Colby Suits in the pocket vs Georgia Southern 2020
ULM Photo Services
35
Winner GEORGIA SOUTHERN GS 2-1 , 1-1
30
ULM ULM 0-4 , 0-2
Winner
GEORGIA SOUTHERN GS
2-1 , 1-1
35
Final
30
ULM ULM
0-4 , 0-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GS GEORGIA SOUTHERN 7 14 14 0 35
ULM ULM 3 14 6 7 30

Game Recap: Football |

ULM Rally Comes Up Inches Short Against Eagles

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

MONROE, La. – ULM came a long way back only to fall inches short Saturday night at Malone Stadium.

As time expired, quarterback Colby Suits was stopped short on a first-and-goal scramble from the 9 and the Warhawks dropped a 35-30 decision to Georgia Southern.

"A really tough game," ULM coach Matt Viator said. "I don't know if I've ever been associated with anything like that, that was that close on the last play of the game."

The game appeared headed for a blowout in the third quarter when Georgia Southern blocked a punt and scored a touchdown to take an 18-point lead. But the Warhawks got two big stops from the defense and scored on two consecutive possessions to rally.

"The excitement was unreal to be honest," said defensive end Ty Shelby, who contributed a career-high eight tackles. "The defense needed to put up some big plays and we did at the end of the game. We tried to get the offense a chance to score and we just came up short. At the end of the game, I respected the ref's decisions. I just wish we would have had it."

Before his final run, Suits converted a fourth-and-6 with 23 seconds with a scramble out of bounds down to the 9. Suits met two defenders on the last play at the 2-yard line and stretched toward the goal but was ruled down as the clock hit 0:00.

"We went empty and I dropped back," Suits said. "They emptied out the middle and everybody went back. They thought we were going to throw the ball and I saw nobody in front of me and tried to get to the goal line. I don't know. I guess according to them, I came up short."

After a lengthy review, the call stood and the Warhawks fell to 0-4, 0-2 in the Sun Belt.

"Me personally, I actually thought he got in," ULM running back Josh Johnson said. "But that whole drive, coach was calling a good offense. We were executing. We just couldn't get it done. But we fought hard all game."

Suits completed 31-of-54 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover and led ULM with 51 rushing yards on seven carries. ULM outgained Georgia Southern 426 to 369 and finished 5-of-5 on fourth-down conversions.

"That's a glimpse of what the real ULM looks like," said Johnson, who rushed for 40 yards and scored two touchdowns and had five catches for 25 yards and another score. "With the offense giving the defense a chance, that's what you're going to see the rest of the season."

Georgia Southern running back J.D. King was a royal pain for ULM for most of the game as he battered the Warhawks for 196 rushing yards and a touchdown. Georgia Southern (2-1, 1-1 Sun Belt) rode its triple option attack to 340 rushing yards overall while also benefitting from a shaky performance by ULM special teams.

In addition to difficulties stopping the Eagles' ground game, ULM had two punts blocked, with one recovered for a touchdown and missed a PAT.

Despite their troubles, the Warhawks made it interesting late by cutting the lead to five with less than five minutes left in the game.

ULM's defense stiffened in the fourth quarter, using a big sack by Ivin White Jr. to force Georgia Southern's second punt and give the Warhawks a chance to make noise on offense.

ULM capitalized with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Johnson smashing into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown, his second on the ground and third of the game. ULM trailed 35-30 with 4:59 remaining.

White came up big again with Keyshawn Johnson on third-down tackle that forced a Georgia Southern punt with 2:42 to go.

"When the defense made a stop, we knew we had a shot to do it," Suits said. "We had all the confidence in the world."

The Warhawks started their final drive at their own 27 and crossed midfield on a 22-yard pass to Jevin Frett. Suits was hit as he threw incomplete to Chandler Whitfield in the end zone on third-and-6 from the 16, prior to converting on fourth down. ULM moved 72 yards in 13 plays before Suits gained 8 yards on his last run.

"It's tough to lose that way, but I'm proud of guys and the way we fought," Suits said. "We played as hard as we could."

ULM, which hasn't led in a game this season, was playing from behind from the start.

The Eagles needed three King carries to cover 68 yards and score on their opening drive. King's 62-yard run set up his 3-yard touchdown as Georgia Southern went up 7-0 with 11:25 to go in the first quarter.

A sequence of special teams plays, one bad and one good, set up ULM's first score.

After another quick defensive stop on ULM's second series, the Eagles partially blocked Daniel Sparks' punt and took over at the 50. But ULM's defense hung tough, then the Warhawks sniffed out and stuffed a fake punt to take over their own 43.

ULM converted a fourth-and-7 with a 22-yard Josh Pederson catch to keep the nine-play, 40-yard drive alive. Davis Hughes booted a 34-yard field goal with 3:21 left in the opening period for a 7-3 score.

Early in the second quarter, King converted on third-and-8 with a 41-yard run and topped 100 yards on just his fourth carry of the game. Wesley Kennedy's 4-yard touchdown run capped Georgia Southern's second scoring march and extended the lead to 14-3 with 12:47 to go.

Johnson dodged a defender and scored his first touchdown of the season with a nifty 26-yard run at the 10:04 mark and pulled ULM within 14-10. Johnson also contributed a 14-yard rush and Suits was 3-for-3 for 34 yards on the six-play, 72-yard drive.

Georgia Southern chewed up most of the remaining second quarter with a 75-yard, 15-play drive that consumed 8:27 off the clock. Kennedy's 5-yard rushing touchdown put the Eagles ahead 21-10 with 1:37 left before the half.

That was enough time for the Warhawks to collect points and pick up steam before the break. Suits had ULM on the 2-yard line with three seconds to go, where the Warhawks went for the touchdown instead of the kick. Suits, who completed 4-of-4 passes for 50 yards, hit Malik Jackson as time expired for a 21-17 halftime score.

"It was huge," Johnson said. "Before (Coach Viator) called time out, me and Colby thought he was going to kick it. We were like, 'Just give us a chance,' and he gave us a chance I'm all in for it."

The Eagles came out of the locker room with another strong offensive series to crank up the third quarter. Georgia Southern extended its lead to 28-17 on Logan Wright's 17-yard touchdown run, ending a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

NaJee Thompson's second blocked punt against ULM turned into a quick Georgia Southern touchdown with 5:30 left. After a three-and-out series stalled at the ULM 18, Thompson batted down Sparks' punt and Rashad Byrd recovered in the end zone for a 35-17 advantage.

ULM's offense finally found a spark again next trip out while converting two fourth downs on the way to the end zone. Suits found tight end Tyler Lamm on a career-long 28-yard reception on fourth-and-2 from the ULM 45, then converted fourth-and-4 with a 6-yard pass to Malik Jackson before connecting with Johnson for a 2-yard touchdown reception, the first of the running back's career. The missed PAT by Davis Hughes left ULM trailing 35-23 with 29 seconds to burn in the third with a pivotal fourth quarter to come.

"I can't ask them to compete any harder," Viator said. "I can't ask them to play any harder. I thought they left everything out on the field on both sides of the football."

Up next: ULM goes on the road to play Liberty in a non-conference game. Kickoff is 11 a.m. for the game scheduled to be broadcast on ESPNU.

Tail feathers: Nose tackle Sir'Darrius Ellis registered eight tackles in his first career start. … Pederson sprained his ankle in the first half and was sidelined most of the second half. … ULM game captains were OG T.J. Fiailoa, RB Josh Johnson and OT Samuel Williams. … Cornerback Corey Straughter saw a team-leading streak of 30 consecutive starts end. He will miss the rest of the season with a wrist injury. … New ULM President Ron Berry was Nick White's special halftime guest with a recorded interview on the radio broadcast. He recalled being a student when ULM won a National Championship in football, and waiting in line to attend basketball games. "I'm going to do everything I can to support athletics," Berry said.
 
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