Bethune-Cookman played at Grambling State for the first time in almost 30 years Saturday night and came away with a wild 56-53 victory.
The Wildcats (1-1), scoreless until midway through the second quarter, scored two touchdowns in a span of one minute, 44 seconds in the fourth quarter to give Terry Sims his first victory as a head coach.
“We told the team it was going to be a heavyweight fight,’’ Sims said. “We came out swinging.’’
Bethune-Cookman quarterback Quentin Williams threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally the Wildcats, who hadn’t played at Grambling since 1987, to victory. Grambling (0-2) led 14-0 in the second quarter after quarterback Johnathan Williams scored on a five-yard run and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Chad Williams.
Johnathan Williams threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns in addition to running for a score. His touchdown pass to Chester Rogers with 54 seconds remaining in the game got the G-Men within three points of the lead, but Grambling couldn’t recover the ensuing onside kick.
Grambling led 39-28 early in the fourth quarter before Quentin Williams’ heroics saved the day for Bethune-Cookman. He finished the game with 244 passing yards and the three fourth-quarter touchdowns while splitting time with Larry Brihm. Grambling had no answer for Bethune-Cookman’s two-quarterback system. Brihm threw for 29 yards and three touchdowns as well. He completed 17 of 26 attempts. Quentin Williams was 17-for-22.
The game was a possible preview of the inaugural Celebration Bowl, which will be played Dec. 19 in Atlanta, matching the champions of the MEAC and SWAC against each other. Grambling was the preseason favorite to win the SWAC West Division title and play for the conference crown. Bethune-Cookman was one of five teams that shared the 2014 MEAC championship and a favorite to capture the title this season.
Key Games:
Alcorn State 31, Ala. State 14 – The Braves opened defense their SWAC championship with a resounding East Division road victory in Montgomery, Ala., as quarterback John Gibbs Jr. passed for 305 yards. Gibbs led Alcorn (1-1-, 1-0 SWAC) to 24 unanswered points and five scoring drives of at least 60 yards. Alcorn was successful on 10 of 18 third down conversion attempts. Alabama State (0-2, 0-1 SWAC) got off to an impressive start. The Hornets scored on their first two possessions with quarterback Ellis Richardson running the offense. Ellis scored on a 38-yard run for a 7-0 Alabama State lead, and he engineered a 76-yard drive that ended with Khalid Thomas scoring on seven-yard run. However, Alcorn shut down the Hornets attack the rest of game, sacking Richardson five times and held Alabama State to 112 total yards the final three periods.
Tuskegee 27, Albany State 14 – The Golden Tigers made it a trifecta, defeating their SIAC rival for the third time the last 12 months in the White Water Classic in Phenix City, Ala. Tuskegee (2-0) defeated Albany State 20-12 in the inaugural White Water Classic last September and came back with a 47-41 victory in November in the SIAC Championship Game. The Golden Tigers put the game away with a pair of big play fourth-quarter touchdowns after the score was tied 14-14 at the half. Wide receiver Van Powell took a three-yard pass from quarterback Kevin Lacey and turned it into a 79-yard touchdown play with 10 minutes left in the game to put Tuskegee ahead.
Linebacker Ricky Norris returned a pass interception 95 yards with 16 seconds remaining for the Golden Tigers’ final points. Big plays also figured in Tuskegee’s first-half points as well. Dennis Norfleet returned the opening kickoff 82 yards to setup Lacey’s four-yard touchdown pass to Marquel Gardner. Linebacker Jewell Ratliff picked the ball up and ran 73 yards for a touchdown after Devontae Ramseur blocked an Albany State field goal attempt for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Running back Jarvis Small, who rushed for 108 yards, scored on runs of two and five yards for Albany State (0-2) to tie the score.
Tenn. State 35, Jackson State 25 — The Big Blue extended its winning streak against its border state rival to four consecutive games with a victory in the 26th Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, Tenn. Tennessee State (2-0) scored on the second play of the game when quarterback O’Shay Ackerman-Carter teamed up with Patrick Smith on a 64-yard touchdown pass and was ahead 21-9 at the half. Tennessee State poured it on in the third period, building a 35-12 lead as Telvin Hooks scored his second rushing touchdown of the game and Ackerman-Carter, who left the game briefly with an injury in the second quarter, threw his third touchdown pass. Ackerman-Carter finished the game with 250 passing yards. Jackson State (0-2) was able to move the ball, gaining 436 yards total offense to 414 for Tennessee State, but was unable to sustain drives and produce points.
Southern 50, Miss. Valley State 13 – The Jaguars began their quest for their third straight SWAC West title with a lopsided road win Thursday night in a nationally televised game on ESPNU. Southern (1-1, 1-0 SWAC) led 33-0 at the end of the first quarter. Running back Lenard Tillery, who rushed for 91 yards, scored touchdowns on runs 10 and 14 yards on the Jaguars’ first two possessions. Wide receiver Willie Quinn, who had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Jaguars’ season opening loss to Louisiana Tech, returned a first-quarter punt 39 yards for a score against Mississippi Valley. Sophomore quarterback Austin Howard connected with Nico Talbert on a 28-yard touchdown pass, and Quinn tossed an 89 scoring strike to Randall Menard on a trick play. Mississippi Valley showed some signs of life after Dontrinell Scott replaced Quintavius Peterson at quarterback in the second quarter. Scott threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Barron late in the second quarer for the Delta Devils’ first points of the season. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Barron on the first series of the second half cut the score to 33-13. However, Quinn returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to keep Southern in command.
Other Scores:
MEAC
Boston College 76, Howard 0
Coastal Carolina 41, South Carolina State 14
Duke 55, North Carolina Central 0
Illinois State 67, Morgan State 14
Kent State 45, Delaware State 13
North Carolina 53, N.C. A&T 14
Old Dominion 24, Norfolk State 10
Richmond 31, Hampton 28
Samford 58, Florida A&M 21
UNC Pembroke 14, Fayetteville State 10
SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 29, Morehouse 27 (3 OT)
Texas Southern 63, Bacone 0
Texas State 56, Prairie View A&M 24
CIAA
Bowie State 35, Brevard 21
Campbell 35, Chowan 3
Elizabeth City State 55, Benedict 0
Gannon 44, Cheyney 6
Johnson C. Smith 31, Kentucky State 14
Lincoln (Pa.) 28, N.C. Wesleyan 17
Livingstone 48, Virginia-Lynchburg 19
Valdosta State 31, Winston-Salem State 3
Virginia State 40, Tusculum 13
Virginia Union 46, Saint Augustine’s 7
Wingate 30, Shaw 16
SIAC
Central State 49, Clark Atlanta 12
Fort Valley State 50, Lane 38
Stillman 18, Concordia-Selma 15
West Georgia 33, Miles 7
Others
East Texas Baptist 56, Texas College 14
Kennesaw State 58, Edward Waters 7
Langston 33, Bethany 14
Saint Francis 14, Lincoln (Mo.) 10
Urbana 30, West Va. State 23
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