Despite their highest-scoring game of the season, Utah Tech University fell to Abilene Christian University 55-30 at Greater Zion Stadium.
While the game got out of hand for Utah Tech in the second half, the first half was largely competitive as Abilene Christian led 27-16 going into the break. After both teams were forced to punt on their opening drives, Utah Tech running back Chris Street opened the scoring on a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
Abilene Christian responded with a touchdown of their own on their next drive; a 76-yard pass from Maverick McIvor to Blayne Taylor. Following a Utah Tech punt on their next drive, Abilene Christian scored on a 53-yard rushing touchdown by Sam Hicks as Abilene Christian closed the quarter leading 14-7.
Going into the second quarter, both teams exchanged field goals on their opening drives. Abilene Christian extended their lead to 20-10 following another field goal. Utah Tech was able to move the ball on their next drive but missed a 41-yard field goal.
Sam Hicks then scored again for Abilene Christian on a 35-yard run. Utah Tech then drove down the field with 27 seconds remaining in the half, scoring on a 32-yard pass from Reggie Graff to Eric Olsen to close the gap to 27-16.
“That first half, there was a lot of examples of that lack of execution,” Utah Tech head coach Lance Anderson said. “Not finishing plays and some of the plays that Abilene Christian made were a lack of execution on our part.”
Abilene Christian began to take over the game in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three of their first four drives, while Utah Tech was forced to punt and later had a fumble that resulted in a scoop-and-score for Abilene Christian. Abilene Christian was able to have big plays throughout the game as they extended their lead to 41-16 by the end of the third quarter.
“The defense struggled tonight, even when the offense had a much better game,” Preston Affleck, a junior business management major from Riverton, said.
To start the fourth quarter, Sam Hicks scored again for Abilene Christian on an eight-yard rushing touchdown, and Chris Wright returned a Utah Tech fumble for an Abilene Christian touchdown. Utah Tech bounced back with a touchdown on their next drive as quarterback Reggie Graff scored for Utah Tech on a nine-yard rushing touchdown.
After Utah Tech forced an Abilene Christian punt, Trailblazers running back Bretton Stone scored on a 10-yard rush with three minutes remaining — the last score of the game.
Utah Tech had their best game offensively of the season, scoring a season high 30 points. Quarterback Reggie Graff led the Trailblazers in passing with 231 yards and a touchdown while also leading the team in rushing with 79 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Maverick McIvor led Abilene Christian’s air attack with 286 yards passing and two touchdowns on 33 attempts. Sam Hicks led Abilene Christian’s attack on the ground, rushing for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries.
As Utah Tech prepares to travel on the road, some students would like to see better support from the student section to give Utah Tech a true home-field advantage.
“I would love to see more support from the student section,” Zachary Moore, a sophomore general education major from St. George, said. “It was lacking energy and a lot of people left after the first quarter.”
Following their first conference game of the season, Utah Tech falls to 0-5. The Trailblazers will look to get their first win of the season as they head on the road to play the University of North Alabama Oct. 5.
