It took overtime and more for Prairie View to top Grambling in State Fair Classic

The latest edition of the annual State Fair Classic was just that — an instant classic.

Lamagea McDowell scored from a yard out in the fifth overtime to give Prairie View A&M a 36-34 win over Grambling State on Saturday night at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

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Both teams scored touchdowns and converted PATs in the first overtime, and both made field goals in the second, sending the game into the third overtime and mandatory two-point conversions.

Grambling and Prairie View failed on their first pair of two-point tries. Grambling (3-2, 0-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) also failed on its third, setting up the Panthers (2-3, 1-2) for the potential win. After a holding penalty gave Prairie View the ball at the 1-yard line, and McDowell plowed through the middle for the victory.

Instant Classic 🍿@PVAMU_Football scores the 2-point conversion to win the State Fair Classic in 5OT.#FCS x 🎥 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/NacvKniNi4

— NCAA FCS Football (@NCAA_FCS) September 29, 2024

Connor Wisham’s 39-yard fourth-quarter touchdown, coming after Terrell Coleman Jr’s interception, gave Prairie View A&M its first lead at 24-17 with under 10 minutes remaining. Another Panthers interception, this by Cameron Franklin, led to Jaden Johnson’s 9-yard keeper to tie the score earlier in the fourth quarter.

On Grambling’s final possession in regulation, quarterback Myles Crawley — who struggled most of the night — threw a 38-yard pass that tight end Marquis Harris grabbed on the sideline at the Panthers 9 with a minute to go. Two plays later, Crawley hit wide receiver Jalen Johnson for a 12-yard score to tie the game with 38 seconds left that capped off a 10-play, 82-yard drive to send the game into overtime.