By Uba Okereke

Alabama State Wins Rematch of 2010 SWAC Title Game

Alabama State beat Texas Southern 43-29 last Saturday in Houston in another SWAC football battle on the gridiron. This matchup was a rematch of the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game, won by Texas Southern 11-6.

Texas Southern (2-3, 1-3 SWAC) took a 14-13 lead late in the first half on a 15 yard touchdown run by running back Marcus Wright. The Hornets’ Bobby Wenzig kicked a 22-yard field goal to give ASU a 16-14 lead at halftime.

The Tigers scored on another touchdown run by Wright to take a 22-16 lead early in the third quarter. Alabama State (5-1, 5-0 SWAC) took the lead for good on a four yard touchdown pass from QB Greg Jenkins to Nick Andrews.

The Hornets scored another touchdown via a fumbled snap by TSU on the ensuing possession to take a 30-22 lead. They then scored 13 unanswered points to lead 43-22 before Texas Southern scored a late touchdown with 2:25 left in the game.

Bobby Wenzig kicked five field goals for the Hornets. QB Greg Jenkins ended the day with 158 yards passing on 11 completions with one touchdown and one interception.

Marcus Wright ran for 127 yards and two touchdowns for Texas Southern.

 Late FG Edges PVAMU Over Southern

Prairie View A&M beat Southern 23-20 last Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La. The Panthers came into the SWAC football contest looking to extend their lead in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division following an eight point win over Grambling in last week’s State Fair Classic.

The first half was low-scoring as both teams were knotted up at seven in the first quarter. The Panthers’ Moses Ellis gave Prairie View A&M (4-2, 4-1 SWAC) a 14-7 lead with a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Southern (2-4, 2-2 SWAC) scored on a touchdown pass from QB Dray Joseph but the PAT was blocked. PVAMU led 14-13 at halftime.

The Panthers extended the lead to seven (20-13) on a three yard touchdown run by QB Jermaine Waddy with 2:03 remaining in the third quarter. Southern tied the game at 20 via a 38 yard interception return by Anthony Balancier with 19 seconds left.

Prairie View A&M iced the game with a 12-play, 41 yard drive which consumed 5:13 of the game clock which was capped by a 19-yard field goal by kicker Christopher Barrick with 40 seconds left in the game.

            The game-winning kick was the second for Barrick, who kicked a 36 yarder in the Sept. 10 victory over in-state rival Texas Southern.

Prairie View A&M now has a one game lead over Arkansas Pine-Bluff in the SWAC Western Division and is in the driver’s seat in the race to Birmingham, Ala. in December.

Dray Joseph went 14 of 23 for 141 yards and two touchdowns and one interception for the Jaguars.

 Jackson State Rolls Over Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Jackson State scored 34 consecutive second half points in a 48-10 home win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff last Saturday night.

The Tigers had a 14-10 halftime lead via two touchdown passes from QB Casey Therriault of 75 and 45 yards, respectively.

Jackson State (5-1, 3-1 SWAC) was effective on the ground as well as through the air. They rushed for 242 yards on 35 attempts including 115 yards from Tommy Gooden. They also scored four rushing touchdowns with four different running backs.

Therriault ended the day going 17 of 22 for 263 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Jackson State is currently in the hunt for the Black college football national championship title.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-3, 2-2) struggled on third downs, converting 5 for 17. Adrian Wilson led the Golden Lions with 163 all purpose yards.