STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The Eastern Kentucky University football team twice led the nation's top-ranked FCS team in the second half Saturday night, but a Tarleton State touchdown with 1:54 remaining dealt the Colonels a 28-24 loss on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Brady Hensley rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, including a 2-yard score that put EKU ahead 24-21 with 3:18 to play. The Texans answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive and stopped the Colonels on their final possession to remain unbeaten.
Eastern Kentucky (3-6, 2-2 UAC) finished with 474 yards of offense and turned three takeaways into 17 points while holding possession for 35:36. Tarleton State improved to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
Senior
Myles Burkett entered at quarterback in the second quarter and completed 11 of 17 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown. Senior
Jayden West caught two passes for 105 yards, while
Caeleb Schlachter added three receptions for 63 yards.
Senior
Derek Taylor led the defense with 13 tackles, including nine solo stops. Junior
Kaden Smith recorded eight tackles and an interception, while senior Jeff Kinley intercepted a pass and forced a fourth-quarter fumble that helped EKU regain the lead.
Tarleton State struck first on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kaden Anderson to Marquis Willis, but Eastern Kentucky kept the Texans from extending their advantage through the rest of the opening quarter. Junior
Jack McGrath broke up a fourth-down pass to end a Tarleton State drive in EKU territory.
Hensley provided the offensive breakthrough midway through the second quarter, following a 13-yard carry with a 63-yard touchdown run to pull the Colonels even with 6:49 remaining before halftime.
The Texans regained the lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by James Paige, but Smith's interception inside the EKU 10-yard line gave Eastern Kentucky another opportunity late in the half.
Starting at their own 4 with 1:52 remaining, the Colonels drove 96 yards in six plays. Burkett connected with West for 61 yards and Schlachter for 20 before finding
Jakobie Hughes for a 5-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left, sending the teams into halftime tied at 14.
Eastern Kentucky carried that momentum into the second half. Kinley intercepted Anderson on Tarleton State's opening possession, and Burkett found West for a 44-yard gain to help set up
Devin Orr's 41-yard field goal, giving EKU its first lead with 10:39 left in the third quarter.
Cristian Conyer broke up another fourth-down pass on the Texans' next possession, and the Colonels followed with a drive that consumed 7:25. EKU reached the Tarleton State 1-yard line before being stopped on fourth down in the closing seconds of the quarter.
The Texans turned that stop into a 99-yard touchdown drive, taking a 21-17 lead on Miequle Brock's 34-yard run early in the fourth.
Eastern Kentucky responded by driving inside the Tarleton State 10 before losing a fumble. With the Texans threatening to extend their lead on the ensuing possession, Kinley forced a fumble that went through the end zone for a touchback.
The Colonels capitalized with an 80-yard scoring drive. A 48-yard completion from Burkett to freshman
Ryder Hooks on third down moved EKU into Tarleton State territory, and Hensley finished the possession with his second touchdown to put EKU back in front.
Anderson's 25-yard touchdown pass to BJ Fleming gave the Texans the lead for good. EKU's ensuing possession ended on an incomplete fourth-down pass, and Tarleton State ran out the remaining time.
EKU returns to action next Saturday on the road against No. 8 Austin Peay in Clarksville. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
