NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee State (6-3, 3-2 OVC) couldn’t overcome a 21-0 first-quarter deficit, falling 28-21 to UT Martin (6-3, 4-1 OVC) Saturday evening at Nissan Stadium.
The Tigers responded to the early deficit with explosive plays, including CJ Evans’ 98-yard kickoff return touchdown and a 43-yard scoring strike from Draylen Ellis to Bryant Williams, cutting the lead to 21-14 by the end of the first quarter.
UT Martin added one more touchdown before halftime, while TSU’s final score came on a 2-yard pass from Ellis to Jalal Dean in the third quarter. Despite Ellis throwing for 312 yards and multiple opportunities in the fourth quarter, the Tigers couldn’t find the equalizer.
The loss puts Tennessee State in a challenging position in the OVC race, while UT Martin strengthened their conference lead. The Tigers’ defense showed resilience after the first quarter, holding the Skyhawks to just seven points over the final three periods.
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