For the second-straight week Utah Tech saw a game decided in the final minute. 
 
And unfortunately for the Trailblazers, they would again come up just short of victory as United Athletic Conference co-leader Eastern Kentucky handed them a tough 34-30 Homecoming loss on Saturday night at Greater Zion Stadium.
 
The Trailblazers (2-6/1-2 UAC) could not have scripted a better start to the night when their defense came up with a big turnover on the game's very first play.
 
UT defensive lineman Syrus Webster came around the right side and hit EKU quarterback Parker McKinney just as he released a pass. The ball managed to fall right into the waiting arms of fellow lineman Fasito-Otai Sagapolu for his first career interception, which set up the Blazer offense at the EKU 22. 
 
Utah Tech would get to the EKU 1-yard line on third down, but the Colonels' defense denied the Blazers on both third and fourth downs to keep the game scoreless.
 
Eastern Kentucky (4-4/3-0 UAC) marched down the field on its next possession, advancing to the UT 13, where on 3^rd and 10 McKinney dropped back, but this time he would be sacked for a 7-yard loss by Max Christensen III. The Colonels would line up for a 36-yard field goal try, but EKU kicker Patrick Nations misfired on the kick.
 
The Blazers finally cracked the scoreboard on their ensuing drive, which ended with Connor Brooksby tying his own school record with a 55-yard field goal with 1:46 to go in the opening period.
 
EKU would score the game's first touchdown early in the second quarter when running back Joshua Carter ran for nine of his game-high 125 yards rushing into the end zone put his side up 7-3.
 
Utah Tech clapped back with a second Brooksby field goal, a 31-yarder that capped a 12-play, 61-yard drive that made it a 7-6 game with just under seven minutes to go in the first half. 
 
Then after the Colonels extended their lead to 14-6 following a McKinney-to-Hunter Brown 40-yard touchdown connection, the Trailblazers dialed long themselves to quickly answer.
 
Ronnie Walker Jr. started the UT drive off with a 7-yard run, which was followed by a 55-yard pass play from Kobe Tracy to Keith Davis to set Utah Tech up at the EKU 13. Walker Jr. picked up eight more yards on first down, and Tracy cashed in the red zone chance with a 5-yard slate to Davis that cut the deficit to 14-13 with 1:48 to go until halftime.
 
Utah Tech got the ball back with 38 seconds to go in the half, but the Blazers were quickly forced to punt. However the Trailblazers managed to quickly get the ball right back when EKU returner Jaden Smith muffed the punt and Jaxon Smith was able to recover the loose ball at the Colonel 27.
 
Tracy hit Rickie Johnson for an 18-yard gain, then followed with a completion to Beau Sparks to the EKU 6. Brooksby then came on and drilled a 23-yard chip shot through the uprights to give Utah Tech a 16-14 lead at the intermission. 
 
Unfortunately for the Trailblazers, their late second-quarter momentum did not follow them out of the break as Utah Tech went three-and-out on its first two possessions of the second half. 
 
The Colonels would capitalize with two touchdowns on their first two possessions, beginning with a 69-yard McKinney-to-Mo Edwards Jr. catch and run on their first play from scrimmage in the frame. McKinney would collect his third touchdown toss of the night on EKU's next drive to push the EKU lead to 28-16 with just over nine minutes remaining in the third.
 
Utah Tech got off the deck on its ensuing possession as the offense covered 75 yards in eight plays, which included a 24-yard Chris Street run, and an EKU pass interference and subsequent unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that set the Blazers up first-and-goal at the Colonel 8.
 
Tracy closed the drive three plays later with a 5-yard toss to Sparks, which was the freshman's team-leading seventh touchdown catch of the season, to trim the EKU lead to 28-23. 
 
Following a Nations 49-yard field goal later in the third, Tracy led the Trailblazers on an 11-play, 75-yard drive, which culminated with his third touchdown throw of the game and his second to Davis, when he found the junior wideout in the back corner of the end zone from 13-yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter to pull Utah Tech to within a point at 31-30.
 
Eastern Kentucky tacked on a 21-yard Nations field goal with 8:14 remaining, and had a chance to add on more points with a little over three minutes to go. 
 
Facing 4^th and 2 at the UT 19 yard line, the Colonels elected to go for it on fourth down, but EKU running back Braedon Stone was stopped one yard short of the line to gain by the duo of Jarron Polu and John Sniffen. 
 
Tracy kick-started the Blazers ensuing drive with a 25-yard completion to Jaivian Lofton, while Walker Jr. followed with a 12-yard scamper. Then on 3^rd and 8 at the EKU 33, Tracy fired a pass to Davis that was batted away, but the Blazer signal caller drew a roughing the passer penalty on the Colonel defense, which advanced the ball to the EKU 18 and extended the Utah Tech drive.
 
However the Trailblazers would only gain two more yards on their new set of downs, and the drive and Utah Tech's hopes of a Homecoming victory ended on a fourth down incompletion. 
 
Utah Tech finished with 401 yards of total offense on the night, with Tracy throwing for 247 of those yards on 26-of-49 passing. Tracy also recorded his third-straight, three-touchdown game, and it was the fifth of his career overall.
 
Meanwhile Davis posted season-highs with seven receptions and 118 yards on his way to his first collegiate two-touchdown game. Sparks, who has now caught a touchdown pass in four-straight games, tallied 53 yards on nine catches.
 
The Trailblazers also rushed for 154 yards, with Walker Jr. leading the way with 75 yards on 10 carries, while Street ran the ball nine times for 67 yards. 
 
Defensively, sophomore linebacker Jared Fotu racked up a game and career high 13 tackles, while Jagger Williams collected a career-best 11 stops and one forced fumble, and Dondi Fuller added 10 tackles.
 
In addition, Webster (13.5 sacks) moved into a tie for first place on Utah Tech career sacks list in the second quarter, and junior punter Andy Day became the program's career leader in punt yards (6,347) on his first boot of the night. 
 
McKinney, who is currently the NCAA Division I FCS career passing yards leader, wound up with 322 yards on 22-of-34 passing to go with his three touchdowns. 
 
Utah Tech will head out on its penultimate road trip of the 2023 season next Saturday, Nov. 4, when the Trailblazers travel to the "Lone Star State" for a UAC road date at Abilene Christian. Kick-off is slated for 2 p.m. (CT).