SAU Falcons Spoil Shaw's Homecoming Day For Season's First Football Win

DURHAM, North Carolina – Saint Augustine's University picked the perfect time to play its best game of the season.

An inspired effort by the Falcons led to a 31-24 CIAA Southern Division football victory over crosstown rival Shaw University at Durham County Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. The victory was sweet for the Falcons, who ruined the Bears' Homecoming Day for their first win of the season. The Falcons have now beaten the Bears two consecutive seasons and three of the last four years.

"Last week, we lost to Johnson C. Smith in our Homecoming game," said Falcons' Interim Head Coach Tim Chavous, who gained his first-ever coaching win. "So I told the team that this would be our Homecoming. We went out and had fun today."

The Falcons (1-9 overall, 1-6 CIAA) were victorious in the season finale on a day when tailback Roderick Davenport II (Sr./Orangeburg, SC) became the University's career rushing leader in the modern era. He gained 78 yards and scored one touchdown to finish his stellar four-year career with 2,809 yards. The previous record was 2,747 yards set by former Falcons' star Walter Sanders from 2007 to 2010.

"It feels great to break the record in a win over Shaw," Davenport said. "If I had broken the record at home against Johnson C. Smith last week, it wouldn't have felt the same because we lost."

Davenport was one of several heroes on Saturday. Cornerback Darius Cole (Fr./Pittsboro, NC) recorded two of the Falcons' four interceptions and ran one back for a score. Quarterback D.J. Johnson (Fr./Richmond, VA) was steady as he completed 13 of 20 pass attempts for 155 yards, a touchdown and zero interceptions.

Wide receiver Jordan Turkvant (Sr./Orangeburg, SC) caught a touchdown pass from Johnson, and safety Denzel Watkins (Sr./Troutman, NC) scored on an interception return, the first of his career. Linebacker Durell Newby (Jr./Graham, NC) and defensive tackle Chasz Cosby (So./Charlotte, NC) both led an aggressive defense which harassed Shaw quarterback Terrence Shambry II and bottled up standout back Marquise Grizzle. Newby collected a team-high eight tackles and Cosby added seven tackles including one tackle for loss. Defensive back Tyquan Bryant (Fr./Henderson, NC) intercepted a pass, and the special teams play of Sean Smith (Fr./Valdosta, GA) was a factor.

"We were getting better each week, and it all came together today," Watkins said. "We were fired up to play Shaw."

Cole set the tone on the game's third play when he picked off a Shambry pass and ran untouched 31 yards into the end zone. Smith booted the extra point for a 7-0 Falcons' lead with less than two minutes elapsed on the clock.

The Bears (1-9 overall, 1-6 CIAA) pulled within 7-3 on Joe Nguyen's 35-yard field goal, but Smith responded with a 34-yard field goal for the Falcons in the first quarter. The Falcons stretched the lead to 17-3 when Davenport scored on a one-yard run and Smith booted the extra point with 39 seconds left before halftime. The key play in the drive was a 22-yard pass from Smith to Cole on fourth down. This was the second time in three weeks that Smith completed a pass on a fake punt to extend a drive.

The Bears sliced the lead to 17-10 in the third quarter on Grizzle's four-yard run, but the Falcons deflated the home team with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. The first score was a 10-yard lob pass from Johnson to Turkvant, who leaped high to catch the ball in the end zone corner despite being draped by a Bears' defender. Smith's extra point pushed the score to 24-10 in favor of the Falcons.

The Falcons padded their lead when Watkins intercepted a pass and scooted 40 yards into the end zone. His touchdown and Smith's extra point gave the Falcons an insurmountable 31-10 lead with 8:35 left in the game.

Grizzle scored two late touchdowns to cut the Falcons' lead to 31-24, but Davenport fell on an onside kick with 41 seconds left to clinch the victory. It was fitting that Davenport, who set the school's career rushing mark in the game, would stop the Bears' last-ditch attempt at a comeback.

After beating the Bears, the Falcons felt a sense of relief. There were plenty of smiles and laughter during the celebration.

"This is a good feeling," Davenport said. "It feels like we went 10-0."

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COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION