The College Football Blog: 2012 Sun Belt Game of the Year

Sun Belt Game of the Year

Week 8: Louisiana-Monroe at Western Kentucky (43-42, OT)

Highlights: These were the two darlings of college football early in the season, with ULM upsetting Arkansas, and WK beating Kentucky on a trick play for a 2-pt conversion, both in overtime. ULM was 4-2 going into the game, while Western Kentucky was 5-1 and had won 4 straight. The winner of this game would have sole possession of 1^st place in the SBC. 

This was a back-and-forth game of runs that was as wild as expected. Western Kentucky began the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. Early in the 2^nd quarter the Hilltoppers scored again to cap a 99-yard, 13-play drive over 8:32 and make it a 14-0 lead. 

A nice return and a penalty on the ensuing kickoff gave Louisiana-Monroe the ball at the WK 32 and the Warhawks needed just over 2 minutes to score and cut the deficit in half. However, the Hilltoppers returned the next kickoff to the ULM 32, and they also needed just over 2 minutes to turn it into points, scoring another touchdown to make it a 14-point game again. Moments later, WK intercepted at the ULM 18, and they soon were in the end zone again to take a commanding 28-7 lead with 5:44 left in the half. 

The Warhawks responded by driving 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-28. On the ensuing WK drive, the Hilltoppers drove into ULM territory, but on 4^th and 1 from the 36 Kadeem Jones was stuffed and ULM took over with 1:07 on the clock. 

With just 34 seconds to go in the half the Warhawks faced 4^th and 3 from WK’s 44. They decided to go for it and Kolton Browning completed a pass for 5 yards and a 1^st down at the 39. On 3^rd and 1 Browning went deep for Courtney Davis who made the catch for a 30-yard TD with no time on the clock. With that, the game went to halftime with ULM within 7 points and due to get the ball first in the 2^nd half. 

On their second drive of the 3^rd quarter ULM appeared to be on the verge of tying the game, as they had a 1^st and goal at the 1-yardline. But WK’s defense bowed up and forced 4^th and goal from the 3. ULM lined up for a FG and ran a fake, but the play failed, and WK took over with 7:49 left in the 3^rd and their lead intact. Western Kentucky then drove 87 yards on 10 plays, but the Hilltoppers were unable to extend the lead, as Marcus Vazquez fumbled on 2^nd and 11 from the 17 and ULM took over at their own 10. 

The 3^rd quarter ended with Western Kentucky again driving inside ULM territory. Early in the 4^th quarter WK faced 4^th and 5 from the ULM 41. The Hilltoppers lined up to punt but the snap back to the punter got away and the Warhawks took over inside WK territory at the 46. 7 plays later ULM scored to finally tie the game 28-28 with 11:23 left. 

Following punts from each team, WK went on a 64-yard drive for a score to retake the lead, 35-28 with 2:29 on the clock. That was plenty of time for the Warhawks—who had 2 timeouts left--but it didn’t look good when a penalty on the kick return forced them to start the drive from their own 10 with the clock down to 2:21. It was looking downright bad for the Warhawks when Browning was sacked back at the 2 on 1^st down. 

On 2^nd and 18 Browning completed a pass for 9 yards to make it 3^rd and 9 from the 11. On 3^rd down Browning took off and picked up 6 yards, which should have left ULM facing a 4^th and 3 from the 17 with the clock still running. However, the officials called a personal foul on Western Kentucky, stopping the clock, moving the ball to the 32, and (most importantly) giving the Warhawks a 1^st down. 

Following the penalty Browning threw 4 straight completions and the Warhawks scored to tie the game at 35-35 with just 31 seconds remaining. They had gone 90 yards in 7 plays over 1:50. The stunned Hilltoppers reached the ULM 42 on their final possession but ran out of time, as the game went to overtime. 

Western Kentucky was back on offense to start overtime and they needed just 2 plays to score, with Kawaun Jakes running it in from 9 yards out. Now ULM would need a TD to extend the game. The Warhawks needed only 4 plays to score, with Browning scoring on a 3-yard TD. ULM then decided to shun a 2^nd overtime and give this one a fitting ending. On the 2-point try, Browning hit Rashon Ceasar in the end zone to win it 43-42.