By T. Scott Boatright
In a dramatic and emotionally draining up and down game, on his first attempt ever, Grambling State kicker Josh McCormick booted a ball straight between the uprights with 21 seconds left to lift the G-Men to a 26-24 win over Jackson State Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
After trailing throughout the game, Grambling moved on top in the third quarter and extended their lead to 23-10 with 12:06 remaining in the contest after quarterback C’zavian Teasett fired a 26-yard scoring strike to Andrew Frazier.
But Jackson State, the No. 1 team in HBCU polls, scored on the ensuing drive on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Lockhart to N. Rembert to cut Grambling’s lead to 23-17 with 9:41 left on the clock
.After holding GSU to a three–and-out punt, Jackson State marched 57 yards on 11 plays to go on top 24-23 on a 1-yard quarterback keeper on Lockhart with 2:15 remaining.
On the ensuing drive, Teasett ran the ball nine yards for a first down at the GSU 42-yard line right at the 2:00 warning.
But after being tackled, Tezsett remained face down and motionless on the field as GSU medical personnel rushed to his aid. Almost immediately after getting to Teasett those personnel signaled for more help and equipment.
Eventually Teasett was strapped to a backboard and put into an ambulance that had driven out to the middle of the field and taken directly to a hospital.
After play finally resumed, running back Byron Eaton Jr. took the next snap for Grambling out of the Wildcat formation and ran for 1 yard.
Backup quarterback A’Myne Darensbourg then moved behind center and ran for 12 yards to reach the Jackson State 48.
Then, on third and 12, Darensbourg hit Barron Myles Jr. for an 11-yard gain to the Jackson State 27 yard line.
Grambling coach Mickey Joseph then opted to let McCormick try his first career field goal attempt as a Tiger.
The graduate senior sent the ball right down the middle to put the Tigers on top 21 seconds remaining.
Jackson State’s final play came on a 23-yard run to the JSU 37 as time expired.
The G-Men moved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with the win.
Covadis Knighten led Grambling with five catches for 96 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown reception that cut Jackson State’s lead to 14-7 with 1:56 remaining in the first half.
Grambling cut Jackson State’s halftime advantage to 14-10 when Theodore Cabellero nailed a 24-yard field goal as the second quarter clock expired.
