EPHRAIM — The No. 4 Snow College Badgers football team overcame six turnovers and needed a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter to outlast Mesa 40-37 in overtime Saturday.
The Badgers (7-0) were on the brink of their first loss of the season as Mesa lined up for a 30-yard field goal try with eight seconds left in regulation. Snow used a big push up the middle to get a solid block on the kick and send the game into overtime.
In overtime following a Mesa field goal Snow running back Kapri Bibbs found the end zone on an 11-yard carry to cap the Badger victory.
"I am very proud that our guys did not quit," said head coach Tyler Hughes. "They kept playing even when things looked bad and came out with the hard-fought win."
Bibbs led the Badger rushing attack with 10 carries for 133 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner. The Badgers as a team rushed for 208 yards in the game.
Adam Eastman went 15-23 for 179 yards and a touchdown, but threw three crucial interceptions. Craig Harrison was 2-for-6 for 38 yards and a touchdown and an interception.
The Badgers jumped out to an early 20-0 lead in the first quarter in a game that looked like it was going to be one-sided. But Mesa never let up, scoring the next 27 points and taking the lead in the fourth quarter.
Snow and Mesa traded rushing touchdowns before Eastman found receiver Chris Toronto for an 11-yard touchdown with less than seven minutes left to tie the game 34-34.
The Badgers travel to No. 13 Eastern Arizona Saturday. That game kicks off at 8 p.m.
AZUSA PACIFIC 48, DIXIE STATE 19: At St. George, Azusa Pacific rushed for 442 yards as a team en route to a nonconference win at Hansen Stadium on Saturday.
Senior quarterback John van den Raadt netted 145 yards and tailback Johnell Murphy added 142 yards for the NAIA' s 10th-ranked Cougars (6-1).
Dixie State was led by junior placekicker Jameson Schultz and senior running back Jesse Ence.
Schultz set a school-record, hitting all four field goal attempts (42, 32, 42, 45) on the game, with Ence totaling 97 all-purpose yards (84 rush, 13 receiving).