By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BOISE, Idaho – The University of Tennessee at Martin football squad gave a valiant effort against Mountain West Conference preseason favorite Boise State today but the host Broncos claimed a 30-7 win in front of 36,396 fans at Albertsons Stadium.
Facing their first of two Football Bowl Subdivision opponents in 2022, the Skyhawks (1-2) were tied after one quarter of play and were within striking distance in the fourth quarter. That was thanks in large part to a swarming UT Martin defense that slowed only 76 total yards on 36 plays in the second half. Overall, the Skyhawks only conceded 327 total yards of offense and had nine tackles for loss with three sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Rob Hicks made plays all over the field for UT Martin as the linebacker from Miami, Fla. collected a game-high 11 tackles for his third double-digit tackle outing of the season. Daylan Dotson posted a pair of sacks and a forced fumble while John H. Ford II racked up seven tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. TJ Neal (1.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one quarterback hurry) was also a defensive presence while Deven Sims (eight tackles) and Oshae Baker (seven tackles) also stood out for the Skyhawks.
At quarterback, Dresser Winn went 13-for-23 for 104 yards and a touchdown. Cornelious Brown IV also saw playing time in the fourth quarter, completing a pair of passes for 22 yards. Colton Dowell was one of six UT Martin players to catch a pass as he dialed up game-highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (53) to go along with a touchdown. Devonte Tanksley had four receptions while Zak Wallace was responsible for 12 of the Skyhawks’ 20 carries out of the backfield.
On special teams, Tyler Larco boomed nine punts for a 44.4 yard average, including a long of 57 yards.
Boise State (2-1) was led by 226 all-purpose yards and a pair of touchdowns out of George Holani. The junior running back tallied 110 rushing yards on 24 carries, 47 receiving yards on four catches and 69 yards from five punt returns. Hank Bachmeier completed 18 of his 25 pass attempts for 204 yards and two touchdowns while Tyreque Jones (team-high four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss) paced the defensive unit for the Broncos, whose .820 winning percentage since 2000 trails only Ohio State for the best mark in the FBS ranks.
After UT Martin was forced to punt on the opening possession of the game, Boise State pieced together a seven-play, 80-yard drive to get on the scoreboard. Bachmeier hit Stefan Cobbs for a four-yard touchdown pass to make the score 7-0 with 9:41 to go in the first quarter.
The Skyhawk defense forced a turnover on the first play of the Broncos’ next drive. Bachmeier was flushed out of the pocket and on a scrambling attempt, Neal forced a fumble while Ford emerged from the scrum with the ball to give UT Martin the ball on the Boise State 35-yard line.
The Skyhawks took advantage of prime field position as Winn found Dowell in stride down the left sideline for a 37-yard score on 4th-and-12. Larco split the uprights to even the score at 7-all at the 4:25 mark of the opening quarter.
After the Broncos got in the red zone on their ensuing drive, Neal broke through for a huge five-yard loss on a rushing attempt. That play helped UT Martin limit Boise State to a 37-yard field goal with 12:22 remaining before the halftime break.
The Skyhawks moved the ball into Bronco territory on their next drive but were forced to punt as Larco pinned Boise State at its own 13-yard line.
Sims came up with a remarkable play on the Broncos’ next drive to once again hold Boise State to a field goal. The graduate safety from Smyrna, Tenn. batted down a pass on 3rd-and-4 that resulted in a 48-yard field goal as the Broncos took a 13-7 lead at the 5:18 mark of the second quarter.
Boise State took over its next possession at its own 46-yard line with 3:29 left in the first half. The Broncos were able to go 54 yards in seven plays, scoring on a four-yard pass from Bachmeier to Holani with only 14 seconds on the clock to take a 20-7 advantage into the halftime intermission.
The stingy UT Martin defense came out of the locker room fired up, allowing only 22 yards on 16 plays in the third quarter. That dominant stretch started with the opening drive of the second half, highlighted by a Dotson sack/forced fumble for a loss of 24 yards.
The Skyhawk defense came away with a three-and-out on their next drive, moving the ball 10 yards behind the sticks thanks to an Andre Brackett pass breakup, Tevin Shipp tackle for a loss of six yards and yet another Dotson sack.
On Boise State’s final drive of the quarter, UT Martin’s defense once again rose to the occasion as Ford delivered a clutch sack on 3rd-and-9. That resulted in a shutout for the Skyhawk defense in the third quarter.
The score remained 20-7 until the 7:27 mark of the fourth quarter. The Broncos converted a 4th-and-1 on the UT Martin 43-yard line and eventually had a 1st-and-10 at the Skyhawk 15-yard line but another big play prevented a Boise State touchdown. Tyler Gore jumped a route for a loss of four yards on a pass play on third down to set up a 34-yard field goal.
UT Martin’s lone turnover of the day came on the next play as the Broncos forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff return and recovered possession on the Skyhawk 23-yard line. Three plays later, Holani found the endzone from eight yards out to make the score 30-7 – the final score of the contest.
The Skyhawks officially begin their Ohio Valley Conference title defense next Saturday, Sept. 24 when they host league newcomer Lindenwood. Kickoff from Hardy Graham Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information