KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — Truman State edged past Davenport 28-27 on Saturday at Stokes Stadium in overtime as the Panthers went for two in the first overtime, but fell short. Davenport jumped to an early 14-point lead in the first quarter. The Panthers were driving again in the second quarter when
D'Wan Mathis was picked off and Dominic Grand returned it 73 yards for a score to cut the lead to 14-7.
Davenport opened the first quarter with two strong offensive drives.
Cephus Harris scored from one yard to cap off a 10-play, 73-yard drive to start the game.
Keonta Nixon got involved on the next drive after the defense posted a three-and-out. Nixon caught a 21-yard touchdown from Mathis, his first TD grab as a Panther, and it was 14-0 with 4:36 left in the quarter.
The second quarter began with Truman State missing a 48-yard field goal attempt by Diego Perez. Davenport took possession and, despite a promising start bolstered by a 15-yard rush from Mathis, ended the drive with Mathis throwing the pick six. Truman State capitalized on the momentum, but Davenport responded with an extended drive, highlighted by a 25-yard rush from
Alec Wojahn on a fake punt. It ultimately ended in a turnover on downs at Truman State's 22-yard line. As time wound down in the second quarter, Truman State secured a 22-yard pass completion from Dylan Hair to Denim Cook, but their progress was halted, leading to a punt and preserving the 14-7 score in favor of Davenport at halftime.
The third quarter began with a fumbled kickoff by Elijah Stevens of Truman State out of bounds at their own 4-yard line, setting up challenging field position. Davenport capitalized on their possession after a punt by TSU with a series of short, effective plays, culminating in a 1-yard touchdown rush by Harris at 7:49, extending their lead to 21-7. Truman State responded with tactical precision, embarking on an 81-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Hair to Nathan Ryan on 4th-and-8 at 1:43, narrowing the score to 21-14.
The fourth quarter began with Davenport punting to Truman State, setting up a drive that saw Hair rush for 30 yards to score a touchdown, tying the game at 21–21 with 13:20 on the clock. Davenport responded with a methodical drive led by Harris, who gained multiple first downs on the ground, but penalties and a missed 31-yard field goal attempt by
Caiden Thomas at the 46-second mark kept them from retaking the lead.
In overtime, DU played in their first overtime game since Oct. 8, 2022, at Northern Michigan. Truman State began their possession at the Davenport 25-yard line. Hair led the charge with a 10-yard pass to Adam Hall on a circus throw and catch on 3rd-and-5, setting up a 1-yard touchdown pass to Parker Erickson, giving Truman State a 28–21 lead after Perez's successful extra point.
Davenport got their chance as Mathis connected with
Earnest Sanders for a 7-yard gain, followed by a crucial 10-yard completion to Nixon, positioning them at the 6-yard line. Harris capitalized on the opportunity with a 6-yard touchdown run, narrowing the score to 28–27. Davenport then called a timeout before their two-point attempt, which they failed to convert, resulting in a narrow loss.
Davenport Top Performers
D'Wan Mathis
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- 24 completions on 36 attempts
- 239 passing yards
- 1 passing touchdown
Cephus Harris
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- 112 rushing yards on 22 attempts
- 3 rushing touchdowns (1st Panther with three in a game)
- 42 receiving yards
Keonta Nixon
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- 6 receptions
- 72 receiving yards
- 1 touchdown
Latrell Scott
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- 11 total tackles
- 7 solo tackles
- 1.5 tackles for loss
In their next game, Davenport will travel to Marquette, Michigan, to face Northern Michigan on Saturday, September 20. The contest is set to begin at 1 p.m. It is also the GLIAC opener for DU.
