UT Martin would score 21 of their 28 total points in the first three possessions before holding on to beat #25 Tennessee State 28-21 in thrilling fashion and moving to 6-3 on the season (4-1 in conference).
The 5th win in a row for the Skyhawks moves them to second place in the Big-South OVC.
Quarterback Kinkead Dent set the tone for the Skyhawks this weekend, making accurate throw after accurate throw to start the game for the Skyhawks. Dent would finish with 295 total yards with four total touchdowns and an interception.
Dent has continued to favor the tight end spot as the season goes on. TE Tyler Dostin got his turn as the Skyhawk’s leading receiver with 86 yards on four catches for the redshirt sophomore.
Three separate Skyhawks receivers got their turn in the endzone this week as DeVonte Tanksley, Zoe Roberts and Scottie Alexander all caught touchdowns within the first ten minutes of the game.
Running the ball, the Skyhawks found success when it mattered most. Patrick Smith led the team with 79 yards on 16 attempts, while Kinkead Dent made the most of his rushing attempts with a diving touchdown in the second quarter to push the Skyhawks to 28 points.
With all momentum seeming to head in the Skyhawk’s direction, the Tigers would sway it the other way after a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by CJ Evans. Add in a 92-yard touchdown drive with a strong homecoming crowd, and the Tigers would start to get into a rhythm heading into halftime down 14-28.
The Skyhawks’ defense seemed to encapsulate “bend, don’t break” in the second half as the Tigers built several long drives that came away with nothing in the end.
A big part of this was the three headed monster of the Skyhawk linebacker core. Chris Hunter Jr., Tevin Shipp and Jaylon Sharpe all had huge games to put away the Tigers in the second half.
The biggest of them all was Grad. Chris Hunter Jr. who tallied six tackles total to go along with two interceptions, both of which came as the Tigers were in the red zone (within 20 yards of the endzone) for the Skyhawk defense.
Sharpe and Shipp each contributed with seven and five tackles respectively. Each player also added a pass breakup to the stat sheet, while Sharpe alone picked up a fumble to start the second half.
The Skyhawks would hold on 28-21 after they allowed no points on two 60+ yard drives from the TSU offense that would end at the 14-yard line and 11-yard line respectively.
Next week, the Skyhawks travel to South Carolina to face the 1-8 Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m.
