Coyotes mount huge comeback, win 52-49 in double overtime
Twenty-one points. That’s how many points USD was down at the start of the fourth quarter before making a massive comeback to take down Weber State in double overtime during their first home game of the season Saturday afternoon.
With 10:21 left, the Coyotes scored to make it 42-28. Then, with 6:51, left they scored again to make it 42-35. Finally, with just 27 seconds left, junior quarterback Chris Streveler found sophomore wide out Shamar Jackson for a 26-yard touchdown to even the game at 42.
Weber State threw an interception on the ensuing drive and the Coyotes ran out the clock to head into overtime.
USD opened the first overtime with possession. On third and seven, Streveler found Jackson again for a 10-yard touchdown to put USD up 49-42.
On Weber State’s OT possession they were able to find the end zone on a 25-yard touchdown pass.
The Wildcats got the first crack at the end zone in the second overtime. USD forced a three-and-out and Weber State lined up for a field goal. The 36-yard try was no good.
The Coyotes took the field only needing a field goal to seal the victory. Two runs from senior running back Trevor Bouma and one from Streveler weren’t enough to get a first down. This brought on senior kicker Miles Bergner. Bergner nailed the 34-yard kick to give the Coyotes a 52-49 victory.
This comeback came after the opening quarter saw the Coyotes go down 21-0 with Weber State running only one play. A 63-yard interception return off of Streveler opened the scoring. The Wildcats then capitalized off of sophomore wide receiver Tacari Carpenter’s fumble, with a six-yard touchdown pass. Up 14-0, Weber State was relentless, returning a Streveler fumble to put them up 21-0 not even half way into the first quarter. The Coyotes would fight back from the 21-point deficit to go into halftime down 28-21.
In the second half, the Coyotes faltered, giving Weber State another 21-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Despite going down by 21 two separate times throughout the game, the Coyotes were able to come back.
That resiliency was centered around the belief that they could win. After the game, Streveler noted the team’s confidence on the final drive of the fourth quarter.
“We all kind of huddled up and I looked in all the o-line’s eyes and I didn’t see any doubt,” Streveler said. “I didn’t see any doubt that we were going to have a chance to put a drive together.”
Streveler had a big game as the leader of the offense, running for 125 yards and two touchdowns and throwing for 173 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson led the team in receiving with 81 yards and three touchdowns. On defense junior defensive back Adam Harris was a force, with three total tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions, including one that ended Weber State’s last drive during regulation to send the game to overtime. Both sides of the ball rallied hard in the fourth quarter to cut down the deficit.
Those individual performances helped add to the team’s confidence that shined throughout the fourth quarter and overtime periods as the Coyotes fought to earn their first win of the season.
“When the game went to overtime, there was not a soul on our sideline that didn’t think that game was going to end up in the win column for us,” said Coyote head coach Bob Nielson.
The win sends the Coyotes to 1-1 on the season and is the first win as a Coyote coach for Nielson. The Coyotes now get set to hit the road to take on North Dakota in Grand Forks next Saturday at 4 p.m.
