ATLANTA, GA – The Wildcats entered this afternoon's game with one thing in mind and that was to get back into the win column after dropping a heart breaker to Southern University on last Saturday. Fort Valley State did just that by walking into CAU Stadium and taking control over the Panthers of Clark Atlanta University 41-24 Saturday, October 7.
With the win, the Wildcats improves their overall record to 2-3 and 2-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) while the Panthers fell to 3-3 on the season and 1-1 in conference play.
CAU scored in the first quarter off a Roger Thomas 8-yard rushing touchdown with 1:22 left in the quarter. On the first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, Quarterback
Slade Jarman completed a pass to
Jeremy Glinton for 62-yards down to the 14-yardline. With a third and four,
Chauncey Jackson rushed up the middle for 8-yards to tie the score;
Juan Serna's kick was good (7-7).
Saldana's field goal from 25-yards out with 11:13 on the clock increased CAU's lead by three 10-7. At the 6:45 mark,
Juan Serna matched Saldana's kick with a field goal of his own from 37-yards away making the score 10-10. Lorenzo Smothers added to FVSU's scoring on a 10-yard rush; Serna's kick was good (17-10). Wildcats went to halftime up 17-10.
Everything went back and forth in the third quarter until the Panthers punted and Smothers returned the ball 86-yards for the touchdown to increase the score 24-10; Serna's kick was good.
Jarman once again produced points off a 13 play, 74-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Tajee Steele as time was running out in the third quarter; Serna's kick was good (31-10).
Starting the fourth quarter, CAU's J. McCray closed the gap with a 14-yard pass for a touchdown; Saldana's kick was good (31-24). Then after going scoreless, Serna kicked a 22-yard field goal with 1:25 on the scoreboard 34-24. As time would run out J. McCray's pass was picked off by
Nicco Whigham and returned 40-yards for the touchdown to complete the victory; Serna's kick was good (41-24).
For the game,
Chauncey Jackson led the Wildcats with 131-yards in rushing and scored one touchdown while
Slade Jarman completed 16-of-24 passes for 233-yards and one touchdown.
Jeremy Glinton led the team with five catches for 87-yards, Tajee Steele added four catches for 67-yards and one touchdown. Lorenzo Smothers ended the game with 206 all-purpose yards, 39 running, and 49 on recovery, 41 kick returns and 86-yards on punt return.
Defensively,
Demetrius Harris led FVSU with nine tackles, 4.5 (13) tackle-for-loss, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.
Nicco Whigham had seven tackles, 2.0 (4) tackle-for-losses, added one interception and had three pass break-ups, while Cameron Young and
Cannon Thomas added six tackles apiece.
Next game: FVSU will return home to host the Dragons of Lane College on Saturday, October 14 at 2 pm.
