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Black Knights come back from 14 down to edge GSU 28-27

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Quarterback Tyhier Tyler in action against Georgia Southern defense
Quarterback Tyhier Tyler in action against Georgia Southern defense (Danny Wild - USA TODAY Sports)

After a disappointing loss to Tulane in New Orleans, the Black Knights returned to host the Eagles of Georgia Southern University on Senior Day at West Point. At stake for Army West Point was a seven-game winning streak in Michie Stadium.

Sophomore Tyhier Tyler became the 4th QB to start a game this season for Army West Point. He turned the ball over three times in the first half to give the Eagles a 14 point lead but led the team back from a 14 point deficit for the win in the second half.

Here’s how it unfolded:

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Scoring Summary
Qtr Time Summary Army GSU

1st

06:55

GS - S. Werts 1 yd run (A. Raynor kick), 2 plays, 1 yards, TOP 0:45

0

7

1st

06:45

GS - D. Canteen 22 yd fumble recovery (A. Raynor kick)

0

14

2nd

13:45

ARMY - McCoy, Sandon 1 yd run (Maretzki, Quinn kick), 15 plays, 75 yards, TOP 8:00

7

14

2nd

09:24

GS - C. Brown 24 yd pass from S. Werts (A. Raynor kick) 8 plays, 86 yards, TOP 4:14

7

21

3rd

08:22

ARMY - Murphy, Braheam 12 yd run (Maretzki, Quinn kick), 11 plays, 52 yards, TOP 6:31

14

21

3rd

06:18

ARMY - McCoy, Sandon 2 yd run (Maretzki, Quinn kick), 1 plays, 17 yards, TOP 0:04

21

21

3rd

04:17

GS - L. Wright 39 yd pass from S. Werts (A. Raynor kick blocked) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:01

21

27

4th

08:16

ARMY - Buchanan, J. 2 yd run (Maretzki, Quinn kick), 18 plays, 71 yards, TOP 10:50

28

27

Final

28

27

First Quarter - Two Army turnovers give the Eagles a 14-0 lead

Georgia Southern started their first possession at the 25 and gained 8 yards on their first play from scrimmage, but linebacker Arik Smith dropped Werts for a 4-yard loss on second down, and the Eagles were held to a one-yard gain on third down forcing them to punt it to the Army 34, where the Black Knights started their first possession of the game.

Tyhier Tyler ran for 3 yards total on the first two plays, and fullback Sandon McCoy was stopped for no gain on third down; so Zach Harding came in to kick a 39-yard punt to the Eagles 25.

Smith got his second TFL on first down, and Werts threw incomplete on second bringing up a third and 11, and under pressure from Werts unloaded to Logan Wright who was stopped for a 4-yard loss by defensive back Cedric Cunningham, forcing a punt. Tyrell Robinson returned it to the 21, but a holding call set Army back to their own 11.

Jakobi Buchanan started the possession with a 1 yard gain to the 12 before Tyler was sacked for a 5-yard loss to the 8. A delay of game penalty set Army back further to the 4 and on third down Tyler fumbled the ball, and the Eagles recovered on the Army 1 yard line setting up an easy touchdown to give Georgia Southern an early 7-0 lead.

On Army’s third possession, Tyler fumbled the handoff to Buchanan on the first play from scrimmage, and the Eagles recovered and ran it into the end zone for another quick touchdown to increase their lead to 14-0.


Junior slotback Brandon Walters took advantage of his game reps
Junior slotback Brandon Walters took advantage of his game reps (Danny Wild - USA TODAY Sports)

The Black Knight offense finally got moving on their fourth possession as they drove 75 yards in 15 plays for their first score. McCoy started the drive with 2 carries for 9 yards, and Buchanan came in to convert for an Army first down at the 36. Tyler broke loose for a 15 yard game to the 49. McCoy gained 5 yards into GSU territory at the 46, but a holding call on Luke McCleery set the Black Knights back to their own 46. After an off-sides penalty moved the ball back into GSU territory at the 46, Tyler ran 17 yards for a first down on the 32. Buchanan gained 3 yards to the 29, and Tyler ran for another 10 yards to the 19. Tyler was stopped for a 1-yard loss, but Brandon Walters picked up 9 yards, and Buchanan added 3 for a first and goal at the 8. Tyler was stopped for no gain before time ran out in the quarter with the Eagles still holding their 14 point lead.

Second Quarter - Both teams scored TDs, but another Army fumble gave Georgia Southern a 21-7 halftime lead

Senior FB Sandon McCoy hits paydirt
Senior FB Sandon McCoy hits paydirt (Danny Wild - USA TODAY Sports)

GSU held the Black Knights to 7 yards on the first two plays of the quarter, but Sandon McCoy carried into the end zone on 4th down to cap the drive and close the gap to 14-7.

GSU started their next possession from their own 25 and marched 75 yards to regain their 14 point lead.

Speedy Tyrell Robinson returned the next kickoff to the Army 36, but after Buchanan gained 6 yards in two plays, Tyler was dropped for a 4-yard loss on third down, and Harding came back in to punt the ball to the GSU 18. Kennedy returned the punt 6 yards to the 24, where the Eagles started their next possession.

Gerald Green got loose for a 46 yard gain to the Army 30 and Marquel Broughton was called for a face mask to advance the ball to the Army 15. Army held the next three downs and the Eagles sent out their field goal team but missed on the attempt to keep the score at 21-14.

Army started their next possession on their own 20 with 4:57 left on the clock. Tyler led the team to the GSU 7 yard line with 41 seconds left in the half, but then he fumbled for the third time in the game to turn the ball over to Georgia Southern, and the Eagles ran out the clock to keep their lead at 21-7 going into the locker room.

First Half Stats

Total Offense: Army 37 plays for 137 yards; GSU 21 plays for 137 yards

Rushing Offense: Army 122 yards; GSU 96 yards

Passing Offense: Army completed 1 of 1 attempt for 25 yards. GSU completed 5 of 6 pass attempts for 41 yards and 1 TD.

Penalties: Army - 3 penalties for 24 yards; GSU 2 penalties for 20 yards.

Turnovers: Army three turnovers; GSU no turnovers

Time of Possession: Army18:14: GSU 11:46

“I am so incredibly proud of our team and particularly our seniors. They have led our football team through an unprecedented time…We couldn’t have found a way to win the game today and we wouldn’t be in the position we are now if it weren’t for their leadership. If it weren’t for the fact that our guys have a deep trust in each other, a great commitment to excellence and a love for this brotherhood. They played for each other and that victory was purely in their loyalty and love for each other as brothers. It took raw determination to find a way to win and I am so incredibly proud. I am so proud of the fight and the mental toughness."
— Army Head Coach Jeff Monken

Third Quarter - Army scored twice to tie, but GSU scored again to retake the lead at 27-21

Robinson started the half with a 37-yard return to the Army 48 yard line, and Tyler came back in at quarterback. Tyler ran the ball three straight times for a first down on the GSU 41. Robinson carried for 3 yards to the 38, but Tyler lost a yard on second down. GSU was called offside to make it third and 3 at the 33 and Tyler found a gap for a first down to the GSU 23. Robinson carried for another 3 yards, but he was called for unsportsmanlike conduct to set Army back 15 yards to the 36. Tyler carried three times for a first down on the 12, and Braheam Murphy ran it in from there to close the lead to 21-14.

Georgia Southern started from their own 25 and the defense held them to 3 yards in their first three downs. Cole Mabry broke through to block the punt attempt and Kemonte Yow scooped up the ball and returned it 15 yards to the Georgia Southern 2. McCoy scored on the next play to tie the score at 21 all.

Georgia Southern started on their own 25 again and picked up a quick first down on a 27 yard run by Kennedy to the Army 41. Two plays later, Logan Wright came out of the backfield and got open for a 39-yard pass from Werts to give the lead back to Georgia Southern 27-21. Andre Carter made the winning play of the game when he blocked the PAT attempt setting the stage for Army to recapture the lead.

Robinson returned the next kickoff to the Army 29. Buchanan gained 6 yards on first down, Tyler picked up 3 and Buchanan converted to the 39. On the next series, Robinson carried for 4 yards on first down, and Buchanan carried twice for 5 to bring up a 4th and 1. Tyler found a hole for 3 yards and a first down at the Eagles 46 as time ran out in the third quarter with the Eagles in the lead at 27-21.


Fourth Quarter - Army took the lead 28-27 and hung on for the win in a wild finish

Army's 'D' step up with big plays from players like Carter & West, who celebrate the Black Knights' win
Army's 'D' step up with big plays from players like Carter & West, who celebrate the Black Knights' win (Danny Wild - USA TODAY Sports)

Tyler started the final quarter with two runs that gained 2 yards and then pitched it out to Robinson who ran for the first down at the 31. Tyler and Robinson combined for 7 yards to the 27 before Buchanan converted at the 24. Buchanan carried for another 6 and an offside penalty gave Army a first down on the GSUS 13. Tyler gained 3 to the 10 and then Buchanan carried three straight times for the touchdown that gave Army its first lead in the game at 28-27.

Georgia Southern started from their own 25 with 8:15 left in the game. Werts carried for 8 yards to the 33 but was injured on the play and Justin Tomlin came in at QB for the Eagles. Tomlin carried twice for a first down at the 36. Gerald Green ran for 2 yards on first down but was injured on the play. After Tomlin passed for 7 yards, Werts came back in at QB to pick up a first down at the GSU 47. The Eagles gained 8 yards in their next three downs to bring up a 4th and 2 at the Army 45, setting the stage for another critical play in the game. Cornerback Jahvari Bordeau stopped Wright inches short of a first down and Army took over on downs with 3:19 left in the game.

Army ran two plays for 6 yards to bring up a third and 4, but Tyler was dropped for a loss, and Harding punted the ball back to the Eagles with 2:20 left in the game. The Eagles picked up a quick first down to the GSU 35 but on the next play Andre Carter picked off a Tomlin pass to give Army the ball back on the Eagles 36 with 2:07 remaining in the game. GSU had no time outs left; so all Monken had to do was run that 2:07 off the clock, but that was easier said than done.

Monken called a play that was supposed to run several seconds off the clock, but a holding penalty stopped the clock and after 3 plays left Army well short of first down, Harding had to come back in to punt the ball to the Eagle’s 24 with 39 seconds left in the game.

Tomlin carried the ball out of bounds on the 40, and then Tomlin found a receiver open for a first down on the Army 30 with 22 seconds left in the game. Tomlin drooped back to pass but was sacked for a two-yard loss as seconds ticked off the clock. The Eagles lined up quickly for a spike, but time ran out before he could ground the ball, and Army escaped with the one-point win.

Quick Statistics

Total Offense: Army - 74 plays for 268 yards; GSU 45 plays for 311 yards

Rushing Offense: Army 245 yards; GSU 175 yards

Passing Offense: Army 1 completion in 1 attempt for 25 yards; GSU 9 of 13 for 136 yards and 2 TDs

Penalties: Army 5 penalties for 54 yards; GSU 3 penalties for 15 yards

Turnovers: Army 3; GSU 1

Time of Possession: Army 38:24 to GSU’s 21:36

GBK will provide additional statistics and analysis in our Monday Morning QB article.

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