Northern Arizona Lumberjacks quarterback Ty Pennington orchestrated a dramatic second-half surge, throwing for 292 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 91 yards to secure a 34-27 victory over the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. The No. 7-ranked Lumberjacks (7-2, 5-1 Big Sky) overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit by scoring 27 consecutive points, showcasing their resilience and offensive firepower in a high-stakes conference matchup.
Lumberjacks stage stunning 27-point comeback after falling behind 10-0 in first quarter
Running back Quran Gossett was instrumental in the comeback, powering the offense with 131 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Lumberjacks’ defense also played a pivotal role, forcing four punts and recording an interception to stall Southern Utah’s momentum before the fourth quarter. Despite the Thunderbirds (3-6, 2-4) mounting a late challenge, Northern Arizona’s defensive stand ensured they maintained the lead through the final minutes.
The game’s turning point came when Pennington connected with Jeter Purdy on a 41-yard touchdown pass, sandwiched between short scores by Gossett and Pennington himself. Although Southern Utah’s Floyd Chalk rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns to pull the Thunderbirds within striking distance with 2:23 remaining, Pennington capped the win with consecutive runs of 19, 38, and 18 yards before kneeling to run out the clock.
Source: Yahoo Sports
