Snow, SUU football: T-birds fall at home; Badgers lose on road

CEDAR CITY — Eastern Washington, ranked No. 18 in the Football Championship Subdivision, use a relentless offensive attack, and two big second-half plays, racking up 608 yards in total offense to put away the Southern Utah Thunderbirds 41-28, on Saturday.

Eastern Washington scored on its first two drives of the game, while forcing consecutive three-and-outs for SUU, to take an early 14-0 lead. Matt Nichols connected with Nathan Overbay for 19-yard, and 7-yard touchdown passes, early on.

Southern Utah's defensive come up with their first stop when Erron Vonner recovered a Taiwan Jones fumble at the Eastern Washington 39 yard line, But SUU's offensive struggles continued, managing only one more down than the two previous efforts, turning the ball over on a failed fourth-down conversion.

The SUU defense managed another stop moving into the second quarter of play, but Jared Ursua fumbled at the SUU 47 yard line. Lonnie Hosley advanced the ball to the SUU 20. The Eagles capitalized with a five-play drive punctuated by yet another Nichols to Overbay touchdown pass making it 21-0, Eastern Washington.

For a moment it appeared fortunes had changed for the Southern Utah offense with a drive that included a Cade Cooper to Fesi Setaki 50-yard pass. But, poised to score on a 3rd-and-goal at the EWU one-yard line, SUU coughed up the ball, robbing themselves of their first points of the ball game.

The Thunderbirds finally struck pay dirt when Cooper connected with Poots from eight yards out, capping a seven-play 75 yard drive to make it 21-7.

Each team then exchanged failed field goal attempts. Mike Jarrett's 35-yard try was blocked by Akeem Anifowashe. Then, with a brisk wind to their backs, and 0.4 seconds left in the half, Ryan Griffith and Southern Utah lined up for what would have been a 63-yard field goal. A poor snap denied even the attempt, and the teams left the field with the score 21-7, Eagles.

Southern Utah won the opening coin toss, deferring to the second half, but the offensive problems carried over.

Faced with a 3rd-and-10 situation on his own 48 yard line, Matt Nichols took his drop-back, and ran a draw, untouched for 52 yards through the heart of the Southern Utah defense, making it 28-7 with 3:28 left in the 3rd quarter.

Southern Utah answered with a sustained drive culminating in another Cooper to Poots, 9-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-14 at the end of three.