The University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils football team kicked off their season Thursday night with a 40-26 win over Southern Nazarene University’s Crimson Storm.
UAM looked strong from the start, gaining an early lead over Southern Nazarene.
Boll Weevils quarterback Demilon Brown handed the ball off to Jonero Scott for a 54-yard touchdown run, ending a five-play, 77-yard opening drive with 9:06 left on the clock in the first quarter.
With 20 seconds left in the first quarter, Brown took matters into his own hands, rushing 5 yards up the middle into the SNU end zone to cap off an eight-play, 82-yard drive.
UAM went into halftime ahead by a score of 21-19.
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The Boll Weevils kept up the pressure against the Crimson Storm in the third quarter when Brown, for the third time of the night, ran the ball into the Crimson Storm end zone.
With less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Boll Weevil Jordan Mansfield pulled in a pass from Brown for a 15-yard touchdown reception, closing out an 11-play, 82-yard drive.
Closing in for the win, Boll Weevil LaCedric Smith scored the team’s final points with 4:55 on the clock on a 37-yard reception from Brown to end a seven-play, 75-yard drive.
On offense, Brown went 12-of-24 for 228 yards and scored three touchdowns of his own on 149 rushing yards.
Brown also threw touchdown passes to Smith and Mansfield.
Although he did not score himself, Isaiah Cross led the Boll Weevils in receiving with three catches for 97 total yards. His longest of the night was a 52-yard gain. On the ground, Brown’s 13 carries for 149 yards led the team, but Scott was a close second with 135 yards of his own on 21 attempts.
Defensively, Tanner Courson and Demauryon Holmes led the way with 17 total tackles between the two with each having seven solo stops.
Marquise McKnight led the night in extra point attempts, going 4-of-5.
“We are excited about the win. Lots of ups and downs,” Boll Weevils Coach Hud Jackson said. “Played through it and I am proud of the team and staff. Had great crowd that stuck with us through the rain. Time to focus on the next one! Eat ’em up!”
The Weevils play their first home game at Willis “Convoy” Leslie Cotton Boll Stadium in Monticello at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 against Oklahoma Baptist University.