Stephenville, Texas • Justin Miller threw four touchdown passes and Karris Davis scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:34 remaining as FCS-member Southern Utah defeated Tarleton State 40-35 on Saturday night.
Tarleton’s loss came despite a 95-yard go-ahead drive capped by a Steven Duncan 27-yard pass to Daniel Wright Jr. for a 35-34 lead with 6:09 remaining.
After an exchange of punts, Southern Utah drove 54 yards for Davis’ game-winning TD. An interception by La’akea Kaho’Ohanohano-Davis helped seal the win for the Thunderbirds.
The score was tied at 28 at halftime before SUU took the lead 34-28 on a 6-yard run by David Moore III late in the third quarter.
For the Thunderbirds (1-2), Miller finished 24-of-35 passing for 304 yards. Duncan was 18 of 27 for 256 yards passing for the Texans (1-2). Both had four touchdown passes and two interceptions.
Brandon Schenks had seven receptions for 109 yards and three touchdowns for Southern Utah.
James Madison 37, Weber State 24
Ogden • Cole Johnson threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead third-ranked James Madison over No. 9 Weber State 37-24 on Saturday night.
Johnson bullied into the end zone from the 3 late in the first quarter, and his 5-yard touchdown pass to Antwane Wells Jr. stretched the Dukes’ lead to 23-3 in the third quarter. The pair connected again for a 14-yard touchdown early in the fourth.
Johnson was 20-of-28 passing for 177 yards. Wells finished with eight catches for 76 yards. Ethan Ratke kicked a 44-yard field goal and made two more from the 40. The senior has kicked 78 career field goals for James Madison (3-0).
Creyton Cooper tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Meacham in the third quarter for Weber State (1-2). Late in the fourth, Kylan Weisser threw a 27-yard TD pass to Rashid Shaheed and Josh Davis ran for a 2-yard score.
The Dukes had never traveled farther west than Texas or North Dakota before Saturday night’s matchup in Utah.