BY BECK CROSS, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
PINE BLUFF — Alabama State found yet another way to break Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s heart.
On fourth-and-goal from the 10 with 41 seconds remaining, Fred Ragsdale made a diving, shoestring catch in the left corner of the end zone to give the Hornets a 12-10 come-frombehind victory before 10, 012 stunned fans Saturday night at Golden Lion Stadium.
Alabama State has won five consecutive games against the Golden Lions and seven of the past eight.
But it didn’t seem to be the touchdown that irked UAPB Coach Mo Forte most. It was a late defensive holding penalty four plays earlier that gave Alabama State its first-and-goal opportunity.
“I think a lot of calls were questionable, I’ll tell you that,” Forte said. “It’s unfortunate because I don’t ever want to try to make excuses for anything. We were so inconsistent on offense again, and the defense played extremely well. But there were a lot of things that were suspect.”
UAPB, which mustered only 159 yards in total offense, stayed in the game with defense and special teams.
With UAPB trailing 6-0 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Kevin Thornton blocked an Alabama State punt, and Jermaine Clemmons recovered for UAPB at the Hornets’ 31.
The Golden Lions reached the 8 on a pass interference call, but settled for a 26-yard field goal by Brodie Heflin that cut the deficit to 6-3 with 11: 18 left.
Special teams also set up UAPB’s go-ahead touchdown. After Alabama State punter Jeremy Fetterhoff failed to field a snap from center, Aldridge Marion recovered for the Golden Lions at the Hornets’ 8.
Quarterback Johnathan Moore scored two plays later on a 7-yard keeper, and Heflin added the extra point to give the Golden Lions a 10-6 advantage with 9: 10 remaining.
Alabama State was turned away on the ensuing possession but cashed in when the game was on the line with a 10-play, 49-yard drive that ended with Ragsdale’s touchdown reception.
“I couldn’t see it from my vantage point, but I understand it was a great catch,” Forte said. “We were able to get mileage from our special teams, and they gave us a couple of opportunities to score.
“ I just look at us as trying to get better. The offensive line is getting better but not as fast as I’d like to see. We’re a struggling offensive football team right now.”
UAPB gave up 187 yards of total offense in the first half but only spotted the Hornets a 6-0 halftime lead.
Alabama State scored with 18. 8 seconds left in the first half when Chris Mitchell threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Darius Mathis to cap an 11-play, 77-yard drive.
Jay Peck had seven carries for 48 yards on the drive, which was kept alive when the Golden Lions were flagged for pass interference on a third-and-4 play from the UAPB 23.
Fetterhoff’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Ledarius Anthony to set the 6-0 halftime margin.
Alabama State’s only other legitimate scoring threat came on the game’s opening possession. Mitchell completed a 48-yard flea-flicker pass to Darius Mathis at the UAPB 22, but the Golden Lions took over on downs four plays later after three running plays netted zero yardage.
Moore, who was making only his third career start, engineered an impressive opening drive for the Golden Lions. Moore completed 3 of 5 passes for 41 yards as UAPB drove inside the Hornets’ 35, but the Golden Lions got no farther.
UAPB threatened midway through the second quarter after Thornton intercepted Mitchell at the Alabama State 46, but the Golden Lions came away empty when Heflin was wide left on a 40-yard field-goal attempt with 3: 32 remaining.
PINE BLUFF — Alabama State found yet another way to break Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s heart.
On fourth-and-goal from the 10 with 41 seconds remaining, Fred Ragsdale made a diving, shoestring catch in the left corner of the end zone to give the Hornets a 12-10 come-frombehind victory before 10, 012 stunned fans Saturday night at Golden Lion Stadium.
Alabama State has won five consecutive games against the Golden Lions and seven of the past eight.
But it didn’t seem to be the touchdown that irked UAPB Coach Mo Forte most. It was a late defensive holding penalty four plays earlier that gave Alabama State its first-and-goal opportunity.
“I think a lot of calls were questionable, I’ll tell you that,” Forte said. “It’s unfortunate because I don’t ever want to try to make excuses for anything. We were so inconsistent on offense again, and the defense played extremely well. But there were a lot of things that were suspect.”
UAPB, which mustered only 159 yards in total offense, stayed in the game with defense and special teams.
With UAPB trailing 6-0 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Kevin Thornton blocked an Alabama State punt, and Jermaine Clemmons recovered for UAPB at the Hornets’ 31.
The Golden Lions reached the 8 on a pass interference call, but settled for a 26-yard field goal by Brodie Heflin that cut the deficit to 6-3 with 11: 18 left.
Special teams also set up UAPB’s go-ahead touchdown. After Alabama State punter Jeremy Fetterhoff failed to field a snap from center, Aldridge Marion recovered for the Golden Lions at the Hornets’ 8.
Quarterback Johnathan Moore scored two plays later on a 7-yard keeper, and Heflin added the extra point to give the Golden Lions a 10-6 advantage with 9: 10 remaining.
Alabama State was turned away on the ensuing possession but cashed in when the game was on the line with a 10-play, 49-yard drive that ended with Ragsdale’s touchdown reception.
“I couldn’t see it from my vantage point, but I understand it was a great catch,” Forte said. “We were able to get mileage from our special teams, and they gave us a couple of opportunities to score.
“ I just look at us as trying to get better. The offensive line is getting better but not as fast as I’d like to see. We’re a struggling offensive football team right now.”
UAPB gave up 187 yards of total offense in the first half but only spotted the Hornets a 6-0 halftime lead.
Alabama State scored with 18. 8 seconds left in the first half when Chris Mitchell threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Darius Mathis to cap an 11-play, 77-yard drive.
Jay Peck had seven carries for 48 yards on the drive, which was kept alive when the Golden Lions were flagged for pass interference on a third-and-4 play from the UAPB 23.
Fetterhoff’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Ledarius Anthony to set the 6-0 halftime margin.
Alabama State’s only other legitimate scoring threat came on the game’s opening possession. Mitchell completed a 48-yard flea-flicker pass to Darius Mathis at the UAPB 22, but the Golden Lions took over on downs four plays later after three running plays netted zero yardage.
Moore, who was making only his third career start, engineered an impressive opening drive for the Golden Lions. Moore completed 3 of 5 passes for 41 yards as UAPB drove inside the Hornets’ 35, but the Golden Lions got no farther.
UAPB threatened midway through the second quarter after Thornton intercepted Mitchell at the Alabama State 46, but the Golden Lions came away empty when Heflin was wide left on a 40-yard field-goal attempt with 3: 32 remaining.
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