MACOMB, Ill. — Kinkead Dent showcased an outstanding performance by throwing two touchdowns and rushing for another two, leading UT Martin to a commanding 45-17 win against Western Illinois on Saturday.

Dent got the action started early, connecting with Max Dowling on a notable 48-yard touchdown strike just three plays into the game. He then capped off the first quarter by scoring on a one-yard run, putting the Skyhawks up 14-3 after the first 15 minutes.

Early in the second quarter, Glover Cook III extended the lead with a 33-yard touchdown run, making it an 18-point advantage for UT Martin. Dent further contributed to the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Dowling, propelling the Skyhawks to a 28-3 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, Patrick Smith added a 10-yard touchdown run, and Dent found the end zone again with a 5-yard rush, bringing the score to 42-3.

Dent concluded the game with 194 yards, completing 16 of 21 pass attempts for the Skyhawks. Smith enjoyed a remarkable performance on the ground as well, racking up 145 yards on 17 carries, while Dowling had a solid showing with three receptions for 88 yards.

For Western Illinois, Nathan Lamb completed 20 passes out of 33 attempts for a total of 158 yards. His backup, Chris Irvin, went 6 for 13 with 74 yards, including a late 20-yard touchdown pass to Demari Davis with just 31 seconds remaining in the game. Cameron Smith added a two-yard touchdown run during the fourth quarter.

Overall, UT Martin dominated offensively, accumulating 541 yards compared to Western Illinois’s 294 yards. The Skyhawks improved their record to 4-3 with a 2-1 mark in the Big South-OVC conference.