Albany State Remain Unbeaten In SIAC With Homecoming Win

ALBANY, Georgia -- Homecoming 2018 sought to be the "Greatest of All Time" and the Albany State University Golden Rams football team did its part not to disappoint on Saturday, Oct. 20. Playing at historic Hugh Mills Stadium for the first time in more than a decade, ASU rolled up a 36-3 win over Clark-Atlanta University to win its fifth straight game and continue its Homecoming win streak.

The win gives ASU (5-3, 4-0 SIAC) control of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division lead and its first five-game win streak since 2015.

Golden Rams' special teams set the tone early, having their own block party on the field as the community gathered Saturday for the Hurricane Michael Relief Block Party on the ASU East Campus. ASU blocked a Clark punt on the first possession to take over at the Clark-Atlanta 19. Gabriel Ballinas put the Rams, 3-0, on the board with a 40-yard field goal.

After pinning the Panthers deep, a second blocked punt led to a safety by Branda Rawlings and 5-0 ASU lead with 8:42 to play in the opening quarter. While Kelias Williams fumbled to Clark, the Rams stepped up with their third blocked kick of the day, this time a field goal try, which Calvin Lewis caught and returned it 90 yards for an ASU touchdown and a 12-0 lead.

Ballinas added another field goal in the second quarter from 48 yards out, his longest of the season. Williams tacked on a 3-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter, 22-0.

ASU's defense accompanied the blocked kicks with an interception and fumble to shut out the visiting Panthers, 22-0, in the first half.

Clark-Atlanta's only points came on a 38-yard field goal by Ty Woods midway in the third quarter.

ATTENDANCE: 8,534

Tracy Scott (30 yards) and Kelan Fraise (1 yard) added to the Golden Rams' lead with rushing touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. Scott finished with 105 yards on 11 rushes, while Fraise finished with 45 yards. Williams was 4-of-9 passing for 45 yards.

Charles Staffor led CAU with 140 yards passing on 9-of-2
4 passing and rushed for 47 yards on 12 carries.

BOX SCORE

Coemba Jones and Antonio Leoy each had seven tackles to lead the Golden Rams defense. Leroy, Tyler Scott and Aaron Davis each forced fumbles, with Davis and Compton coming up with fumble recoveries. Davis also had an interception.

Albany State (5-3, 4-0) will look to strengthen its lead in the SIAC East when it travels to Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina next Saturday, Oct. 27. The Benedict Tigers (5-2, 3-1) dropped their first SIAC game Oct. 20 to Morehouse (7-1, 3-1), 14-10.

ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN RAMS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS