Football 9/29/2012 7:04:00 PM Kevin White, Truman Athletics

Truman's Costly Miscues Lead To Second Straight Loss

Box Score

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Fort Hays (Kan.) State Tigers took advantage of Bulldog miscues and handed Truman their second straight setback with a 37-23 win at Stokes Stadium on Saturday in Kirksville. The Tigers rushed for 348 yards while Truman had two key turnovers inside the Fort Hays' 10-yardline.

Tiger quarterback Tarean Austin was the key as he rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns while adding two more scores through the air and 140 yards passing. He helped the Tigers (1-4; 1-4 MIAA) convert on four of five third down conversions in the fourth quarter to keep Truman (3-2; 2-2 MIAA) at bay.

The Bulldogs trailed by just eight with 3:01 to play and took advantage of two costly penalties by the Tigers on third down. Facing a third and 10, Garrett White was bumped off his route causing a pass interference foul that was compounded by an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Tigers' bench. Conrad Schottel then hooked up with White for a pair of 15-yard completions to move the ball to the Tigers' 34.

Schottel then ran for another six yards but two straight incompletions brought up a fourth down with less than two minutes to play. Schottel's pass to Chico Orlando was off the mark and the Tigers got the game ending stop.

Schottel threw for a career-high 384 yards with Dallas Grier catching 10 passes for 127.

Truman took the opening kickoff and marched down to the Tigers' 26 but Derek Koon's field goal attempt missed left.

In the 'Dogs next possession, Schottel completed passes to Will Mosquera and Grier to push the ball to the Fort Hays three but a bad snap resulted in a turnover for the Bulldogs.

The Truman D, appeared to hold Fort Hays to a punt, however punter Cameron Owens took the snap and evaded Bulldog tacklers for 44 yards and a first down. Austin would run the ball down to the Bulldog four before punching it in two plays later for a 7-0 lead. It was the Tigers' first touchdown in the first half this season.

Truman responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game as Grier caught a six-yard pass from Schottel to tie things up.

The Tigers reached into their bag of tricks to grab the lead on the first play of the second quarter. Austin tossed it out to Treveon Albert who in turn lofted a second pass to a wide open Cornelius Gallon for a 53-yard TD reception and a 14-7 lead.

Later, Grier would set up a Truman field goal with a 39-yard punt return to the Tigers' 19 but a three-and-out brought in Koon to hit from 31.

Fort Hays would pick up a key score right before the end of the first half converting on two big third downs on the way. Austin found Albert for 21 yards on third and six and again for 12 yards on third and seven. Albert caught another pass for 17 yards before Grant Brown was open in the back of the endzone with 1:06 left in the half to give Fort Hays a 21-10 lead.

The Bulldogs tried to grab the momentum coming out of the locker room as Matthew Smith sacked Austin and recovered the fumble on the first play of the half to give Truman the ball at the Tigers' 10. However on the very next play, Shane Smith forced and jumped on Schottel's fumble to negate the possession.

The Tigers took over six minutes off the clock and had successive plays of 17, 15 and 14 yards before Austin hit Trayvon Alexander for a two-yard jump ball TD pass to give Fort Hays a 28-17 lead.

Schottel opened the next Bulldog possession with a 32-yard strike to Chico Orlando and later found Garrett White underneath the coverage for another 19 yards. White would pull Truman to within 11 at the 9:22 mark with a one-yard touchdown run.

Albert gained 52-yards on a rush on the next play from scrimmage to move the ball down to the Bulldog 15, however Charlie Heinzmann was able to snare a pass from Austin to give the Bulldogs the interception.

Following a 14-yard pass to Grier, Schottel had two straight drops by Bulldog receivers and were forced to punt. On the play, Keaton Callins muffed the ball and Dennis Walls recovered for the Bulldogs at the Tigers' 25.

Schottel wasted little time with a 25-yard strike to Jared Haferbier but the two-point conversion failed leaving the 'Dogs trailing 28-23 with 7:33 to play.

The Bulldogs elected for an onsides kick that went out-of-bounds and the Tigers were able to take advantage of the field position and milk some clock before the defense forced a 22-yard field goal by Drew O'Brien with 3:06 to play.

After the Bulldogs turned it over on downs, Austin would complete the scoring by rushing from 67-yards out on third and five with 42 seconds showing.

Truman will next be in action on the road as they will travel to the University of Nebraska-Kearney next Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff. It will be the first meeting between the Bulldogs and Lopers.

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