Box Score

EMPORIA, Kan. – Two touchdown passes by Phil Davis in the final five minutes erased a 10-point Emporia State lead and gave the Truman Bulldogs a thrilling 37-34 road victory on Saturday.

Will Mosquera caught pass from Davis as the senior quarterback rolled out of the pocket with two minutes left on third and goal from the Emporia one-yard line.  The catch and subsequent stop by the Truman defense gave the Bulldogs their first MIAA road victory dating back to the 2008 season.

Terrence Byrd and Michael Elliott helped set up the winning score by stripping and recovering Adrian Abner's fumble at the Emporia 20-yard line after the Bulldogs had cut it to three points with 4:39 left.

The Hornets took their 10-point lead with 8:51 left in the game as Abner scampered in from 12-yards out on a big third and goal.  The Hornet defense then picked off Davis on the Bulldogs next play and set up shop at Truman's 35.

The 'Dogs stopped the Hornets on fourth and four as a strong wind forced Emporia to go for it on the 29.

Facing a third and 10, Davis found Donald Harvey over the middle who ran 50 yards to the Emporia 26 to kick start the momentum.  Davis then ran 19 yards on the next two plays before finding Caleb Roberts in the back of the endzone to cut the lead to three with 4:47 left.

Turnovers and mistakes were the story line of the ball game up until the fourth quarter.  The Hornets struck first on a one-yard run by Kevin Smart that was set up by a Bulldog player touching a punt to give ESU possession on Truman's 42.

Harnish Ayora tied the game on a five-yard run with 17 seconds left in the first quarter as the Bulldogs took advantage of a Tyler Eckenrode fumble that was forced by Ryan Summers and recovered by Robert Gayden.

ESU took a 14-7 lead when Taylor Beitler blocked a Truman punt and returned it 10 yard to pay dirt with 12:04 left in the second quarter.

Davis was shaken up on a play late in the half but backup Conrad Shottel found Dallas Grier for 21 yards on third and seven and hooked up with the freshman again over the middle for 15 yards down to the Hornet three.

Mosquera powered in from three yards out to tie the game at 14 heading into the break.

Truman took advantage of another Hornet turnover to go up 17-14 on Derek Koon's 23-yard field goal early in the third but watched as Derwin Hall rushed 65 yards on the next play to put ESU back up 20-17.

Wayne Burgess picked off Davis at the Bulldog 43 on the next drive and Hall rushed in from 13 to make it a 10-point ESU advantage.

The Bulldogs found life as Davis marched Truman down the field and recovered his own fumble before finding Grier for 12 to the Emporia 20.  Harvey then broke loose from 20 yards out to cut the lead back to three.

Davis finished with 165 yards through the air and another 96 on the ground to lead the 'Dogs.  Grier had 112 yards receiving on eight catches as the Bulldogs tossed for a season-high 201 yards.

Emporia threw for just 47 yards and none in the second half.  Hall finished with 90 yards on the ground as the Hornets gained 252 on 45 attempts.

Truman finished with three interceptions and lost one of three fumbles while Emporia lost all three of their fumbles.  Six of the seven combined turnovers led directly to points.

Truman is now 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the MIAA while the Hornets drop to 5-4 and 3-4 in the conference.  The Bulldogs will host Washburn University next Saturday in Kirksville with the kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.   The Ichabods lost 41-40 to #6 Northwest Missouri on Saturday as they failed on a two-point conversion late in the game at home.