GWU Drops Second Straight With 30-14 Loss At Sam Houston State
September 26, 2010 | Football
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Gardner-Webb fell behind 21-0 early Saturday evening, and could not mount a comeback in a 30-14 loss to Sam Houston State.
The loss was the second in a row for the Runnin' Bulldogs (2-2), and saw Sam Houston State (1-2) pick up its first win of the 2010 campaign.
Neither team could get going offensively early, with no first downs collected on either side midway through the first quarter. The Bearkats eventually caught fire, as big plays haunted Gardner-Webb for the second weekend in a row.
Kansas State transfer Tim Flanders got things started with a 54-yard touchdown run on an option play with 5:01 to play before halftime, and Sam Houston State went up 14-0 with 13:09 to play before halftime on a 33-yard pass from Brian Bell to Kevin Matthews.
The Bearkats pushed the edge to 21-0 less than three minutes later when Bell found Richard Sincere wide open on a broken play, eluding pressure and heaving a 60-yard touchdown pass.
Gardner-Webb quarterback John Rock finally got the 'Dogs on the board late in the second quarter, beating a blitz and finding Jamal Patmon down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown.
The GWU defense held Sam Houston State to three field goals, but the margin would not close quickly enough.
Gardner-Webb finally cut into the lead on a one-yard touchdown plunge from Patrick Hall with 3:27 to play, and recovered the ensuing onside kick - but a sack and fumble on fourth down at the Sam Houston 18-yard line with 1:21 left halted GWU's scoring chance.
Rock played a gritty game, despite the loss, completing 14-of-29 passes for 219 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and rushing for another 42 on 10 carries. The Springboro, Ohio, native also caught an 11-yard pass to convert a first down, before leaving late in the fourth quarter.
Patmon finished with six catches for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown, James Perry finished with 37 yards on four catches and Lyndrez Leslie caught three passes for 43 yards to pace a Gardner-Webb offense that finished with 22 first downs, 324 offensive yards (80 plays) and possession for 34:17. The tough stat of the night was a 4-of-17 effort on third down by the 'Dogs, including an 0-for-10 start in that category.
Freshman end Preston Pemasa collected a team-high six tackles (five solo) and his fourth sack of the season to pace the defense.
Sam Houston State was paced by Flanders, who carried 19 times for 104 yards and a score. The Bearkats finished with 313 yards on just 47 plays, with the three long scoring plays in the first half the big blows. The hosts rushed for 150 yards on 34 carries, and passed for 163 yards on just six completions.
Darnell Taylor collected eight solo stops to pace the SHSU defense.
Gardner-Webb will play its second road game in a row next Saturday, traveling to Norfolk, Va., for a 6:00 pm game at Old Dominion - the two schools' first ever meeting on the gridiron.
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