MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Grambling State Tigers clinched a berth to the 2007 SWAC Championship game after a 21-7 victory over Alabama State University on Saturday afternoon in the Cramton Bowl.
Grambling State’s (8-1, 8-0 SWAC) first score was set up by its defense as defensive end John Scroggins stripped the ball from an ASU (4-5, 3-5 SWAC) player which was recovered by safety DeMichael Dizer. Several plays later, freshman running back Frank Warren scooted into the endzone for a 3-yard run and a 6-0 lead at the 11:28 mark in the first quarter.
On ASU’s second possession of the contest, the Tiger defense came up big again as Jeffrey Jack intercepted a Chris Mitchell pass and returned it 26 yards to ASU territory. Grambling State drove all the way to the ASU 7 and moved ahead 12-0 after quarterback Brandon Landers found tight end Tim Abney alone in the endzone on third-and-goal. The Tigers elected to go for two on the PAT and came up big as Landers connected with wideout Reginald Jackson on the conversion attempt for a 14-0 advantage.
Grambling found the scoreboard once again midway through the second quarter when Landers hooked up with Warren in the endzone for his third touchdown pass of the game. Tim Manuel’s PAT was good as GSU extended its lead to 21-0 with 7:34 remaining in the first half.
Alabama State took a play out of GSU’s playbook near the close of the second half to prevent GSU’s shutout. After picking off Landers, ASU drove all the way to the GSU 9 and found the endzone when Craig Freeman scored on a fumblerooskie play. The PAT was good as the Hornets trailed 21-7 to close out the first half.
After a fast pace in the first half, the second half slowed as the game turned into a battle for field position. The Tiger defense kept ASU’s offense in check throughout the majority of the half except for a late fourth quarter drive by Alabama State that saw them try to switch the game’s momentum. With the ball at Grambling’s 27, the Tiger defense came up big once again as Jack broke up a sure ASU reception on fourth down which allowed GSU to regain of the ball and ultimately the win.
As a team, the Tigers gained 259 total offensive yards (177 P, 82 R) while ASU finished with 169 (135 R, 38 P) yards. Warren led GSU on the ground with 54 yards on 16 carries while Landers threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 20-of-30 attempts. Wideout Clyde Edwards led GSU with five receptions for 66 yards.
The win sends GSU back to the SWAC Championship game for the fifth time in school history and second time in three years. The Tigers will step out of SWAC play next weekend and venture east to nearby Monroe, La. for their first-ever meeting against the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Malone Stadium.
Congrats to those Tigers!!! All GSU fans please report to the Bayou Classic because that’s always our biggest away game. Southern always has home field advantage; so we’ll need to show up and make some noise!
Way to go TIGERS!!!!!!! GUD is already booked and ready to go knew this a few weeks ago..
Looks like we might be seeing JSU in GRAMBLINGHAM!!!! I love going home for visits
Go tigers it’s time once again to take back our place as being back on top in black college football
There is still a investigation going on about that player that didn’t fulfill his financial obligation and played in 4 games, 3 of which GSU won. He is no longer at the school, so there have to be something to come about this. If any other students did this they are considered to not be a official student for that semester and the same should be said of this young man. f that is the case, how can someone who’s not a official student for this semester participate officially in a NCAA game?
Where have you read that there is an investigation going on?
Fiyah, never heard of it. If you are talking about the info in the link below, Gram has been cleared by the NCAA of any significant wrongdoing….
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/swac/2007-09-26-grambling-probe_N.htm
I heard that from one of the TSU footbally players. He told me that grambling was going to forfiet the game they killed us in. TigerRag, from what I understand this is 2007.Those investigations were for 2004-2006
“If any other students did this they are considered to not be a official student for that semester and the same should be said of this young man.”
Glad you brought up that point… regular students have been allowed to register for and attend classes based upon a “provisional” roster. Sometimes students haven’t completed all of their financial aid arrangments or tuition payments. Once the deadline (for paying fees) has passed those students whose names do not appear on the official roster (for that class) can no longer attend those classes.
If a player has been cleared by the NCAA and enrolled in school pending payment of fees, how is this situation different from a regular student? Once fees obligation isn’t met by the official deadline, a (any)student must withdraw from school.
“TigerRag, from what I understand this is 2007.Those investigations were for 2004-2006”
Newboy, from what I READ, the investigation was COMPLETED in 2007 and from what I READ, Fiyah did not specify the year of the occurrence but said “an investigation is still going on.” As such, my post is not out of order.
People should know by now that JSU plays its best when the team is against the wall. Sorry, Alabam A&M, after 575 yards of offense to your 15 yards rushing, the outcome should be clear. Grambling, the last one was a gift. Seeya in B’ham.
Tiger BOOYAW,
Dont act like you all have us the game…we out played u all despite us having more penalties than u all..if it wasn’t for that the game would not been close.
Go GSU!!!
Tiger BOOYAW…It is so sad that when you give all you have against a team we OWN, and barely eek out a win, you feel like you’ve grown a moustace or something!! That was a …cute…little victory for you guys. I don’t thimk you’re ready to eat at the grown folks table yet, though. You see, the SWAC “GRAM-pionship” has this unstated sort of aura to it. For some strange reason, we just can’t seem to lose there (Ask Alabama A&M and Alabama State). I know you guys represented the JV side of the conference (the East) in the inaugural SCG, but still fell short. I am not trying to rain on your parade, but I think you’re looking forward too fast. By all means feel good about the OVERTIME victory over Alabama A&M, but remember you still have some work to do. Prairie View A&M is no joke, and I wont be surprised if they deflate your SWAC East-leading balloon only a week after you’ve inflated it. Our work here is done, at least until we hit New Orleans and complete our “SWAC Walk”, then head to “GRAMBLING-ham” for our home finale. Will you be there??
Well said, Silverback’06!
Well said
Fiyah, is the investigation still ongoing??? I guess you would like for Gram to have no scholarships like PV did for so many years bruh.. WE ARE THE ICON OF BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL DON’T GET IT TWISTED….
The key to the game btwn GSU and JSU in Birmingham, is that we must shut down clyde edwards and brandon landers. These guys have killed us in the last couple of meetings. Nevertheless JSU will show up to play and the game will be even closer than the previous one where grambling escaped with a victory. Our defense will show up and we will be victorious in our quest for domination. JSU IS BACK ON TOP OF THE SWAC!!!!! Sorry Southern, ASU, A&M, MVSU, & others. WE IN HERE!!!!!