Blake Records Career-High 21 Tackles
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – October 21, 2023
EKU led by three points in the third quarter but failed to overcome a late surge to drop its last non-conference game of the season to Gardner-Webb by a score of 35-32 on Saturday night at Spangler Stadium.
Linebacker Logan Blake was the highlight for EKU in the loss, the graduate student totaled a career-high 21 tackles and had three tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a sack.
Quarterback Parker McKinney made NCAA FCS football history in the loss, becoming the 16th player to record over 13,000 yards of total offense in a career.
The Colonels opened Saturday’s game with a 61-yard touchdown run by Braedon Sloan, the longest of his career. In his last two games, the Frazer, Ky. product has scored six touchdowns and logged 278 yards of total offense.
Gardner-Webb responded on the following drive as Ja’Kai Young snatched a pick six from McKinney and went 40 yards the other direction. To end the first quarter, McKinney answered back to give EKU the 14-7 lead finding wide receiver Jalen Burbage for an 11-yard reception, his first of the season.
EKU claimed a two-touchdown 21-7 lead as Joshua Carter completed a 22-yard rush midway through the second quarter.
In the final four minutes of the first half, GWU drove the field twice and found the endzone to tie the game at 21 all before the horn sounded.
Gardner-Webb running back Jamari Brown flipped the momentum with an 88-yard touchdown run 12:10 left in the fourth quarter to take a 28-24 lead. The Runnin’ Bulldogs found possession just two minutes later capitalizing on an EKU turnover leading to another score for an 11-point, 35-24 lead.
The Colonels brought the game to single digits with 2:12 left on the clock as Sloan crossed the goal line for the second time on the night. EKU was unable to stop GWU’s run game in the final moments and let the clock run out in the home team’s favor, 35-32.
EKU continues its road swing back in United Athletic Conference action with a first-ever meeting against Utah Tech on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Colonels will enter the week with an un-blemished 2-0 record in conference play.