MONTICELLO — The Boll Weevils’ best defensive effort since the season opener was a mere highlight in an otherwise difficult homecoming day.
Jonathan Cobb ran for two touchdowns in Southeastern Oklahoma State’s 27-0 win over the University of Arkansas at Monticello on Saturday. Linebacker Bryant Watts capped the rout with an 85-yard interception return as time expired.
UAM (2-4 overall and Great American) was shut out for the first time since Nov. 5, 2022, when Southeastern’s archrival East Central blanked the Boll Weevils 16-0 in Ada, Okla. Saturday’s loss ended a 17-game string in which the Weevils scored.
“How many times have I said it? We had opportunities,” said UAM Coach Hud Jackson, stressing a common theme during a losing streak that’s reached four games. “We’ve had plenty of them.”
The 27 points UAM gave up was the second fewest all season. UAM opened the campaign with a 34-7 home win over Northwestern Oklahoma State, then beat Southwestern Oklahoma State 39-28 in Weatherford. But Saturday also marked the second straight home game in which UAM did not score a touchdown.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Season-ending injuries in the first quarter to the Weevils’ top two running backs, starter Slade LeBlanc (torn pectoral muscle on the game’s second play) and Tyler Reed (broken ankle on his only play of the game), limited an offense already trying to regain its early-season rhythm. UAM had lost a tight end, Joshua Dixon, to a torn knee ligament at Ouachita Baptist two weeks earlier.
Glen Cage, making his season debut after an orbital bone injury in preseason camp, ran 9 times for 20 yards.
“Once he came back and we were limited, we had to make things very vanilla and do things that he was most comfortable with, which puts more pressure on (quarterback) Demilon (Brown),” Jackson said.
Brown completed 18 of 30 passes for 131 yards and rushed 18 times for 98 yards for the Weevils.
Southeastern outgained UAM 334-242 in total yards. The Savage Storm maintained possession for 34 minutes.
Southeastern (3-3) broke a scoreless tie with 48 seconds left in the first half on a 1-yard keeper by redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Hohenberger, who just returned from a first-game injury. Hohenberger completed 6 of 15 passes for 71 yards and was sacked twice.
A would-be 5-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Corona was called down at the UAM 1, reversing a touchdown call upon video review. Hohenberger rushed for the score on the next play.
“There early, I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to find (our groove),” said Savage Storm Coach Bo Atterberry. “We always talk about packing our run game and our defense on the road. I thought the coaches did a good job at halftime making adjustments.”
The Weevils were pinned at their own 1 or 2 on three occasions and converted a first down just once in those series. A four-down goal-line stand from the 2 set up one of those drives with 7:15 left before halftime.
Cobb, who had 53 yards on 10 carries, scored twice, the first on a 14-yard carry with 6:11 left in the third quarter and the other from 15 yards out with 7:25 left in the game.
Only two of UAM’s drives ended in the red zone, and both resulted in interceptions. Brown tried a swing pass to Cage, who juggled the ball as he fell, and Watts put on the exclamation point for the Savage Storm with the pick-6.
This was the 100th homecoming game in UAM history. Members of the 1977-78 women’s basketball and 1988 football teams from UAM were honored as inductees into the Sports Hall of Fame during the game.
NEXT UP
UAM will remain at home to host Arkansas Tech next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Precious Thomas, of Banks, was crowned University of Arkansas at Monticello homecoming queen before kickoff of Saturday’s homecoming game against Southeastern Oklahoma State. She is escorted by her uncle Tim Boswell. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)