LIVINGSTON, Ala. - Fourth down was a good down for Arkansas-Monticello.
The Boll Weevils scored three fourth-down touchdowns and a safety on a fourth down for West Alabama in their 44-36 victory Thursday night at Tiger Stadium.
UAM freshman quarterback Scott Buisson ran for two touchdowns and passed for another on fourth-down plays, and West Alabama junior punter J.D. Wu was forced to kick a bad snap out of the end zone for a safety.
Buisson completed 25 of 32 passes for 308 yards and 4 touchdowns and rushed 22 times for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead UAM (4-5, 3-3 Gulf South) to its second consecutive victory.
Buisson's 17-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Clarence Denmark gave UAM a 30-21 lead with eight seconds left in the second quarter.
West Alabama (1-7, 0-6) responded on its first possession of the second half.
Senior running back Tyrone Tomlin's 49-yard run pulled West Alabama within 30-28 with 14:11 left in the third quarter.
UAM scored on its next possession, when Buisson passed for 12-yards to freshman receiver Jywin Ceasar on fourth-and-2.
Ceaser caught 7 passes for 108 yards and 3 touchdowns.
After UAM stopped West Alabama on its next possession, Buisson's 32-yard touchdown pass to Ceasar gave the BollWeevils a 44-28 lead with 5:50 left in the third quarter.
West Alabama cut UAM's lead to 44-36 on Tomlin's 5-yard touchdown run and his reception for the two-point conversion with 14:33 left in the fourth quarter.
UAM had to punt on its next possession, and West Alabama took over at its 25 with 12:13 left.
West Alabama drove into UAM territory on two plays, but was stopped by sophomore defensive back Quenton Arnett's interception at the 23.
The UAM drive remained alive when Buisson, on fourthand-8 from the West Alabama 37, ran 10 yards on a draw, but ended when junior Nick Green missed a42-yard field-goal attempt.
West Alabama gave the ball back to UAM when it failed by about an inch on a fourth-and-1 run from its 34.
But Green missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt with 2:54 left to leave West Alabama a chance.
West Alabama drove from its 20 to UAM's 44, where it faced fourth-and-4, but a pass from senior quarterback James Reiter to Tomlin was stopped a yard short with 1:51 left.
West Alabama had a final possession, from its 24 with 12 seconds left, but Reiter's pass was intercepted by junior defensive back Scooter White.
Sports, Pages 29 on 10/26/2007