CHADRON, NE – The No. 22-ranked Angelo State football team completed a 24-point comeback on Saturday, defeating Chadron State 28-24 on the road to remain undefeated on the season.
The Rams improve to 2-0 on the season, winning their second straight contest on the road, scoring 28 straight points after falling behind early.
After a missed field goal by ASU in the opening drive of the game, the Eagles jumped out to a 7-0 lead with a three-yard rush up the middle.
Chadron State continued to add to their lead, tossing two touchdown passes, one for 72-yards, before a field goal made it 24-0 in favor of the Eagles.
With the second half coming to a close, the Rams moved the ball up the field with a 33-yard gain from Zach Bronkhorst to CJ Odom. Bonkhorst followed that up with a scramble for 12-yards before punching the ball in up the middle from one yard out for ASU's first score of the day.
The Rams tallied 570 total yards of offense in the game while holding the Eagles to 230 yards, including only 71 yards on the ground.
The defense for the Rams came alive in the second half, forcing a three-and-out for Chadron in the first possession of the third quarter before Donavyn Jackson punched the ball out for a fumble, picked up by Leddy French II who returned it 39-yards to the Eagles' 13-yard line.
Bronkhorst tallied his second rushing touchdown of the game, scrambling for a six-yard score to make it 24-14. Bronkhorst finished 17-of-33 for 230 yards and two touchdowns while adding 67 yards on the ground and two more scores.
After forcing another three-and-out, the Rams tallied their third straight touchdown, this time through the air as Bronkhorst connected with Kellen Pachot for a 53-yard pass to come within three points of the lead with 1:01 left to play in the third quarter.
Pachot led the receiving core with four catches for 101-yards and two touchdowns while Nathaniel Omayebu III finished with 94 yards rushing followed by CJ Odom with 70 yards on the ground.
The Rams took the lead in their first possession of the fourth quarter as Bronkhorst and Pachot connected again, this time for 43-yards to go up 28-24.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Eagles blocked their second punt of the game, this time recovering the ball inside ASU's 20-yard line. The Rams stepped up on defense once again, stopping a fourth-and-one to keep the Eagles scoreless after the block.
After a pass interference by ASU set up a first down on the ASU two-yard line, the Rams forced a turnover on downs as Andrew Pitts recorded a sack to get the ball back with 1:51 on the clock.
Daron Allman recorded a team-high seven tackles for the Rams while Hunter Kyle and Josh Quinton each tallied six tackles. Pitts finished with one sack while Quinton and Allman each recorded half a sack.
The Rams will host their home opener next week as they begin Lone Star Conference action against Midwestern State on Saturday, Sept. 18, with a 6 p.m. kickoff.
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