COLUMBUS, Ga.- Senior wide receiver Devonte Osborne was named the Most Valuable Player after recording eight passes for 137 yards and a touchdown to lead the Albany State Golden Rams to a pulsating 21-17 win over archrival Fort Valley State in the 26th Annual Fountain City Classic. With the victory, ASU wins the SIAC East Division Championship and will play Miles College in the SIAC Championship game next week.
The Golden Rams, who have won five straight games after starting year 1-3, improve to 6-3 overall and 4-0 in the SIAC. The Wildcats fall to 5-4, 3-1.
Albany State opened the scoring with 3:38 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Caleb Edmonds found Jessie Atkins for a 12-yard touchdown to end a 13-play, 89-yard drive that used 6:22. Zachary Gayden-Holley made the PAT, and the Golden Rams led 7-0.
In the second period, Fort Valley State tied the game courtesy of an ASU turnover. The Wildcats’ Tracey White intercepted a pass by Edmonds and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown with 7:33 left in the half.
Osborne scored his only touchdown of the game with 45 seconds left. Edmonds found him for a 51-yard strike to help their team regain the lead at 14-7. The drive used four plays and 74 yards in 34 seconds. The drive was set up by Ryan Selby’s interception when FSVU was threatening to score at the Albany State 12-yard line.
The Wildcats were able to cut their deficit before halftime. A 50-yard field goal by Juan Serna brought the score to 14-10 at intermission.
After a scoreless third quarter by both teams, FVSU took the lead with 14:08 remaining in the fourth period. Malcolm Eady found Travis Richmond for a 3-yard touchdown to take a 17-14 advantage.
After Gayden-Holley missed a 38-yard field goal on its next possession, Albany State generated a big defensive play. Zavondric Shingleton forced a Wildcat fumble, and Tavarius Washington recovered it to give the Golden Rams the possession. Two personal foul penalties by Fort Valley State after the play placed ASU at the FVSU 7-yard line. Jarvis Small needed only play to score and provide Albany State a 21-17 edge it would not relinquish.
Edmonds was 22-for-36 for 275 yards and two touchdowns. The Golden Rams recorded 378 yards of total offense.
Defensively, Tavarius Washington led the way with eight tackles. Shingleton added six tackles and two pass breakups, and Zane Fields had four tackles and a sack.
The Golden Rams will face Miles at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Nov. 14 for the 2015 SIAC Championship. Game time is set for 6 p.m. (central time). Tickets are currently on sale for $15 and can be purchased at www.thesiactickets.com.
Albany State Athletics
