JACKSON, Miss. — Grambling State made a stunning first-half push to make it a tight game at intermission against Jackson State at Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Jackson State pummeled the G-Men into oblivion in the second half.
JSU (3-0) exploded out of the gates after halftime to score 38 unanswered points in a 66-24 blowout over Grambling State in the W.C. Gordan Classic.
Grambling’s first score of the second half didn’t come until there was only 4:45 remaining in the second half when quarterback Quarterius Hawkins found Lyndon Rash on an 79-yard touchdown strike to cut the Jackson State lead to 59-24.
The game started in similar fashion as the way in ended up going.
GSU, now 2-1, received the opening kickoff but two plays later fumbled the ball away at its own 21-yard line.
Jackson State capitalized on the turnover with Sy’Veon Wilkerson scoring on a one-yard run to put JSU up 7-9 at the 9:55 mark of the opening stanza.
JSU pushed that advantage to 14-0 with 36 seconds remaining in the opening stanza on a three-year touchdown run by Wilkerson.
But then the G-Men suddenly roared to life thanks to the legs of Maurice Washington, who raced for a 73-yard touchdown to cut JSU’s lead to 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
That would be the first of two Grambling touchdowns over a one-minute span.
JSU’s next offensive possession didn’t last long as GSU defensive end Sundiata Anderson sacked Sanders, stripping the ball free in the process. Grambling’s Bryan Powell snatched up a fumble at the Jackson State and calmly took it 17 yards untouched to paydirt for the scoop-and- score touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 with 14:11 remaining in the half.
Jackson State countered by driving 71 yards on nine plays with Sanders hitting Dallas Daniels on a seven-yard touchdown pass that gave JSU a 21-14 lead with 9:54 remaining in the first half.
Jackson State then forced a punt by Grambling’s Jimmy Iles, but return specialist Kevin Coleman muffed the reception and GSU freshman Chance WIlliams pounced on the loose ball at the Jackson State 25.
The ensuing GSU drive stalled, and Garrett Urban’s 46-yard field goal attempt sailed wide. But running into the kicker penalty gave Urban another chance, and he responded with a 41-yarder to cut Grambling’s deficit to 21-17 with 5:19 remaining before halftime.
Jackson State pushed for another score before intermission, starting a drive at the GSU 41 at the 1:57 mark of the second quarter.
Sanders hit Daniels for a solid gain, but Daniels lost the ball, which was recovered by Grambling’s Marquis Britten to end the JSU scoring threat and keep the GSU deficit at 21-17 at halftime.
It didn’t take long for Jackson State to turn the tight game into a second-half blowout.
JSU received the opening kickoff to start the second half and soon lit up the scoreboard when Sanders hit Daniels on a 28-yard touchdown pass to push the JSU lead to 28-17 only 1:35 into the third quarter.
Alejandro Mata’s 31-yard field goal 1:56 later stretched JSU’s lead to 31-17.
Jackson State’s second half offensive onslaught was just getting underway.
Hawkins fumbled the ball away after being sacked on the ensuing drive, with JSU recovering the ball at the GSU 11. Alvin Brumfield pushed his way to paydirt on the next play to push the JSU lead to 38-17 with 5:42 left in the third quarter.
JSU was soon back at it after forcing another GSU punt, with Sanders doing the scoring honors on a.15-yard quarterback to push JSU’s advantage to 44-17 at the 1:43 mark of the third quarter..
Jackson State scored three more touchdowns in the final stanza, starting with an 86-yard touchdown bomb from Sanders to Willie Gaines that made it 52-17 with 13:54 remaining.
Sanders finished his 357-yard passing performance with his fourth aerial score — a 23-yarder to Daniels with 10.10 left on the clock.
JSU backup quarterback JP Andrade capped off the game’s scoring with a 17-yard scoring strike to Malachi Wideman with 1:46 remaining.
The 59 points scored by Jackson State were the most GSU has allowed by an opponent since a 73-14 loss at California in 2015 and the most against JSU since 1998 — a 68-35 win over the G-Men.
Hawkins finished the afternoon with 122 yards on 12-of-30 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions while Washington led the G-Men in rushing with 78 yards on three carries while adding three receptions for 23 yards.
Williams added 24 yards on seven carries for GSU, which was led in receiving by Rash with four catches for 97 yards.
Defensively, the G-Men were led by Lewis Matthews with 10 tackles (nine solo) and a sack while Joshua Reed added nine takedowns (six solo).
Jaylon Turner (five tackles) and Powell (two tackles) each also recorded sacks for GSU.
Next up for Grambling is a game at Bethune-Cookman (0-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.
