UT Martin Grinds Down Gardner-Webb Behind 219 Rushing Yards
Gardner-Webb threw three interceptions and ran for 20 yards on 15 carries. It also scored on a kickoff return. That is the whole story of a 17-6 UT Martin win, and the only reason the visitors had any points at all.
UT Martin never trailed. Tate Surber hit Makhia Sherrard from 13 yards with 1:51 left in the second quarter for a 7-0 lead, and Brandon Sims kicked a 37-yard field goal early in the third to make it 10-0. Then Joshua George returned the next kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown, only 16 seconds later on the clock, and the PAT failed, so it was 10-6. That was the last Gardner-Webb score. Jaydon Peete's 2-yard run with 5:55 left in the fourth made it 17-6.
The Skyhawks did it with their legs and not their arm. Surber was 10 of 25 for 92 yards with two interceptions, so the passing numbers are ugly. The offense ran 52 times for 219 yards, and the team finished with 311 total yards to Gardner-Webb's 168. Gardner-Webb's quarterbacks went 4 of 12 for 74 yards with two picks (Lan Farmer) and 8 of 25 for 74 yards with one (Jared Doolittle). UT Martin turned it over three times as well, two picks and a lost fumble, and still won by 11.
UT Martin goes to 3-2. Gardner-Webb drops to 2-4. Fantasy-wise, this was a low-scoring game where Surber's 61 rushing yards bought him the top spot with 15.8 points, which tells you what kind of day it was.