Alabama State Comes From Behind to Edge Grambling
SWAC.org
GRAMBLING, La. - Alabama State quarterback Greg Jenkins’ 29-yard touchdown run with 4:15 to play gave Alabama State a 19-18 victory over defending SWAC Champion Grambling State Saturday night at Robinson Stadium.
Jenkins’ scoring run was set up by P Bobby Wenzig’s 14-yard run from punt formation on 4th and 2 from the ASU 38-yard line. Three plays later, Jenkins knifed through the Grambling defense for the winning touchdown to complete the eight-play, 70-yard drive.
The Hornets’ defense allowed just one first down on Grambling’s final drive and stopped the Tigers on downs with 2:48 remaining.
Alabama State (2-1 overall, 2-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) had taken a 13-12 lead early in the fourth quarter on Isaiah Crowell’s three-yard touchdown run with 12:49 remaining in the game.
Grambling State (0-3, 0-2) came back with a touchdown on the ensuing drive on a 10-yard scoring pass from backup quarterback Frank Rivers to Anthony McGhee to take an 18-13 win with 6:41 remaining as the two-point conversion failed prior to Alabama State’s game-winning drive.
Jenkins totaled 203 yards (138 passing, 65 rushing), accounting for two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing), while Crowell rushed 15 times for 98 yards and one touchdown.
The Hornets’ defense allowed just 78 rushing yards against the Tigers, the lowest output yielded this season.
Wide receiver T.C. McWilliams caught five passes for 56 yards and one touchdown, including three catches for 30 yards on the game-winning drive.
Free safety Kejuan Riley’s 19th career interception in the second quarter led to ASU’s first score of the night, a nine-yard scoring strike from Jenkins to McWilliams to give the Hornets their first lead at 7-6 with 4:45 to play until halftime.
Alabama A&M 42, Prairie View 30
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Prairie View A&M was its own worst enemy as they committed five turnovers in a loss to Alabama A&M University on Saturday night at Lewis Crews Stadium.
Alabama A&M struck first as the Bulldogs needed only one play to score as quarterback Deaunte Mason threw a 36-yard strike with 8:30 remaining in the first quarter. The Panthers responded with a quickness on the ensuing drive as they went to the run and came up successful as Fred Anderson capped off a six-play, 77-yard drive with a 6-yard run. Chris Barrick's PAT was good as the Panthers knotted the game at 7-all.
Mason struck again early in the second stanza as he connected with Bobby Goldsby on a 13-yard pass at the 11:34 mark. Chance Wilson's PAT was good as Alabama A&M jumped on top 14-7. After a short AAMU punt midway in the second quarter, Prairie View A&M took advantage of the generous field position as quarterback De'Auntre Smiley rushed in from 14 yards out. The PAT from Barrick was good as the Panthers knotted the game at 14 apiece.
The Panther defense forced an AAMU punt on the next drive but the Panther offense gave the Bulldogs a gift as they fumbled on the first play of the drive. Alabama A&M took advantage of the gift and scored in five plays as Mason's 9-yard scamper upped their lead to a touchdown margin over the Panthers.
Once again, the Panthers fought back as they put forth a successful one-minute drill that spanned 65 yards in only five plays as wideout Deandre Cooper caught a 9-yard slant pattern from Smiley to climb within 21-20. Barrick's PAT was successful as the Panthers entered the half tied at 21-all.
PV took its first lead of the game with 8:06 left in the third quarter as Barrick nailed a 28-yard field goal. The drive began on a positive note as Spencer Nelson had a huge punt return coupled with a big fourth down conversion from Smiley.
Following the field goal, AAMU answered with a nine-play, 77-yard drive to jump ahead 28-27 with 41 seconds left in third stanza. As the fourth quarter began, the Panthers moved the chains and reclaimed a 30-28 lead as Barrick connected on a 30-yard field goal with 12:09 left.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Alabama A&M reclaimed a 35-30 advantage as they drove 63 yards in six plays. The play that broke PV's back occurred on a 3rd-and-5 as Mason found Goldsby for a 40-yard strike. The Bulldogs scored the go-ahead score on Mason's 4-yard pass to Goldsby with 5:45 left on the clock.
On PV's next drive, an Alabama A&M defender tipped Smiley's pass and the ball landed in hands of a fellow Bulldog for a huge interception which gave AAMU the ball at PV's 19. Three plays later, the Panthers fell behind by 12 as Mason scored on a 7-yard run. Down by 12, the Panthers attempted to narrow their deficit but turned the ball over on downs while attempting to move down the field.
Prairie View A&M finished with 419 total offensive yards (121 P, 298 R) to 421 yards from Alabama A&M.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24, Alcorn State 6
LORMAN, Miss. -- Ben Anderson passed for one touchdown and ran for another and Arkansas-Pine Bluff used big plays in the second half to defeat Alcorn State.
The Golden Lions (2-1. 1-1 in SWAC), coming off a 14-10 loss to Alabama A&M, led 7-6 at halftime. Anderson completed a 10-yard pass to Dezmond Beverly late in the first quarter to open the scoring. The Braves got on the scoreboard on a 2-yard rush by Anthony Williams III, but kicker Ernesto Santillan fumbled the extra-point attempt.
After Alcorn State (1-2, 1-1 in SWAC) drove 67 yards to start the second half, Santillan missed a 30-yard field goal.
John Toney romped 54 yards to extend the Arkansas-Pine Bluff lead to 14-6 with 3:15 to go in the third quarter. Tyler Strickland added a 38-yard field goal and Anderson closed out the scoring with a 34-yard rush in the fourth.
Jackson State 45, Texas Southern 35
HOUSTON, Texas - Clayton Moore passed for three touchdowns and ran for three more to lead the Jackson State Tigers over the Texas Southern Tigers 45-35.
Moore ran for 101 yards and completed 18 of 36 passes for 363 yards. Moore connected with Rico Richardson on a 44-yard pass for a touchdown. Richardson caught two other passes for touchdowns.
Texas Southern (1-2, 1-1 SWAC) led 21-14 at halftime, but Jackson State scored 17 points in the third quarter.
Rudolph Johnson ran for a touchdown and completed 11 of 21 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns. The Jackson State defense sacked him six times. Edward Perkins-Loving ran for a touchdown and Fred Plummer, Tory Allen-Ford and Harry Brown caught passes from Johnson for touchdowns.
The game was the SWAC opener for JSU (1-2). The game was played in Texas Southern's new home, the BBVA Compass Stadium in downtown Houston.
Mississippi Valley 6, Southern 0 (Thursday)
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Brandon Stansell ran for 100 yards on 17 carries, Trey Bateaste scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter and Mississippi Valley State beat Southern University for the first time since 2005, winning on Thursday night on ESPNU.
Eddie Ivory completed eight of 11 passes for 53 yards for Mississippi Valley State (1-2, 1-1), and Keven Woods had 14 tackles and forced a fumble.
Dray Joseph was 12 of 29 for 114 yards and threw an interception for the Jaguars (0-2, 0-1).
Week 4 Schedule
Thursday
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State, 6:30 PM (ESPNU)
Saturday, September 22
Alabama A&M at Texas Southern, 11:00 AM (SWAC-TV)
Prairie View at North Dakota State, 3:00 PM
Southern at Jackson State, 4:00 PM
Alcorn State at Arkansas State, 6:00 PM
Mississippi Valley at Northwestern State, 6:00 PM