BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Rhodes College loses a nail bitter to conference foe Birmingham Southern 35-34, on a last second missed field goal.
With the loss, the Lynx drop to 6-2, and 3-1 in conference play. The victory puts Birmingham Southern at 5-3 on the season, and 3-2 in conference play.
The Lynx fell down early to the Panthers 14-0 in the first quarter with a touchdown pass by quarterback Tyson Beacham and then a fumble by quarterback
Blake Box that was picked up by Austin Hansard and taken 20-yards for the score.
Rhodes responded in the second quarter with a touchdown run by running back Mitch DeKozan of 41-yards. Birmingham Southern responded with a score, but the Lynx then scored 21 straight points to head into the half with a 28-21 lead.
The Lynx were led by sophomore quarterback
Blake Box, who went 32-43 for 326-yards and two touchdowns, all without throwing an interception. The Lynx struggled on the ground, only gaining 142-yards total, but both
Dane Wilson and DeKozan got into the end zone for scores. Wilson led the way with 65-yards.
Birmingham Southern scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, and down by seven the Lynx responded with a great drive led by quarterback Box, who went 6-8 on the drive, finishing with a touchdown pass to running back
Casey Joseph. The Lynx elected to go for two, and Box's pass was intercepted in the end zone.
The Lynx still had a chance to win, after the defense stopped the Panthers on their next drive. Box and the offense started on their own eight yard line, and drove down the field with only 46 seconds on the clock. Box completed passes of 11, 12, 15, and 17 yards to get the lynx to the 28-yard line to kick a field goal for the win, but kicker Michael Aucoin's attempt was blocked to end the game.
The Lynx defense once again played very tough, giving up only 85 yards on the ground for the game. Safety
Justin Toliver and linebacker
Michael Shield led Rhodes with eight tackles apiece, and safety
Stanton Brown helped the offense out with an interception that he returned 93-yards for the touchdown. That makes it the second week in a row that the Rhodes defense has had an interception return for a touchdown that is longer than 90-yards.
The lynx will continue SAA conference play next Saturday in Conway, Ark. against the Hendrix College Warriors.
