Oct. 10, 2026 – Tennessee State built a 21-7 lead behind three Daylin Lee touchdown passes but could not hold it, as UT Martin scored 28 unanswered points and turned four Tigers turnovers into a 42-28 win in the rain at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee State falls to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play. More Sports News
Lee threw for 376 yards and four touchdowns, but his three interceptions proved costly, with two of them setting up or producing UT Martin touchdowns. Tate Surber managed the game for the Skyhawks, completing 15 of 21 passes without an interception.
| Quarterback | Team | Comp-Att | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylin Lee | TSU | 20-39 | 376 | 4 | 3 |
| Tate Surber | UTM | 15-21 | 114 | 0 | 0 |
Cam Bulluck was the bright spot for Tennessee State, catching seven passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns, including a 99-yard scoring catch in the first quarter. Brock Montgomery added five catches for 86 yards.
The Tigers’ ground game never got going, finishing with 15 rushing yards on 21 carries. UT Martin ran for 193 yards and four scores, led by Chris Franklin’s two touchdowns.
| Running Back | Team | Carries | Yards | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Franklin | UTM | 22 | 82 | 2 | 15 |
| Jaydon Peete | UTM | 12 | 79 | 0 | 33 |
| Makhia Sherrard | UTM | 1 | 34 | 1 | 34 |
| Zack Simmons-Brown | TSU | 10 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| Daylin Lee | TSU | 9 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
Turning Point at the Goal Line
Leading 21-14 in the third quarter, Tennessee State reached the UT Martin 1-yard line but was stuffed on consecutive runs. On fourth down, Lee fumbled and Farand Washington returned it 97 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. UT Martin took the lead for good on Sherrard’s 34-yard run with four seconds left in the quarter.
Turnovers Decide It
An interception early in the fourth quarter set up a short Franklin touchdown, and Joel Castleberry’s 23-yard interception return sealed it late. Bulluck’s third touchdown had pulled Tennessee State within 35-28, but a fourth-down stop on the Tigers’ next possession ended their comeback hopes. Tennessee State outgained UT Martin 391-307 but committed four turnovers to UT Martin’s two and went 0-for-3 on fourth down.
Up Next
Tennessee State stays home to face Morgan State on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Nissan Stadium in a nonconference matchup.
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