Utah Tech football could not build upon a double-digit halftime lead as the Trailblazers closed out the home portion of its 2024 schedule with a heartbreaking 34-31 loss to West Georgia in United Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon at Greater Zion Stadium.
 
After forcing a school-record tying six turnovers in their upset win over nationally-ranked Central Arkansas two weeks ago, and coming off a bye last week, the Trailblazer defense looked as if it had picked up right where it left off during in the early going on Saturday.
 
Utah Tech's defense forced two West Georgia turnovers in the game's six minutes, and the Trailblazer offense managed to turn both of those miscues into touchdowns.
 
On Wolves' second play from scrimmage, Blazer cornerback Jagger Williams picked off quarterback Quincy Casey at the UWG 28 and returned it 12 yards to the 16 to set Utah Tech in the red zone.
 
The Trailblazers (1-10/1-6 UAC) cashed in the turnover four plays later with a Kona Crowell 1-yard dive that put Utah Tech up 7-0.
 
On the Wolves' ensuing possession, Casey tucked and ran on a QB keeper on 1^st and 10 on the UWG 36. Casey got to UWG 41 where he was met by safety Brevin Hamblin, whose knocked the ball loose. 
 
Linebacker Fisher Jackson then scooped up the pigskin and returned it three yards the UWG 38. Utah Tech needed only six plays from there to score its second touchdown of the period, which came on a 12-yard Reggie Graff pass over the middle to Bryce Parker just inside the goal line.

Meanwhile Graff had a great start to his afternoon as he set a Utah Tech four-year era program record by completing his first 15 pass attempts. Two of the redshirt signal caller's completions went for touchdowns, including a 2-yard screen to Chris Street that staked Utah Tech to a 21-7 lead with 12:50 to go in the second quarter.
 
West Georgia (4-7/1-7 UAC) trimmed the Blazer lead to 21-14 late in the period when back-up quarterback Davin Wydner hooked up with T.J. Lockley for a 38-yard catch-and-run with 1:33 on the clock.

However Utah Tech managed to add three more points to its total with a Ilya Uvaydov 34-yard field goal on the final play of the half as the Blazers headed to the locker room with a 24-14 cushion.
 
Unfortunately for the homestanding Trailblazers, the second half belonged to the Wolves as they scored 20-unanswered points to turn their 10-point deficit into a 10-point lead after a Solomanie Bambara pick-six with 11:17 to play in the fourth quarter.
 
West Georgia's defense turned the tables on Utah Tech, limiting the Trailblazers to only 35 yards in the third quarter, while forcing two costly turnovers that led to points. 
 
The Wolves turned a third quarter interception into a field goal, before Bambara's fourth-quarter return that made it a two-score UWG advantage.
 
Utah Tech managed to get that touchdown back on its next possession to make it a field goal game. Graff led the Blazers on a nine-play, 75-yard drive, that culminated with a Shamar Garrett 9-yard scamper on an end-around with 6:47 remaining. 
 
However that would be the final offensive play the Trailblazers would run on the day as West Georgia ran off the final six-plus minutes to earn its first UAC win. The Wolves converted on a pair of crucial third downs, and picked up a back-breaking first down on a 4^th and 1 conversion. 
 
Graff wound up with a career-high 272 yards on 22-of-37 passing with two touchdowns, while he rushed for 58 more yards on 17 carries.

Street finished with a game-high 62 yards rushing on 10 carries, while Parker caught four passes for 44 yards to go with his team-leading fourth touchdown reception of the year. 

Defensively, freshman defensive back Jeremiah Jimoh led the Blazers with a game and career-high 10 total tackles (7 solo), while Jackson racked up nine stop and 2.0 total TFLs to go with his sack. Quincy Lejay also tallied nine tackles, and senior John Sniffen registered his fourth sack of the season and six total tackles in his final home start. 
 
Utah Tech lost despite outgaining UWG by a 404-376 count. Wydner came off the bench and threw for 197 yards on 15-of-19 passing and two touchdowns. 
 
Utah Tech wraps up the 2024 season next Saturday, Nov. 23, with the annual "Battle For The Ax" showdown at in-state rival Southern Utah. Kickoff inside Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City is set for 1 p.m. (MT).