CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Tarleton State and Southern Utah football series is not for the faint of heart.
It was another chaotic installment of the latest chapter between the Texans and Thunderbirds, and yet again it was a one-point difference. This year, the Texans left the field victorious by a point, as they pulled out a 38-37 win in overtime at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City on Saturday night.
The Texans and Thunderbirds have played four times over the past four years, and the combined margin of victory is now nine points. The teams are split 2-2, with Tarleton winning by one point this year, Southern Utah winning by one point in 2023, Tarleton winning by two points in 2022, and Southern Utah winning by five points in 2021.
The Texans led 28-7 at halftime before Southern Utah stormed back in the second half. The Thunderbirds scored 24 unanswered to lead 31-28 with three minutes to play in regulation. Tarleton State drove down and tied up the game on a field goal, then picked off Southern Utah on the Thunderbirds’ first offensive play of their next drive. Tarleton missed its field goal late, sending the game into overtime.
Tarleton State got the ball first and Kayvon Britten cashed in his third touchdown of the game to put the Texans ahead 38-31. Southern Utah answered with a touchdown of its own, but missed the extra point to send the Purple and White home with the win.
The No. 14 Texans (5-1, 2-0 UAC) remained perfect in conference play and have their best start to a season in their NCAA Division I era. Their 5-1 mark through six games is their best start to a year since beginning 2019 11-0. The Texans have won nine of their last 10 games, dating back to last season. The Thunderbirds (2-4, 1-1 UAC) dropped their first UAC game of the year.
Britten made history on Saturday as he finished with 191 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark on Saturday in only the sixth game of the year, now at 1,025 rush yards on the season. Only five players in FCS history have reached the 1,000-yard plateau quicker than Britten. He also became the third running back in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in two different seasons (Derrick Ross, Daniel McCants).
On his birthday, quarterback Victor Gabalis completed 18-of-32 for 285 yards, throwing one touchdown and rushing in another. Three receivers logged more than 80 yards; Keylan Johnson had 98 yards on two catches, Benjamin Omayebu had 87 yards on eight receptions, and Darius Cooper went for 81 yards on five catches.
Defensively, the Texans had two stars lead the way. AJ Owens had the huge late interception in the fourth quarter to go with a forced fumble, a sack and six total tackles (five solo). Defensive back Donta Stuart had 18 tackles, the most by a Texan in a game since Ronnell Wilson had 22 against Mississippi College on March 6, 2021.
Blake Smith also had an interception to go with seven tackles, and Charles Perkins joined Owens with a sack, adding three tackles. Caden Holt and Kasyus Kurns each added eight tackles, with Kurns logging a pass breakup.
The Texans had a fast start to the conference matchup, marching 75 yards on the opening drive, with Britten punching it in from a yard out to make it 7-0 Texans. Owens and Perkins provided back-to-back sacks on Southern Utah’s opening drive to give Tarleton the ball back, and it was déjà vu for the Texans, who marched down 77 yards, finished by a Britten three-yard scamper. Tarleton led 14-0 after the opening frame.
The Thunderbirds opened the second quarter with their best drive of the game, reaching the red zone before Smith intercepted Bronson Barron in the end zone to stop the threat. The Texans took immediate advantage, putting together an 80-yard scoring drive, finishing with another rushing touchdown, this time Gabalis from five yards out. SUU responded with its first score, a 75-yard drive capped off by a Barron pass to Shane Carr from 27 yards away to make it a 21-7 game.
Tarleton State wasn’t done in the first half yet, stringing together its fourth 75-plus yard drive with another touchdown. This time it was a Gabalis pass to Dawson Hearne from three yards away to put the Texans ahead 28-7. SUU missed a field goal as the first half expired.
Southern Utah scored 10 points in the third quarter, first a 24-yard field goal with 9:47 left, then a Barron seven-yard touchdown pass to Chase Merrell to make it a 28-17 game.
In the fourth quarter, Southern Utah’s Targhee Lambson rushed in a 10-yard score with 11:37 to play. The T-Birds didn’t convert their two-point conversion, making it a 28-23 Texan lead. Tarleton missed a field goal on its next drive, leaving the door open for Southern Utah to take the lead. The Thunderbirds did, as Lambson rushed in a touchdown from eight yards away. SUU converted on its two-point conversion to make it 31-28 Southern Utah.
Tarleton didn’t panic, and drove from its own 25-yard line to Southern Utah’s 15-yard line. Adrian Guzman split the uprights on a 32-yard field goal to tie the game 31-31 with 1:02 remaining.
On Southern Utah’s first play, Owens picked off Barron to give Tarleton the chance to win in regulation. The Texans got to the 7-yard line with a half-minute left but missed the potential game-winning 24-yard field goal. Southern Utah ran out the clock to send the game to overtime.
In OT, Gabalis nearly rushed it in himself, then Britten scored from a yard out to make it 38-31. On Southern Utah’s drive, Barron passed to Joshua Acord from two yards away for the touchdown, but the Thunderbirds missed the extra point to end the game 38-37 Texans.
Barron finished 19-of-36 for 286 yards and three touchdowns, to go with two interceptions. Lambson rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per rush. George Ramirez had the big defensive game for the T-Birds, finishing with 13 tackles, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
Next up, Tarleton State will play its Homecoming game against Utah Tech on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. Before the game, Tarleton State will host a Bart Crow concert in Texan Alley to further elevate the tailgate experience. After the game, Tarleton State will host a spectacular drone show at Memorial Stadium. Fans are encouraged to stick around to witness the hundreds of drones flooding the sky to make custom Tarleton State animations, a first-of-its kind experience at the university. Single-game tickets are on sale now for the Homecoming game, and can be purchased at www.tarletonsports.com/tickets or by calling the Tarleton Athletics Ticket Office at 254-968-1832. Texan Alley RV and tailgate passes are sold out.
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