West Florida secures first DI win topping Southern Illinois 34-31

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — West Florida secured its first Division I FCS victory by defeating Southern Illinois 34-31 on Thursday night. Ty'ray Davis was instrumental in the win, throwing for two touchdowns, running for another, and intercepting a crucial pass with 58 seconds remaining to seal the game. The Argonauts, who started playing football just a decade ago, achieved their Division I debut win and upset the No. 16 Southern Illinois Salukis.

West Florida dominated from start to finish, maintaining a 27-9 lead after the first quarter and never trailed again. The Salukis managed to score two touchdowns, the first coming through Jake Curry's 18-yard pass to Kyle Thomas, but Davis responded with a 45-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, giving West Florida an early 7-3 lead.

The Argonauts continued their strong performance in the second quarter, with Davis completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jakari Mozelle, extending their lead to 13-6. A'Khoury Lyde then intercepted a pass from Curry, running it back for a 44-yard touchdown, leading to a 20-6 West Florida advantage. In the third quarter, Markel Townsend's 9-yard touchdown run, following an eight-play, 77-yard drive, put the score at 27-9 with 7:27 left on the clock.

Southern Illinois' Stephen Green managed to kick three field goals, including 31, 47, and 50 yards, but missed a crucial 41-yard attempt. Ty'ray Davis sealed the victory with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:14 left in the first half, ensuring West Florida's first-ever Division I FCS win and their first-ever victory overall.