Courtesy of GSU Athletic Communications
Prairie View A&M controlled the ground game and capitalized on timely turnovers to hand Grambling State a 28-13 defeat in the State Fair Classic on Saturday night at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Grambling (3-2 overall, 0-1 SWAC) hung close through three quarters but was unable to overcome Prairie View’s 224 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
The Panthers (3-2, 2-0 SWAC) struck first midway through the opening quarter as quarterback Tevin Carter capped an 8-play, 75-yard drive with a 2-yard rushing score. The Tigers responded with a 10-play, 61-yard march that ended in a 27-yard field goal from Theodore Caballero.
Prairie View extended its lead to 14-3 in the second quarter behind an 8-yard touchdown run from Cameron Bonner. Grambling answered just before halftime when Caballero drilled his second field goal of the night, this one from 25 yards, to cut the deficit to 14-6.
The Panthers seized control in the third quarter, turning a Grambling miscue into points. After a Tiger turnover deep in their own territory, Lamagea McDowell punched in a 1-yard score to make it 21-6.
Grambling mounted a response early in the fourth. Quarterback C’zavian Teasett engineered a 13-play, 67-yard drive, capping it with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Keith Jones Jr. to bring the Tigers within 21-13.
Prairie View iced the game with 2:09 remaining when Chase Bingmon broke free for a 15-yard touchdown run, closing out a 6-play, 80-yard drive that sealed the 28-13 victory.
Grambling State returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 11, when the Tigers host Texas Southern for Homecoming at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m on SWAC TV.
