On Jim Tressel bobblehead night, the Columbus Aviators (2-5) picked up their second franchise win, taking down the Houston Gamblers 24-17 on May 1.
It’s the second time in a row the Aviators have lost to a team on the road, then beat the same team the week after at home.
The Aviators entered the game with a 1-4 record, the worst turnover ratio (-5) and most sacks allowed per game. Despite the struggles, the Aviators boast the most rushing yards per game and per attempt in the UFL, and that helped them score 21 points in the first half. The Aviators outrushed the Gamblers 179-82.
The Aviators outpossessed the Gamblers by more than nine minutes in the first half and had 222 total yards of offense, the most of any half for the team to date. After losing a fumble that cost the Aviators a chance to beat the Gamblers last week, quarterback Jalan McClendon played a turnover-free game and completed 20 for 26 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Leading 14-10 with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter, McClendon threw his best pass of the day, a bullet to wide receiver Tay Martin, who pushed downfield for 52 yards.
After McClendon’s pass, running back Zaquandre White took the next four carries for 20 yards, ending with a rushing touchdown to put the Aviators ahead 21-10 with five minutes left in the second quarter.
Gamblers quarterback Nolan Henderson, who had no turnovers and a rushing touchdown in the win against the Aviators last week, appeared to injure a leg on the Gamblers’ first scoring drive. He played the rest of the first half but did not return for the second half.
Backup quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, entered the game and led a five-play, 57-yard touchdown drive to get the Gamblers within a touchdown entering the fourth quarter.
Though the Aviators played lockdown defense, their offense stalled, aside from a 48-yard field goal by kicker Ryan Coe on their first drive of the second half. Coe attempted a 49-yard field goal with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter but missed short and right.
With the ball on the Gamblers’ 39-yard line, the Aviators’ defensive front stepped up. Linebacker Jailin Walker sacked Tagovailoa on third down, forcing a three-and-out. The Aviators chewed the clock down to 57 seconds remaining on the next possession. Punter Brad Robbins, a Westerville South graduate who leads the UFL in punt-yards average, booted the ball 56 yards, and Houston started its attempt at a game-tying drive on the 16-yard line.
On the first play of the final drive, defensive end Ron Stone Jr. hammered Tagovailoa to the ground for a loss of nine yards. Tagovailoa winced in pain and was helped off the field. Instead of putting in third-string quarterback Hunter Decks, the Gamblers put in wide receiver Jonte Kirklin under center, and he threw an interception to safety Kedrick Whitehead Jr. to seal the game.
The Aviators (2-4) are tied for fifth in the UFL standings.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Aviators top Houston Gamblers 24-17
Reporting by Dan Aulbach, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
