ULM Warhawks

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.?ULM quarterback Kinsmon Lancaster put the Warhawks on his back over the final three quarters of the game, but Middle Tennessee built a big enough lead to survive for a 24-21 victory Saturday afternoon in Sun Belt Conference action at Floyd Stadium.

After sitting out the first quarter, Lancaster completed 16-of-25 attempts for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball 14 times for 126 yards ? taking out five sacks, Lancaster would have totaled 149 yards on the ground.

Trailing 17-14, ULM (3-7, 2-4 Sun Belt) had a chance to tie the game with a 32-yard field goal with 9:19 remaining in the third quarter, but a high snap led to a miss and spoiled a 74-yard run by Lancaster ? tied for the 13^th longest in ULM history.

The Blue Raiders (3-6, 2-34) took advantage of the miscue nine plays later on a 4-yard touchdown run by Phillip Tanner to stretch their lead to 24-14.

Lancaster responded on ULM's next possession by leading the Warhawks on 12-play, 72-yard drive cumulating with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Zeek Zacharie to pull the Warhawks within three, 24-21, with just under six minutes remaining in the game.

Zacharie finished the game with 5 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown ? he put his name on the career receptions list by moving into 10^th place with 106 career receptions.

Middle Tennessee jumped out to a 17-0 lead over the first 18 minutes of the game. Joe Craddock and Dwight Dasher had touchdown passes and Alan Gendreau hit a 44-yard field goal. Craddock was 13-of-20 for 216 yards on the game.

ULM began its comeback with a 15-yard touchdown run by Frank Goodin with just under five minutes to play in the game. The Warhawks had a chance to pull within 17-10 at the half, but Radi Jabour missed a 35-yard field goal in the final seconds.

The Warhawks outgained the Blue Raiders 448-368 on the game, including a dominating 236-90 on the ground.

The Warhawks had a promising drive to open the second half driving the ball to MTSU's 43-yard line, but Darrell McNeal bobbled a Lancaster pass and Brandon Perry finally came up with the ball for the Blue Raiders for the interception.

McNeal moved into sixth place on the ULM career receptions list passing Drouzon Quillen with 128. Lancaster moved into fourth place on the career pass completions list passing Raymond Philyaw with 490.

The Warhawks travel to Oxford, Miss., next Saturday for a non-conference battle with Ole Miss. Kickoff from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.