No. 7 Valdosta State Too Much UWF In 48-21 Senior Day Loss

November 4, 2018

The UWF football team went toe-to-toe with undefeated Valdosta State but had too many second-half miscues in a 48-21 loss at Blue Wahoos Stadium Saturday night.

UWF led 21-17 late in the third quarter before VSU scored 31 unanswered to claim the victory.

UWF (6-4, 4-3 Gulf South) finished with 279 yards and got 149 on the ground. Chris Schwarz led the ground attack with a touchdown and 118 yards for his third 100-yard game of the season.

Senior Nick Belz made his first career start in place of the injured Sam Vaughn. Belz was 10-of-17 for 101 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

A total of eight players caught passes for UWF, with Ishmel Morrow and Tate Lehtio collecting three balls and a touchdown each. Martes Wheeler led all players with 14 tackles, including a forced fumble and pass break-up.

VSU (9-0, 7-0) had 557 yards and rushed for 391. Rogan Wells was 14-of-23 with a touchdown and rushed 11 times for 104 yards. His 81-yard run on third-and-13 two minutes into the game put the Blazers ahead 7-0. Jamar Thompkins had 114 yards rushing on 13 touches.

he Argonauts tied it at 14 midway through the second quarter on Belz’s two scoring passes. He hit Morrow from 24 yards and then benefitted from a Marvin Conley interception return to the 37 that setup a 6-yard pass to Lehtio with 7:29 left in the half.

The Blazers got a 38-yard Andrew Gray field goal to go ahead 17-14. Gray hit the left upright as time expired on a kick later in the period.

UWF grabbed its first lead of the game on a 1-yard Schwarz run with 5:22 in the third. The possession came as a result of a muffed punt by Brian Saunds that Sam Vaughn recovered at the four. It was the first time this season that the Blazers had been behind in the second half.

VSU regained the lead on the ensuing possession, taking advantage of a short kickoff and running seven times for 60 yards before Wells bootlegged in from the seven for a 24-21 edge.

Gray made his second field goal of the game early in the fourth after the teams traded turnovers, extending their lead to 27-21.

Raymond Palmer picked off Belz and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown three plays later for a 13-point lead. The Blazers added two more scores late for the final margin.

UWF will wrap-up the regular season next week with a road game at West Alabama (7-3, 4-3). Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Tiger Stadium in Livingston, Ala.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports, TOP sports