Saturday the Grambling State Tigers leaped out to a 23 point lead in the 2017 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game, only to find themselves fighting off the Braves of Alcorn State to win the title 40-32. Coach Broderick’s Fobbs and his number one ranked Tigers captured their second straight SWAC crown lead by their man Devante Kincade. The Red-shirt Senior finished the day passing for 223 yards and 2 TDS while rushing for additional 75 yards and 2 more touchdowns.
The Tigers and Braves finished the first quarter tied at 10. Kincade opened the games scoring racing to the house on a 14-yard run which was answered by the Braves leading ground gainer De’ Lance Turner who scored on a 2 yard run with less than eight minutes to go in the opening quarter. GSU kicker Marc Orozco and ASU Kicker Corey McCullough traded field goals in that quarter as the teams finished even on the scoreboard.
The second quarter was all Tigers as Grambling State exploded for 28 unanswered points. Martez Carter ignited the blast with a 5 yard TD run, followed by Kincade dishing out three more touchdowns. The tiger QB connected with Jordan Jones on a 15-yard pass for one TD and followed that score up racing 27 yards for another TD. The Title game MVP then made Quitin Guice his target with a 4-yard pass for the final score of the quarter as the Tigers went into the locker room on top 38-10.
The start of the second half both defenses tightened up and neither was able to score. But a key development was Kincade being replaced in the game by Red Shirt Freshman back up Geremy Hickbottom. After the game coach Fobbs, when asked about the change alluded to being cautious and protecting his standout field general who had his bell rung on a play earlier In the game.
The scoreless third quarter was followed up by the fourth quarter that saw coach Dawson Odums on the warpath putting up 22 points and only allowing Grambling State to score 2. GSU opened the final stanza with Brandon Varner getting a safety for the G-men and then Alcorn State took over. There were 12 minutes and 53 seconds to go in the game and most thought the game was over, ASU quarterback Lenorris Footman had something to say about that connecting with Norlando Veals on a 34 yard TD pass making the score 40-17. Footman then capped an Alcorn State 11 play 80-yard drive with a 5-yard run as the Braves closed the gap making the score 40-24. On their next possession Footman engineered a 4 play 95-yard drive capped with Turner bulling his way on a 6 yard run into the end zone for the Braves final TD. ASU converted on the two-point conversion as Footman connected with Veals for the Braves final points of the game.
So, while the rest of America is pondering who will be in the NCAA Football Bowl Division Championship playoffs, The National Black College title game is set. December 16th the 11-1 Grambling State Tigers will take on the 11-0. North Carolina A&T Aggies in the third annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl to be held in Atlanta Georgia. This is definitely one of the most anticipated Celebration Bowls in the brief history of the game and will definitely be a classic.
Trevin A Jones
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