WINTHROP – All he saw was a field of green and 100-plus yards in front of him.

As Winthrop’s Riley Cobb burst down the right sideline with a backbreaking interception return, Friday’s football game had a rapid reversal of fortune. The Jay Tiger could only watched their comeback hopes fade as the Ramblers remained unbeaten with a 31-0 win.

“I saw all green,” said Cobb, a junior defensive back. “I just got excited. I just bolted for it. I took a quick look to my left. They were back toward the goal line. My guys were right next to me and running with me.”

Down 14-0, the Tigers hoped to make a dent in the score just before halftime and create momentum. Instead, Cobb turned the tide on the Tigers. He intercepted an Austin Clark pass deep into the end zone and returned it 105 yards.

“That was a big play, a total momentum change,” said Jay coach Mark Bonnevie. “We go from 14-6 or 14-8 to 21-0. That was definitely a major point in the game, probably the biggest momentum changer.”

Jay struggled offensively much of the game. The Tigers (1-2) totaled just 42 yards, 21 on the ground. Miles Hutchinson, who was banged up early in the opening half, finished with 22 yards on 10 carries.

“We didn’t have good field position most of the night,” said Bonnevie. “We definitely had a hard time moving the ball. There was no doubt about that.”

Winthrop built an early lead on a 1-yard run by quarterback Jordan Conant. After a long punt return by Jake Steele (55 yards on 10 carries) put the Rambers at the 7, Skylar Whaley pounded it up the middle.

The Tigers got life late in the first half on a Hutchinson interception. That put Jay at the 16. A Clark pass to Kyle DeMillo put Jay at the 2, but a 3-yard loss on a Hutchinson run made it second-and-five with 11 seconds left in the half. On the next play, Clark looked to the left of the end zone, but Cobb read the play.

“I saw him looking that way,” said Cobb who led Winthrop with 67 yards on nine carries. “I just darted to the back of the end zone. The ball came right at me. I just snagged it and ran as fast as I could.”

The Tigers battled defensively in the second half but couldn’t muster the offense to overcome the deficit. Winthrop rode its momentum and added a Zach Farrington 31-yard field goal in the third. Whaley added a 2-yard run late in the third.

“That was a big stand for us,” said Cobb. “That got us momentum for the second half.”