SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Southern Utah lost its season opener to the #12 ranked University of Utah. The T-Birds struggled to finish drives and were ultimately shut out by the Utes 49-0 in the state capitol Thursday night.

Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said

1st Quarter: A Slow Start

The Utes opened up the scoring in the first quarter after the Thunderbirds' first drive stalled, and they were forced to punt. Utah scored on a long pass play down the right sideline, making the game 7-0. 

2nd Quarter: The Lead Grows

Utah added on scoring four times in the second quarter, each on passes from Cam Rising. Brant Kuithe was on the receiving end of three touchdowns, while Dijon Stanley added his second receiving touchdown on the night. The Thunderbirds showed a spark right at the end of the half when senior defensive end Walker Harris sacked freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson. The next play, the T-Birds would bring pressure again, and redshirt senior cornerback Lacarea Pleasant-Johnson would intercept an errant throw. 

That is an LPJ INT @LacareaP31 pic.twitter.com/mlUhZXbYMy
— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) August 30, 2024
 

3rd Quarter: Burning Clock
The third quarter went by relatively quietly, with both teams running the ball and eating up a lot of clock. One drive for Southern Utah looked to be heating up when redshirt junior quarterback Jackson Berry completed a flashy 22-yard pass to senior Mark Bails. Just two plays later, the Thunderbirds would turn the ball over on an interception. The only score of the period came on a four-yard rush by the Utes' Mike Mitchell. 

Our guy Mark Bails knows how to #Elevate pic.twitter.com/8SnA1d5hSS
— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) August 30, 2024
 

4th Quarter: Finishing The Game

During the first drive of the final quarter, Utah looked like they were about to punch the ball into the endzone again when freshman defensive back Jayden Robertson picked off Wilson's pass to the endzone. The Thunderbirds couldn't move the ball and were forced to punt again. Utah capitalized on the short field position and scored the final blow on a 20-yard touchdown pass. 

Offensive Leaders

The Thunderbirds were led on offense by senior running back Targhee Lambson, who racked up 44 yards on six carries, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt. Through the air, Bails stood out, picking up 42 yards on three catches and a long of 22 yards. Berry threw for 54 yards on six completions with one interception in the game. 

Defensive Leaders

The Southern Utah defensive effort was led by redshirt junior Darrian Feazell, who tallied six total tackles, three of which were solo tackles. Junior linebacker Kohner Cullimore pulled down the most solo takedowns on the team with four, assisting in one other tackle in the contest. Pleasant-Johnson had three tackles to go with his interception, while Robertson added an interception and two tackles. 

Next Up

The Thunderbirds will be on the road again next week in El Paso, Texas. On Saturday, September 7, 2024, Southern Utah will take on Conference USA's UTEP in the Thunderbirds' second FBS matchup of the season. The game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. MT and will be available to stream on ESPN+.

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