SAU Football Scores Second-Most Points In DII This Season In 81-9 Rout Of Lincoln (Pa.)

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania  – Saint Augustine's University played its most complete football game of the season and it resulted in a memorable record-breaking night on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The Falcons set several school marks as they manhandled Lincoln (Pa.) University by a lopsided score of 81-9 in the CIAA opener for both teams at Lincoln University Stadium in Lincoln University, Pa. The point total is the second most in NCAA Division II and third in all divisions this season.

The Falcons broke the school record for most points in a game and most points in a half (47), and Darryl "D.J." Johnson (Jr./Richmond, VA) tied the school single-game record for most touchdown passes (6) in the modern era. His six touchdown passes are tied for the most in an NCAA Division II game this season.

The win erased the sting of three straight defeats, but more importantly, placed the Falcons (1-3 overall) atop the CIAA standings. They are currently tied for first with defending champion Winston-Salem State University in the Southern Division at 1-0.

In the previous two games, the Falcons stayed even with Carson-Newman University and Bowie State University in the first half but both teams pulled away after halftime. On Saturday, the Falcons jumped on the Lions early and never let up.

"This was a great win," Head Coach Tim Chavous said. "The guys showed they can compete for four quarters."

Johnson played perhaps his best game as a collegian. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 297 yards and no interceptions. He spread the ball around, throwing to five different receivers on six touchdown passes, and guiding the offense to 602 offensive yards.

Jeremiah Miller (So./Miami, FL) gained a season-high 144 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries while backup quarterback Demetrius Lewis (So./Columbia, SC) tossed one touchdown pass and rushed for 86 yards. Lenwood Joyner (Jr./Miami, FL) caught four passes for 85 yards and a score and Charles Edmond (So./High Point, NC) grabbed two passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense, veteran linemen Chasz Cosby (Sr./Charlotte, NC) and Darius Goodman (R-Sr./Richmond, VA) had their way with the Lincoln offensive line. Cosby amassed 3.5 sacks among his seven tackles and Goodman finished with three sacks. Cosby is tied for the third-most sacks in an NCAA Division II contest this season.

Teoz Mauney (Jr./Salisbury, NC) added two sacks and Keywan Morgan (Jr./LaGrange, NC) recorded a safety and a sack for the Falcons, who amassed 10 sacks. Linebacker Tray King (Sr./Kershaw, SC) tallied a team-high eight tackles and linebacker Tristian Green (Jr./Concord, NC) totaled seven tackles and a sack while defensive backs Ahmek Henry (Jr./Charlotte, NC) and Delano Davis (Fr./Greenbelt, MD) each picked off a pass. On special teams, Edmond returned a kickoff 46 yards while Sean Smith (R-Jr./Valdosta, GA) made a field goal and was 10 of 11 on extra point attempts.

The game started well for the Falcons, who built a 10-0 lead on their first two possessions. Sean Smith kicked a 24-yard field goal and Johnson connected with Sam Boyd (Sr./St. Petersburg, FL) for an eight-yard touchdown pass. The offense stalled on its next three possessions, fumbling once, before hitting its stride. The Falcons scored on 10 of their next 12 drives including seven straight between the second and third quarters.

The Falcons scored 35 points in the second quarter beginning with Miller's seven-yard touchdown run for a 19-0 lead. Johnson then hooked up with Jalen McDaniel (Sr./Fayetteville, NC) for a 29-yard touchdown pass. After the Lions scored on a safety, Johnson found Joyner for a 42-yard scoring pass. The Falcons quarterback then hit Edmond for a 41-yard touchdown for a 40-2 lead.

The Lions would score their only touchdown on an 84-yard run but the Falcons responded with Johnson finding Edmond again, this time for 25 yards as the Falcons entered halftime leading 47-9.

The second half was more of the same as the Falcons scored 27 points in the third quarter. Miller scored his second touchdown on a 10-yard run and Johnson fired a seven-yard scoring pass to Marquez Gilmore (Jr./Atlanta, GA) to tie the school single-game mark for touchdown passes.

Malik Mapps (Sr./Miami, FL) and Shyhiem Swinson (Jr./Virginia Beach, VA) each scored on three-yard runs for a 74-9 lead in the third quarter. Aaron Linen (Sr./Oakland, CA) capped the blowout when he scored on a 22-yard pass from Lewis in the fourth quarter.

Trey McCollum rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown and Vincent Espinoza threw for 132 yards for the Lions (0-1 CIAA, 0-4 overall). Andre Price caught seven passes for 75 yards while Deion Miller and Adonis Washington each had eight tackles.

This win came at the right time for the Falcons, who will take their new-found momentum into a three-game homestand starting with Virginia Union University on Saturday, Sept. 30, at the George Williams Athletic Complex. The starting time is 1 p.m.

BOX SCORE

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#23 Bowie State Batters Shaw Bears 76-7 in CIAA Conference Opener

BOWIE, Maryland -- The #23 Bowie State University Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0 CIAA) jumped on Shaw University (1-3, 0-1 CIAA) early and often, rolling off 35 unanswered points en route to a 76-7 home debut victory to open CIAA conference play on Saturday night. The 76 points ties for second all-time (Lincoln 11/2/2013) in the history of Bowie State football.

Leading the offensive attack for the Bowie State was junior Amir Hall (Bowie, Md.) with 420 passing yards, completing 22-of-33 passes (no interceptions) and tied his own school record of six passing touchdowns. The Bulldogs running back duo of redshirt senior Robert Chesson (Annapolis, Md.) and junior Maurice Williams (Baltimore, Md.) rushed 124 and 101 yards respectively.

Hall and senior Jay Adams (Clinton, Md.) combined to complete passes to 12 different receivers. Leading the Bulldogs in reception yards was junior Lansana Sesay (Bowie, Md.) with 129 yards on just two receptions. Redshirt senior Kerrick Pollock (Miami, Fla.) recorded a team-high five receptions for 89 yards.

Junior Derrick Tate (Baltimore, Md.) paced the powerful Bowie State defense with a team-high eight tackles (5 solo and 3 assisted), which included three tackles for a loss of 18 yards. Redshirt junior Kyle Jackson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and senior Sean Copeland (Baltimore, Md.) tallied a half-dozen tackles apiece. Redshirt freshman Reicardo Smith (Fort Washington, Md.) and redshirt junior Jaylen Harris contributed four tackles each in the rout. As a team, Bowie State's defense notched a season-high five sacks against Shaw.

The Bulldogs rolled up a school record 748 yards of total offense with 440 coming in the first half of play. However, Bowie State accounted for 11 penalties in the contest for 110 yards, second highest penalty yard total of the season.



Bowie State scored on the opening drive off an 18-yard pass from Hall to Pollock to give the Bulldogs the early 7-0 lead over Shaw. A three and out for the Bears resulted in BSU's Chesson scoring on a 23-yard rush, following the extra point from sophomore Gene Carson (Accokeek, Md.) to extend their lead 14-0 at the 9:30 mark. An out-of-sync Bears team went three and out again the next possession down only to allow the Bulldogs to add to their score after a 46-yard pass from Hall to redshirt sophomore Brandon Abrams (Baltimore, Md.) for BSU's third-straight touchdown of the game in the first quarter.

Despite the early deficit, the Bears were still in the contest thanks to penalties from the Bulldogs that led to first downs for Shaw but an attempted field goal from Beni Kinsemi (Charlotte, NC) was partially blocked by BSU redshirt junior Jaylen Harris (Clinton, Md.) as the Bears trailed 21-0 with 2:42 remaining in the first stanza.

Bowie State would add 14 more to the scoreboard ignited by an 80-yard touchdown reception by Sesay, followed by a 20-yard touchdown reception redshirt junior Brandon Britton (Columbia, Md.) that pushed the Bulldogs lead to 35-0 heading into the second quarter.

After scoring another touchdown and field goal by the Bulldogs to lead 45-0 over Shaw, the Bears finally got on the scoreboard when Vidal Woodruff (Tampa, Fla.) connected with Michael Sherman (Powder Springs, Ga.) for a 20-yard pass, catch and score to close out the first half.

The second half started pretty much like the first half with Bowie State scoring 17 points in the third and 14 in the fourth quarter. Carson drilled a 28-yard field goal for the first Bulldogs' points in the third at the 11:36 mark. Marquise Watts recorded his first touchdown of the season, scoring on a 4-yard reception from Hall with 4:40 left in the third quarter. Chesson punched it in for the second time in the game, this time from 38 yards out a little over a minute later.

Bowie State's Adams recorded his first touchdown of the season, rushing for a 1-yard score at the 12:21 mark of the fourth quarter to push the Bulldogs cushion to 69-7. Redshirt junior Adam Gillis (Lanham, Md.) scored the final rushing touchdown of the contest, pounding in from 3-yards out to with 5:45 remaining to account for the final margin.

Shaw finished with 208 yards of total offense that included 74 rushing and 134 passing. Woodruff completed 13-of-29 passing for 137 yards, but was intercepted three times and was responsible for one touchdown.

Sherman had a team-best 107 yards rushing on 19 carries and a touchdown while freshman Daniel Bender (Jacksonville, FL) had six receptions for 79 yards.

Hakiem Swann (Portsmouth, Va.) led the Bears defense with a game-high 10 total tackles (7 solo). Devon Hunt (Rockingham, N.C.) added eight tackles, one sack and a tackle for loss while Kevin Sherman (Powder Springs, Ga.) contributed seven tackles and a tackle for loss.

Bowie State will hit the road for the fourth time in five weeks, traveling to Fayetteville (N.C.) State next Saturday (9/30) with kickoff in the Luther "Nick" Geralds Stadium set for 1 p.m.

BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

HBCU Football Judgment Day Scoreboard - Week 4 Finals

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

OVC
UT Martin 31, Tennessee State 13

SWAC
Grambling State 38, Mississippi Valley State 6
Alabama A&M 30, Texas Southern 13
Alcorn State 48, Southern 31
Arkansas Pine Bluff 34, Jackson State 27 O.T.
Prairie View A&M 34, Alabama State 0

MEAC
North Carolina Central 33. South Carolina State 28, (9/21/17)
Howard 26, Bethune-Cookman 24
Monmouth 30, Hampton 23, O.T.
Norfolk State 17, Delaware State 7
Florida A&M 20, Savannah State 14
North Carolina A&T 49, Morgan State 17



SIAC
Findley (OH) 61, Tuskegee 0
West Georgia 48, Albany State 16
Fort Valley State 31, Benedict 28  2 O.T.
Clark Atlanta 31, Lane 7
Kentucky State 34. Central State (OH) 22, Circle City Classic, Indianapolis, IN
Miles 27, Morehouse 24

OTHER CONF.
Shepherd (WV) 56, West Virginia State 41
Faith at Virginia-Lynchburg, Cancelled
Bloomsburg 48, Cheyney 19
Langston 36, Bacone 6
Truman State 41, Lincoln (MO) 14
Wayland Baptist 24, Texas College 23
Cumberlands 51, Edward Waters 7

CIAA
Bowie State 76, Shaw 7
Virginia Union 47, Fayetteville State 40
Elizabeth City State 20, Johnson C. Smith 17
Saint Augustine's 81, Lincoln (PA) 9
Virginia State 33, Winston-Salem State 27 O.T.
Chowan 25, Livingstone 12

UAPB erases 11-point 4th quarter deficit to win W.C. Gorden Classic over JSU 34-27 (OT)

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Despite trailing by 11 points in the fourth quarter on the road, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions found a way to overcome adversity by scoring 18 unanswered points for a 34-27 overtime victory over the Jackson State University Tigers at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in the W.C. Gorden Classic in its first conference game of the year. As a result, the Tigers have now lost eight straight games while UAPB improves to 2-2 on the season.

"What a victory," said UABP head coach Monte Coleman. "It was a hard fought game on both sides; we had it this evening."

In the first quarter, UAPB defensive tackle Nick Williams forced a fumble which was recovered by the Golden Lions. On the ensuing drive, UAPB running back Keshawn Williams blasted through the line and used his speed to scamper 14 yards past Tigers defenders into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game to give UAPB a 7-0 lead. Minutes later, JSU's quarterback Brent Lyles threw a 75 yard touchdown pass that was nullified due to an illegal block in the back. However, on the same drive, Lyles responded with a 17 yard touchdown run to even things up at 7 apiece.



Jackson State (0-4, 0-1 SWAC) added a field goal in the early part of the second quarter to take a 10-7 lead, but UAPB would answer in dramatic fashion. Following a brilliant punt from Jamie Gillan which pinned JSU deep in its own territory, true freshman linebacker Kolby Watts forced Tigers quarterback Lyles out of the back of the end zone for a safety, cutting Jackson State's lead to just one point. On the ensuing kickoff, UAPB's Paris Mack took it all the way inside the Tigers' five yard line, giving the Golden Lions (2-2, 1-0 SWAC) a perfect opportunity to take a halftime lead. That's when UAPB quarterback Brandon Duncan threw a back shoulder fade to the end zone to Robert Simms III who leaped over a JSU defender to make a sensational catch, giving the Golden Lions a 16-10 lead after a successful extra point. However, Tigers running back Jordan Johnson answered right back with 60 yard touchdown run to give Jackson State a 17-16 lead going into the half.

The Tigers added a field goal to open up the third quarter, giving them a 20-16 advantage. 15 seconds later, Duncan threw an arrant pass that was intercepted by Jackson State defensive back Dario Robinson as he took it to the house, giving JSU its biggest lead of the game, 27-16 over UAPB. Both teams then traded possession as UAPB eventually attempted a 50 yard field goal to cut the deficit to eight, but the attempt was short. On the next play, linebacker Kevin Agee forced a fumble which was recovered by Golden Lions defensive tackle and Purdue transfer Johnny Daniels.

"I told my team don't give up," said Coach Coleman. "Keep making plays, keep fighting, and don't give up."



UAPB trailed by 11 points heading into the fourth quarter on the road, but the forced turnover sparked just enough momentum to give the Golden Lions the boost that it needed. Deep in Jackson State territory, backup quarterback LeEar Patterson rolled right and quickly rushed into the end zone for a touchdown. UABP then decided to go for two to cut the deficit to three points when Patterson found Kolby McNeal in the end zone for the conversion which brought the score to 27-24 in favor of the Tigers. After both teams traded possession yet again, the Golden Lions defense made one huge stop to give its offense one last chance to either tie with a field goal or take the lead on the road with a touchdown.

The two-minute drill was in full effect. Patterson led his team all the way deep into Tigers territory before getting tackled to the ground by Deion Pope. Patterson was slow to get up, so Duncan came back in the game for UAPB on a crucial third down. Duncan took the ensuing snap, stepped into the pocket and rifled an incomplete pass to the left side of the field. However, a flag was thrown on the field due to pass interference as UAPB received a fresh set of downs. Patterson then came back in to close out the game.

On fourth down, with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter, it came down to one last chance as the Golden Lions sent the special teams unit on the field. UAPB field goal kicker Gillan would either be a hero or be remembered for missing a potential game-tying kick in a crucial conference game. UAPB snapped the ball and the left-footed Gillan calmly drained the 32 yard field goal to tie the game up at 27-27 to force overtime.

When asked if Coach Coleman had any doubts about the kick, he firmly responded.

"I had no doubt at all that Jamie would hit that field goal," said Coach Coleman. "Jamie is a great punter and a great kicker. I had no doubt at all."

Jackson State won the toss in overtime and elected to play defense first. UAPB quickly found daylight as Patterson scored on a 1-yard touchdown run that would prove to be the game winner.

As a team the Golden Lions earned 16 first downs and rushed for a total of 157 yards and had four punts inside its opponent's 20-yard line. UAPB held the ball for a total of 45:05 while Jackson State possessed the ball for 44:58. Williams finished with a team-high 75 yards rushing while Patterson threw for a team-high 66 yards and also rushed for a game-high two touchdowns.

The Golden Lions will face Alabama A&M University on Saturday, September 30 in Southwestern Athletic Conference action. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. in Huntsville, Ala.`

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION

Prairie View A&M Defense Dominant In SWAC-Opening Win At Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Prairie View A&M University football team opened Southwestern Athletic Conference play with a dominant 34-0 win Saturday night at Alabama St.

The Panthers (1-2, 1-0 SWAC) held Alabama St. (0-4, 0-1) to 127 total yards and only seven first downs, forcing three turnovers and scoring a touchdown of its own as PVAMU recorded its first shutout since Oct. 17 2009, a 38-0 home win over Miss. Valley St. The shutout is the first on the road since a 15-0 win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Oct. 18, 2008.

"It's a conference win, so it's very important in the fact that it's step one to achieving our ultimate goal, which is the SWAC Championship," said PVAMU head coach Willie Simmons, who's teams are now 9-0 in SWAC road games in opposing venues. "I'm proud of the guys, proud of their effort, and proud of the way they came out and responded. It's something to build on. We're definitely happy to be 1-0 in conference play, and ready to get back to work."

Anthony Stubbs forced a fumble on the second play of the game, which was recovered by Ju'Anthony Parker. The first of two Sta'Fon McCray touchdown runs gave Prairie View A&M a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. McCray rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the game.

In the second quarter, a 37-yard interception return by Parker gave PVAMU a 14-0 lead with 6:36 to play until halftime. Later in the quarter, a 61-yard touchdown pass from Lavell McCullers to Markcus Hardy gave the Panthers a 21-0 halftime lead.



In the third quarter, McCray rushed on the first three plays of the second half for 65 yards on the scoring drive, ending with his nine-yard scoring run for a 28-0 lead.

Zach Elder ended the scoring with a 21-yard field goal in the third quarter, and a career-long 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the final margin.

McCullers completed 14 of 27 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, as the Panthers gained 409 total yards (234 rushing, 175 passing).

Prairie View A&M football returns home to host Jackson St. Saturday at 4 p.m. at Panther Stadium. Tickets are available online at pvpanthers.com/tickets.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Remain Undefeated With Win Over Morgan Bears

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Only a quarter of the season has past and the No. 15/21 North Carolina A&T football team already has the Football Championship Subdivision world wondering if certain things have ever been done before.

N.C. A&T opened their conference season by crushing Morgan State 49-17 at Hughes Stadium. In the process, the Aggies improved to 4-0 in a season for the first time since 1993. Also during the game, redshirt freshman Mac McCain returned two interceptions for touchdowns, one for 100 yards and the other for 78. He had three INTs for the game, and now has five on the season.

Last week in the Aggies upset win over Charlotte, McCain had the game-winning pick-6 in the closing seconds of the ballgame.

It is not certain if anyone in NCAA history has ever returned three interceptions for touchdowns over two games, but only 27 other players in NCAA FCS history has ever returned two INTs for touchdowns in the same game. McCain is only one INT return for touchdown away from tying the single-season NCAA record, which is four shared by three players. McCain came up short for the single-game record for INT return yards. He had 178 and the record stands at 216 by Brown’s Keiron Bigby in 1984.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I can’t remember somebody scoring three touchdowns in two games off interceptions,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “But he can run once he gets it. He has done some much to improve on his catching and closing in on the ball, so he deserves this success. He is becoming a big-time playmaker for us.”



The Aggies seem to have an abundance of playmakers, and they were on display Saturday night. Redshirt junior running back Marquell Cartwright finished with a career-high 176 yards rushing on 17 carries, which included a 72-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. Graduate running back Jamari Smith added 97 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Sophomore wideout Elijah Bell, the nation’s leader in touchdown receptions, added to his collection by scoring twice. He has seven TD receptions on the season, bringing him four touchdowns shy of breaking the school’s single-season TD receptions record with seven regular-season games remaining. Bell added four receptions for 95 yards to his totals.

Redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard had his normal steady day, finishing 15-for-22 for 158 yards and three touchdowns. Raynard has not thrown an interception in his last 141 throws. But it wasn’t Raynard and the Aggies highly-rated passing game that got the Aggies out to a large lead early. It was the running game.

“We thought if we could break their first line of defense, we had some chances to make some plays,” said Broadway. “They put so many guys in the box, we knew once we got past that first wall, we had a chance to break some long ones.”

After Cartwright’s long one to open the game, the Aggies came back on their second drive of the game and went 53 yards in seven plays, using 28 yards rushing to take a 14-0 lead on a 15-yard touchdown catch from Raynard to Bell in which Bell outjumped the smaller defensive back to score.



After one of their drives finally stalled, the Aggies opened the second quarter by returning to their old ways. They put together a 14-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Smith catching a 9-yard touchdown pass from Raynard for a 21-0 Aggies lead. The Aggies then constructed an 81-yard drive that culminated with Raynard connecting with Bell on a 4th-and-9 for a 31-yard touchdown reception.

“I thought once again the guys played really well early. But for some reason when we get way ahead we want to ease up a little bit and start making mistakes that drive me nuts,” said Broadway. “We still have a lot to get corrected, but overall it was a good win for us.”

An element the Aggies were trying to keep intact to also make the college football world wonder if it happened, was keeping Morgan State (0-4, 0-1 MEAC) scoreless. The Bears had been shutout in their previous three games but looked poised to end that drought at the end of the first half on Saturday. MSU drove the ball to the Aggies 5-yard line. But on 2nd-and-goal with nine seconds remaining in the first half, MSU quarterback Elijah Staley was looking to throw the ball to the corner of the end zone Manassah Bailey. McCain recognized it, left the man he was covering, jumped in front of Bailey and returned the INT 100 yards for an obvious school record.

N.C. A&T went into the locker room leading 35-0. MSU did score their first points of the season a minute into the second half as Staley connected with Brian Gentry for an 83-yard touchdown.

Another road test awaits the Aggies next week as they travel to Orangeburg, S.C., to face the South Carolina State Bulldogs 6 p.m., Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

GSU Defense sparks Tigers to victory over MVSU Delta Devils

ITTA BENA, Mississippi | De'Aumante Johnson recorded three first-half interceptions as the Grambling State University defense came up big on Saturday night with a 38-6 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener for both teams at Rice-Totten Stadium.

"We didn't play well," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs. "We had a lot of guys out and sometimes when you have a lot of guys out, it's hard to find that chemistry. I thought we did a good job to keep fighting regardless of the situation. The defense was stellar tonight. They did not only an awesome job of stopping them, but scoring points as well."

After both teams went three-and-out on its first offensive possession, Grambling State's defense came up with the first score of the night with 10:35 remaining in the opening quarter.

On a third-and-eight play, De'Aumante Johnson picked off MVSU quarterback Jett Even and went 35 yards down the right sideline to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.



After another three-and-out for the Delta Devils, Grambling State was driving, but a fumble on the exchange at the MVSU 2-yard line gave the Mississippi Valley State the ball back.

But the Delta Devils (0-3 overall, 0-1 SWAC) didn't have it for long as Even's pass was intercepted by Johnson, his second pick of the day, to set up good field position.

The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) picked up their second score of the night with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter when Marc Orozco booted a 36-yard field goal to extend the Grambling State lead to 10-0.

Grambling State picked up two points on a safety, its second in as many weeks, to extend the lead to 12-0 with 13:44 left in the second quarter.

The Tigers closed out the first half with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.

Orozco kicked a 37-yard field goal with 9:58 left to push the advantage to 15-0 and Geremy Hickbottom connected with Devante Davis for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:43 remaining to extend the margin to 22-0.

Grambling State put the game out of reach with 11:42 left in the third quarter as Nicholas Black ran untouched for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Tigers a commanding 29-0 lead.

A James Crosby 4-yard touchdown run cut the margin to 29-6, but the Tigers blocked the extra point and Johnson returned the ball for the two-point conversion.

Grambling State put the final touches on the night on a Lyndemian Brooks touchdown run to give the Tigers a 38-6 victory.



Turning Point
The defense came to play in the SWAC opener.

The tone was set from the start as Johnson's pick six gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead just four minutes into the contest.

With the offense struggling, the defense picked apart Mississippi Valley State early on as the Delta Devils failed to get a first down in the opening quarter. In fact, MVSU had just eight yards on 13 plays in the opening frame.

Inside the Numbers
· Geremy Hickbottom was 4-of-13 passing for 38 yards.
· Dre' Fusilier rushed four times for 83 yards, including a 53-yard run
· Darrell Clark caught four passes for 30 yards.
· The Tigers finished with 247 total yards of offense, including 195 on the ground.
· Mississippi Valley State registered 254 yards, and was held to minus 82 yards rushing.
· Christopher Fowler threw for 319 yards on 29-of-40 passing.
· Darrion Harper caught nine passes for 122 yards, while Quinn McElfresh added 113 yards on nine catches.
· Ja'Terious Pouncy led the Tigers with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops.
· De'Arius Christmas registered six tackles, including two for a loss of 19 yards.
· De'Aumante Johnson finished the night with four solo tackles, three interceptions and a two-point conversion.

News & Notes
· Grambling State improved to 53-5-2 all-time against Mississippi Valley State
· The Delta Devils picked up their first first down with 8:55 remaining in the first half.
· After starting the season with a loss at Tulane, Grambling State has now won three straight.
· Grambling State came into the game ranked No. 22 in the FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, No. 3 in the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Poll and No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football Poll.
· Saturday night's victory against Mississippi Valley State was the fifth straight in the series as head coach Broderick Fobbs remained unbeaten against the Delta Devils.

Up Next
Grambling State steps out of SWAC play for a week as the Tigers visit Soldier Field on Saturday, Sept. 30. Grambling State will meet Clark Atlanta in the Chicago Football Classic with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

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