Late field goal lifts Grambling to victory over Prairie View A&M

State Fair Classic - Attendance: 55,878

DALLAS — Senior kicker Tim Manuel nailed a 19-yard field goal with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter as the Grambling State Tigers held off a furious second-half charge by Prairie View A&M for a 17-14 victory Saturday night.

The game remained scoreless for most of the first half until Grambling State (3-1) mounted a 12-play, 71-yard drive that had an interesting ending.

The Tigers drove to Prairie View's 3 but came up short after quarterback Larry Kerlegan was stopped at the 3. On fourth-and-goal with the team lined up in field goal formation with 1 second left, GSU gambled and executed a perfect fake field goal capped off with a Kovarus Hill shuffle pass to John Carter.

The Tigers went up 14-0 margin at the 7:36 mark in the third quarter when quarterback Brandon Landers found wideout Clyde Edwards in the end zone for a 41-yard score.

Then Prairie View (2-2) rallied.

Quarterback Mark Spivey passed 38 yards to Shaun Stephens to cut the deficit to 14-7 early in the quarter. On GSU's next drive, Gary Hicks intercepted a Landers' pass and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown to tie the game.

The Tigers then went into ball- control mode and rode the backs of freshmen running backs Cornelius Walker and Frank Warren. The duo, who set up Manuel's game-winning field goal, combined to lead the Tigers on a 16-play, 76-yard drive that took nearly nine minutes off the clock.

Prairie View had a chance to tie but Nigel Copeland blocked a 57-yard field goal attempt to seal the victory.

Grambling's Cornelius Walker rushed for 109 yards, and Brandon Landers passed for 173 yards and a touchdown.

Clyde Edwards, who caught seven passes for 100 yards, hauled in a 41-yard TD from Landers that put the Tigers ahead 14-0 midway through the third.

Mark Spivey threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Shaun Stephens that brought Prairie View within 14-7 with 11:02 remaining.

Less than a minute later, Gary Hicks intercepted a pass and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown.

Grambling then drove for the winning score by converting all three of its third down conversions on a 76-yard drive.

Walker's 23-yard run to the 3 set up Manuel's game-winning kick.