EKU’s season ends on a sour note. Starting the season with a heart attack, the fact that Coach Walt Wells still coached ten of the team’s twelve games, he has to see the positives in the season. QB Parker McKinney broke every Colonel record, and the team made its first playoff appearance in eight years. The season-ending Saturday night might be disappointing, but there is plenty of things that made this season a good season in Richmond, Kentucky. I watched the game from the press box, and here is how I saw the game.
First Quarter
Gardner-Webb started off the game quickly with a nine-play 65-yard drive, capped off by a 28-yard TD run. Braedon Sloan took the kick-off all the way to the GW 27-yard line, setting up the Colonels with a very short field. Three plays later, Parker McKinney hit Jaden Smith for a 27-yard touchdown pass. The defense responded by forcing the Bulldogs to punt, but the EKU offense could not take advantage. GWU marched down to take the lead back, scoring on a 10-yard scramble by their Quarterback. EKU answered just 25 seconds later with a 69-yard touchdown catch by Cornelius McCoy. GWU scored again two plays later on a 42-yard run to end the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Sloan opened the quarter with another huge return all the way to the 31-yard line. The offense could not get in the end-zone and had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Patrick Nations.
GWU could not take full advantage of their own good return and settled for a field goal as well. McKinney marched his team down the field,
finding Jaden Smith for 25 yards, 20 yards, and finally, a nine-yard TD pass. GWU responded with a quick six-play drive, scoring on a 16-yard run. The Colonels could not answer and settled for a 43-yard field goal.
Third Quarter
The EKU offense could not get anything going to start the half, and they punted away to GWU. GWU had no problem finding a rhythm, scoring in just five plays. The Colonels’ response… four plays and a punt.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs were living up to their name, scoring in just five plays on a 12-yard run. EKU remained ice-cold in the half, going three-and-out, while GWU scored again in just seven plays.
Fourth Quarter
The EKU offense found a little life late in the third and the start of the fourth and finally found the endzone with a three-yard TD catch by Jayden Higgins. At this point in the game, GWU would try to run the clock, and EKU would try to add stats, but the outcome was set. EKU would add one more score when McKinney through a TD to Higgins again.
Game Notes
- This game was the sixth time this season that EKU allowed opponents to score double digits in the first quarter. Somehow EKU was 4-1 in the previous five games.
- Jayden Higgins is the first WR to have nine or more TD catches in a season at EKU since 2017.
- Parker McKinney threw for four or more touchdowns for the fourth time this season.
You can listen to the best EKU coverage each week on the Sports Stove Podcast as I interview athletes and coaches from the University. Follow me on Twitter for more EKU thoughts.
