Utah Tech University Athletics

Utah Tech could not dig itself out of a deep first half hole as the Trailblazers were handed a 30-14 road loss at Portland State on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Hillsboro Stadium.
 
Utah Tech (0-7/0-4 Big Sky) found itself staring at a 30-7 halftime deficit, thanks in large part to a disastrous second quarter, during which three costly Trailblazer miscues led to 16 Viking points.
 
The two sides played even through much of first quarter, though Portland State (2-4/2-1 Big Sky) scored the game's first touchdown when Viking quarterback Tyrese Smith found Zui Shelton in the back of the end zone from 39-yards out. 
 
After the Trailblazers went three-and-out on their next possession, the Vikings struck on special teams when linebacker Jonah Henry broke through and partially blocked a Ryan Marks punt on the first play of the second quarter.
 
Portland State followed that up three plays with a 33-yard Niall Ruby touchdown run to extend to a 14-0 advantage. The Vikings then upped their lead to 17-0 after a Utah Tech fumble deep in Trailblazer territory led to a 35-yard Joshua Hossmann Lees field goal.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, the Vikings special teams forced another Blazer fumble on the return, which set Portland State up at the Utah Tech 21. 
 
The Viks quickly turned that miscue into points five plays later with 3-yard touchdown pass from Smith to his tight end Tanner Beaman. However PSU would miss the PAT as the Vikings led 23-0 with six minutes to play until halftime.
 
Utah Tech finally broke through with its first touchdown late in the second quarter with the Blazers' version of the "Philly Special." Receiver Isaac McMullin took the reverse pitch, rolled right and lofted a pass to quarterback Bronson Barben in the corner of the end zone with 1:48 on the clock.
 
The trick play capped a sustained 12-play, 75-yard drive that took more than four minutes off the clock.
 
Unfortunately Portland State quelled whatever momentum that touchdown generated as the Vikings went 58 yards in just three plays, with Smith ending the drive with a 1-yard dive. 
 
Those 16 points off of Trailblazer miscues ultimately proved to be the difference as the Utah Tech defense pitched a shutout in the second half. 

The Blazer unit also forced the lone turnover of the half late in the third quarter when first and goal on the Utah Tech 3-yard line, linebacker Will Alovao punched the ball out of the grasp of Viking running back Delon Thompson.
 
Freshman corner Ryan Tillman then scooped up the loose ball in the end zone for the touchback.
 
Utah Tech would also score the lone points of the second half one a 1-yard Cavalli Nealy touchdown run with 3:25 to go in the fourth quarter.
 
Utah Tech finished with 330 yards of total offense on the afternoon, with Barben throwing for 226 yards on 24-for-45 passing. Barben also ran for a career best 63 yards on a career high 19 carries to go with his first receiving touchdown. 

Zay Morris led the Blazer receiving corps with four catches for a career high 62, while Nealy wound up with a career best 32 yards on the ground on six carries along with his first collegiate touchdown. 
 
On defense, safety Brevin Czosnyka racked up a team-high 10 tackles (6 solo) with one tackle for loss, while Alovao registered eight stops with TFLs to go with his forced fumble. Defensive lineman Zayden Cook also tallied his first collegiate sack and finished with two TFLs and five tackles. 
 
Following the bye week next week, Utah Tech returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 24, when the Trailblazers head to the Central Coast for a Big Sky road date at Cal Poly.