Origin Bank is celebrating the opening of its new flagship location at 400 N. Trenton Street in the heart of downtown Ruston.
Origin began extensive renovations to the iconic building in late 2023, evolving the space into a state-of-the-art hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and community engagement as a symbol of its ongoing commitment to Lincoln Parish.
“We are extremely excited about our new location in downtown Ruston,” said Drake Mills, chairman, president and CEO of Origin Bancorp, Inc. “This new banking center represents Origin’s long-standing commitment to this community and the foundational relationships we have developed for generations.”
Designed to provide an elevated customer experience, the 16,000-square-foot space features an open-concept lobby, walk-up banking services, private meeting space and a community room that serves as a connection point for civic organizations, businesses, and community leaders. A portion of Origin’s vision statement that reads “Connecting People to their Dreams” is prominently displayed in the main entry.
“Origin’s vision articulates our ongoing commitment to the future of Ruston and Lincoln Parish,” said Lance Hall, president and CEO of Origin Bank. “We are thankful for this community and are passionately committed to continuing to make it one of the best places in the world to raise a family and do business.”
Origin is a top 10 private employer in Lincoln Parish with more than 230 local team members. Origin’s ties to Lincoln Parish are far-reaching throughout its five state footprint, with 94 graduates from Lincoln Parish high schools and 131 graduates from Louisiana Tech and Grambling State University.
On Thursday, October 17th from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., an open house celebration will be held for customers and members of the community to experience the new banking center and meet Origin’s team of trusted advisors including:
Senior Vice President and Banking Center Manager III Judy A. Williams-Brown who leads the Ruston Financial Center team. With over 40 years of banking experience, Williams-Brown is dedicated to ensuring customers receive the exceptional, personalized service Origin is known for.
Vice President of Regional Business Development Quentin Durr, a 17-year banking industry professional. Durr uses his expertise in small and commercial business development to connect business owners with the resources they need, ensuring positive contributions to the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Lincoln Parish.
Louisiana Director of Community Development Bobby Williams, a 26-year veteran of the banking industry. Williams seeks to improve blighted properties and neighborhoods in the community through strategic partnerships with local non-profits and assists families in achieving their dreams of homeownership by connecting them with the financial resources best suited to their needs.
The new Ruston Financial Center, located at 400 N. Trenton Street, is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Drive-thru banking is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. In addition to the retail lobby service and community room, the banking center will feature ATM services and a podcast room for customer and community use.
About Origin
Origin Bancorp, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Ruston, Louisiana. Origin’s wholly owned bank subsidiary, Origin Bank, was founded in 1912 in Choudrant, Louisiana. Deeply rooted in Origin’s history is a culture committed to providing personalized relationship banking to businesses, municipalities, and personal clients to enrich the lives of the people in the communities it serves. Origin provides a broad range of financial services and currently operates more than 60 locations in Dallas/Fort Worth, East Texas, Houston, North Louisiana, Mississippi, South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. For more information, visit www.origin.bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
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Dubach hosted the 35th annual Louisiana Chicken Festival this past weekend, attracting area residents to participate in a pet parade, arts and crafts booths, and even a strut, cackle and crow contest – which Dubach Restoration and Beautification Organization President Renee Vowles said was her favorite part.
“It is the best,” Vowles said. “The adults are hilarious.”
Besides that particular contest, though, bingo, a live band, an antique car show, a drumstick eating contest and more were on the itinerary for this fundraising event.
“It raises money for DRABO,” Vowles said. “We do beautification for the town, and we also have three buildings we maintain. The majority of this money goes to beautification. We do the flower beds, and we also help out the school whenever they need extra funds.”
Dubach School students designed this year’s Chicken Festival poster.
“We gave them the prize of $250 and donated it to the art program,” Vowles said.
Nearly 80 vendors lined the streets of downtown Dubach with individuals having opportunities to peruse and buy jewelry, tumblers, T-shirts, soap, food and other items. Dubach resident Vonsha Wilson came with her two young children to enjoy the weekend’s festivities.
“I haven’t been since 2007,” Wilson said. “I wanted to bring my kids (this year). My church (was) in the parade, and they’re going to be a part of it, so I wanted to bring them to see everything.”
She added that the various foods – which included a mix of carnival foods as well as more local and international dishes – was what she enjoyed best.
“My favorite part is the food,” Wilson said. “Definitely the corndogs.”
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A Ruston man was arrested early last Monday morning after officers responded to a burglar alarm and found him nearby.
Ruston officers responded to a burglar alarm in the 700 block of South Vienna Street about 3:30 a.m. Monday. They discovered the business had been burglarized and in checking the area found Anthony J. Dawson, 50, in a yard directly around the corner from the burglarized business.
Dawson was stopped due to his proximity to the burglary. A record check showed he was wanted on a warrant for failure to appear in Ruston City Court on a traffic charge. After he was arrested, two hydrocodone pills, a Schedule II controlled substance, were found in his pocket.
Dawson was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of a controlled substance and the failure to appear warrant. Bail was set at $5,500.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Newly installed officers for the Zeta Rho chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha are (from left) Jennifer Patterson, president; Beth Fife, vice president; Lester Fife, treasurer; Amy Ringheim, secretary; and Elizabeth Moreau, parliamentarian. Each officer received a puzzle as part of the ceremony, symbolizing their role within the organization.
Ruston’s Zeta Rho chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha service group is inviting interested area residents to its annual recruitment and welcome meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1.
President Jennifer Patterson has chosen the theme “Be Inspiring, Be Helpful, Be Hopeful, BeYoutiful – Share the Gift of You with ESA.” The event will be held in the fellowship hall of Northside Church of Christ, 1804 N. Trenton.
“Be a part of something that helps to make us better and the world better by sharing ourselves with others,” Patterson said. “Join us in the Zeta Rho chapter and get involved.”
The Zeta Rho chapter has much to offer, she added. For example, the group recently won Best in Show in a national competition designed to demonstrate the collective power that comes when members do good works in their communities in the name of ESA.
Among the chapter’s projects are volunteering with the Monroe St. Jude Dream Home, co-hosting the KXKZ 107.5 St. Jude Radiothon, assisting with area St. Jude trike-a-thons and math-a-thons, participating in Christian Community Action food drives, helping with Ruston’s Special Olympics and aiding area veterans.
Additional activities include educational presentations at monthly meetings and social gatherings among group members.
Helping Patterson lead the way into the upcoming ESA year are the other newly installed chapter officers: Beth Fife, vice president; Lester Fife, treasurer; Amy Ringheim, secretary; and Elizabeth Moreau, parliamentarian.
Men and women interested in possibly becoming members can contact Sallie Rose Hollis, immediate past president, at sallierose@mail.com or visit the Facebook page Zeta Rho chapter / ESA (Epsilon Sigma Alpha).
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Ruston Police arrested a local man last Tuesday after a woman reported a domestic abuse incident.
Jamiel Harrison, 36, of Ruston, was arrested about 8:30 p.m. September 24 after officers met with the alleged victim at her West Barnett Springs Avenue residence.
The woman told officers she and her boyfriend of six years, Harrison, had a verbal argument that turned physical when Harrison choked her in front of her two children. She said when she began to call police, Harrison fled on foot.
Officer saw scratches on the woman’s neck and upper chest.
Harrison was located on foot on Maple Street and was taken into custody. He said he was trying to keep the woman off of him during the argument when she punched him in the face. Officers reported no signs supporting Harrison’s allegation.
He was booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for domestic abuse battery with strangulation and for an outstanding warrant from Ruston City Court. His bail was set at $4,500.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The roof of a police patrol car at night, with the blue and red lights flashing.
Earlier this morning, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop F responded to a single-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 151 south of Louisiana Highway 144. The crash claimed the life of 38-year-old Dustin Varnado.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a 2009 GMC Sierra, driven by Varnado, was traveling south on Louisiana Highway 151. For reasons still under investigation, Varnado’s vehicle left the roadway, collided with a wooden fence, and overturned.
Varnado, who was unrestrained at the time of the crash, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Although impairment is not suspected, routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis. This crash remains under investigation.
While not all crashes are survivable, statistics show that properly wearing your seat belt will dramatically reduce your chance of being severely injured or killed in a crash. Louisiana law requires that every person in a vehicle, regardless of seating position, always remain buckled up. Properly wearing your seat belt is one of the most effective ways to save your life and reduce injuries during crashes.
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CADE, La. — Ain’t no Shade? Ain’t no problem for the Bearcats.
Ruston High’s cross country squads both took first place Saturday in the Episcopal of Acadiana Ain’t No Shade in Cade 2024 three-mile race with impressive individual finishes, as well.
The girls took first place after scoring 35 points (1+3+5+9+17=35) with a 19 minute, 38 second average for the team. Freshman Eden Dawsey is continuing her dominant season with a first place finish among official runners at 18:29.50, while junior Hallie Hebert came in third at 18:55.30.
Senior Parker Nations took fifth at 19:09.90, with senior Sydney Owens coming in ninth at 20:04.90. Sophomore Aydan Murry rounded out the Lady Bearcats’ scoring with a 17th place finish at 21:34.40.
“For the girls, it’s a big boost to get Parker back out there after missing the home meet,” Ruston High head coach Dustin Cochran. “She’s struggled for a while now with some little injuries and a respiratory illness. She said after Thursdays workout that this was the first time she’s felt good running in a long time and she went out and raced like it on Saturday. When you’re missing a runner like her from your lineup it just drags everyone’s confidence down. When she’s in there and ready to go, we feel really good about our chances no matter where we’re running. As she and the rest of this girls team get healthier, they’re going to be tough to deal with in championship season.”
The boys also placed first and scored 54 points (5+7+8+16+18=54) with junior Al-Amin Wilson leading the pack at 15:51.00 in a fifth place finish. Juniors Taylor Huddleston and Joshua Daulton finished seventh and eighth, respectively, with times of 15:59.30 and 15:59.50.
“The boys continue to do a great job of running together and racing smart,” Cochran said. “AJ, Taylor and Josh had just a 9 second finishing split and all finished in the top 10 again. When we get Ben back in there with them, that will really make us tough. It’s hard to fall off or give up when you’re racing that close to your teammates. Luke and Wyatt are doing it behind them, and when you look at the JV results week in and week out, you can see a whole line of guys working well off each other. I think the way our boys are working together is really making everyone better week in and week out.”
Junior Luke Braswell finished 16th at 17:02.90, while sophomore Wyatt Hancock took 18th place at 17:06.70.
For Cochran, this weekend has been another indication of the progress his 2024 team is making.
“Im excited about this weekend and what we were able to accomplish as a team,” Cochran concluded. “I really am enjoying how together this team is. It’s young, and it’s learning every single week, but we’re having a lot of fun day in and day out and people are experiencing some really good results right now. Next week at st joes the whole state will be there, and we will get a good picture of where we are now and what we need to do from now to November to finish where we want to finish.”
Ruston will return to action Saturday, Oct. 5, at the St. Joseph’s Invitational in Baton Rouge.
Choudrant resident Sam Burns (right) shakes hands with Tom Kim of the International Team Sunday after their President’s Cup singles match ended in a tie, a crucial outcome for Team USA.
By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
QUEBEC, Canada – Sam Burns’ Saturday successes helped the USA regain control in the 2024 President’s Cup golf competition, and his Sunday competitiveness muted the International team’s fiery leader.
His weekend excellence helped Team USA prevail 18 ½-11 ½ in the four-day, five-session competition at Royal Montreal Golf Club. Overall, Burns went 3-0-1, one of only two unbeaten Americans.
Burns, a 28-year-old Choudrant resident who plays out of Squire Creek Country Club, was perfect in three team matches Thursday and Saturday. He stayed undefeated Sunday while preventing Tom Kim from generating any momentum that was vitally needed to spark any International team rally from an 11-7 deficit beginning the final day.
Sunday, in a tense singles contest, Burns took a 2-up lead on the front side with a string of four birdies in six holes. He stemmed the tide after Kim bounced back and drew even on the 15th hole.
Burns pulled off clutch shots on the final two holes and posted a crucial draw, earning a half point as the Americans edged toward the 15 ½ points needed to retain the Cup.
The 22-year-old South Korean looked poised to take a 1-up lead with a tee shot into 3 feet on the par-3 17th. Burns responded in style, hitting pitching wedge also next to the flag and draining the putt for matching birdies.
On 18, Burns hit a brilliant 20-foot pitch from a challenging lie to inside 3 feet and pured the putt to match Kim’s par and earn the half point for the Americans.
“I should have never put myself there. I struggled today with my irons, didn’t really strike it great,” said Burns. “It was a difficult chip. There were a lot of variables, up and over that slope, needed to put some spin and some height on it. It was a nice up and down.
“It was a tough match. I knew it would be against Tom. He’s a great player, a great competitor. The majority of the people out here were not rooting for us and we knew that coming in. We tried to embrace it, use it as fuel, and overall we did a good job of that. I’m proud of our guys.”
Burns sat out Friday’s alternate shot format, but rose to the occasion after the Internationals stunned the Americans with a 5-0 sweep on the second day. Entering Saturday with the competition tied at 5, Burns posted wins to score points for the USA in both sessions.
In the morning, he teamed with Patrick Cantlay, his Thursday partner, to score a 2&1 decision over Hideki Matsuyama and Sung-jae Im. In the afternoon, he and Collin Morikawa won 1-up over the Canadian duo of Corey Connors and McKenzie Hughes. Those two points helped lift the USA to a four-point advantage entering Sunday’s 12 singles matches.
It was his second victory in President’s Cup competition, following the USA’s win in 2022 on home soil. He was on the losing Ryder Cup team in Italy a year ago, and had a deceptive 1-5-2 mark in his first two international competitions as a pro (in 2022, he was paired with good pal Scottie Scheffler in the team matches and Scheffler admittedly played poorly).
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Others receiving votes: Destrehan (2-2) beat East St. John 39-16, Airline (4-0) beat Evangel 47-42; Central (4-0) beat Cecilia 27-0; Brother Martin (3-1) lost to Jesuit 17-5; Dutchtown (4-0) beat Prairieville 49-0; Mandeville (4-0) beat Slidell 56-14; Barbe (3-1) beat Carencro 21-13; Terrebonne (3-1) lost to Hahnville 51-32; West Monroe (2-2) lost to Catholic-BR 31-14, Byrd (4-0) beat John Ehret 35-14; Carencro (0-4) lost to Barbe 21-13.
Class 4A
1, Teurlings Catholic (4-0) beat Westgate 42-20
2. St. Thomas More (1-3) lost to Neville 30-7
3. Opelousas (1-2) lost to Alexandria 43-40
4. Westgate (2-1) lost to Teurlings 42-20
5. Cecilia (2-2) lost to Central-BR 27-0
6. North DeSoto (2-2) beat Northwood-Shreve 38-21
7. E.D. White (3-1) beat Ellender 60-0
8. Lutcher (3-0) beat Assumption 48-0
9. Franklin Parish (4-0) beat Caldwell 48-0
10. Archbishop Shaw (2-2) beat Lafayette Christian 31-8
Others receiving votes: Lakeshore (4-0) beat Northlake Christian 43-16; St. Charles Catholic (0-3) lost to De La Salle 10-0; Leesville (3-1) beat Pineville 41-13; Vandebilt Catholic (4-0) beat Morgan City 45-8; Northwood-Shreve, Assumption (1-3) lost to Lutcher 48-0; McDonogh-35 (1-2) beat Sophie B. Wright 38-14.
Class 3A
1. University (3-1) beat Collegiate Baton Rouge 57-0
2. John F. Kennedy (3-1) lost to St. Paul’s 25-22
3. St. James (2-1) beat Ponchatoula 35-13
4. Bunkie (4-0) beat Central Catholic 26-3
5. Northwest (2-2) lost to Jennings 35-14
6. Bastrop (4-0) beat St. Frederick 28-27
7. Sterlington (2-2) lost to West Ouachita 29-28
8. Jena (3-1) beat Winnfield 46-0
9. Jewel Sumner (4-0) beat Livonia 45-0
10. Jennings (3-1) beat Northwest 35-14
Others receiving votes: Amite (2-2) beat St. Helena 29-26; Madison Prep (1-3) beat Glen Oaks 54-0; De La Salle (1-3) beat St. Charles 10-0; Erath (3-1) lost to Vermilion Catholic 41-34; South Beauregard (3-1) lost to Welsh 28-0; Parkview Baptist (2-2) beat St. Martinville 17-12; Lake Charles College Prep (1-3) beat Mansfield 55-34; Pine (3-1) beat Pearl River 28-20.
Class 2A
1. Newman (2-0) beat Willow School 44-0
2. Calvary Baptist (1-2)
3. Oak Grove (3-1) beat D’Arbonne Woods 56-7
4. Dunham (4-0) beat Ascension Catholic 21-18
5. Lafayette Christian (1-3) lost to Shaw 31-8
6. Ouachita Christian (4-0) beat Madison Parish 42-0
7. Notre Dame (2-2) lost to Catholic-NI 42-28
8. Episcopal-Baton Rouge (4-0) beat East Feliciana 43-20
Others receiving votes: Ferriday (4-0) beat Delhi Charter 50-32; Union Parish (1-3) beat Green Oaks 28-0; South Plaquemines (2-1) lost to Belle Chasse 35-12; Pope John Paul (II) (4-0) beat Ben Franklin 42-7, Kinder (3-1) beat Eunice 22-16, Northlake Christian (1-2) lost to Lakeshore 43-16.
Others receiving votes: Covenant Christian (4-0) beat Hannan 45-3; St. Frederick (2-2) lost to Bastrop 28-27; Jeanerette (3-0) beat Loreauville 16-15, Ascension Episcopal (4-0) beat Rosepine 42-8; Central Catholic (1-2) lost to Bunkie 26-3.
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Each Monday and Friday, the Lincoln Parish Journal will post a list of non-for-profit upcoming events happening in the parish. If you would like to add your event to this list or advertise your for-profit events, please email us at lpjnewsla@gmail.com. Monday, Sept. 30 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome 6 p.m.: Toastmasters International meeting (Louisiana Center for the Blind, 101 South Trenton Street) 6-8 p.m.: Creative Meetups (Creatives at Work)
Tuesday, Oct. 1 6 p.m.: Lincoln Parish School Board meeting (410 S. Farmerville St.) 6 p.m.: Recruitment meeting for Zeta Rho-ESA (Northside Church of Christ, 1804 N. Trenton)
Wednesday, Oct. 2 7-8 a.m.: Veterans Coffee Club (PJ’s Coffee) 11:30 a.m.: Lunch on Us (Presbyterian Church, 212 North Bonner Street., Ruston) — everyone welcome
Thursday, Oct. 3 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Kiwanis Club lunch and program (Trinity Methodist Church fellowship hall) 6-9 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market Annual Autumn Dinner
5 Loaves 2 Fish Ministry is serving a free meal Thursday, October 3 from 5-6 PM or until food is gone. Location: Ruston Housing Authority office at 901 MLK Drive.
Saturday, Oct. 5 USSSA Softball (Ruston Sports Complex) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Ruston Farmers Market 6-8:30 p.m.: Pumpkins in the Park (Downtown Ruston)
For the latest local news, subscribe FOR FREE to the Lincoln Parish Journal and receive an email each weekday morning at 6:55 right to your inbox.Just CLICK HERE to sign up.
ARLINGTON, Texas – The big lights of a former Major League ballpark has absolutely zero effect on the Ruston High School Bearcats.
Coming to Texas for a second consecutive week, the Bearcats (4-0) picked off Midland Legacy’s sophomore quarterback JP Reyes three times in the first half, leading to a comfortable 38-6 win in the neutral site contest.
Ruston High school head coach Jerrod Baugh credited the defense’s approach this week for its outstanding performance on Saturday.
“We had very good preparation,” Baugh said. “I thought were some balls in the air we needed to make plays on, and we made those plays. We talked to them about that in practice — we told them they needed to do that in the game. I think that carried over into today.
Senior linebacker Zheric Hill picked off his first pass of the day at the 11:02 mark of the first quarter, which led to a nine-play, 58 yard touchdown drive capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Josh Brantley.
Hill picked off his second pass just a few minutes later and returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown to give Ruston a 14-0 lead. Sophomore Jayden Anding pulled down his third interception in two games with just over four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Bearcat senior kicker Jack Elliott tagged on a 40-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter to give Ruston a 17-0 lead.
Brantley added his second touchdown of the day with a 23-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to extend Ruston’s lead to 24-0 with 9:59 to play in the first half. Brantley threw for 135 yards and a second half touchdown to senior wideout Joran Parker, while rushing for 63 yards and two scores.
“Josh’s play today was very good,” Baugh said. “He’s able to execute what the coaches ask him to do in the running and passing game, and the receivers made some really good plays, also. We’ve got to be able to do that a lot.”
Senior running back Dylone Brooks led all rushers with 93 yards on the ground, adding a touchdown in the fourth quarter from 64 yards away. Elliott also stays perfect on PAT’s this season.
Ruston High will extend its winning streak to 18-straight games, the longest in the state of Louisiana. Baugh said he is pleased with his 4-0 start with another difficult schedule. Midland Legacy had won its previous six district championships and came into the ballgame averaging over 40 points per contest.
“It’s a really good start to the season, for sure,” Baugh said. “I thought our kids handled this trip really well. We had some good, good practices leading up to this ball game. I thought we started the first half as good as we could– probably not so much in the second half. I’d like to see us keep our foot on the gas pedal and continue to get after it. But overall, I was pleased with what we did.”
The Bearcats will return back to Texas one last time Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. against Stephenville High School in another neutral site contest to be held at Lobo Stadium in Longview, Texas.
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Tru Edwards caught a career-high eight passes in the Bulldogs loss at FIU Saturday. (photo by Josh McDaniel)
Courtesy of Staff Reports
MIAMI, Fla – Louisiana Tech proved to be its own worst enemy at times Saturday night at Pitbull Stadium in a 17-10 loss to FIU in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
Untimely penalties and the lack of offensive output were the biggest culprits as Tech (1-3, 0-1) was penalized a season-high eight times, including three that proved to be crucial on the scoreboard.
The Bulldogs had a 40-yard interception return for a TD by Blake Thompson in the second quarter negated due to a roughing the passer penalty.
Tech’s defense – which played well for the fourth straight game – had two dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalties that kept FIU drives alive that results in the only two TDs of the night for the Panthers.
“Disappointed in the result,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “At times we did not play smart. We did not play smart in certain situations. We have to play smarter and cleaner. It stings in terms of the outcome.”
Tech has now dropped three straight games by a total of 20 points with each contest decided in the fourth quarter or overtime.
Freshman Evan Bullock made his first career start at quarterback for the Bulldogs and responded with a solid outing. The Anna, Texas, completed 26 of 37 passes for 218 yards and no interceptions.
“I thought he was very poised,” said Cumbie. “I thought he made some really nice throws. We have to be more explosive though in throwing the ball down the field.”
For the fourth straight game the Bulldogs simply could not run the football, especially in short-yardage situations. But this time it came against an FIU run defense that entered the contest allowing more than 200 yards per game on the ground.
The most glaring example came late in the second quarter with Tech trailing 7-0. The Bulldogs faced a first and goal from the 1-yard line, but four straight run plays were all stuffed as the Panthers (2-3, 1-0) turned Tech away.
“When you look at all of the plays, you have to be able to get a yard,” said Cumbie. “We were not able to do that. It was disappointing. You have to find a way to win football games.”
FIU took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a Keyon Jenkins 10-yard scoring toss to Eric Rivers, who ended with 7 catches for 97 yards and the one TD. The drive was aided by a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty that wiped out a third down and long for the Panthers.
FIU took the 7-0 lead into the halftime locker room.
Following a three-and-out by the Bulldogs offense on its first possession of the third quarter, FIU mounted a 56-yard scoring drive, capped by Lexington Joseph’s five-yard TD run as the Panthers took the 14-0 lead. Once again, the scoring drive was aided by a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty on the Tech defense that wiped out a third down and long.
Tech finally found the scoreboard midway through the third quarter. Bullock completed a pair of passes to Marlion Jackson covering 29 and 13 yards and Jimmy Holiday scored on a 5-yard end around. Buck Buchanan’s extra point made it 14-7.
On the following drive, the Bulldogs marched inside the FIU redzone but stalled as Buchanan was called upon to connect on a 34-yard field goal to make it 14-10.
The Bulldogs had an opportunity to take the lead late in the third quarter, but a completion to Jackson inside FIU territory resulted in a fumble and a turnover – the only one of the night for Tech.
FIU added a fourth quarter field goal to increase the lead to 17-10, and two final offensive possessions by the Bulldogs came up empty as the Panthers won for just the second time in seven tries against Tech.
Tech’s defense recorded eight tackles for loss, including three sacks. Michael Richard led the Bulldogs with a career-high 11 tackles while Jesse Evans, David Blay and Sifa Leota each registered sacks.
Tech returns to action Thursday, Oct. 10 when it hosts Middle Tennessee at Joe Aillet Stadium.
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Grambling wideout Javon Robinson (8) had six catches to lead the Tigers in receiving yards with 48. (Photo courtesy of GSU Athletics).
By T. Scott Boatright
DALLAS — By the time it was over, it felt like a heavyweight slugfest that ended up in a split decision.
A late touchdown in regulation by Grambling State University pushed the game in overtime — five OT periods, actually — before Prairie View A&M was able to escape with a 36-34 win in the Tigers’ first Southwestern Athletic Conference-designated game of the season.
Heartbreaking would be an understatement. But the way the G-Men battled to push the game into overtime was undeniably thrilling.
Trailing 24-17 with 2:48 remaining, the Tigers mounted an 14-play, 82-yard drive to tie things up with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
A 38-yard connection between GSU quarterback Miles Crawley and receiver Maquis Harrison on a fourth-and-18 play set the Tigers up at the Prairie View nine-yard line with 59 seconds left on the clock.
After running back Tre Bradford, who had earlier scored on a nine-yard run, was shut down for a three-yard loss on first down, the Tigers went no huddle and Crawley hit Jalen Johnson for the 12-yard scoring strike with 38 seconds remaining in regulation.
Prairie View got off three plays on the ensuing series but knelt on the ball on their final snap to send the game into overtime tied at 24-24.
Grambling got the first OT possession and scored on a 16-yard by powerback Dedrick Talbert.
But Prairie View countered with a touchdown of its own on its initial OT possession to push the game into another stanza.
The excitement was only getting started.
GSU and PV A&M traded field goals in the second overtime to push the game to yet another period knotted up at 34-34.
The NCAA Football Rulebook says the first three overtimes of a game have specific stipulations. The first period allows normal scoring, the second mandates two-point attempts after touchdowns, and from the third onward, teams must execute one-play, two-point conversions.
Grambling and Prairie View traded field goals in the second period on a pair as the game moved into a third, single possession game for each team.
Talbert and Crawley run attempts were shut down in the third and fourth overtime periods while Prairie View failed to connect a couple of pass plays, sending the contest into a fifth overtime period.
Crawley tried another QB keeper on GSU’s fifth OT period possession but couldn’t reach paydirt before Prairie View’s Lamaga McDowell ended the game with a short two-point conversion plunge that gave the Panthers the 36-24 victory.
Ke’Travion Hargrove led Grambling on the ground with 61 yards on carries while Talbert added 26 yards and his score on only three carries.
Crawley connected on 29-of-48 pass attempts for 286 yards and two scores — a 23-yarder to Khristopher Simmons and the scoring strike to Johnson — while also being intercepted twice.
Javon Robinson and Julien Lewis led GSU’s receiving corps with six receptions each with Robinson totaling 48 yards and Lewis was only one yard back at 47.
Andrew Jones once again led the Tigers in tackles with 11 while David Jones added an interception for the G-Men.
GSU, now 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the SWAC West, will next play host to Alcorn State (2-3, 1-0), which defeated Mississippi Valley State on Saturday by the score of 42-21, in a contest set for a 2 p.m. start next Saturday at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
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Tru Edwards caught a career-high eight passes in the Bulldogs loss at FIU Saturday. (photo by Josh McDaniel)
Courtesy of Staff Reports
MIAMI, Fla – Louisiana Tech proved to be its own worst enemy at times Saturday night at Pitbull Stadium in a 17-10 loss to FIU in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
Untimely penalties and the lack of offensive output were the biggest culprits as Tech (1-3, 0-1) was penalized a season-high eight times, including three that proved to be crucial on the scoreboard.
The Bulldogs had a 40-yard interception return for a TD by Blake Thompson in the second quarter negated due to a roughing the passer penalty.
Tech’s defense – which played well for the fourth straight game – had two dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalties that kept FIU drives alive that results in the only two TDs of the night for the Panthers.
“Disappointed in the result,” said Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie. “At times we did not play smart. We did not play smart in certain situations. We have to play smarter and cleaner. It stings in terms of the outcome.”
Tech has now dropped three straight games by a total of 20 points with each contest decided in the fourth quarter or overtime.
Freshman Evan Bullock made his first career start at quarterback for the Bulldogs and responded with a solid outing. The Anna, Texas, completed 26 of 37 passes for 218 yards and no interceptions.
“I thought he was very poised,” said Cumbie. “I thought he made some really nice throws. We have to be more explosive though in throwing the ball down the field.”
For the fourth straight game the Bulldogs simply could not run the football, especially in short-yardage situations. But this time it came against an FIU run defense that entered the contest allowing more than 200 yards per game on the ground.
The most glaring example came late in the second quarter with Tech trailing 7-0. The Bulldogs faced a first and goal from the 1-yard line, but four straight run plays were all stuffed as the Panthers (2-3, 1-0) turned Tech away.
“When you look at all of the plays, you have to be able to get a yard,” said Cumbie. “We were not able to do that. It was disappointing. You have to find a way to win football games.”
FIU took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a Keyon Jenkins 10-yard scoring toss to Eric Rivers, who ended with 7 catches for 97 yards and the one TD. The drive was aided by a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty that wiped out a third down and long for the Panthers.
FIU took the 7-0 lead into the halftime locker room.
Following a three-and-out by the Bulldogs offense on its first possession of the third quarter, FIU mounted a 56-yard scoring drive, capped by Lexington Joseph’s five-yard TD run as the Panthers took the 14-0 lead. Once again, the scoring drive was aided by a dead-ball unsportsmanlike penalty on the Tech defense that wiped out a third down and long.
Tech finally found the scoreboard midway through the third quarter. Bullock completed a pair of passes to Marlion Jackson covering 29 and 13 yards and Jimmy Holiday scored on a 5-yard end around. Buck Buchanan’s extra point made it 14-7.
On the following drive, the Bulldogs marched inside the FIU redzone but stalled as Buchanan was called upon to connect on a 34-yard field goal to make it 14-10.
The Bulldogs had an opportunity to take the lead late in the third quarter, but a completion to Jackson inside FIU territory resulted in a fumble and a turnover – the only one of the night for Tech.
FIU added a fourth quarter field goal to increase the lead to 17-10, and two final offensive possessions by the Bulldogs came up empty as the Panthers won for just the second time in seven tries against Tech.
Tech’s defense recorded eight tackles for loss, including three sacks. Michael Richard led the Bulldogs with a career-high 11 tackles while Jessie Evans, David Blay and Sifa Leota each registered sacks.
The loss spoiled a fourth straight solid outing by the Tech defense.
Tech returns to action Thursday, Oct. 10 when it hosts Middle Tennessee at Joe Aillet Stadium.
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Grambling wideout Javon Robinson (8) had six catches to lead the Tigers in receiving yards with 48. (Photo courtesy of GSU Athletics).
By T. Scott Boatright
DALLAS — By the time it was over, it felt like a heavyweight slugfest that ended up in a split decision.
A late touchdown in regulation by Grambling State University pushed the game in overtime — five OT periods, actually — before Prairie View A&M was able to escape with a 36-34 win in the Tigers’ first Southwestern Athletic Conference-designated game of the season.
Heartbreaking would be an understatement. But the way the G-Men battled to push the game into overtime was undeniably thrilling.
Trailing 24-17 with 2:48 remaining, the Tigers mounted an 14-play, 82-yard drive to tie things up with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
A 38-yard connection between GSU quarterback Miles Crawley and receiver Maquis Harrison on a fourth-and-18 play set the Tigers up at the Prairie View nine-yard line with 59 seconds left on the clock.
After running back Tre Bradford, who had earlier scored on a nine-yard run, was shut down for a three-yard loss on first down, the Tigers went no huddle and Crawley hit Jalen Johnson for the 12-yard scoring strike with 38 seconds remaining in regulation.
Prairie View got off three plays on the ensuing series but knelt on the ball on their final snap to send the game into overtime tied at 24-24.
Grambling got the first OT possession and scored on a 16-yard by powerback Dedrick Talbert.
But Prairie View countered with a touchdown of its own on its initial OT possession to push the game into another stanza.
The excitement was only getting started.
GSU and PV A&M traded field goals in the second overtime to push the game to yet another period knotted up at 34-34.
The NCAA Football Rulebook says the first three overtimes of a game have specific stipulations. The first period allows normal scoring, the second mandates two-point attempts after touchdowns, and from the third onward, teams must execute one-play, two-point conversions.
Grambling and Prairie View traded field goals in the second period on a pair as the game moved into a third, single possession game for each team.
Talbert and Crawley run attempts were shut down in the third and fourth overtime periods while Prairie View failed to connect a couple of pass plays, sending the contest into a fifth overtime period.
Crawley tried another QB keeper on GSU’s fifth OT period possession but couldn’t reach paydirt before Prairie View’s Lamaga McDowell ended the game with a short two-point conversion plunge that gave the Panthers the 36-24 victory.
Ke’Travion Hargrove led Grambling on the ground with 61 yards on carries while Talbert added 26 yards and his score on only three carries.
Crawley connected on 29-of-48 pass attempts for 286 yards and two scores — a 23-yarder to Khristopher Simmons and the scoring strike to Johnson — while also being intercepted twice.
Javon Robinson and Julien Lewis led GSU’s receiving corps with six receptions each with Robinson totaling 48 yards and Lewis was only one yard back at 47.
Andrew Jones once again led the Tigers in tackles with 11 while David Jones added an interception for the G-Men.
GSU, now 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the SWAC West, will next play host to Alcorn State (2-3, 1-0), which defeated Mississippi Valley State on Saturday by the score of 42-21, in a contest set for a 2 p.m. start next Saturday at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
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ARLINGTON, Texas – The big lights of a former Major League ballpark has absolutely zero effect on the Ruston High School Bearcats.
Coming to Texas for a second consecutive week, the Bearcats (4-0) picked off Midland Legacy’s sophomore quarterback JP Reyes three times in the first half, leading to a comfortable 38-6 win in the neutral site contest.
Ruston High school head coach Jerrod Baugh credited the defense’s approach this week for its outstanding performance on Saturday.
“We had very good preparation,” Baugh said. “I thought were some balls in the air we needed to make plays on, and we made those plays. We talked to them about that in practice — we told them they needed to do that in the game. I think that carried over into today.
Senior linebacker Zheric Hill picked off his first pass of the day at the 11:02 mark of the first quarter, which led to a nine-play, 58 yard touchdown drive capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Josh Brantley.
Hill picked off his second pass just a few minutes later and returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown to give Ruston a 14-0 lead. Sophomore Jayden Anding pulled down his third interception in two games with just over four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Bearcat senior kicker Jack Elliott tagged on a 40-yard field goal near the end of the first quarter to give Ruston a 17-0 lead.
Brantley added his second touchdown of the day with a 23-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to extend Ruston’s lead to 24-0 with 9:59 to play in the first half. Brantley threw for 135 yards and a second half touchdown to senior wideout Joran Parker, while rushing for 63 yards and two scores.
“Josh’s play today was very good,” Baugh said. “He’s able to execute what the coaches ask him to do in the running and passing game, and the receivers made some really good plays, also. We’ve got to be able to do that a lot.”
Senior running back Dylone Brooks led all rushers with 93 yards on the ground, adding a touchdown in the fourth quarter from 64 yards away. Elliott also stays perfect on PAT’s this season.
Ruston High will extend its winning streak to 18-straight games, the longest in the state of Louisiana. Baugh said he is pleased with his 4-0 start with another difficult schedule. Midland Legacy had won its previous six district championships and came into the ballgame averaging over 40 points per contest.
“It’s a really good start to the season, for sure,” Baugh said. “I thought our kids handled this trip really well. We had some good, good practices leading up to this ball game. I thought we started the first half as good as we could– probably not so much in the second half. I’d like to see us keep our foot on the gas pedal and continue to get after it. But overall, I was pleased with what we did.”
The Bearcats will return back to Texas one last time Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. against Stephenville High School in another neutral site contest to be held at Lobo Stadium in Longview, Texas.
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Noah Smith (45) returns a fumble 38 yards for a first quarter TD against Glenbrook Friday night. (Photo by Tim Smith)
by Malcolm Butler
Too many self-inflicted wounds caught up to Cedar Creek Friday night as the Cougars fell 36-16 at Glenbrook.
The Cougars (0-4) used a fumble return for a TD and a special teams safety to build a 10-0 first quarter lead, but turnovers and some special teams mistakes led to 30 unanswered points by the Apache (2-1).
Creek’s offense appeared to have struck early in the first quarter when senior James Myers took a handoff and raced 71 yards for a touchdown. However, a penalty was assessed to the Cougars sideline when a player came onto the field and made contact with one of the referees on the play, negating the scoring run.
After Cedar Creek punted the football away pinning the Apache deep in their own territory, the Cougars defense held, forcing a punt. However, the snap was high and the ball went through the back of the endzone, giving Creek an early 2-0 lead.
On Glenbrook’s next possession, the Cougars forced a fumble and eighth grader Noah Smith returned it 38 yards for the score. The two-point conversion was successful and the Cougars led 10-0 with 1:56 to play in the opening stanza.
Glenbrook got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter on an 11-yard TD pass, closing the deficit to 10-6.
Turnovers on the Cougars next two offensive possessions deep in Creek territory set up a 5-yard TD run and a 9-yard TD pass as the Apache took an 18-10 lead into the halftime locker room.
A special teams mistake on a punt by the Cougars early in the third quarter once again set up Glenbrook inside the Cougars redzone. Three plays later, the Apache capitalized on a 1-yard run and pushed the advantage to 24-10.
The Cougars mounted a sustained offensive drive on its following possession but a holding call and a false start pushed them behind the markers as Creek eventually turned the ball over on downs.
Glenbrook then mounted a drive and capped it with a 9-yard TD run with 3:16 to play in the game, making it 30-10.
On the ensuing kickoff, Myers returned the kick 70 yards to paydirt for his second TD of the night, the first that stood on the scoreboard.
Glenbrook added a 40-yard TD run in the final minutes to cap the scoring.
Wyatt Gremillion led the Cougars with 45 yards on the ground while Hayden Durrett added 43 yards and Cason Floyd chipped in with 29. Floyd completed 5-of-14 passes for 53 yards, including two for 23 yards to Noah Martin.
Bryce Martin and Mason Wooden led the Cougars with 10 tackles each while Myers, Blake Robinson and Trigger Woodard all added seven stops. Durrett added on interception on the night.
The Cougars play at Delta Charter next Friday.
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ARLINGTON, Texas — Ruston High School will take its 3-0 record westward for the second week in a row out to Texas; this time for a neutral site matchup against the Midland Legacy High School Rebels (1-3) at Choctaw Stadium for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.
Ruston High picked up its third win in as many weeks against Longview High School and handed the Lobos their second consecutive home loss for the first time in 24 seasons.
For Bearcat head coach Jerrod Baugh, the tough non-district schedule has given him a good look at his squad with just a couple of weeks before District 2-5A begins play.
“I feel pretty good about where we’re at,” Baugh said. “I think we’ve seen some good things. We’ve found a way to win ball games, and it’s all been in different ways. If you look at the Acadiana game, we had an opportunity to finish the game offensively and couldn’t do it. The defense came out and held them at the end. And then if you look at the Longview game, our offense made a long drive and ate up a lot of clock. Finding ways to win football games is a big deal.
“Negatives — I think we’ve been really inconsistent. We’ve had a lot of penalties, and that translates to a lack of focus and detail. You can’t take your foot off the gas pedal and lose focus, because we’re playing people that are going to go get coached and be ready to play. We’ve got to take that into account and be more consistent about what we’re doing.”
Ruston’s defense held Longview scoreless in the second half after the Bearcats trailed 10-7 at the half. Senior running back Jordan Hayes scored a 59-yard touchdown with 7:25 to go in the third, and senior Josh Brantley scored an insurance touchdown with 2:39 to play in the game to give the ‘Cats the 21-10 win.
And for Baugh, it was the chance to go back to where he spent 10 seasons on the sideline from 2000-2009 as an assistant and get a big win as the head coach.
“That’s a hard place to win,” Baugh said. “They don’t lose many ballgames. And I got to visit with some people that I don’t get to talk with very often. It was good to catch up on some things and have friendly competition. It was good overall.”
The Bearcats will now look to take on the Rebels for a Saturday afternoon kickoff, with a neutral site being the best logistical way for the teams to play as the schools are separated by nearly 600 miles. For Baugh, it was important to fill the week four schedule slot, as not many teams locally were available to play.
“I did not want to go a week without playing a ballgame,” Baugh said. “We talked about a home-and-home series, but I did not want to bite that off in the middle of the season since it would be a ten-hour drive. And (Midland Legacy) is used to neutral site games because when you play in the playoffs in Texas, that’s pretty standard. We looked at a couple different places and settled on Choctaw Stadium, because their coach had a contact there.”
Fans that are looking to travel to the game need to be prepared for possible traffic issues, as Texas A&M and Arkansas will be playing at 2:30 p.m. at AT&T Stadium, which will be close to Choctaw Stadium.
“I imagine traffic could get bad,” Baugh said. “Fans will need to make plans to be there early, because (AT&T Stadium and Choctaw Stadium) share some parking.”
The game will be broadcast on Q94.1 FM and streamed live on BearcatNationNetwork.com with the pregame show set to start at 1:30 p.m.
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MIAMI – Hurricane Helen has menaced much of the state of Florida, but swept west of Miami.
Saturday at 5 CST, the Louisiana Tech football team hopes to blow by Florida International in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
The Louisiana Tech Radio Network with Malcolm Butler and Teddy Allen calling the action can be heard locally on 107.5 FM. The game is available to watch at ESPN+.
The game site, Pitbull Stadium, might be a positive omen for the Bulldogs (1-2) against a 1-3 Panthers team just upset by FCS Monmouth 45-42 at home last Saturday night. Tech topped FIU 22-17 in Ruston in last season’s opener, and is 5-1 all-time against the Panthers.
The Bulldog football program has not lost a CUSA opener since the 2016 season and will aim to win its eighth straight conference opener.
Tech coach Sonny Cumbie eyes his third straight CUSA opening win after defeating South Alabama in his first season and FIU in 2023.
But the Bulldogs are licking their wounds after a bitterly disappointing 23-20 overtime loss at home last Saturday night to Tulsa. Tech used three quarterbacks looking to spark a struggling offense.
“It was a hard loss to swallow,” said Cumbie. “Defensively, we played really well. We would like to have the two minute drive back, although they were aided by an incompletion that was called a completion. We can’t do anything about that now.
“I think our guys care a lot. They compete hard and they care. Our group is resilient and they understand there are a lot of football games left, starting with FIU.”
Redshirt freshman Evan Bullock took over for an injured Blake Baker in the fourth quarter and led a five-play, 43-yard scoring drive to put the Bulldogs up late. Bullock finished 4-of-6 for 49 yards while tossing his first career touchdown pass. Starting quarterback Jack Turner went 7-of-14 for 41 yards. Baker is expected to miss time after leading the team with 107 yards through the air.
Through three games, Tech’s defense ranks amongst the top half in several FBS categories, while sitting atop the C-USA ranks. The Bulldog defense ranks 37th in total defense (298.0), and rushing defense (106.5), while the team’s 192.0 passing yards allowed per outing ranks 57th. Tech leads CUSA in total defense, rushing defense and fewest touchdowns allowed.
A different linebacker has led the team in tackles in each of the first three games. Kolbe Fields led the defense with 10 stops in the opener against Nicholls, followed by CJ Harris who tallied 10 tackles at North Carolina State. Zach Zimos became the third of the starting trio to lead the team, collecting 13 tackles against Tulsa. The starting trio of Zimos (29 tackles), Fields (22 tackles), and Harris (16) tackles has combined for 67 stops through the first three games
FIU was picked to finish eighth in the CUSA preseason poll. The Panthers opened the season with a 31-7 loss to Indiana before defeating Central Michigan 52-16. They’ve dropped the last two, to Florida Atlantic Monmouth. They are averaging 30.3 points per outing while giving up 32.5 per game.
“I’m sure (FIU) practice has been very focused this week and very intense,” said Cumbie. “It’s probably been similar to what we have had from a standpoint of our guys and our preparation. I know how I feel in how we lost. Watching how (FIU) lost last week they have to feel the same.
“They were going in from the one yard line to score to win the football game and they fumble it and Monmouth recovers it. To lose a game like that right there at the end when you are going in to score to win it will hit you a certain kind of way.”
After Saturday, Tech comes home for an Oct. 10 CUSA contest at Joe Aillet Stadium against Middle Tennessee, starting a stretch of three games in 12 days as the league chases national TV exposure with midweek kickoffs.
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Riding a three-game win streak, the Grambling State Tigers open their 2024 Southwestern Athletic Conference season when they take on Prairie View A&M at 6 p.m. Saturday in the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
Grambling stands at 3-1 on the season while Prairie View is 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the SWAC West. Grambling’s homefield 41-20 victory over Jackson State last Saturday did not count on the SWAC schedule.
The Tigers, who moved up for No. 4 in the BOXTOROW HBCU poll this week, lead the State Fair Classic series 28-10.
GSU head coach Mickey Joseph let defensive coordinator Jason Rollins handle the bulk of interview work this week. Joseph spent Monday in Dallas doing promotional work for the upcoming contest, but got a few words in from the Big D.
“We’re honored to be playing in this game,” Joseph said during a Dallas press conference. “We won’t get caught up in the sideshow. I’m excited and the team is excited.
“It’s a great atmosphere and a great crowd. We’re playing pretty good football right now, but that was last week. “We’re going to get ready for this one and hope we put on a good show. We’re happy, we’re excited and we’re ready to roll.”
Rollins’ crew was much of the talk Monday during the SWAC virtual press conference.
Grambling’s defense scored a pair of touchdowns against JSU with Caleb Collins returning a pick six 22 yards to paydirt and Patrick Marshall pouncing on a fumble in the JSU end zone for another TD.
Defensively, Grambling leads the FCS in defensive touchdowns with four and takeaways with 10, and is tied for second in fumbles recovered with four, and second in interceptions with four.
The G-Men also are atop FCS turnover margin statistics at 2.75 per game.
Rollins said the turnovers created by his defense haven’t been a coincidence.
“You get what you emphasize,” Rollins said about his defense. “We chart. Every strip attempt, it’s charted. Coach Joseph has certain segments of practice that are about protecting the ball and taking the ball away. So it’s kind of what you emphasize, and we’re getting a lot out of it.”
Rollins said the Tigers didn’t do anything different on defense last Saturday.
“We kept it simple and let our guys play fast and play with confidence. We didn’t do anything different from what we’d done in the past. We just kept it simple so they could get lined up and play as fast as they possibly could and as physical as they possibly could.”
Rollins said the Tigers are prepared to face a challenge against a talented Prairie View offense.
“They’re big and physical up front,” Rollins said. “They can put a body on a body and make and can move people.
“The quarterback (Cameron Peters) is very athletic and they have some explosive wideouts, so we’re going have to say on our Ps and Qs, be gap sound and play a solid game.”
Peters is averaging 177 yards passing per game and has hit on 46-of-90 attempts with four touchdowns and three interceptions while Shemar Savage leads the Panthers with 15 catches for 282 yards
“We’ve got to work on containing him because it’s hard to totally stop a guy of that caliber,” Rollins said of Savage. “We’re going to have a lot of eyes on him, I promise you that. He’s going to have our full attention.
“If I say anything else, they’re going to game plan for it. So I’ll leave it at that.”
Grambling’s run-heavy offense features transfers Ke’Travion “Bull” Hargrove” and Tre Bradford handling the bulk of the rushing chores.
Hargrove, a Ruston product who is a senior transfer from Memphis, leads the Tigers with 190 yards and three touchdowns on 44 rushing attempts while Bradford, who came to Grambling from LSU, has added 175 yards and two scores on 47 carries.
GSU quarterback Myles Crawford has connected on 65-of-122 passes (58 percent) for 762 yards and seven touchdowns while Javon Robinson leads the G-Men with 14 receptions for 136 yards and one TD.
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