Badgers rally past No. 10 Garden City in season opener

EPHRAIM—The Snow College Badgers opened the 2026 football season with a 31-17 victory over No. 10 Garden City Community College (Kansas) on Saturday in Ephraim, proving the Broncbusters truly weren’t in Kansas anymore.

Snow overcame an early deficit before pulling away in the fourth quarter, with three second-half turnovers helping the Badgers secure the victory.

Garden City opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 49-yard field goal to give the Broncbusters a 3-0 lead. The Badgers answered on their next scoring opportunity when Aquaylis Jordan scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Ian Sanches added the extra point, giving Snow a 7-3 advantage.

Snow extended its lead in the second quarter when Bryce Benson connected with Greyden Dumas for a touchdown on a reverse flea-flicker. Sanches’ extra point made it 14-3.

Garden City answered immediately, using a 52-yard kickoff return to set up a 43-yard touchdown pass from Travis Delaney Jr. to Jamarcus Smith. The touchdown cut Snow’s lead to 14-10.

The Badgers responded with a 40-yard field goal from Sanches with 4:16 remaining in the first half, giving Snow a 17-10 lead heading into halftime.

Garden City tied the game in the third quarter when Dante Alexander intercepted a Snow pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown. Rinker added the extra point to make it 17-17.

The tie lasted into the fourth quarter before Snow regained the lead.

Jadyn Buckner scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to put the Badgers ahead 24-17. Garden City then fumbled on its next possession, giving Snow the ball with 11:33 remaining. The Badgers capitalized on the turnover when Buckner broke loose for a 44-yard touchdown run. Sanches’ extra point gave Snow a 31-17 advantage. Buckner led the Badgers with 67 yards on seven carries with two touchdowns.

In terms of the passing game, Benson led the Badgers by going 4-for-8 with 69 yards in the air, along with the touchdown pass to Dumas.

Snow’s defense continued to pressure Garden City late in the game. Fuapauna Mama strip-sacked the Garden City quarterback, and Dreysen Afuvai recovered the fumble. Snow was unable to capitalize, however, as a 51-yard field-goal attempt went wide left.

Afuvai later intercepted a Garden City pass as the Badgers closed out the 31-17 victory.

Snow’s defense recorded seven sacks. Fale Atuaia led the Badgers with nine tackles and three sacks, while Afuvai and Jaden Manwaring each recorded six tackles. Atuaia also had four tackles for loss.

Mama added two sacks, while Afuvai and Manwaring each recorded one. Maxx Johnson and Kaleb Miller also contributed three tackles apiece, with Johnson recording two tackles for loss.

In pass coverage, Wesley Valgardson and Rome Martin each recorded two pass breakups, while Cole Edmonds added a pass breakup and intercepted a Garden City pass for a 17-yard return.

Snow (1-0) will host the Salt Lake Yeti at Terry Foote Stadium this Saturday. The Yeti are a new junior college football team in Utah competing in the National Junior College Prep Football League. The Badgers will hit the road Sept. 5 at Cisco College in Cisco, Texas, and will travel to Kilgore College, also in Texas, on Sept. 12.