Tenth-Ranked Argos Right At Home As They Run Together Past UWG

October 9, 2022

Adding to its trend of gems, UWF’s football team continues feeling right at home on the road.

The 10th-ranked Argos seized control of a tied game midway through the third quarter, then overpowered conference rival West Georgia 42-28 Saturday night for their 12th consecutive road victory – a streak that now spans three seasons.

It’s the nation’s second longest in Division II, another part of the Argos’ mantle of feats in their six-year history. The Argos big win also continued an uncanny element of this contentious series, where the visiting team has won each time.

In fact, UWF is now 4-0 at West Georgia’s University Stadium when factoring the Argos upset playoff win in 2017 en route to reaching the NCAA D-2 national title game that season.

The latest win put the Argos at 4-1, 2-1 in the Gulf South Conference, tied with West Alabama (4-2, 2-1) in the conference standings, following UWA’s upset win Saturday at Valdosta State. UWF faces another road trip next Saturday to play Shorter (2-4, 0-3).

On this night, UWF smoothed out its performance from a rocky first half.

Quarterback Peewee Jarrett committed three turnovers in the game’s first 25 minutes, including a pair of interceptions – one of which UWG turned into a touchdown drive – plus a fumble he lost at the Wolves 21.

But the transfer junior was dynamite in the second half.

He passed for 120 yards and two scores, plus rushed for 43 of his 71 yards in the game on a game-sealing drive late in the fourth quarter. He also scored a rushing touchdown late in the second quarter.

“He was on fire,” said UWF coach Pete Shinnick. “He took (first half troubles) personal. We want the ball in his hands. Our offense I think is very close to just taking this thing to the next level.”

After Jarrett had a two-yard run to the UWG 21 late with less than two minutes remaining, which forced a final time out from West Georgia, the Argos faced a 3rd-and-9 play. In a defining moment, UWF’s offensive line opened up a mass passageway on the left side that Shomari Mason raced through for a game-sealing touchdown with 1:42 remaining.

On that play, Mason became UWF’s all-time, career rushing leader with 2,016 yards, breaking the mark set by Chris Schwarz (1,992) during UWF’s first three seasons (2016-18). Mason’s two TDs Saturday gave him a school record 21 rushing scores in his career, pushing him past Anthony Johnson Jr., a Pace High grad, who amassed 20 in four seasons (2017-19 and 2021).

Mason is already the UWF record holder for most overall touchdowns, now with 23.

His first touchdown Saturday was a game-changer.

Coming out of halftime with the scored tied 14-14, the Wolves got the ball to start the third quarter. On a second down play, UWF linebacker Gael Laurent stripped the ball from West Georgia quarterback Harrison Frost. The Argos Aidan Swett recovered at the West Georgia 23.

On the next play, Mason broke free to break the tie on a 23-yard run.

“Oh my god… that was unbelievable,” Shinnick said. “We were hoping to right the ship just a little bit…. we turned the ball over three times in the first half. To get that (turnover) and have Shomari take to the house on the next play, that was unbelievable.”

Even though West Georgia answered on the ensuing possession with a 15-play, 82-yard drive to tie the game at 21, the Argos offense never lost its edge.

UWF followed right back in three plays when Jarrett hit Caden Leggett on a deep sideline route with a throw over the cornerback’s outstretched arm. Leggett raced untouched for a 62-yard touchdown.

The Argos defense then came up with another big play when De’Mareyae Givens intercepted a Frost pass at the UWF 34, less than minute into the fourth quarter.

Facing 3rd-and-18 from his own 37, Jarrett made his biggest play when he rolled out, escaped a rush and found receiver Larry Rembert for a 20-yard gain. Three plays later, Jarrett threw a perfect, back-shoulder pass to David Durden, who leaped above the cornerback to catch the ball and get a foot in bounds on a 21-yard score.

It put UWF up by two scores (35-21) with 10:53 remaining, which was ironically the same point difference the Argos rallied from behind in the past two games at home.

West Georgia got within a touchdown after its 12-play, 79-yard drive that finished with a rushing touchdown from the 1 with 5:39 remaining. The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Argos good field position at the West Georgia 35.

The Argos offensive line and rushing game took over from there. Jarrett’s third-down conversion run to the 22 kept the drive going and set up Mason’s game-clinching run.

UWF is now 29-9 all-time on the road, including 27-5 in the last five seasons. UWF’s defense has forced 16 turnovers in seven games against West Georgia – the most against any opponent – and with 12 of those turnovers happening at UWG’s University Stadium.

UWF finished the game Saturday with 199 yards rushing, 235 yards passing, which continues a balance established in the season’s first game. The Argos now have thrown for at least one touchdown pass in 50 consecutive games.

By Bill Vilona
GoArgos Senior Writer

Photo: Morgan Givens

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