LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – Fortunately for Bowie State football, it’s not how you start but how you finish as the Bulldogs shrugged off a terrible start and came back to defeat Lincoln (Pa.) 35-14 on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The win improves Bowie State’s record to 7-2 overall, 4-1 in the CIAA North and one game closer to claiming the division title.
Dominique Rogers intercepted Bowie State’s Amir Hall and returns it for a 50-yard touchdown to give Lincoln (Pa.) 7-0 lead with 7:23 remaining in the first quarter.
Lincoln (Pa.) (1-8, 1-4 CIAA) pushed its lead to 14-0 at the 4:27 mark of the second quarter, when the Lions blocked a Bulldogs punt and scored.
Montez Clay hauled in a 68-yard touchdown pass from Amir Hall to pull Bowie State within a touchdown on the Bulldogs’ very next possession to narrow the deficit to 14-7 with 4:08 left in the second quarter. Bulldogs get a quick two as Derrick Tate and Taylor Johnson scored on a safety to trim the deficit to 14-9 with 3:06 left before halftime.
Bowie State takes lead with 44 seconds left in the second quarter on a Hall to Geordan Clark for a touchdown to put the Bulldogs in front 15-14.
Bowie State’s Maurice Williams scores a 13-yard touchdown run at 3:53 mark of the 3rd quarter but the extra point was missed, pushing the Bulldogs lead to 21-14.
The Bowie State duo of Hall and Clark teamed up again, this time for a nine-yard touchdown to double up the Lincoln (Pa.) Lions by a score of 28-14 with 2:36 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Hall throws his fourth touchdown of the afternoon, this time a 33-yard pass to Lansana Sesay to extend the Bowie State lead to 35-14 with 11:32 left in the contest.
Hall threw for a game-high 306 passing yards completing 24-of-42. His four touchdown passes move him to within two of tying the CIAA All-Time TD passing yard on Winston-Salem State’s Kameron Smith. Williams and Brandon Abrams led Bowie State’s ground gainers with 59 and 42 yards respectively. Clay and Gilbert Lunsford led all receivers with 82 and 73 reception yards respectively. The Bulldogs trio of John Johnson, Jaylen Harris, and Da’Ron Holmes paced the Bowie State defense with five tackles each.
Lincoln (Pa.) quarterback Vincent Espinoza led the Lions on offense with 122 passing yards and 59 rushing yards. Carlos Croslyn was LUPA’s top receiver with 39 yards while Devon Cathcart was the games’ leading tackler with 10.
The Bulldogs will conclude the regular season next Saturday (November 3), hosting Elizabeth City State University for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day. Bowie State will recognize its seniors in a special pregame ceremony beginning at 12:30 p.m. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Courtesy: BSU Athletics
