TSU's turnovers blow 21-point lead in loss

Photo: Tennessee State's Chris Johnson, left, catches a pass in front of Southern's Michael Williams during the first half.

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, The(Baton Rouge)Advocate

BATON ROUGE, La. — Tennessee State squandered a 21-point lead in the final 36 minutes and fell to undefeated Southern University in a 41-34 thriller on Saturday.

TSU running back Javarris Williams ran for 107 yards and one touchdown on only 14 carries.

And Antonio Heffner threw for 316 yards — even with just 13 completions — and three touchdowns, but his two interceptions came late in the fourth quarter as the Tigers tried to rally.

He also fumbled on the final possession, at the TSU 15, with 1:45 to play.

"I don't think there was any momentum swing," TSU Coach James Webster said. "The game was in doubt until the very end, until we fumbled the football at the end.

"We got up on them, and we relaxed on some things. And you can't relax against a good football team. You just can't do that."

Southern (4-0), once down 27-6 with 6:36 before halftime, outscored Tennessee State 35-7 the rest of the way.

TSU (2-2) committed five turnovers — three fumbles and two interceptions — in the second half after committing none in the first half.

A 60-yard flea flicker set up TSU's first score, a 1-yard Heffner run. Heffner then hit Brandon Belvin on a
61-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 lead with 9:13 left in the first quarter.

After a Jaguars' touchdown, TSU responded with a 49-yard Williams TD run with 29 seconds left in the first quarter and went up
27-6 on Heffner's 4-yard pass to Chris Johnson with 6:36 until halftime.

Southern made a move late in the second quarter, with Darren Coates scoring on easy 31-yard touchdown on a swing pass and Coates scoring on a 1-yard plunge, one play after breaking loose on a 54-yard burst up the middle.

Two fumble recoveries led to two Southern scores in the third quarter.

First, Southern recovered a Heffner fumble at the Jaguars 48 that set up a 6-yard score six plays later, closing to within 27-25 with 5:42 left in the third.

Then, Southern recovered a Williams fumble at the Jaguars 47, with Coates giving Southern a 32-27 lead, also six plays later, with 2:41 left in the third.

TSU answered with Heffner's 38-yard touchdown pass to Ronald Evans to put the Tigers up 34-32.

Then a defensive stand, with TSU facing a third-and-6 at the SU 33, led the Tigers to punt. Heffner was called for intentional grounding as Toyin Akinwale and Donald Steele swarmed him at the Southern 49.

Three plays later, Southern threw a touchdown pass for the go-ahead score for a 38-34 lead with 10:16 left.