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Fourth-Quarter Rally Lifts ULM Past Western Kentucky 35-30

Fourth-Quarter Rally Lifts ULM Past Western Kentucky 35-30

Football Oct 17
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- ULM rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Western Kentucky 35-30 Saturday night at L.T. Smith Stadium. Robert Nelson sealed the victory with a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown after Jyruss Edwards put the Warhawks up 28-24 with a 6-yard touchdown run with just over three minutes to play.

The rally started with a 10-play, 60-yard drive capped off by a Kolton Browning 26-yard touchdown strike to Luther Ambrose early in the fourth quarter.

Browning finished the game 20-of-33 for 209 yards and the one score -- he has now thrown for over 200 yards in five straight games; the most since Steven Jyles had five straight in 2004. The redshirt freshman's 1,284 passing yards are the most through six games by a ULM quarterback since Robert Cobb in 1993.

Frank Goodin, who converted a pair of fourth-down conversions on the drive, pulled the Warhawks with three, 24-21, with a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:45 to play in the game. The score moved Goodin into sole possession of second place on the ULM career rushing touchdown list with 23 and into sixth place on the ULM career scoring chart with 156 points.

The Warhawks, who have won three of their last four games, improved to 3-3 on the season and 2-1 in the Sun Belt Conference.

Edwards led the ULM rushing attack with 60 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, while Browning carried the ball nine times for 52 yards and Goodin had 20 yards on eight carries. Ambrose finished with 77 yards on five catches. Edwards also averaged 29.3 yards on four kickoff returns.

WKU's Bobby Rainey, who entered the game leading the Sun Belt in rushing, carried the ball a career-high 32 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Kawaun Jakes completed 12-of-21 passes for 127 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Marcus Vasquez caught six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

WKU jumped out to a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter before the Warhawks broke through. Casey Tinius capped a 7-play drive to open the game for the Hilltoppers with a 25-yard field goal and Vasquez hauled in a 13-yard pass from Jakes on the first play of the second quarter to stretch the lead to 10-0.

The Hilltoppers (0-6, 0-2) made the Warhawks pay for their first mistake of the night. After a dropped snap on a punt gave WKU the ball of the ULM 25-yard line, the Hilltoppers extended their lead to 17-0 four plays later on a 3-yard touchdown run by Rainey.

ULM responded on its ensuing possession after 36-yard kickoff return by Centarius Donald sparked the drive. Facing a 4th-and-1, Edwards went straight up the middle for a 33-yard touchdown run. The Warhawks entered the weekend 14th in the NCAA in fourth-down conversions (among schools with at least 10 attempts).

Rainey scored for the second time, this time from two yards out, to give WKU a 24-7 lead with 1:21 to play in the third quarter after the Hilltoppers took over possession on the ULM 31-yard line following a failed fake punt attempt.

The Warhawks continue their stretch of five-straight Sun Belt Conference games next week when they travel to Middle Tennessee. The game is scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.

Scoring Summary
WKU -- Tinius 25-yard FG, 10:01, 1st                                                        3-0
WKU -- Vasquez 13-yard pass from Jakes (Tinius kick), 14:56, 2nd             10-0
WKU -- Rainey 3-yard run (Tinius kick), 5:29, 2nd                                      17-0
ULM -- Edwards 33-yard run (Jabour kick), 3:10, 2nd                                  17-7
WKU -- Rainey 2-yard run (Tinius kick), 1:21, 3rd                                       24-7
ULM -- Ambrose 26-yard pass from Browning (Jabour kick), 14:20, 4th        24-14
ULM -- Goodin 2-yard run (Jabour kick), 7:38, 4th                                      24-21
ULM -- Edwards 6-yard run (Jabour kick), 3:35, 4th                                    24-28
ULM -- Nelson 55-yard interception return (Jabour kick), 1:30, 4th               24-35
WKU -- McNeal 13-yard pass from Jakes, (conversion failed), 0:50, 4th       30-35



ULM at Western Kentucky Game Notes
•    Team captains; RB Jyruss Edwards, S Khairi Usher, S Isaiah Newsome
•    ULM lost the toss for the first time on the road this season; the Warhawks took the ball to open the game
•    Tim Taylor's reception in the second quarter was his first of the season; 15 Warhawks have now caught a pass this season
•    Jyruss Edwards' 33-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was his second career touchdown run and was ULM's first run of over 20 yards this season. He later scored his third career touchdown in the fourth quarter
•    Luther Ambrose's 26-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was his third of the season
•    Kolton Browning has thrown a touchdown pass in five of ULM's six games this season (Auburn)
•    Frank Goodin moved into second place on the ULM career rushing touchdown list with 23
•    Frank Goodin moved into sixth place on the ULM career scoring list with 156 points
•    Frank Goodin's 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter was his first of the season
•    Kolton Browning's 209 yards passing gave him his fifth straight game with 200 yards or more passing -- the most since Steven Jyles in 2004
•    Kolton Browning has now thrown for 1,284 yards through six games; the most by a ULM quarterback since Robert Cobb in 1993
•    Robert Nelson's 55-yard interception return for a touchdown was the first by a Warhawk player since Greg James returned one for a touchdown against UL-Lafayette in 2008
•    The Warhawks have now won three of their last four games
•    The ULM defense had a season-high five sacks in the game

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