From tsutigers.com :
Game 5: Tennessee State 16, Eastern Kentucky 42
Records: TSU (1-4), EKU (3-2)
Venue: Roy Kidd Stadium
Location: Richmond, Ky.
Weather: Partly Sunny, 93
Kickoff Time: 6:05 p.m. ET
Game Duration: 2:09
Attendance: 8,861
RICHMOND, Ky. — A first half marked by Tennessee State field goals answered with Eastern Kentucky touchdowns proved fatal to TSU’s effort in capturing its second win of the season in Richmond, Kentucky. The Colonels took the teams’ first conference matchup 42-16 Saturday evening in Roy Kidd Stadium.
Antonio Zita led the Tigers’ scoring effort with three field goals in the first half. The sophomore kicker finished the night with 10 total points, marking his seventh game with double-digit points.
The Colonels rushed for 379 yards, with Ronnie Killings and Josh Green each posting nine tackles, six of which were unassisted, while Green had a tackle for loss. Right behind were year-long defensive starters Rhashaun Epting and Terry Straughter who had seven tackles a piece.
Senior Seth Rowland led the Tiger rushing game leading TSU’s three running backs and his brother, Chris Rowland with 71 total rushing yards, 25-long with a comeback play in the third.
TOTALS
- Eastern Kentucky outgained TSU in total yards, 525-382
- The Tigers produced 270 yards through the air and 112 on the ground
- The defense surrendered 379 rushing yards and 146 yards passing
- The Tigers averaged 5.5 yards per play.
- TSU collected 20 first downs, opposed to 22 by EKU
- The Colonels won the Time of Possession battle, 31:53-28:07
- The Tigers finished 4-of-6 in Red Zone Scoring Chances, while EKU was 4-for-4
- The Big Blue was tagged with 10 penalties for 92 yards
- The defense produced six tackles for loss, including one sack
- The Tigers were 4-of-15 on third down conversions, while EKU was 5-of-12
INDIVIDUAL
- Antonio Zita totaled 10 points on the day going 3-for-3 on field goals (28, 35, and 36) and one extra point.
- Kaleb Mosley had a career day, averaging a career best 47.4 yards on five punts for 237 yards.
- Mosley boomed a 61 yard punt, which is his second longest of the season and his career.
- The sophomore punter also registered a 54 yard boot.
- Mosley has now gone six consecutive games with at least one punt going 50-plus yards.
- Cameron Rosendahl finished 20-of-41 for 270 yards and two interceptions.
- Chris Rowland led all receivers with eight receptions for 95 yards.
- Rowland picked up 25 yards on one carry and seven yards on a punt return to finish with 127 all purpose yards.
- The wide receiver moved into a tie for eighth with Patrick Robinson (1989-92) on the TSU career receptions list with 140.
- Steven Newbold caught two passes for 55 yards.
- The yardage gives Newbold 2,169 yards for his career and moves him past Chris Johnson (2004-08, 2,155) into eighth on the TSU career receiving yards list.
- The senior wide out also moved into a tie for ninth with Tyrone Butterfield (1997-98) on the TSU receptions chart with 131.
- Seth Rowland led the Tigers on the ground with 71 yards on eight touches.
- Josh Green and Ronnie Killings led the defense with nine tackles and six solos.
- Terry Straughter and Rhashaun Epting followed with seven apiece.
- Epting and Jeremiah Caine led with 1.5 tackles for loss, while Epting recorded the Tigers lone sack.
- Nick Harper Jr. registered four pass breakups, while Domonique Williams had one.
FIRST QUARTER
- Tennessee State took advantage of an Eastern Kentucky penalty on the third play of the game to extend its opening drive.
- Cameron Rosendahl used the second chance to hit Steven Newbold for 45 yards, moving to the Colonels 23.
- The Tigers used a pair of six yard runs by DeMarco Corbin and Te’kendrick Roberson to move inside the Red Zone.
- TSU would settle for an Antonio Zita 28 yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
- EKU responded with a seven play, 72 yard drive to take a 7-3 lead.
- The two teams traded stops, including the Big Blue holding the Colonels on a fourth down attempt at the Tigers 40.
- Eastern Kentucky held the advantage in yardage, 122-99.
SECOND QUARTER
- After the fourth down stop, the Tigers took the ball into the second quarter and went on a nine play, 42 yard drive.
- The series produced a 35 yard field goal by Zita to bring the Tigers to within one, 7-6, with 12:17 remaining in the half.
- Lawrence Segree II caught his first three passes of his career on the drive, totaling 37 yards.
- Once again, EKU answered on the next possession with a seven play, 75 yard touchdown drive.
- The score gave the Colonels a 14-6 lead with 8:33 on the clock.
- The Tigers opened the following drive with a pair of passes to Chris Rowland, sandwiched around a pair of runs, to move to the EKU 32.
- Seth Rowland picked up another TSU first down with an 11 yard dash to the Colonel 21.
- Zita would connect on his third consecutive field goal to move to within five, 14-9.
- The 36 yarder by the sophomore kicker would be answered with a touchdown by EKU.
- The score pushed the Colonel advantage to 21-9 at the half.
- EKU outgained the Tigers, 133-73.
THIRD QUARTER
- The Tigers opened the second half with a defensive stop at their own 27 yard line.
- Rhashaun Epting made the stop on fourth down to give the offense its first opportunity of the third quarter.
- The Tigers hindered the drive with a personal foul penalty to force a three and out.
- The defense stood tall for the second consecutive series as Raymond Horton teamed with Terry Straughter and Dante’ Ferguson Jr. on back-to-back plays to stop the EKU run game.
- The Colonel defense was equal to the test as they created the first turnover of the game as Rosendahl threw his third interception of the season.
- On the ensuing drive, EKU took advantage of a leaping penalty by the Tigers on a field goal attempt and converted the foul into seven points.
- The Colonels lead grew to 28-9 with 4:08 remaining in the quarter.
- Despite being held to 55 yards rushing the Tigers went to the ground game on their next series.
- Seth Rowland carried the ball four times on the drive picking up 52 yards, including a 25 yarder.
- Roberson closed out the drive running for the final eight yards, making the score 28-16.
- EKU outgained the Tigers, 129-71.
FOURTH QUARTER
- EKU scored a touchdown on the first play of the final stanza, completing a drive that began in the third.
- Turnovers would prevent the Tigers from any chance of a comeback in the final quarter.
- Rosendahl kept the drive alive early as he hit Al-Malik Moore for a 19 yard completion on a third and 17.
- The signal caller then found Newbold for 10 yards and Chris Rowland 30 more.
- After the Rowland connection, EKU was called for a roughing the passer, moving the ball down to the Colonel 15.
- Two plays later, Rosendahl hit Seth Rowland with a swing pass, allowing the running back room to run.
- Rowland would make it to the five but coughed up the ball as he was hit from behind.
- An EKU defender scooped up the ball and motored 64 yards before Chris Rowland could track him down.
- The Tigers last chance came as they trailed 42-16.
- Rosendahl completed five passes, including a 23 yard hook-up with Dayron Johnson.
- The drive would reach the EKU 18, but an interception in the end zone ended the night for the Tigers.
- EKU finished with a slight advantage, 141-139 in yardage in the fourth quarter.
NOTES
- Kickoff occurred at 6:05 p.m. EST.
- Tennessee State captains of the game were: Mekhi Brown, Cameron Rosendahl, Lachavious Simmons and Chris Rowland.
- Eastern Kentucky won the coin toss and deferred.
- Lawrence Segree caught back-to-back passes for consecutive first downs – the first two receptions of his career.
- Kaleb Mosley has six-straight games with a fifty-plus-yard punt.
- With more than 10-points on the night, Antonio Zita marks the seventh time in his career he has scored in double-digits. He has played in fourteen games.
- Mosley’s 61-yard punt in the fourth quarter served as the second-longest of his career, just three yards short of his career-long, 64-yarder kicked against Mississippi Valley State in the season opener.
- Steven Newbold is tied for number nine in all-time receptions with Tyrone Butterfield.
- Newbold is now eighth in receiving yards, passing Chris Johnson (2,155), with 2,169 career yards.
- This is the 31st meeting between Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky.
- Eastern Kentucky leads 24-7 all-time versus TSU.
- The two squads played in 2017, a 45-21 Tiger win in Richmond.
- EKU won the first 11 meetings in the series and 19 of the first 20.
- The Tigers have won five of the ten.
- Rod Reed Is 3-5 versus EKU.
- The game was streamed on ESPN+.
WHAT’S NEXT:
The Tigers continue OVC play at Jacksonville State on Saturday, Oct. 5, with kickoff set for 6:00 p.m.
QUOTES
Sophomore Josh Green
-On starting
“It’s something I’ve been waiting on. I knew I was good enough to help the team out and produce. Coming into this game, all I wanted to do was help the defense and stop the run – the bleeding that was going on. So, I told myself I could come out and play fast and that’s what I did.”
-On leading with nine tackles
“It’s not about the feeling it’s the fact that we had a great week of practice and knew that coming into this game, we’d be the ones who would have to make the tackle because we’re the extra body coming down into the hole. We just communicated everything and made sure the guys on the backend were great.”
-On EKU’s run game
“They had two pretty solid backs. We came up and started shutting them down pretty well, we just gave up the big plays and that’s what messed us up.”
Senior running back Seth Rowland
-On the running backs performance
“The overall play of the running backs today – I wouldn’t give us a good day. We have a goal that we want to get to, and that’s 225 yards, and I don’t think we got remotely close. I think we have to get back and work harder. We’re not running hard enough. We’re not hitting our holes. We’re fumbling balls. We have to do better.”
-On leading the rushing game
“It feels good. I just wait to get my shot. When I get my shot, people usually say I do pretty well. I don’t always have the most carries, but when I get my carries, I’ll do my best to get some yards. Any time I can get in to help out, I’ll do my best. I just think we have to do better running the ball. 70 yards is good, but I want 100.”
-On offense as a whole
“We have to step it up. Defense did enough for us to win this game. They might have had 40 points scored, but offense didn’t hold our end of the bargain. As a team, we need to come together because we’re split. Off the field, we’re tight, but on the field its showing or coming together. We have to come together as a team.”
Senior wide receiver Chris Rowland
-On the performance of the team
“It’s not a complete game put together yet on both sides of the ball. We can have a good game on offense one game, and a good game on defense the next game. Tonight, we just didn’t perform well. As an offensive unit, I take on that full responsibility. It’s just not good enough as a team.”
-On the back and forth
“Field goals versus touchdowns, we’re not going to win a game just by kicking field goals. We’re leaving two or three touchdowns on the field by kicking field goals. It’s things we have to go back to the drawing board and not shoot ourselves in the foot. Simple plays. You’re not going to win a game by just kicking field goals when they’re scoring touchdowns.”
-On the talent of the team
“This team is very good. It’s very talented. It’s a long season ahead. We’re 1-4, we still have seven games left. The reigning champs just lost. The OVC is up for grabs. We’re not discouraged, but we’re not satisfied with a loss. We have a lot to look forward to for the rest of the season and we’re going to play hard so we can reach our goal.”
Sophomore punter Kaleb Mosley
-On the difference between this year and last based on increased punting distance
“Well, coming into this summer I tried to focus more on punts – focus on more of my mechanics and be more smooth. Last year, I just tried to crush it. This year I’m working on being smooth. It feels good to put our team in a great spot and give us a chance to win.”
-On the kickers
“We start the week off on Sunday getting work in. This year, we’re focusing on mechanics.“
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