NEW ORLEANS, La. – Grambling State’s quest for an undefeated SWAC run came to an end on Saturday afternoon as Southern University defeated the Tigers 22-13 before 53,297 fans at the Louisiana Superdome.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Southern jumped out on top when running back Darren Coates scored on a one-yard run. SU’s Josh Duran nailed the PAT for a 7-0 advantage. Grambling State quickly answered and tied the game at 7-7 with a 13-play drive that spanned 61 yards. On the drive, the Tigers used their ground attack and capped off the drive with freshman Cornelius Walker’s one-yard rush.
With the score tied at 7-7, SU moved back on top by six points when Bryant Lee connected with Coates for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Duran’s PAT was good as the Jaguars led 14-7. From that point, the contest turned into a defensive struggle as both teams alternated possessions en route to a 14-7 halftime lead by Southern.
The second half was a mirror image of the first as neither team took advantage of good field position on several occasions. Southern finally took advantage late in the third quarter when Joe Manning blocked a Tim Manuel punt that rolled into the end zone for a team safety and a 16-7 advantage. Three drives later, Grambling’s miseries grew larger as punter Tim Manuel was stopped for an 18-yard loss at GSU’s 7-yard line. Five plays later, Southern moved ahead 19-7 when Duran nailed a 23-yard field goal attempt.
After several stalled offensive possessions, Grambling State’s offense finally came to life and rode the arm of quarterback Brandon Landers. On the drive, which spanned 67 yards in eight plays, Landers completed 7-of-8 passes en route to finding wideout Clyde Edwards for a 27-yard scoring strike. Manuel’s PAT was blocked as GSU continued to trail 19-13 in the middle of the fourth quarter.
With the momentum shifting and time winding down in the final stanza, SU backup quarterback Warren Matthews converted a huge 3rd-and-2 when he found Coates for a 32-yard reception. Four plays later, Duran connected on a 37-yard field goal attempt to move Southern ahead by two possessions at 22-13.
GSU never got on track at that point as Landers was intercepted on the next drive. SU ran the clock out on the ensuing drive and captured its second consecutive Bayou Classic contest.
For the game, SU amassed 366 (214 P, 152 R) total offensive yards to GSU’s 253 (195 P, 58 R). Coates led SU in rushing with 107 yards on 24 carries while Frank Warren finished with 49 yards. Landers threw for 192 yards on 22-of-36 passing while Bryant Lee passed for 120 yards. Edwards led all GSU receivers with eight catches for 84 yards while Gerard Landry caught five passes for 72 yards.
I’ve been following GSU Football for over 40 years and consider myself a loyal fan. I have taken the wins and losses. I have observed poor play calling by coaches and poor execution on the part of players. The Bayou Classic is GSU’s biggest and most watched game of the year, and it is emotional, such that GSU fans want an demand better performances. It takes a true Gramblinite to understand the meaning of the game. Personally I am not as interested in a SWAC Championship, as I am in winning the Bayou Classic. I have always felt that GSU coaches should be former GSU, keep it family, only true GSU understand the importance of the Classic and winning. The Nov 24th 2007 Bayou Classic was the worst performance on the part of Players and coaches all year. The team played better against ULM- Monroe than against SU. This GSU team lacks motivation to win the big ones. Good luck with the SWAC Championship
I agree…..This lost hurts more than any lost this year. Clearly GSU was more talented but out coached. I hope that GSU win the SWAC Championship…..
I could stomach a 1-10 season with BC win…
The Bayou Classic is our biggest game of the regular season. Still the SCG is important because it rewards us for winning the regular season Western Division. That’s something that I am proud of. An undefeated division championship would be preferred but not necessary. The key is to now win the hold overall championship by winning the SCG and use that as part of our recruiting pitch. You recruit players to win championships and not individual games… do it often enough and the victories (Bayou Classic and others) will come.
Did someone say they could stomach 10 losses for ONE win??!! Unbelievable!!!
I agree as well.
The issue I have with this guy is that…He didn’t prepare the team for this game. I was at the ULM Game. The Ref taken that game from us. Grambling should have finished this season 11-1. He prepared the guys for the ULM Game. Grambling was ready at that game…The Ref just was not letting that happen.
This Southern Game….He didn’t prepare our boys. and he admitted it. per more articles on the http://www.thenewsstar. com . He didn’t understand why this game wasn’t more important than the others?????? That is a cop out. This is the Gramblings only guaranteed TV game. This Game is seen all around the World. And you don’t know how important it is???? This is the game that helps Grambling With recruiting. This is the Game that brings in the Money for the University. Also This is the game if we don’t win we don’t travel to Birmingham!! !!!!!!!
There is actually someone willing to accept losing every game during the season and winning the Bayou Classic.
As a die hard Grambling Fan that is unbelievable.
Come on people Southern played a real good game, I think Southern should have been 11-1 or 10-2. We lost 2 games that we should have won..Grambling just lost Southern wanted it more..
I understand, but do not agree what kberry said. We Gramblingnites are hard core fans that want to win all the time especially during the BC; for a lot of us this is our Homecoming.For years we have had only this game to look forward too for a complete seasons. I do not and will not belive that Coach B was not as passionate as any real Alum would have in trying to win this game. I jus did not see any emotions from him. So I am and was disapponited, in the outcome…
I agree GSU got out coach badly on national tv. The players didn’t seem motivated at all during the game. I think Broadway has done a outstanding job his first year, and GSU athletic department should be proud and also give him support and what he need to be successful and stop being old fashion. I need GSU should recruit some junior college players to give some college exp., and also change quarterback because you can not win every game with an avg. of 2 int. every game.
Here’s the problem with the Bayou Classic….it’s essentially Southern’s biggest home game. You have the Superdome filled with 70,000 people, of which 60,000 are rooting for SU. New Orleans is an hour away from SU, and it’s a day where you have the entire state of Louisiana against Grambling, witht he exception of the few students who are able to make the 5 hour trip and the alumni. It’s always a tough game for GSU to win, but I think we’ll do better next year. Let’s give Broadway a chance, and I think he’ll be prepared next time. I agree, the team looked horrible, especially that quarterback! I’m hoping we can get it together because they should not have lost that damn game!
I think GSU and Southern need to go down on the price of the bayou classic tickets, every since they went up on the price, attendance have been dropping and they claim don’t know why. We as african americans don’t all have enough finances to attend these games. For instance I need 3 tickets for the bayou classic, that’s 150.00 plus food,gas, and etc. I understand prices go up but that’s rediculous. Just a couple years ago ticket prices for the bayou classic were 25-30 dollars which is affordable, but now people just don’t have the money like that. We used to tailgate with about 20-30 people at the bayou classic, now it’s about 4-8 people, we used to have fun both GSU and SU fans.
I agree with all GSU fans here, let’s face it the coach who I back totally straight out coached himself and made an average team look good. He threw the ball when he should have ran and ran when he should have thrown.I am from Baton Rouge and have to hear all the ignorant foolishness from SU fans who really don’t know football they just have a big mouth. I hope Coach B. sit back and realize just how big this game is and how much we love the G-MEN