UWF Falls 10-6 At West Alabama In Defensive Battle

October 15, 2023

Three years of conference road success and lofty scores produced by the UWF football team came to a crashing halt.

It happened Saturday when least expected.

Unable to sustain drives, summon big plays, or even find the end zone, the sixth-ranked Argos sustained a stunning 10-6 loss against West Alabama and now face an uncommon scenario to reach season goals.

It was the first time UWF has not scored a touchdown in any game since Nov. 12, 2016 in the final game of their inaugural football season.

“That’s on me. This loss is on me and I take full responsibility,” said a crestfallen UWF head coach Kaleb Nobles following the game.

The Argos (5-2, 3-1) had won nine consecutive Gulf South Conference road games and were 18-3 in the past five years in league road games.

But their prolific offense, which was averaging 36.5 points and 464.5 yards total offense this season, suddenly went silent for an entire game.

It led to West Alabama (3-4, 2-3) celebrating a homecoming win amid a crowd of 7,020 at Tiger Stadium unlike any other in program’s past years.

West Alabama put together a game plan that relied on the Tigers’ stout defense, playing ball-control, and taking advantage of UWF mistakes.

All of it came together in this monumental upset.

“In trying to get our guys prepared, I told them this team was a good team and Coach Gilliland does a great job,” Nobles said. “I didn’t get the offense going (Saturday) This loss is on me, solely, nobody else in the program, but myself.”

The Argos have a tall order next week, taking a road trip to unbeaten, No. 8-ranked Delta State (7-0), which was ranked behind UWF in the current D-2 coaches poll. Their next home game on Oct. 28 is against Valdosta State (6-1).

“It won’t get any easier and that’s the schedule,” Nobles said. “We knew this was going to be the tough part of the schedule going into the season and our guys have to keep buying into the work, be able to flush this (loss away), and be able to move on and don’t let one loss in the conference change how we play next week.”

The Argos were held to just 214 yards total offense. That was four more yards, however, than West Alabama amassed against UWF’s defense, which stood up the entire game.

Quarterback Peewee Jarrett endured his most difficult game at UWF. He completed just 13 of 32 passes for 158 yards. He was sacked three times and under duress at times as West Alabama’s defense broke through to get into UWF’s backfield.

After having an upgraded rushing attack this season, the Argos were held to 56 net yards rushing due to the sack yardage against Jarrett. CJ Wilson led UWF with 16 carries for 65 yards. Jamontez Woods was held to 12 yards on six carries.

The bright spot on offense was standout receiver John Jiles, who caught seven passes for 147 yards. In one of Saturday’s defining plays, Jiles was open on a 3rd-and-14 play late in the fourth quarter from the UWF 29, but Jarrett overthrew the pass that could have gone for a touchdown.

On the next play, Jarrett connected with KJ Franklin, but the ball was jarred loose as he hit the ground, nullifying a first down and giving West Alabama the ball with 2:47 left.

But once again UWF’s defense held and the Tigers’ missed a 42-yard field goal with 1:49 remaining.

With one last chance, Jarrett’s second-down pass was intercepted and the Tigers ran out the clock.

Earlier in the fourth quarter. Jarrett and Jiles hooked up for a 57-yard completion to the West Alabama 3.

But the Tigers overpowered UWF’s offensive line to tackle Wilson for a 3-yard loss on the next play. On 3rd-and-goal from the 6, the Tigers defense again pressured Jarrett and forced him into a minus-8 yard completion.

Griffin Cerra kicked a 31-yard field goal to keep the Argos within striking distance. But with two more possessions, UWF was thwarted.

Both teams punted nine times in the game.

The Argos best sustained drive occurred in the first quarter when they drove 70 yards on 10 plays to the UWA 19 for Cerra’s first field goal.

The Tigers answered on the ensuing possession, aided by two 15-yard penalties against the Argos, including a pass interference that put the ball at the UWF 7. On the play, the Tigers’ Bry Webb rushed in for the game’s only touchdown with 14:48 before half.

The Argos had scored 40 or more points in each of their last three games. The school record is four, set last season.

But Saturday, UWF looked out of sorts from the opening possession when Jarrett’s first pass resulted in a 3-yard loss and the next two attempts were incomplete. It was one of four possessions where the Argos failed to get a first down.

Linebacker Walker Robinson, a Fort Walton Beach High grad, again led UWF’s strong defensive effort with seven solo stops. John McMullen had five solo stops. Elijah Williams made a terrific interception that briefly gave back emotion to the UWF sideline.

On this day, however, any surge stayed brief and the quick-scoring, high-flying team that was so often prevalent these past several seasons, was unable to generate any kind of similar performance.

written by Bill Vilona / photo Emily Mller

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

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