HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
No Result
View All Result

Home Football

Southern tops Grambling State 38-28 to win Bayou Classic, SWAC West

Kendrick Marshall by Kendrick Marshall
November 24, 2018
0
Bayou Classic 2018

Photo: Grambling State Athletics

513
VIEWS

You might also like

Southern gets statement win over Alcorn State to take SWAC lead

Grambling State continues SWAC winning surge with win over Jackson State

This junior college transfer has Grambling State a SWAC championship contender

After dropping three of the last four meetings to Grambling State — several in humbling, blowout fashion — Southern exorcized its Bayou Classic demons to win the SWAC Western Division championship in convincing fashion, 38-28 Saturday night.

The Jaguars (7-3, 6-1 SWAC), used the legs and arm of quarterback Ladarius Skelton, who threw for 217 yards to go along with three touchdown passes and another 79 yards on the ground to frustrate the Grambling defense.

With the win, Southern is 5-0 since Skelton was inserted as the starter down the stretch.

Southern, winners of the division for the first time since 2014, now advances to the SWAC Championship Game versus current five-time SWAC Eastern Division champion Alcorn State in Lorman, Mississippi, on Dec. 1.

“Our motto all year has been playing 60 minutes,” said Southern head coach Dawson Odums. “When you play like that, you’ve got a chance.”

Southern took a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game when Kordell Caldwell blocked a punt by Martell Fontenot and fell on the football in the end zone.

“I thought our guys did a great job of executing that,” said Odums, who is 2-3 all-time against Broderick Fobbs. “We went for the block, and to start the game off like that is a great momentum builder for your team.”

Southern was threatening to increase its 17-10 halftime lead on the first possession of the third quarter, but it botched a handoff and La’Allan Clark picked up the ball and ran 80 yards to the Jaguars 8.

A penalty pushed the Tigers back, and they settled for Garrett Urban’s 21-yard field goal that cut Southern’s lead to 17-13.

On the next possession, the Jaguars faced a third and 23 when Skelton connected with Kendall Catalon for an 80-yard touchdown and a 24-13 lead midway through the third quarter.

Skelton’s 44-yard touchdown pass to Randall Menard increased Southern’s lead to 31-13 after three quarters.

Geremy Hickbottom ran 4 yards for a touchdown and completed a pass for a two-point conversion that cut the Jaguars lead to 31-21 early in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers recovered a fumble at the Southern 19 on the next possession and Hickbottom’s 1-yard touchdown run trimmed the lead to 31-28 with 11:07 remaining. He finished the game with 188 yards passing and three total touchdowns.

The Jaguars answered with a 2-yard touchdown run by Benn and a 38-28 lead with 7:51 left before the Southern offense made enough plays on offense down the stretch to hold on for a win that had been four years in the making.

“It feels amazing to finally get a win,” cornerback Demerio Houston said. “Last year cut deep because we were five minutes away. It was heartbreaking.”

For Grambing (6-5, 4-3), the 2018 season ends a month earlier than they anticipated — something that is unfamilar for a program that dominated the league in recent seasons.

“My hat goes off to coach Odums and his staff for an outstanding job they’ve done,” Fobbs said. “I’m so proud of my kids. You’re not going to always execute, but to see their heart in fighting back and got us back into the ballgame, that is the thing I enjoy most. A lot of teams would have quit and a lot of teams would have given up when you’re down 31-13, but those guys fought back. We have been dethroned, but the way we fought back tonight, these guys have the heart of champions.”



Tags: GramblingSouthern
Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall is an award-winning journalist and a graduate of Jackson State University.

Next Post
Bowie State takes closer step to winning CIAA North

Bowie State eliminated from NCAA playoffs with loss to Valdosta State

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending

  • Albany State coach Quinn Gray apologizes for offering recruit who used N-word
  • White FBS quarterback recruit who lost scholarship over use of N-word gets offer from HBCU
  • Ex-Morgan State coach Tyrone Wheatley hired by Division II school
  • Bethune-Cookman football team, administrators hold meeting to reconcile issues with program
  • HBCU Sports exclusive: Terry Sims says he’s disheartened by turmoil at Bethune-Cookman
  • Reggie Theus says Ed Reed has ‘no shot’ to be retained as Bethune-Cookman coach
  • Bethune-Cookman president outlines reasons for school split from Ed Reed
  • These are the HBCU football players to watch ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
  • These former HBCU football players are Super Bowl LVII bound
  • Future MEAC/SWAC Challenge matchups announced

RSS HBCU Sports Forums

  • RIP Jared Powell SuTrpt96
  • Hey, Can we setup a memorial Room/thread for our friends who have gone on?
  • Will Smith visits Tougaloo
  • National Signing Day Thread 2023
  • Transfer Portal Thread 2022-23 Part II
  • 2023 Football Schedules
  • National Early Signing Day 2022
  • Lighten the Mood 10th Edition
  • JV Coach impersonates 13 year old absent player
  • Poker Face on Peacock
  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COMMENT POLICY
  • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
 CONTACT US

© 2022 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • PODCASTS
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE

© 2022 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

X