Phillips TD in overtime lifts GMC past Snow to No. 2

Published 8:37 am Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Call it the ‘Sony Michel Special.’ Same play, same direction, same situation, even the same mascot from the same state, just one time zone over.

Keenan Phillips scored three touchdowns for the Georgia Military College Bulldogs Saturday at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. None was bigger, though, than the direct snap he took for a three-yard run in overtime. Along with the Freddy Perez PAT kick, Rob Manchester’s Bulldogs, who went in No. 3 in the NJCAA, defeated the then No. 4 Badgers 31-24.

Since No. 1 Hutchinson College also lost on Saturday, that meant a lot of movement at the top of the new NJCAA national poll. Iowa Western moved up to No. 1, GMC to No. 2 and Hutchinson dropped to No. 3. If everything holds out for the last few weeks of the regular season, this could bring an NJCAA national semifinal to Milledgeville in early December.

The Bulldogs had the football first in that overtime in Utah after a 24-24 regulation tie. As big as the Phillips TD was the quarterback sneak and then some from Chip Cooper going from the 16 to the 4. Manchester’s defense then had to defend five yards in four plays in Snow’s possession and did so with one pass dropped in the end zone.

Cooper delivered one of the best games of his GMC career with 92 rushing yards on 21 attempts to go with 118 passing yards and one touchdown going 7-for-15. Phillips, the NJCAA leader in rushing touchdowns, carried 13 times for 63 yards. Trenton Smith had the Bulldogs’ receiving TD.

Jarris Coney was credited with 18 total tackles with one quarterback sack on the nation’s leading touchdown passer, Snow’s Donnie Smith. Jordan Mcrae had an interception on Smith just four plays into the contest. He returned the football from midfield to Snow’s 32 giving GMC its best field position on the night.

Perez capped GMC’s first series with a 33-yard field goal.

Smith completed 22 of 42 passes on his home turf for 253 yards and two touchdowns. The Badgers went from one 15 to the other with its next series. Jeremiah Burks came through with a stop on fourth down turning possession over to the Bulldogs still up 3-0.

Phillips was responsible for two first down runs as GMC ate up the remainder of the first quarter driving from its 15 to the Snow 13. It was 3rd-and-4 on the 7 to start the second quarter, and Phillips got the carry, cut right and scored his first touchdown. Perez was perfect in his PAT kicking.

Snow got back into the game driving 66 yards as Smith broke loose for a 26-yard run and completed a 4th-and-10 pass for 12 yards on the 12. Adonis Tillman stretched the field to run an 8-yard TD at the 10-minute mark.

Cooper displayed some slick running skills as GMC looked to answer, and he had the Bulldogs on the 9. GMC, however, lost possession on a fumble Snow recovered on the 5 at 5:14.

The Badgers proceeded to go 95 yards and grabbed the lead with 40 seconds still on the clock. The series included a foul against the GMC sideline in combination with a disputed pass interference flag. Smith connected with Kaden Eggett on a 3-yard toss.

Snow went into the half ahead 14-10, then pulled off an onside kickoff to start the third quarter. Even though the hosts recovered the football, they could not get a first down with Coney tripping up Smith on third down. For the first time in the game, somebody punted, the Badgers pinning GMC to its own 17.

Things were still going in Snow’s favor early in the new half, for GMC fumbled away its first snap. Two plays later, Smith fired over the middle to Shandon King, whose touchdown increased Snow’s lead to 21-10.

The Bulldog defense was challenged again to keep Snow where it was, and Walker Hicks helped with a sack on Smith for 3-and-out. Taking a punt on its 31, the Bulldogs rediscovered its offense with first downs by Trevon Kinchen and Trequan Jones. That got GMC in the ‘red zone,’ then Cooper ran three straight up to the 1. Phillips plunged in on 3rd-and-goal at 4:35, the Snow lead cut to 21-17.

A pair of GMC linemen, Aiden Benton and Miyon Conaway, played big in the second half, and though the Badgers got into GMC’s ‘red zone’ right at the end of the third, the period ended with a fumble returned by the Bulldogs to the Snow 45.

Unfortunately, the takeaway was for naught as Snow took a deflected pass in its hands at the 29.

With Benton leading the charge, the ensuing Badger possession ended quickly with a punt to the GMC 22. Cooper’s arm highlighted the go-ahead touchdown strike for his team, two completions with a 65-yard touchdown catch-and-run for Smith. The Bulldogs were back in front 24-21 still with 12:10 to play.

Snow had to more drives in regulation, the one to send the game to overtime beginning with 5:24 to go at its 25. They converted both 3rd-and-5 with a 19-yard trap run and 4th-and-17 with Smith’s 19-yard completion on the 24. Keaton Rosquist, with only one made field goal all season, hit No. 2 from 34 yards out with 42 seconds showing.

Manchester and the Bulldogs have two more games on the schedule with the final home game Saturday against Clayton State kicking off at Davenport Field at 1 p.m.