MANHATTAN, Kan. – The University of Tennessee at Martin football team left it all on the field Saturday evening in its 2024 opener but fell to Football Bowl Subdivision No. 17 ranked Kansas State by a 41-6 margin.
The Skyhawks won the turnover margin, forcing a pair of Wildcat mistakes while not turning the ball over Saturday night. UT Martin also controlled the time of possession (33:30 to K-State’s 26:30) and committed just four penalties as it was an 11-point game nearly 40 minutes into the contest before the Wildcats scored 24 unanswered points to wrap up the night.
Chris Hunter, Jr. (third career interception), Lanard Harris (forced fumble) and Steven Ballard (fumble recovery) each helped force turnovers for the Skyhawks. Jaylon Sharpe collected a team-best five stops – including a game-high two tackles for loss – while Jabaree Dawkins also contributed a tackle for loss. Hunter tacked on a pass breakup to pace a UT Martin defense that limited K-State to 4-for-10 on third-down conversions.
Offensively, Kinkead Dent threw for 87 yards while Kaiya Sheron also saw time at quarterback, completing all three of his pass attempts over the final three drives. Dent hit Trevonte Rucker for a 45-yard completion – the longest pass play of the night for either side – while the trio of DeVonte Tanksley, Max Dowling and Airius Trice each had a team-best two receptions. On the ground, Narkel LeFlore and Patrick Smith both posted a team-high nine carries for the Skyhawks.
Newcomer Jaren Van Winkle accounted for both of UT Martin’s scores, nailing field goal tries from 34 and 31 yards out. The redshirt junior out of Clay, Ala. also handled punting duties, booting eight punts for an average of 42.4 yards, landing a 65-yarder in the first quarter.
“It was a 17-6 game in the third quarter and I thought our defense did some really good things but they got tired at the end and our offense couldn’t stay on the field,” Skyhawk head coach Jason Simpson said. “Give Kansas State credit – it was a great environment and a great college football atmosphere. There’s a lot that we can learn from tonight – we need to show improvement and grow from this. We’ll get back to work and get ready for a conference game next week.”
The UT Martin defense held the Wildcats – projected to finish second in the Big 12 Conference standings – to a three-and-out on their first drive before K-State took a 14-0 advantage into the second quarter.
Hunter’s interception in the early stages of the second quarter led to the Skyhawks’ first points of the game. Dent escaped pressure to find Rucker for the big 45-yard gain on 3rd-and-19 before Van Winkle split the uprights to make the score 14-3 at the 7:16 mark.
UT Martin once again limited K-State to a three-and-out on its ensuing possession before a Wildcat field goal on the next drive made the score 17-3 just before the halftime break.
K-State received the second-half kickoff but fumbled on the return, giving the Skyhawks prime field position. Starting on the Wildcat 33-yard line, UT Martin converted a pair of first downs before another Van Winkle field goal pulled the Skyhawks within 17-6 with 9:29 to go in the third quarter.
UT Martin’s defensive unit held K-State to a field goal on its next possession before the Wildcats scored touchdowns on each of their next three drives to create some separation.
The Skyhawks go back on the road in Week 2 for a Big South-OVC matchup at Southeast Missouri. Kickoff from Cape Girardeau, Mo. is set for 6 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 7. Air time is 5:30 on Talk and News You Can Use WCMT 1410, 92.7, 96.1, 99.7, 100.5 and 103.3.
