KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – While the Upper Iowa Peacocks possessed the ball for over 37 minutes, it was the final 5:40 of the game that secured a Truman State 14-7 victory on Saturday at Stokes Stadium.
 
Nolan Hair had two rushing touchdowns, on the Bulldogs first possession of each half and the defense stuffed the Peacocks on four straight plays from inside the one-yard line as Truman State picked up their eighth win of the season.
 
Upper Iowa took the opening kickoff and on a third and one play from their own 39, Ulysses Ross delivered a jarring hit to running back RJ Wells to knock the ball loose that was recovered by Brock Jones for Truman.
 
Mason Huskey blasted off the line on the first play and picked up 22 yards, then Hair connected with Tate Crane for 14 to set up a goal-to-goal situation. Hair took it right and into the endzone to give the Bulldogs the early 7-0 lead.
 
Upper Iowa marched 14 plays on their next drive and were facing a fourth and six from the Bulldogs 24. Kellen Nesbitt dialed up the blitz and Ross busted through for the sack and turnover on downs.
 
In the second quarter, the Peacocks again marched down the field and converted on a third and two, third and six and a third and 18 and following a false start flag, Darryl Overstreet connected with Mante Morrrow for a 22-yard reception that moved the ball to the one-yard line.
 
Jake McCollum led the charge on the first two plays for the Bulldog defense, Brock Jones and the defensive line stuffed the Peacocks on third and goal from the one and Ross dove over the top and kept Overstreet out of the endzone on fourth down to preserve the 7-0 Bulldog lead.
 
However, the Peacocks were able to tie the game on their next drive with Overstreet finding Eddie Burgess for a nine-yard touchdown catch.
 
In the first half, Upper Iowa ran 32 more offensive plays than the Bulldogs and had possession for nearly 22 of the 30 minutes of play.
 
The Bulldogs received the second half kickoff and Huskey motored on a swing pass for 20 yards to move down to the Upper Iowa 28. Normally a defensive player but on senior day, Ben Thomas slipped out to the wide receiver spot and caught a pass from his fellow senior and high school teammate Hair for a 27-yard catch-and-run down to the one. On the next play, Hair followed his offensive line into the endzone for the 14-7 lead.
 
Upper Iowa drove down again but set up for a field goal on fourth and 12 from the 21. Jacob Carmack got his paws on the ball and blocked it for the Bulldogs.
 
The Peacocks later took over with 9:33 left in the fourth and moved the ball to the Bulldog 30. On third and 10, Peyton Carr and Thomas Spaulding spun running back Keontae Luckett for a loss of five and instead of going for it, Upper Iowa punted with 5:40 to play.
 
Hair gained 11 on a third and 10 and Huskey put the exclamation point on the win with back-to-back runs of 14 and 12 yards enabling the Bulldogs to salt out the clock.
 
Hair was the leading rusher for Truman with 53 yards in his final home start and was 10-of-14 for 107 yards passing. Huskey finished with 50 yards in his Stokes Stadium finale. The Bulldogs had only 210 yards of total offense and had a season-low 22 minutes of possession time.
 
Peyton Carr led the defense with 15 total tackles while seniors Isaiah Estes and Ulysses Ross finished with 12 and 10 respectively. Ross had 2.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback sack, forced fumble and two of his stops came on fourth down.
 
In all 25 seniors were recognized in a pregame ceremony for their last game in Kirksville.
 
The Bulldogs will travel to Missouri S&T next weekend to close out the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Rolla.