Truman State used a resilient second-half surge and a clutch overtime stop to earn a thrilling 28–27 comeback win over Davenport on Saturday afternoon at Stokes Stadium.
The Panthers controlled the first half, building a 14–0 lead in the opening quarter behind a one-yard touchdown run from Cephus Harris and a 21-yard scoring strike from D'Wan Mathis to Keonta Nixon. The Bulldogs' lone highlight before halftime came midway through the second quarter when defensive back Dominic Grand stepped in front of a Mathis pass and raced 73 yards the other way for a pick-six, trimming the deficit to 14–7 at the break.
Davenport reasserted control early in the third quarter with a physical, 11-play, 60-yard drive capped by another Harris touchdown plunge from the one. Down 21–7, Truman mounted a pivotal response. Starting deep in their own territory, the Bulldogs put together a 14-play, 81-yard march. Quarterback Dylan Hair kept the drive alive with a third-down conversion to Parker Erickson and later scrambled for eight yards to set up a manageable down. On 3rd-and-8 from the Panther 28, Hair lofted a pass to Nathan Ryan, who hauled it in with an amazing catch at the goal line for the touchdown, narrowing the gap to 21–14.
The Bulldogs struck again early in the fourth. After forcing a Davenport punt, Truman took over at its own 38. Hair found Ryan on a third-and-long for 18 yards, then broke free on a designed run, slipping tackles and racing 30 yards to the end zone. The score tied the game at 21–21 with 13:20 left, swinging momentum squarely to the home sideline.
Davenport threatened late, moving into the red zone in the final minute. But the Bulldog defense stiffened, forcing a 31-yard field goal attempt that missed wide with 46 seconds remaining. Truman's ensuing drive pushed to midfield, but time expired, sending the game to overtime.
In the extra session, Truman wasted little time. A 10-yard completion to Adam Hall and a nine-yard run by Denim Cook set up first-and-goal. Two plays later, Hair found Erickson in the flat for the one-yard touchdown, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the day. Davenport answered with Harris' third rushing score, but the Panthers elected to go for two and the win. Mathis' pass attempt fell incomplete, sealing Truman's dramatic 28–27 victory.
Key Stats
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QB Dylan Hair: 19-of-33 passing, 228 yards, 2 TDs; 90 rushing yards and 1 TD
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WR Nathan Ryan: 7 catches, 99 yards, 1 TD
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WR Parker Erickson: 3 catches, 23 yards, 1 TD (OT game-winner)
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DB Dominic Grand: 73-yard interception return for a TD, 5 tackles, 2 PBUs
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LB Logan Montoya: Team-high 11 tackles
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Truman scored touchdowns on three of its final four drives after trailing by 14, despite being outgained 459–348 overall.
Up Next: Missouri S&T
Truman and Missouri S&T renew their historic rivalry, with over 85 games played in the all-time series dating back to 1909. Truman holds a 58–25–4 edge all-time. The Bulldogs enter the matchup riding a six-game winning streak in the series; the last meeting was a 48–17 Truman victory in Kirksville on Oct. 12, 2024. The Bulldogs will travel to Rolla for a 6:00 PM kickoff next Saturday as they currently hold a 28–13–4 all-time record on the road against the Miners.
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