Utah Tech football saw a furious second half rally come up just short as the Trailblazers dropped a 38-31 road decision at No. 19/19 Northern Arizona on Saturday afternoon at the Walkup Skydome. 

The Trailblazers (0-2/0-0 UAC) got off to a quick start offensively when redshirt freshman quarterback Bronson Barben connected with his tight end Kaden Eggett for a 48-yard completion to the NAU 26-yard line on the second play of the game. 
 
However the possible scoring chance was thwarted two plays later when NAU defender Quentin Moten intercepted Barben at the NAU 2.
 
Utah Tech's defense wasted little returning the favor as Justin Houston picked off NAU quarterback Ty Pennington at the Lumberjack 10 on NAU's third play from scrimmage. 
 
The Blazers cashed the miscue in for points two plays later when Barben found receiver Daniel Thomason in the back corner of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown to give Utah Tech the early lead with nearly four minutes into the action.
 
NAU (1-1/0-0 BSC) countered on its ensuing possession with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock, and culminated with a 2-yard Seth Cromwell touchdown run.
 
The Lumberjacks would go on to score another touchdown later in the opening period and added a Samuel Hunsaker 40-yard field goal to open up a 17-7 lead with 9:45 to play in the first half.    
 
Utah Tech looked to answer on its next time with the football, but again the NAU defense forced another quick turnover, this one a Jaylan Wesley interception at the Blazer 39, which was returned to 5-yard line. The 'Jacks turned that miscue into another touchdown two plays later when Cromwell broke two tackles and crossed the goal line from three yards out to extend the NAU lead to 24-7.
 
Utah Tech seemed to get back track on its next possession, as redshirt junior quarterback Reggie Graff came on and drove the Blazers 46 yards in 10 plays. However the drive stalled at the NAU 29, and the Trailblazers had to settle for a 47-yard Ilya Uvaydov field goal that cut the deficit to 24-10 with 2:23 to go until halftime.

Unfortunately the Blazer field goal did not slow the Lumberjacks' momentum as Pennington hit receiver Kolbe Katsis for a 49-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left in the frame as NAU retreated to the locker room with a 31-10 advantage at the intermission.
 
Utah Tech came out of the halftime break looking to flip the script, and flip the script it did. The defense set the tone by stopping the Lumberjacks on 4^th and 2 at the Blazer 41.
 
Graff and the offense then went to work, recording a pair of first downs, including a clutch 18-yard completion to Thomason on 3^rd and 12 conversion to the NAU 33. 
 
Graff then used his legs on the very next play, busting through the line and into the open field on his way to a 33-yard touchdown scamper that trimmed the deficit to 31-17 with 5:54 remaining in third quarter.
 
The Blazer defense kept the momentum going by forcing a three-and-out on NAU next possession, with linebacker Dallin Havea coming up with his team-leading third sack of the young season on second down to force a third and long and a subsequent punt.
 
After NAU forced a Blazer 3-and-out, the Lumberjacks struck for their lone points of the second half on the first play of the fourth quarter, which came on an 8-yard Darvon Hubbard run. Hubbard's run capped an eight-play, 79-yard drive that pushed the 'Jacks' lead to 38-17.
 
Utah Tech stormed right back, scoring touchdowns on each of its next two drives to make it a one-possession game.
 
The Traiblazers pulled to within 38-24 after Graff capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive with his second touchdown run of the game. Utah Tech ran for 59 of those 75 yards, including consecutive 13-yard Asa Chatman scampers. 
 
Facing 4^th and 7 at the NAU 21, Graff's pass to Tru Tanner fell incomplete, but NAU was flagged for pass interference, which set Utah Tech up first-and-goal at the 8-yard line. Graff took the shotgun snap and rolled right and galloped into the end zone for his second scoring run of the afternoon.
 
Then after another NAU three-and-out, Utah Tech covered 53 yards in seven plays to chop the Lumberjack lead down to 38-31.
 
The Blazers picked up 33 of those yards on the ground, including a 12-yard Graff scramble on 4^th and 6 near midfield. NAU was also flagged for a personal foul at the end of that play, which moved the ball to the Lumberjack 22. 
 
Following another NAU penalty on 3^rd and 10, Chatman took the hand off and found the pay dirt from 17 yards out for his first collegiate touchdown. 
 
Utah Tech's defense came up big one more time on NAU's next possession and forced another punt with under two minutes to play. The Trailblazers went back on offense at their own 15-yard line with 1:34 left, but the Lumberjack defense quelled any hope of a full Blazer comeback by forcing its third turnover of the afternoon.
 
NAU went on to run out the clock from there to escape with the home win. 
 
Utah Tech tallied 158 of its 294 total yards on the ground, with Graff accounting for 74 of those yards on 10 carries. Meanwhile Chatman ran the ball 11 times for a career-high 63 yards to go with his first career score.
 
On defense, Houston wound up with a season-high 11 tackles, while his first quarter interception marked the second time in as many games that the redshirt senior safety had forced a first quarter turnover.
 
Meanwhile, linebackers Logan Pili, Moe Passi and Will Alovao all collected six tackles apiece, as did sophomore safety Quincy Lejay.

NAU finished with 391 total yards, with Pennington throwing for 229 yards on 21-of-28 passing with a touchdown. Cromwell added 67 yards on the ground on 15 carries along with his two running scores. 
 
Utah Tech wraps up its three-game set against Big Sky foes next Saturday afternoon, Sept. 13, when the Trailblazers travel north to tangle with nationally-ranked Idaho. Kickoff inside the P1FCU Kibbie Dome in Moscow is set for 2 p.m. (MT).