No. 24 West Florida Rains On West Georgia, 30-2

October 20, 2019

The UWF defense recorded a school-record six turnovers and held West Georgia to 147 yards of total offense in a 30-2 win amid the deluge of Tropical Storm Nestor at University Stadium Saturday.

The win propelled 24th-ranked UWF (5-1, 4-0 Gulf South Conference) to its fifth-consecutive victory and best start in conference play since starting football four years ago.

UWF turned defense into offense all game long, scoring all four touchdowns as a result of UWG turnovers.

Jervon Newton recorded his second 100-yard game of the year with 100 yards on 21 carries to lead the Argos. UWF finished with 184 yards on the ground.

But the game started about as poorly for the Argonauts as the last regular-season visit to UWG – a 16-0 first quarter deficit in 2017. On Saturday, Austin Reed threw an interception on the second play of the game and the next time UWF got the ball, a fourth down snap got past punter Dawson Hamlin and into the end zone for a safety, spotting the Wolves a 2-0 lead.

Both teams struggled to move the ball in the first quarter as they figured out how to play in the heavy downpour on the natural grass surface.

But it was the Argos who figured it out. Following a missed field goal, UWF forced a UWG miscue when Kedrick Bradley stripped Chauncey Williams. Three plays later Jaden Gardner scored on a 17-yard run to put UWF ahead 7-2.

On the ensuing possession, UWF recovered a Willie Candler fumble at the UWG 16-yard line. Three players later, Reed completed a 23-yard pass to Kevin Grant with just over a minute left in the half to give UWF a 14-2 lead.

The Wolves got the ball to start the second half and fumbled on the third play when Candler was sacked by Gael Laurent. Three plays later Reed barreled in from 15 yards for another touchdown.

The Argos recorded their record-setting sixth turnover on the next possession when Bradley intercepted Candler and returned in 21 yards to the UWG 34. Reed pushed his way into the end zone again on a 13-yard rush for a 28-2 edge.

UWF forced four turnovers in the span of 16 Wolf plays from the end of the first half through early in the second half.

After trading punts, Hamlin pinned the Wolves on their own four with a 54-yard kick. Ian Bush then recorded a safety for the Argos when he tackled Jaevan Ward in the end zone for a 6-yard loss on a pass play.

Gael Laurent had a monster game to lead the Argos with seven tackles, three-and-a-half for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles.

UWG (4-3, 2-2) had just 78 rushing yards after entering the game with 189 yards per game.

The Argos compiled 227 yards of total offense with 184 of those on the ground. The wet conditions aided in the 43 passing yards on 2-of-15.

UWF improved to 3-2 all-time in the series with the road team winning every game.

UWF will return to action next Saturday in the Third Annual Coastal Classic, traveling to Melbourne, Fla. to face Florida Tech (3-4, 1-3). The game featuring the only two Division 2 football-playing schools in the state of Florida will kickoff at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time at Palm Bay High School’s Florida Tech Panther Stadium.

Photo: Morgan Givens

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