ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T will seek its first 2-0 start in four years Saturday night as it ventures to the state of the Florida for the first time in program history to take on West Florida in a 6 p.m. contest in Pensacola, Fla.
Not only will it be the Miners' first contest in the Sunshine State, but it will also be the first home game ever for one of the newest college football programs. The Argonauts, one of five teams in its first season of play in 2016, played their inaugural game on the road a week ago and will suit at home for the first time at Blue Wahoos Stadium, a minor league baseball stadium where UWF will play its home games.
And like the Miners, who beat Bacone 62-14 to begin the 2016 season last week, West Florida also won its opener in decisive fashion by shutting out Ave Maria 45-0.
S&T jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the opening quarter and led 49-6 at halftime as it scored on all six of its offensive possessions in the first half. Those six scores came after the Miners got on the board 55 seconds into the game on
Nate Brown's (Webb City, MO/Webb City) 25-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Quarterback
Tyler Swart (Dickinson, TX/Dickinson) completed seven-of-11 passes for 116 yards and three touchdowns in the opener, while the Miners rushed for 218 yards in a 356-yard offensive attack; the Miners started six of their nine offensive possessions in Bacone territory.
Defensively, the Miners held the Warriors to just 182 yards of offense – 80 of them coming during a fourth quarter scoring drive – while recording three sacks and forcing two turnovers. Linebacker
Landon Compton (Lamar, MO/Lamar) paced S&T's defense with seven tackles, while
Bret Curtis (Lombard, IL/Glenbard South),
Andrew Masters (Kearney, MO/Kearney) and
Leshawn Lampkins (Vallejo, CA/Vallejo) had six apiece.
John McClure (Fenton, MO/Rockwood Summit) also had an interception to go along with Brown's pick-six in the opening minute.
West Florida came alive in the second half following a mid-game weather delay, outscoring Ave Maria 31-0 in the second half to win the inaugural contest in program history. The Argonauts finished the game with 500 yards of total offense – 264 of which came on the ground – while holding Ave Maria to just 105 yards.
Quarterback Kaleb Nobles, a transfer from Valdosta State and who threw for over 2,000 yards in two seasons with the Blazers, completed 21-of-29 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns last week. His top targets were Tate Lehtio and Ishmel Morrow with four catches apiece; Morrow had a touchdown reception among his four catches.
Running back Tim Bellinger ran for 101 yards and two scores in the win and was named as the Gulf South Conference's "Freshman of the Week" for his performance.
Leroy Taylor led the Argonauts with five tackles as his teammates accumulated seven sacks and 14 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
