Homecoming festivities wrapped up with a football game on a beautiful Fall afternoon at CG Bank Field at Roy Kidd Stadium. The EKU Colonels hosted their third straight home game and welcomed the North Alabama Lions. Coming off a devastating loss to SHSU, with a great performance this weekend, the Colonels get back in the W column.
First Quarter
The game did not start well for the EKU defense as they gave up a TD on the opening drive to UNA. The EKU offense looked crisp as they took the field and went 75 yards in seven plays, capped off with a Parker McKinney TD throw to Cornelius McCoy.
The defense played great in the loss last week, but could not stop UNA early, giving up a 12-play TD drive on their second possession.
Second Quarter
The offense was back in the groove, as they marched down to answer with their own 8-play drive. Braedon Sloan did the heavy lifting with runs of 7, 12, 4, and 1 (TD) and a career-long 34-yard reception.
The defense made their first stop of the game early in the second, forcing two incomplete passes and stopping one run play. The offense marched right down and scored on a McKinney run. Parker had runs of 17 yards and 15 yards on the drive. UNA made a critical special teams error which gave them the ball at the 2-yard line. The EKU defense forced a three-and-out and almost got a safety. Jaden Smith returned the punt to the 15-yard line, where the offense punched it in on just two plays. McKinney found Sloan for an 8-yard TD.
UNA scored for the first time in the quarter with 2:55 remaining in the half. The EKU offense marched quickly down the field with a 50-yard pass to Cornelius McCoy. Two plays later McKinney found Joeseph Sewell for Sewell’s first career TD. The defense answered with an interception by Mike Smith Jr to send the Colonels to the half with a 35-21 lead.
Third Quarter
The offense took the field first but went three-and-out for the first time in this game. North Alabama drove quickly down the field and scored on an 8-yard TD run. The Colonel offense came right back on the shoulders of new RB Joshua Carter, brother of New York Jets RB Michael Carter. Carter scored his first collegiate TD.
North Alabama scored for the second time in the quarter with a 39-yard run pulling within one score. The EKU offense sputtered out and gave the ball right back to UNA.
Fourth Quarter
North Alabama got the fourth quarter scoring going with a 43-yard field goal. EKU LB, Matt Jackson, got a huge sack on third down to force the FG.
Braedon Sloan returned the ensuing kick-off across midfield to the 43-yard line. Taking advantage of the good field position, McKinney found Cornelius McCoy for his second score of the game.
UNA was not done yet though, they marched right down and scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass. The EKU offense came out and looked content to go three-and-out, instead of being aggressive. They punted the ball up three, and UNA took over at the 21-yard line with 2:54 to play. The defense stripped the running back and returned the recovery to the endzone, but the officials ruled the RB down. The next play was a 42-yard pass, followed by a 20-yard TD pass. UNA took the lead for the first time since the first quarter.
Parker McKinney and the offense would get one more chance with 1:07 to play. Play one, McKinney to McCoy for 15 yards. Play two, Parker throws incomplete to McCoy. Then on play three, McKinney 16-yard completion to Jaden Smith. Play four, McKinney incomplete to Jayden Higgins. Play five, incomplete to Smith on the sideline. On play six, pass interference on UNA, which set up first down on the 18-yard line with 25 seconds to play. Play seven, McKinney incomplete in the end zone to Smith. Next on play eight, McKinney 12-yards to McCoy, first and goal, 12 seconds. Finally, play nine, McKinney finds Cornelius McCoy in the endzone to win the game! With that, the Colonels get back in the W column.
Notes
- Joeseph Sewell appeared on the Sports Stove Podcast earlier in the week and scored his first TD of his career. You’re welcome Joeseph!
- Mike Smith Jr’s interception in the first half, was the first of his collegiate career.
- RB Joshua Carter and Richtell McCallister both got their first offensive snaps of the year.
- WR Cornelius McCoy had his first multi-TD game as a Colonel, he had three TDs.
- QB Parker McKinney had his second four-TD game this season and his fourth in his career. He ended the game with five touchdowns.
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