Jalen Mitchell, Tennessee Tech beat UT Martin 10-9, move into 4-way tie atop Big South-OVC

MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) — Jalen Mitchell had 62 yards rushing, including a 15-yard touchdown to open the scoring, on 11 carries, Dom LeBlanc kicked a 24-yard field goal and Tennessee Tech held on to beat UT Martin 10-9 Saturday.

Tennessee Tech (6-5, 5-2 Big South-OVC) moved into a four-way tie with Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee State and UT Martin (7-4, 5-2), ranked No. 19 in the FCS coaches poll, atop the conference standings with a game left in the regular season.

The Skyhawks, who had their six-game win streak snapped, went three-and-out on the game’s opening possession and Tennessee Tech answered with an eight-play, 63-yard drive — including a facemask penalty on third-and-2 that gave the Golden Eagles a fresh set of downs at the UTM 18 — that culminated when Mitchell scored from the 15.

Three plays from scrimmage later, Omari Philyaw intercepted a pass from Kinkead Dent and returned in 27 yards to the 9 to set up LeBlanc’s field goal that made it 10-0 midway through the first quarter.

Cam Robertson returned a blocked punt 40 yards for a touchdown to cut UT Martin’s deficit to 10-7 with 8:07 to play and, after Cayman Spaulding sacked Dent for a 3-yard loss on third-and-goal from the 7, Jaren Van Winkle missed a potential tying 28-yard field-goal attempt that bounced off the right upright with 30 seconds remaining.

Tennessee Tech ran out of the back of the end zone on a fourth-and-9 from its own 21 to burn time, and prevent a possible blocked punt, in the closing seconds and the Golden Eagles held on.

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