College football: Colton Cook's field goal lifts Southern Utah to road victory

Mobile, Ala. • Colton Cook kicked a 28-yard field as time expired Thursday night, lifting Southern Utah to a 22-21 victory over South Alabama in the season opener for both teams.

Trailing 21-19, the Thunderbirds drove 56 yards in 10 plays to set up Cook's third field goal of the game.

The key plays on the winning drive were a 16-yard completion from quarterback Aaron Cantu to Griff McNabb and a 13-yard run on third-and-five by Malik Brown. One play after Brown's run to the South Alabama 11-yard line, Cook booted his game-winner. A roughing the kicker penalty on the final play was declined. Southern Utah built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. It was 10-7 at halftime.

After South Alabama grabbed a 21-13 lead early in the fourth quarter, however, the Thunderbirds fought back. Cantu's one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Norris made it 21-19 with 6:13 remaining in the game.

South Alabama stopped the two-point conversion, but the Thunderbird defense for the ball back and Cantu directed the winning drive.

A junior college transfer making his first start at SUU, Cantu competed 13 of 24 passes for 181 yards. He did not throw an interception.

The Salt Lake Tribune