BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It was the same script, only a different day as West Alabama came from behind to notch a 13-10 college football victory over Miles College Saturday at Sloan-Alumni Field.
 
For the second straight week the West Alabama offense struggled early while the Tiger defense kept UWA in the game long enough for Tyreek Hill to make a big play.
 
Trailing 10-0 after three quarters, the Tiger defense had limited the Golden Bears to just 159 total yards. Miles would manage just 212 yards for the game, only 41 rushing. West Alabama finished with just 276 yards and 10 first downs.
 
Problem was, UWA had run just 36 plays and accumulated only 135 yards and six first downs after three quarters
 
Then lightning struck for the third time in three games in the person of Hill. Thompson connected with Hill on a 65-yard catch and run to pull West Alabama within three points with 9:18 left to play. Ironically, the play was the exact same one that Thompson had been intercepted on with his first passing attempt of the game.
 
"I can't take all the credit. It was a great throw and the offensive line did their job," Hill said. "It was just a matter of time. Trent (Thompson) got it to me and I was just able to finish."
 
"I missed the read the first time. It was a bad throw," Thompson said. "I wasn't hesitant on the play we scored on, because as we all know when you get the ball to Ty good things usually happen."
 
Thompson finished the game completing 3-of-7 passes for 103 yards while splitting time with Dezmon Huntley, who was 9-of-12 for 56 yards. Huntley also led UWA rushers with 57 yards on 10 carries.
 
"The defense kept us in the game again," UWA head coach Brett Gilliland said. "We have a lot to work on offensively, but it is easier to work on it after a win.

"I will always take a win, but we have to get out of the habit of winning them ugly," Gilliland said.
 
Nick Christiansen connected on a 49-yard field goal with 12:14 left in the first quarter to give Miles an early 3-0 lead. As it turned out, Christiansen's kick would provide the only points of the first half for either team.

A 9-yard touchdown pass from Vincent Davis to Delarius Wood gave Miles a 10-0 lead with 2:10 left in the 3rd quarter.

With fourth-and-1 at the UWA 39 on the ensuing Miles drive, the Golden Bears lined up to punt, but long snapper Kipp Cueves' snap sailed over Christiansen's head. In pursuit of the errant snap Christiansen kicked the ball out of the Miles endzone, drawing a penalty that gave UWA the ball at the Bears 13-yard line.
 
Two plays later Tyler Rogers scored from 7 yards out to put UWA ahead for good with 5:04 to play in the game. The extra point attempt was blocked, leaving Miles in good shape to force overtime with only a field goal.
 
The Golden Bears could manage just 2 yards on three plays, forcing a fourth-and-8 from their own 35-yard line. Tiger linebacker Brandon Keel wrapped up Miles quarterback Vincent Davis for no gain and the ball went over on downs.

"Our number one goal is to score one more point than the other team," UWA linebacker Brandon Keel said. "So it's the defense's job to keep the point total low. We hung together and got that done today."

While Keel intercepted a pass early in the game and also made the big play in the fourth quarter, it was Quentin Harton and Jared Washington who did the heavy lifting for the UWA defense. Both finished with 10 tackles. Washington had three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while Harton forced a fumble.
 
Felix Woods had eight tackles for UWA, who recorded five sacks and 11 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Breland Massey recovered a fumble for the Tigers.
 
Miles would get one more chance, driving to the UWA 45 before an illegal motion penalty with 9.4 seconds left forced a 10-second runoff by rule and ended the game.
 
Rogers finished with 44 yards on 10 carries for West Alabama and Hill had 100 yards on four receptions.
 
Devin Brown caught nine passes for Miles, good for 69 yards. Justin Hardy ran 19 times for 83 yards for the Golden Bears.
 
West Alabama travels to Texas A&M-Kingsville next week. Miles remains at home against Morehouse.