The University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils kicked off the 2024 Football Season on Thursday night with a 6 pm kickoff against Great American Conference opponent, the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers.
The Weevils would enter the 2024 season on a nine game losing streak, having lost their final nine games of the 2023 season after being hit with injuries early in the season.
The Weevils would finish the 2023 season with a 2-9 record.
UAM would win the opening coin toss and elected to receive the football to begin the 2024 campaign.
The Ranger’s Tyler Furey would kick the ball 59 yards to get the contest underway with UAM’s Royal Williams returning the ball 38 yards to give the Weevils possession at their own 44 yardline.
UAM would be forced to punt on their opening possession with Tanner Steenbock punting the ball 37 yards with NWOSU getting an eight-yard return to begin their drive at their own 29.
UAM would get on the scoreboard on their third drive of the contest.
Beginning the drive at their own 15 yard line, Demilon Brown would connect with Ladarius Fair for a 31 yard reception to the UAM 46 but a block in the back penalty would bring the ball back 10 yards to the UAM 36.
After a two-yard gain to the 38 by Slade LaBlanc, Brown would connect with Isaiah Cross for a 28-yard pickup to the NWOSU 34.
After advancing the ball down to the NWOSU 12, Royal Williams would get the carry, covering the 12 yards for the UAM score.
After the extra point by Steenbock, the Weevils led 7-0.
NWOSU would fumble the football on their next drive at the UAM 38 that was recovered by UAM’s Taylor Collins, who returned the ball 62 yards for the defensive touchdown.
Steenbock added the extra point to give UAM a 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Receiving the kickoff to begin the second quarter, NWOSU would be forced to punt the ball away for no return to the UAM 28.
UAM would push the ball into NWOSU territory in four plays including a 24-yard run by Brown to the NWOSU 35.
After a holding penalty and a sack, Brown would connect with Tyler Reed for 21 yards to the NWOSU 27 followed by a nine yard run by Reed to the 18.
UAM would get the ball to the one yard line with the Rangers getting an unsportsmanlike penalty to give UAM a first down.
Slade LeBlanc would take the ball in for the score with Steenbrock adding the extra point to give the Weevils a 21-0 lead.
The Weevil defense would force the Rangers to punt on their next drive with UAM taking over at their own 31.
Brown would connect with Jordan Mansfield for a six-yard gain to the UAM 37 followed by a 20-yard pass to Josh Dixon to the NWOSU 43.
Brown’s next two passes would fall incomplete before Brown connected with Williams for a 43-yard touchdown pass.
Steenbock added the extra point to give the Weevils a 28-0 lead with 2:39 remaining in the half.
NWOSU would add a touchdown on their next drive to set up the halftime score of 28-7.
NEOSU and UAM would exchange punts to begin the second half and on the Ranger’s second drive of the third quarter, NWOSU quarterback, Beck Moss, would be sacked by Ndubuisi Nwankwo, forcing a fumble that was recovered by UAM’s Christian Murphy at the NWOSU 17.
Brown would hit Ja’Kell Allen for a four-yard gain followed by a 12-yard run to the NWOSU one by Tyler Reed.
Reed would gain the one yard on the next play to give the Weevils a 34-7 lead with 6:49 remaining in the third quarter.
Neither team would reach the endzone for the remainder of the contest.
NWOSU would cause two turnovers after intercepting Brown and intercepting Buddy Taylor.
UAM would get an interception in the fourth quarter with Aries Jones intercepting the Beck Moss pass at the UAM one.
Demilon Brown would end the contest with 210 yards passing with one passing touchdown that ties him for seventh all-time with Hunter Leppert.
Brown also added 34 rushing yards to his stat totals.
Slade LeBlanc led the Weevils in rushing with 53 yards and a touchdown with Tyler Reed adding 52 yards and a touchdown.
The Weevil defense created three turnovers and had five sacks in the contest.
The Weevils will travel to Weatherford, Oklahoma on Saturday, September 14, to face Southwestern Oklahoma State University for a 6 pm kickoff.
