LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama football team was taken down by No. 6/8 Delta State University 47-17 in a Gulf South Conference (GSC) contest, Saturday night from Terry Bunn Field at Tiger Stadium.
The Statesmen improved to 5-0 and 3-0 in GSC play, while the Tigers fall to 2-3 and 1-2.
Delta State is ranked sixth in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll and eighth in the D2football.com poll.
"We dug ourselves a hole in the first quarter against a really good team. It was a game of one team playing with a lot of confidence and one team not. At the half, our challenge was to see who was really with us and what effort we can get. I do think our guys gave effort; I think we have enough players who care to get it fixed," said head coach
Brett Gilliland.
After UWA went three-and-out on its first possession, DSU took advantage of its first drive. Needing five yards for a first down, on fourth down, Patrick Shegog had that and then some with a 33-yard run to the end zone for six points.
With seven minutes left in the opening quarter, the Statesmen made it a 14-0 lead with a 38-yard touchdown reception by Jaylen Green.
On UWA's ensuing possession, the Statesmen defense joined the scoring brigade with a 33-yard interception return for a score by Marlon Windham.
Late in the first stanza, with the visitors driving at midfield and needing one for a first down, they were forced to punt after a third down stop by
Jamarcus Smith in the back field.
The second quarter saw the Statesmen continue to pour on, as they took a 37-3 lead into the locker room, as the visitors scored on a five-yard touchdown reception, a safety, a kickoff return for a score and a 38-yard field goal.
UWA did break the shutout at the 4:39 mark of the second stanza, as
Elijah Guyton posted a 43-yard field goal.
The second half saw some glimmers of light from both sides of the ball. After a 38-yard field goal by Nick Herber made it a 40-3 affair, UWA used a seven-play, 75-yard drive, capped by a
John Hilbert 23-yard reception to cut the deficit to 40-10.
UWA did keep its interception streak alive, as the Tigers have recorded a pick in each game so far in 2023.
Trevon Stanford's 29-yard return with 2:40 left in the third helped the home team start their drive at midfield.
After a
Dearrius Nelson 14-yard catch from
Spencer Arceneaux, the third quarter ended with a pass interference penalty on DSU's Carl Hopkins. The foul pushed the ball from the DSU 16 to the two-yard-line.
Two plays later,
Tyler Smith punched it in from three yards out for UWA's second touchdown of the day.
Spencer Arceneaux had 118 yards on 11-of-17 passing.
Tyler Walker led the Tigers' receiving core with 66 yards on five catches, while
John Hilbert added 51 yards and a score.
Shamar Lewis led UWA with nine tackles and a forced fumble.
Davonchae Bryant posted two tackles for a loss and totaled seven stops on the night.
UWA will next head to West Georgia one final time as members of Division II in Carrollton next Saturday.
"They had some woes at West Florida, and they've had an extra week to recover from that. It's going to be a really good team at their place that we are going to compete in," added Gilliland.
The Tigers and Wolves will square off from University Stadium at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT.
