Box Score MONTICELLO, Ark. – Seeking their first season opening win in a decade, the Southern Nazarene football team nearly pulled off a comeback for the ages as they fell 30-23 to Arkansas-Monticello in their first contest of the 2021 season on Thursday evening.
 
Trailing by 23 points entering the halftime break, the Crimson Storm (0-1, 0-1 GAC) never quit as they held the Weevils (1-0, 1-0 GAC) scoreless in the final 30 minutes. SNU used a pair of touchdowns and a safety to knife their way back into the contest and had a chance to tie it up in the waning minutes.
 
UAM outgained SNU 447-293 in total yards for the game and the Weevils won the turnover battle, but the Crimson Storm used pivotal moments at just the right time to make things interesting down the stretch. SNU tallied 117 yards on the ground and 176 more through the air as the quarterback duo of Gage Porter and Jarvis Davis highlighted the Storm offensive attack.
 
Arkansas-Monticello struck first in the opening quarter with a touchdown four minutes in to take the early 7-0 lead. After both defenses held strong carrying into the second frame, the Weevils extended their advantage to 14-0 early in the period. The Crimson Storm responded with a 6 play, 72-yard drive capped off by a Porter rushing touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-7 with 11:44 remaining in the opening half.
 
The final 11 minutes didn't go SNU's way as UAM converted a field goal to make it 17-7 before the Storm gave one away on the ensuing kickoff, which the Weevils quickly punched in to extend the deficit to 23-7. Arkansas-Monticello got one more touchdown in the final minutes of the half as they took a 30-7 lead into halftime.

Head coach Dustin Hada's speech in the locker room sparked life into his guys as Southern Nazarene came out in the second half on a mission. A defensive gridlock paved the way for the Storm throughout much of the quarter as they used a safety with one minute left in the third to cut their hole to 30-9. Down by 21 points entering the final period, the Storm's relentless effort shined through as Davis scampered into the endzone from 12-yards out with 6:42 left in the game to make it 30-16.
 
After another defensive stop, SNU's offense went 67 yards on 5 plays capped off by a Ramirez rushing score, and all of a sudden the Storm were within one possession. The Weevils went down the field a bit on the next possession, but Southern Nazarene's defense forced another punt and coach Hada and company had one final shot to win the game.
 
From their own 20-yard line and 2:51 on the clock, Davis and the Storm offense moved the ball into Weevil territory and had a touchdown on their minds. On 4^th and 9 from the UAM 42, the Weevils got the stop they needed to secure the victory on their home field.
 
Southern Nazarene is back in action next Saturday afternoon for their home opener as they welcome in #14 ranked Ouachita Baptist. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. in Bethany.