Alcorn State Rallies to Beat Grambling
SHREVEPORT, La. -- The Alcorn State Braves rallied from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Grambling State 22-21 in the Port City Classic in Shreveport, La. The game was the first of the season streamed live on SWAC-TV and what a barn-burner.
Arnold Walker scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:33 remaining to cap the fourth-quarter rally for the victory after Grambling State led 21-9 through three quarters. His 4-yard touchdown run gave Alcorn its first lead of the game.
Grambling State fumbled two punts inside its 15-yard line, which Alcorn State recovered and converted into nine points.
The Tigers built their first-half lead behind Dawrence Roberts, who rushed for 98 yards before succumbing to cramps. He did not return for the second half.
Texas Southern 44, Prairie View 41
HOUSTON, Texas - Robert Hersh kicked a 47-yard field goal on the last play to give Texas Southern a thrilling victory against Prairie View A&M at Reliant Stadium.
After Jerry Lovelocke ran 5 yards for a touchdown to enable Prairie View A&M to tie the score with 1:16 remaining, Texas Southern's Billy Rosenberg stepped in front of a short kickoff and gave the Tigers possession at their 49-yard line. Five plays later, Dantavio Parker hit Harry Brown with a 9-yard pass to the Prairie View A&M 30 with four seconds remaining, setting up Hersh's kick attempt.
Texas Southern, which overcame a 20-7 deficit at the end of the first quarter, used two quarterbacks. Parker played earlier in the game before relieving Riko Smalls, who passed for 222 yards and a touchdown and ran for 101 yards, for the final drive. Fred Plummer had five receptions for 142 yards for the Tigers, and Edward Perkins-Loving rushed for 88 yards and two TDs.
Courtney Brown had 86 yards and three touchdowns rushing for the Panthers.
Hersh made three field goals, including a 42-yarder that gave Texas Southern a 41-34 lead in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers opened the Darrell Asberry coaching era with a win and snapped a five-game losing streak in the series. It was the second straight meeting between the schools decided on a late field goal, as Prairie View won 37-34 on a kick with four seconds remaining a year ago.
Alabama A&M 7, Tuskegee 6
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Alabama A&M blocked its second field goal as time expired to hold onto a victory over Tuskegee.The Golden Tigers drove the ball 39 yards in the final 51 seconds and had a chance to win the game on Eduardo Murillo's 52-yard field goal try. Bulldog Vernon Marshall blocked the kick as the horn sounded, ensuring an Alabama A&M win.
Murillo connected on his first attempt from 20 yards late in the first quarter, putting Tuskegee up 3-0. The lead lasted until Daunte Mason capped a 10-play, 94-yard drive with a 5-yard pass to Montauriu Smith in the third quarter. Mason finished 19 of 28 for 171 yards, and also ran for 55 yards on eight attempts.
The Marshall block was the second by the Bulldogs in the fourth, as Theron Rice blocked Murillo's 44-yard try with 6:29 to go.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 17, Langston 14
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Tyler Strickland's 27-yard field goal with a second remaining gave Arkansas-Pine Bluff a season-opening win over Langston Saturday night.
The winning points were set up when Brandon Thurmond recovered a fumble at the Langston 30-yard line with just over a minute remaining. Justin Billings ran for 13 yards and Benjamin Anderson gained 9 on another run to move the Golden Lions closer for the winning kick.
Anderson threw for 168 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Dezmond Beverly, and Dennis Jenkins scored on a 19-yard run for Pine Bluff.
Ja'Quon Miles passed for 154 yards and a touchdown for Langston, and Will Taylor's 1-yard run with 10:44 to play tied the game at 14. The NAIA school beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 19-12 in last season's opener.
New Mexico 66, Southern 21
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Demarcus Rogers rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown and freshman quarterback Cole Gautsche scored two rushing touchdowns to lead New Mexico to a win over Southern.
Gautsche had 88 yards on eight carries, including a 47-yard touchdown run on an option keeper.
The Lobos scored 38 points in the second quarter, as many as they totaled in the final six games last season.
Southern turned the ball over four times and the Lobos turned each one into a touchdown, including three in the second quarter.
Joseph Harris returned a recovered fumble 10 yards for a Lobos touchdown, while Cranston Jones brought an interception back 39 yards for a score. New Mexico's Chase Clayton also had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Jaguars receiver Charles Hawkins had five receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Concordia (Ala.) 20, Mississippi Valley State 19
ITTA BENA, Miss. - Concordia scored a touchdown in the last two minutes to ruin Mississippi Valley State's home opener.
MVSU trailed 13-7 at halftime, but rallied to take the lead with a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter. The Devils tied the game on a fumble recovery in the endzone by Robert Simpson with 14:08 left in the third quarter. The PAT was blocked.
Then with 2:41 left in the quarter, Trey Bateaste put MVSU on top with a 3-yard touchdown run. However, the 2-point conversion failed and it was come back to haunt the Devils.
With 2:18 left in the game, Immoni Carswell plowed in from a yard out to tie the game at 19. The extra-point was good, providing the difference for Concordia.
MVSU outgained Concordia 248-166. However, the Devils were plagued by penalties, being flagged 15 times for 130 yards.
Mississippi State 56, Jackson State 9
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Tyler Russell completed 15 of 23 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns to lead Mississippi State to a win over Jackson State.
Mississippi State finished the game with 377 yards total offense and did not punt the football until the final minute of the third quarter. Dan Mullen's offense was at its balanced best with 183 yards passing and 194 yards rushing.
Jackson State managed 265 yards of offense and 16 first downs, but turned the ball over three times and struggled to sustain drives against a deep Bulldog defense.
On the game's opening drive, Mississippi State moved quickly down the field before Tyler Russell hit Chad Bumphis for a 9-yard touchdown pass. After a missed field goal attempt, Bulldog LaDarius Perkins scored touchdowns on each of the team's next two possessions. Perkins finished the game with 50 yards on eight carries.
Tight end Marcus Green scored on a 13-yard pass from Russell late in the second quarter.
Mississippi State scored on four of its six possessions in the first half and led 35-6 at halftime, its largest first-half output since a 35-6 first half against Alcorn State in 2010.
The Bulldogs returned two Dedric McDonald interceptions for touchdowns. Darius Slay returned one for 52 yards in the first half, and sophomore Matthew Wells ran from 22 yards out in the third quarter. Mississippi State had returned two balls for scores only three other times in school history (2009 vs. Florida, 2002 vs. Memphis, and 1994 vs. Arkansas).
McDonald finished the game 14 of 27 for 136 yards and one touchdown.
Mississippi State's Derrick Milton led all rushers with 65 yards on eight carries and one touchdown.
Receivers Arceto Clark and Jameon Lewis had three catches each to lead the Bulldogs.
Jackson State's Rico Richardson caught a game-high seven passes, and E.J. Drewery caught a 9-yard pass in the second quarter for the Tigers' lone touchdown of the game.
