On a nearly perfect night for late August, the 2026 college football season got underway at Graham Stadium in Martin, Tennessee, as nationally ranked UT Martin welcomed Central Arkansas for a highly anticipated Thursday night nonconference matchup. Coming into the game Thursday night, both UT Martin and Central Arkansas were looking for an early-season statement win; for Central Arkansas, a win over the Skyhawks would deliver a needed message to the fan base and the rest of college football that last season’s 3-9 record was a fluke for this program. As for UT Martin, the matchup with Central Arkansas was a chance to continue the Skyhawk way by defending Graham Stadium. 

After several defensive stops to open the first quarter, it was UT Martin who would finally strike first with a pick-six from Trey Cotton to give the Skyhawks an early 7-0 lead over the Bears. Central Arkansas responded with a six-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Donovyn Omolo to Kealen Juniel, but a blocked field goal left UT Martin ahead 7-6 at the end of the first quarter. 

UT Martin would open the second quarter with a 25-yard field goal from Brandon Sims to extend the Skyhawks’ lead to 10-6. Central Arkansas would respond with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a touchdown to take a 13-10 lead over UT Martin with 6:53 to play in the half. UT Martin responded on the ensuring drive with a ten-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a seven-yard rushing touchdown from Tommy Ansley to retake a UT Martin 17-13 lead with 1:56 remaining in the half. As they’ve done the entire first half, it was Central Arkansas with a quick response that ended in a touchdown to retake a 19-17 lead after another blocked PAT attempt with 27 seconds remaining in the half. 

Central Arkansas would open the second half with a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that lasted all of two minutes and fifty-six seconds to extend the lead over UT Martin to 26-17. A missed 34-yard field goal from UT Martin would open the door for Central Arkansas to add a field goal to the lead to extend the lead to 29-17 with 12:52 to play in the game, adding pressure to the Skyhawks to quickly figure things out or suffer a tough blow to open the 2026 season.UT Martin responded as they needed with a quick seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that cut the Central Arkansas lead to 29-24 with 9:49 remaining in the game. Central Arkansas would add the nail in the coffin with 3:38 remaining with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that lasted six minutes and eleven seconds to extend the lead to 36-24. 

Thursday night was the Donovyn Omolo show as he threw for 243 yards, three touchdowns in the air, and only one interception, while rushing for 118 yards. On the topic of the offense, Central Arkansas nearly doubled the total offensive yards, with the Bears finishing with 482 yards. 

Central Arkansas came into the matchup with UT Martin needing a statement win in the worst way possible after losing five straight to close out the 2025 season, and a top-25 win over UT Martin on the road would be the best way to jumpstart a new season with momentum. A statement win in the sort of way that would deliver a statement across the bow of the ship to the rest of the country that last season was in the past and this season’s Central Arkansas team is one that has the talent to return back to playing winning football. Every time UT Martin would try to land a punch, it was Central Arkansas who would throw a haymaker and answer the call. Truly an impressive outing from Central Arkansas tonight, who not only did what they had to do, but came into a top-25 program’s home turf and silenced the crowd. 

For UT Martin, a disappointing non-conference home loss, no doubt, but the season is far from over as they can still have a successful season, reach the playoffs, and even win the OVC.