Badgers topple 10th-ranked

Blinn in El Toro Bowl

By Lyle Fletcher

Staff writer

Dec. 7, 2017

YUMA, ARIZ.—The No. 6 Badgers of Snow College pulled off a two-point upset against No. 10 Blinn College in the El Toro Bowl on Saturday.

Down 35-19 at the end of the third quarter, Snow put 24 points on the board in the fourth quarter to the Buccaneers’ single touchdown, ending the game at 43-41.

Scoring in the fourth quarter included Kekoa Sasaoka’s 35-yard field goal, Jaylen Warren’s 37-yard carry for a touchdown, followed by Daymon Murray’s 24-yard interception return for a touchdown.

D’Arman Notoa also scored on a four-yard touchdown run, which was set up by Jalen Powell’s interception and 17-yard return to the Blinn 12-yard line.

The Buccaneers scored on an eight-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left in the game, but the two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the Badgers up 43-41.

This season, the Badgers have averaged 50.9 points and 536 yards per game.

In this game, however, Snow performed well below their season averages in points and offense with 43 points and 405 yards of total offense, including 284 yards rushing and 121 yards passing.

Against Blinn, Snow’s defense pulled in three interceptions for 73 yards, and Connor Taylor led the Badgers with a game-high nine tackles.

Snow’s defense also limited Blinn speedster Carlos Grace to just 46 yards rushing, and he had averaged 127.3 yards per game this season.

The Badgers held the Buccaneers to 97 total rushing yards, although Blinn had averaged 233 rushing yards per game this season.

On offense, Warren led the Badgers with 143 net yards, including a game-high 138 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Shane Johnson completed 15 of 28 attempts for 121 yards.

This win ended head coach Paul Peterson’s first season with a record of 10-1.