Sports

Tech struggles on both sides of the ball against Indiana State

Photo by Rob Schabert, TTU Sports Information & Broadcasting

The Golden Eagles were handed their first loss of the 2014 season last Saturday while on the road against the Indiana State Sycamores.

Indiana State took a commanding 49-14 win over Tech by putting them out of the game early with a 21-0 first half lead.

The Sycamores outplayed the Golden Eagles by moving the ball for 543 yards on offense. Indiana State quarterback Mike Perish threw for 383 yards with three touchdowns and added a second quarter rushing touchdown. Receiver Gary Owens grabbed 199 yards in the sky on six receptions for the Sycamores.

The home team also gained 160 yards on the ground rushing. LeMonte Booker, running back for Indiana State, rushed for 77 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries.

“We allowed multiple plays on defense of 30 yards or more,” said Watson Brown, head coach for the Golden Eagles. “We can’t do that if we expect to win football games.”

In response to Sycamore’s dominant offensive performance, Tech’s offense put up 166 yards of total offense with quarterback Jared Davis throwing for just 98 passing yards.

“The loss had more to do with our offense underperforming,” said Brown, whose team finished without an offensive score last Saturday.

The Golden Eagles finally made an appearance on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter on a blocked punt for a touchdown by defensive end Jordan Patrick.

“That was a gorgeous block by Patrick. He put his big hands in there and made a fantastic play,” said Brown.

Less than two minutes after their first score, the Golden Eagles added six more points when Ladarius Vanlier ran a 72-yard punt return touchdown.

The effort was too little too late for the Golden Eagles, however, as Indiana State added three more touchdowns to close out the game in Terre Haute, IN.

The 1-1 Golden Eagles look to regroup and recharge during their bye week before they take on conference rival Tennessee State University on Sept. 20 at Hale Stadium in Nashville.