Courtesy of GSU Athletics
DALLAS — Grambling State struck first and stayed within striking distance throughout Saturday night, but Prairie View A&M made enough plays in the second half to hand the Tigers a 21-14 loss in the 101st State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl.
Playing before a crowd of 42,942, Grambling led 7-0 in the second quarter before the Panthers pulled even by halftime and scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to take control.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. Prairie View improved to 2-3 overall and 2-0 in the SWAC.
Grambling finished with 265 yards of total offense, including 193 through the air, while Prairie View totaled 317 yards. The Tigers’ defense recorded four sacks and held the Panthers to 3.6 yards per rushing attempt.
Penalties also hurt Grambling, which was flagged 10 times for 90 yards. Prairie View was penalized seven times for 62 yards.
Grambling broke a scoreless tie midway through the second quarter when Ashton Frye connected with Nae’Saan Dickerson for a 50-yard touchdown. The play capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive and gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 7:36 remaining in the first half.
Prairie View answered less than four minutes later as quarterback Tevin Carter found Travon Jones for a 37-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 with 3:39 remaining.
The Panthers threatened to take the lead before halftime, but Grambling’s defense came up with a fourth-down stop. Jon Horton and Corey Amos combined to sack Carter at the Tigers’ 34-yard line to end the threat and send the teams into halftime tied.
Prairie View took its first lead late in the third quarter following an 83-yard drive that took more than five minutes off the clock. Jahbari Kuykendall capped the possession with a 17-yard touchdown run to give the Panthers a 14-7 advantage with 5:40 remaining.
Grambling appeared poised to answer.
Jacobe Robinson connected with Davon Mitchell for gains of 26 and 11 yards, and Patrick Williams II added a 17-yard completion as the Tigers moved inside the Prairie View 35.
But a 25-yard sack of Robinson derailed the possession and eventually forced Grambling to punt.
The Panthers then put together another lengthy scoring drive, going 77 yards before Carter connected with Kheagian Heckaman on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 9:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. The score stretched Prairie View’s lead to 21-7.
Grambling didn’t go quietly.
After the Tigers turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, the Grambling defense forced a Prairie View punt to give the offense another opportunity with 3:57 remaining.
Robinson took advantage.
He connected with Jordan Bride for 15 yards before finding Tyson George for a 47-yard touchdown with 3:10 remaining. Theodore Caballero’s extra point pulled Grambling within 21-14.
The Tigers never got the ball back.
Carter broke runs of 12 and 15 yards on Prairie View’s ensuing possession before Kuykendall converted a third-and-2 with a 5-yard run, allowing the Panthers to run out the clock.
Robinson completed 9 of 18 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Frye was 1 of 3 for 50 yards and a score as Grambling quarterbacks combined to complete 12 of 24 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
George led the Tigers with 63 receiving yards on two catches, including his 47-yard touchdown. Dickerson caught two passes for 52 yards and a score, while Mitchell had two receptions for 37 yards.
Grambling struggled to establish its running game. D’Shaun Ford led the Tigers with 31 yards on eight carries, while Byron Eaton Jr. rushed four times for 21 yards.
Defensively, Lonell Cunningham recorded a team-high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. Marcellius Johnson finished with 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack.
Horton added six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while Christen Williams registered six tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
