RICHMOND, Ky. — The Texans had a chance to win a roller coaster ride of a game as time expired, but a missed field goal pushed the conference contest to overtime. Eastern Kentucky ended up winning the United Athletic Conference game in Richmond, Kentucky, 41-35 in double overtime on their homecoming.
 
The Texans (4-3, 1-2 UAC) dropped their second straight game and fell to 0-2 all-time at EKU, but this game was much different than their last at Roy Kidd Stadium. The offense exploded for their highest scoring game since Sept. 9, covering 527 of total yards, including 316 on the ground. The Colonels (3-3, 2-0 UAC) won their third straight game since starting the year 0-3.
 
Tarleton entered the fourth quarter trailing 28-21, tying it on a 3-yard Derrel Kelley III touchdown rush with 9:45 to play. The Texans forced a missed field goal on EKU's ensuing drive, then bled out the remaining 5:35 of regulation and attempted a 24-yard field goal as time expired that sailed wide.
 
In overtime, EKU got the ball first and scored a touchdown on two plays. Tarleton answered in a dire circumstance, facing 4th and 15 on the EKU 30-yard line. Texan QB Victor Gabalis found Darius Cooper in the middle of the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown connection to push the game to double overtime. In 2OT, Gabalis' pass got hit in the air, and EKU's Logan Blake came down with the tip-drill interception. EKU's Parker McKinney QB-sneaked a 1-yard touchdown to win the game for the Colonels.
 
Gabalis finished 16-of-30 for 211 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Kayvon Britten exploded for 187 yards on 18 carries (10.4 yards per carry) and a touchdown. Kelley joined him above the century mark, rushing for 102 yards on 17 attempts (6.0 YPC) and a score. Cooper had six receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns, and Benjamin Omayebu tallied five catches for 39 yards and a touchdown.
 
At 316 rushing yards, Tarleton had their most in a game since Sept. 11, 2021, vs. Fort Lewis (347). The Texans also had multiple players with 100-plus rushing yards since Sept. 25, 2021.
 
Defensively, Qua'Shawn Washington led Tarleton with nine tackles, adding 0.5 TFL. Ely Doyle had eight tackles and Kyle Taylor notched seven. Brandon Tolvert and Caimyn Layne each recorded a sack.
 
EKU's Braedon Sloan scored four touchdowns, rushing for three touchdowns, covering 120 yards on 24 attempts (5.0 YPC), adding a receiving touchdown on five catches for 40 yards. McKinney completed 19-of-33 for 190 yards and a touchdown, adding 98 rushing yards on 10 carries (9.8 YPC) and the game-winning touchdown.
 
The Texans started Saturday's game with a 75-yard scoring drive, sparked by a 21-yard Gabalis rush. He then tossed a 2-yard touchdown to Omayebu, the wide receiver's first of the season.
 
Midway through the opening quarter, EKU answered with a 48-yard Joshua Carter rushing touchdown.
 
Tarleton answered right back, going 70 yards in just over two minutes. Cooper had a 36-yard leaping grab, then Britten punched in a 4-yard touchdown, his seventh score on the ground this season, eighth overall. The Texan running back has scored in six of seven games this year. Tarleton led 14-7 after the first.
 
The Colonels tied it once again on their first drive of the second quarter, a Sloan 2-yard rush. But again, the Texans answered right back themselves, going 75 yards, scoring on a 27-yard Gabalis to Cooper connection.
 
With a minute left in the first half, Sloan ran in another score to make it 21-21 at halftime.
 
The Colonels opened the second half with a 75-yard scoring drive to take their first lead of the game, 28-21. Sloan scored his third touchdown of the day, his first receiving, on a 15-yard pass from McKinney. EKU led 28-21 entering the fourth quarter.
 
With about 11 minutes left, Britten broke free on a 59-yard rush to put the Texans on the doorstep, then Kelley finished the deal with a 3-yard scoring rush, his third of the season.
 
Tarleton then forced EKU to miss a 49-yard field goal wide left. The Texans marched down the other end, bleeding the clock all the way out with a chance to win. Facing 4th and 1 at the EKU 18-yard line, Tarleton decided to go for it, but Tuli Teuhema was called for a snap infraction, sending the Texans five yards back and the field goal team on. A pre-snap penalty changed things again, this time on EKU, called for a delay of game due to messing with Tarleton's snap calls. The Texans put the offense back on the field, and Kelley powered through for four yards and a first down.
 
Tarleton got down to the 7-yard line and called time out with three seconds left. Adrian Guzman, the reigning UAC Special Teams Player of the Week, missed a 24-yard field goal as time expired after a high snap and tough hold rushed the process. Guzman was a perfect 32-of-32 on kicks this season before the missed field goal, including 7-of-7 on field goal attempts.
 
In the first overtime, Sloan opened with a 20-yard rush, then scored his fourth touchdown of the day from five yards out. On Tarleton's possession, the Texans were down to their last play, 4th and 15 from the EKU 30-yard line. Gabalis zipped one up the middle to find Cooper in the end zone, and Guzman split the uprights on the extra point to tie the game.
 
In double overtime, Gabalis was picked off on third down, and EKU took advantage with the walk-off touchdown.
 
Next up for the Texans is their homecoming game against Morehead State on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. CT at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas.