COLUMBIA, Mo. — Running out of time, Poplar Bluff quarterback Kannon Carr found an open Jacob Baller for a go-ahead touchdown with 11 seconds to play Friday night.
The Mules scored twice in the fourth quarter, battling back to beat Battle 26-22.
“I've got to give all the credit to the seniors. They just kept fighting and fighting,” Poplar Bluff coach David Sievers said. “This was the biggest win we've had in awhile for our program.
“We beat a quality team with a four-hour road trip. I couldn't be more proud of the kids and the coaches.”
In a game that featured seven combined turnovers, Poplar Bluff ran out of time to convert one into points at the end of the half. But the Mules were able to punch in the winning score in the closing seconds.
The Mules (4-1) missed a chance to pull even on a two-point attempt after Atari Amos ran for his second touchdown with 8:24 left in the fourth.
Poplar Bluff’s defense forced a punt with 2:41 to go when Desmond Howell sacked the quarterback and a holding penalty knocked Battle back to third-and-31.
“Our defense really had to step up and get the stop for us,” said Carr, who threw for 271 passing yards.
“We got the ball back and we knew it was our time to go.”
Taking over at their own 34-yard line, the Mules patiently marched downfield with short runs and passes.
Devin Gatewood caught consecutive throws as the Mules took their final timeout. With 16 seconds left, Carr hit Baller near the left sideline and the senior caught the ball on the run to score untouched.
“It felt amazing,” said Baller, who caught six passes for 48 yards. “I’m just excited at how our defense performed, and how we came back on offense and never gave up.”
Baller was injured in the loss to Jackson and limited to just offense.
“We didn’t think he was going to play a couple of weeks ago because we thought he broke his ankle,” Sievers said. “He’s been getting treatment and working.
“It’s just seniors stepping up and doing their job.”
Darius Graham, a sophomore, led Poplar Bluff’s receivers with 10 catches and 98 yards. Gatewood’s four receptions went for 90 yards as Carr completed 24 of 37 passes.
Amos ran for 143 yards on 15 carries but most of that came on a 93-yard touchdown that tied the game midway through the third quarter.
Ben Colclasure recovered a pair of fumbles for the Mules, who had three first-half takeaways but couldn’t take advantage.
“We played pretty ugly tonight,” Sievers said. “Battle has a heck of a good team. They kind beat us. We weren’t very good up front tonight but we just kept clawing, kept scratching.”
Battle (2-2) led 14-7 at the half but a muffed punt extended Poplar Bluff’s drive. The Mules, however, lost a fumble at the Spartans 25-yard line.
After forcing a punt, the Mules were at their own 7-yard line when Amos took the handoff and ran up the middle and to the opposite end zone.
Battle answered with a seven-play, 67-yard drive, taking a 22-14 lead on a 20-yard touchdown pass by Justin Goolsby, who threw for 246 yards on 17 of 26 passes.
The teams traded punts to end the third quarter before the Mules were able to overcome a third-and-11 with a pass to Nic Brumitt, who caught three passes. The next third down Poplar Bluff faced was from the 1-inch line and Amos punched it in.
Battle’s Ahmed Yobi picked off a pass on the two-point attempt to maintain a 22-20 lead.
Twice the Mules had a first-and-goal and came away with no points in the first half.
Poplar Bluff took a 7-6 lead on Carr’s 12-yard third-down touchdown run and the point-after by Chandler Beaton. On the ensuing kickoff, Ben Colclasure recovered a fumble at the Battle 14-yard line. After another third-down run to move the chains by Carr, a holding penalty brought a touchdown back. A false-start penalty, one of three in the first half alone, and consecutive sacks by seniors Hayden Hicks and D’aire Williams got Battle the ball back.
Battle lost another fumble, this time at the end of a 57-yard pass play, when Dalton Gatewood stripped the ball away from the receiver and Kolyn McBride recovered it.
Devin Gatewood’s 34-yard pass got the Mules to midfield but Battle forced a fumble when Carr avoided the rush and was hit from behind as he was setting to throw.
Alijah Jackman scooped up the ball and ran 60 yards to put the Spartans ahead when LJ Williams caught a pass for two points.
Aiden Timbrook ended Poplar Bluff’s next possession with an interception at his own 17-yard line and returned it 57 yards.
But the Mules got it back when Jacob Baller picked off a pass 7 yards in front of his own end zone with 37 seconds left in the half.
Carr found Devin Gatewood for a 36-yard pass and Atari Amos ran for 27 on third down before being forced out of bounds at the Battle 6 with 9 seconds left.
Carr threw a pair of passes incomplete in the end zone to end the half.
The teams traded punts to open the game before the Spartans put together a 77-yard scoring drive. After converting two third downs, Battle faced a fourth-and-3 when Goolsby found Jaylen Broadus for a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Poplar Bluff blocked the point-after kick with 3:40 left in the opening quarter and answered with a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive for the lead.
The Mules return to SEMO North Conference play Friday at Farmington.