores on the ground.
UT Martin will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 15 when hosting in-state foe Chattanooga for Family Weekend. The home-opener is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN+.
Team Stats
UTM 7, MT 0
UTM - HOWARD, Devonte 16 yd pass from WINN, Dresser (COURTRIGHT, Rya kick) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:16
UTM 7, MT 7
MT - WINDHAM, CJ 56 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (HOLT, Crews kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:34
UTM 7, MT 14
MT - WINDHAM, CJ 10 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (HOLT, Crews kick) 6 plays, 46 yards, TOP 2:02
UTM 14, MT 14
UTM - WILLIAMS, Terry 11 yd pass from WINN, Dresser (COURTRIGHT, Rya kick) 7 plays, 70 yards, TOP 2:02
UTM 14, MT 20
MT - MOBLEY, Chaton 1 yd run (HOLT, Crews kickblocked), 3 plays, 28 yards, TOP 0:37
UTM 17, MT 20
UTM - COURTRIGHT, Rya 44 yd field goal 11 plays, 35 yards, TOP 3:37
UTM 17, MT 26
MT - SMITH, Patrick 5 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (HOLT, Crews kickfailed) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:03
UTM 17, MT 33
MT - MOBLEY, Chaton 7 yd run (HOLT, Crews kick), 5 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:00
UTM 17, MT 40
MT - PARKS, Wayne 35 yd punt return (HOLT, Crews kick)
UTM 24, MT 40
UTM - GALLOWAY, LaDar 51 yd pass from WINN, Dresser (COURTRIGHT, Rya kick) 4 plays, 65 yards, TOP 1:27
UTM 24, MT 47
MT - SMITH, Patrick 33 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (HOLT, Crews kick) 7 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:26
UTM 30, MT 47
UTM - WILLIAMS, Terry 8 yd pass from WINN, Dresser (COURTRIGHT, Rya kickfailed) 14 plays, 71 yards, TOP 5:33
UTM 37, MT 47
UTM - BOWE, Jaimiee 37 yd run (COURTRIGHT, Rya kick), 5 plays, 59 yards, TOP 2:08
UTM 37, MT 54
MT - SMITH, Patrick 26 yd pass from STOCKSTILL, B. (HOLT, Crews kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:04
UTM 37, MT 61
MT - GRATE, Gregory 97 yd interception (HOLT, Crews kick)
