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Tuskers Drop First Regular Season Game

September 26, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


SACRAMENTO, CA - SATURDAY, September 29, 2010 Daunte Culpepper hit Rod Windsor on a 33-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds remaining to lead the Sacramento Mountains to a 24-20 win over the Florida Tuskers. It was the first regular season loss for the Tuskers in franchise history.

"We had our chances and didn't take advantage of it," Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden said. "We all had a hand in this one and now we have to rebound from it and get ready to play Las Vegas in a very short week."

With the score tied at 17-17, the Tuskers took over on their own 24 and drove the ball 75-yards down to the Mountain Lions' 1-yard line. But three plays netted a -11 yards and the Tuskers were forced to settle for a Nick Novak 30-yard field goal to take a 20-17 lead.

Culpepper was outstanding on the game's final drive. After converting a fourth and two with a quarterback sneak, he completed passes of 13 and 8 yards to set up the game winning touchdown pass.

For the game, Culpepper was 26 of 42 for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Former Tusker wide receiver Taye Biddle caught three of those passes for 109 yards, Otis Amey added seven catches for 94 yards.

Bollinger was 23 of 41 for 328 yards and one touchdown; Cortez Hankton had six of those catches for 110 yards.

The Tuskers drew first blood on the opening drive of the game. Bollinger led the Tuskers on a 53-yard drive that was capped on a Nick Novak 48-yard field goal to give the Tuskers a 3-0 lead at the 9:41 mark of the first period.

On Sacramento's first possession, Tusker defensive tackle Bryan Save grabbed hold of Culpepper when he was throwing and Terrance Melton stepped in front of the errant pass and returned it down to the Sacramento 37-yard line. But on the first play, Bollinger's screen pass went off Dominic Rhodes' hands and Thomas Dontarrious intercepted to give the ball back to the Mountain Lions.

The defenses then took control of the game before the Mountain Lions drove the length of the field to take a 7-3 lead. Culpepper capped a 12-play, 86-yard drive with a 4-yard scoring pass to Rod Windsor at the 8:56 mark of the second quarter. The touchdown drive was aided by a 4th down roughing the kicker penalty on punter Tom Malone.

Florida's offense finally got on track in its final possession of the period. Bollinger directed an 8-play, 76-yard drivehitting Cortez Hankton on a 14-yard scoring strike to give the Tuskers a 10-7 lead with 1:31 remaining.

The Tuskers would grab a two score lead on their second possession of the second half. Rhodes bulled over from the one with 8:17 remaining to give the Tuskers a 17-7 lead. The key play in the drive came one play earlier when Bollinger hit Hankton for a 34-yard gain to the 1-yard line on a 4th and seven play.

Florida had a chance to extend its lead late in the third quarter, but on a fourth and one play from the Sacramento 16-yard line, Aveion Cason was stuffed for no gain. The play would factor into the final score as Fabrizio Saccia would tie a league record by booting a 54-yard field goal on the Mountain Lions next possession to make it 17-10 at the 14:48 mark. Saccia's field goal tied Florida's Nick Novak, who also booted a 54-yard field goal in the season opening win against Las Vegas.

Culpepper would then direct a game-tying drive, leading the Mountain Lions on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard pass to Darrell Strong at the 6:59 mark of the fourth quarter. A 30-yard pass and run play by Joe West on a third down play keyed the drive.

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