Head coach Todd Berry has been waiting all year for his playmakers to make plays. That is exactly what happened Saturday night in San Marcos, Texas as the Warhawks (3-4) beat Texas State (3-3) 21-14 in a wild finish.
ULM started the final drive of the game with 2:56 left to go. An enormous pass interference play on a pass from Brayle Brown to Tavarese Maye got the ball moving down the field.
Two plays later, Brown found Maye for 14 yards then again for 20 yards.
Momentum was suddenly in favor of the away team. They had the ball at Texas State’s 24 yard line and were driving.
With the ball at the 10, Centarius Donald was ready to make a statement that he is in fact 100 percent healthy and ready to help his team win.
He was in given the opportunity and didn’t disappoint.
Donald ran it into the end zone, giving the Warhawks the lead with 18 seconds left.
“The last drive of the game was intense,” said Trent Williams, junior English education major. “From the way things were looking early on, I didn’t expect a drive like that. I’m glad it happened though.”
Texas State wasn’t able to do anything.
Senior defensive back, Isaiah Newsome, took things into his own hands in the game.
In the first half he had an interception returned for 71 yards and a touchdown.
This was the first interception returned for a touchdown that the Bobcats have allowed since 2011.
Little did they know, it would not be their last of the night.
Newsome was at it again early in third quarter. This time he returned the interception for 74 yards and a score.
“I was kind of looking to Isaiah to make another play. You know, when they tied it up I obviously had concerns,” said head coach Todd Berry.
“He is such a weapon for us. He’ll set us up in good field position, we just need to step up and make some plays.”
This feat made Newsome the second player in the history of the Sunbelt Conference to return two interceptions for touchdowns in the same game.
The Warhawks will use this coming up bye week as time to rest, heal, and improve on team weaknesses.
Next up for ULM is homecoming on Oct. 26 against winless Georgia State.
The Panthers are in their first year in the Sun Belt Conference and in their first year in the FBS.
