Chandler Rogers vs Coastal Carolina 2022
ULM Photo Services
28
Winner Coastal Carolina CCU 6-0 , 3-0
21
ULM ULM 2-4 , 1-2
Winner
Coastal Carolina CCU
6-0 , 3-0
28
Final
21
ULM ULM
2-4 , 1-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CCU Coastal Carolina 14 14 0 0 28
ULM ULM 7 7 7 0 21

Game Recap: Football |

Warhawks Missed Their Chance to Beat the Chants, Fall 28-21

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

MONROE, La. – A Homecoming win over Coastal Carolina was there for the taking Saturday night, but ULM couldn't close the deal.

ULM (2-4, 1-2 Sun Belt) shut out Coastal's high-powered offense in the second half. Quarterback Chandler Rogers was nearly perfect. However, the Warhawks squandered several crucial red-zone opportunities down the stretch and dropped a 28-21 decision to the Chanticleers.

"The defense couldn't do anything right the first half, but they came back in the second," ULM coach Terry Bowden said. "The offense kept us in this game the whole game and continued to move the ball. But when we got the opportunities to put the game away and win the game, we couldn't do it."

Rogers completed 27-of-30 attempts for 279 yards and two touchdowns and set a school record with 19 consecutive completions to open the game. His 200-yard outing was the second of the season and sixth of his career.

"Honestly, I just found out," Rogers said. "Playing the next play and letting the game come to me is something I really try to do."

After surrendering 28 points to the visitors in the first half, ULM's defense clamped down and didn't allow another score. The Chanticleers (6-0, 3-0 Sun Belt) punted five times in the second half with three three-and-outs. Zack Woodard led ULM defenders with 10 tackles, one sack and two tackles for losses.

The Warhawks came into the game a perfect 11-for-11 in red zone opportunities but came up empty in three of five trips against Coastal.

"There's enough fight in the way we played," Bowden said. "There's enough effort to see how close we are to the 5-0, now 6-0 Coastal Carolina. We see how close we are as a team. But there's a difference in being a championship contender, as they showed how to play in the fourth quarter.


"Our guys didn't quit in the fourth quarter. We just didn't make the finishing plays that you have to make to be where you want to be."

The two teams traded touchdowns like kids swap baseball cards in the early going

With the game's opening drive, Coastal collected 75 yards in nine plays and took a 7-0 lead on CJ Beasley's 9-yard touchdown run.

ULM countered with its own 75-yard scoring march over six plays. Malik Jackson's 1-yard touchdown run with 8:18 left in the first quarter tied the score at 7.

Beasley's second touchdown capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive and gave Coastal a 14-7 lead with 4:08 remaining in the first. The Chants were 4-for-4 on third-down conversions, and gained seven first downs and 165 yards on their first two offensive series.

Tight end Zach Rasmussen hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Rogers at the end of an 11-play, 75-yard march and the game was tied 14-14.

Coastal answered in rapid fashion as Grayson McCall connected with Jared Brown on a 56-yard touchdown pass with 12:25 left in the half. It took Coastal two plays to go 78 yards in 40 seconds to go up 21-14.

Driving into scoring position again, ULM blinked first in the shootout as Rogers fumbled and CCU recovered at the Chants' 15. However, ULM's defense held for a three-and-out and forced the game's first punt with 6:33 to go before halftime.

After ULM downed its first punt at the Coastal 4 with 4:10 left in the half, the Chanticleers took the ball 96 yards to take a 28-14 lead with 25 seconds to go. Max Balthazar's 2-yard touchdown run capped an 11-play march.

"We haven't been able to get them on third downs," Bowden said at halftime. "We haven't been able to slow them down. But we can't give them a touchdown at the end of the half as we're in the ballgame. We've got to make a play on defense. We've got to stop them somehow."

Coastal gained 323 yards with 16 first downs in the first half while ULM gained 205 yards with 13 first downs. McCall was 14-for-19 passing for 190 yards and one score.

The Warhawks needed a productive first drive to start the second half and they got it, thanks to a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch by Tyrone Howell. The 6-foot-2 receiver reached out with his left hand as he neared the end zone and pulled in a 42-yard scoring pass from Rogers to finish a five-play, 75-yard drive and cut the deficit to 28-21.

Several missed opportunities ensued for the Warhawks after pulling within a score.

After the touchdown, the ULM defense did its part by forcing another three-and-out, yet the Warhawks couldn't take full advantage. ULM drove to the CCU 1 but Rogers threw his first incomplete pass on fourth-and-1 and the Warhawks turned the ball over on downs with 4:36 left in the third quarter.

Again, ULM's defense held firm and forced Coastal's third punt with 34 seconds to go in the period. ULM outgained the Chanticleers, 160-41, in the third quarter and trailed by a touchdown headed into the fourth.

In another tough break for the Warhawks, Malik Jackson fumbled after picking up a first down on a 5-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter and Coastal recovered at the ULM 29.

However, ULM forced a third-straight punt after the turnover and provided the offense another chance to tie the game. Once again, the Warhawks were stymied and punted after gaining 21 yards on six plays.

ULM's defense remained rugged, forcing another three-and-out and a fourth consecutive punt against the dangerous Chanticleers, who ran six plays and lost 32 yards on back-to-back series.

A 15-yard interference penalty on Tyrone Howell's attempted punt return put ULM in scoring position at the CCU 31, but the Warhawks turned the ball over on downs again as Rogers fired incomplete on fourth-and 2 from the Coastal 13.

ULM's last offensive series began with 28 seconds left in the contest at the Coastal 30 but time finally ran out on the Warhawks as they crossed midfield.

"If you get them in the fourth quarter, that's when they play their best football," Bowden said. "They have a great confidence in being able to win close ballgames."

Something special: Rogers was 19-for-19 passing to start the game, giving him 20 consecutive completions over two games to a new ULM record. Trey Revell completed 15-straight passes over two games against Texas and Texas Southern in 2009.

Good play: Howell reached out with his left hand as he neared the end zone and pulled in a 42-yard scoring pass from Rogers to finish a five-play, 75-yard drive. The completion by Rogers was his 16th in a row to start the game, setting a school record.

Did you notice: Coastal Carolina punted on all five offensive series in the second half. ULM's defense forced four three-and-outs overall in the game, with three in the second half.

Big hit: Cornerback Duece Mayberry swooped in to nail Beasley for a 4-yard gain on third-and-5, forcing the game's first punt with 6:33 left in the second quarter. The timely three-and-out by the defense came immediately after ULM lost a fumble in the red zone.

Enemy lines: Two-time Sun Bel Player of the Year Grayson McCall completed 19-of-28 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown. Sam Pinckney caught nine balls for 133 yards while Beasley rushed for 115 yards and two scores on 15 carries.

Up next: ULM continues Sun Belt Conference action with a road game at South Alabama. Kickoff in Mobile, Ala., is 6 p.m.

Tail feathers: Marcus Green served as ULM's honorary team captain. Green set a school record with 5,286 all-purpose yards from 2015-18 and was a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference first-team selection. … Game Captains were RB Andrew Henry, RB Isaiah Phillips and LB Quae Drake. … Receiver Boogie Knight was held out with an injury. … Sun Belt Conference commissioner Keith Gill was in attendance and joined the ULM radio crew for a halftime interview. … Running back Malik Jackson has scored a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games.
 
 
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