FORT VALLEY, Fla. – On a festive start to the 2024 gridiron campaign, the Wildcats rode early momentum. After an early two-score lead, Fort Valley State saw Clark Atlanta turn the tide and passed its way to a 45-42 football upset on Saturday afternoon.
In the opening 6:47 of the contest, FVSU took advantage of good field position and saw Kelvin Durham hit Za'Tavious Anderson for the opening points and Brandon Marshall run in the second touchdown for a 14-0 lead. Clark Atlanta gained its footing and turned the game into a back-and-forth afternoon the rest of the way. In fact, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest was not decided until the final play's battle in the right corner of the endzone saw the Wildcat pass eventually hit the turf and gave the Panthers the tight win.
It was FVSU's second season opening loss decided upon in the final play in a row. In the 2023 first contest, the Wildcats fell one-yard short of the endzone on the final rushing play as Tuskegee edge the 35-31 final.
On the day, Durham completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 210 yards and three touchdowns. He also scrambled 15 yards for his team's final points. Marshall pulled in five of Durham's passes for 64 yards, including a 47-yard scoring hookup, and rushed for 45 yards on 18 attempts with two more touchdowns. Anderson led all Wildcat receivers with five passes for 80 yards and the one score. J.T. Pendleton, Jamie Hampton and Dejuan Bell rounded out the pass catches with three (25 yds), three (15 yds) and two (19 yds) to their credits.
Defensive back Daymon Polite paced the home defense with eight tackles. Linebackers Jaydn Walker and Malik Harp each accounted for six stops. Kentrell Lawson chipped in five tackles with one for a loss and Adeon Farmer had five of his own with one for a loss. D.J. Wilson and Cedric Hillsman guided the Wildcat linemen with three stops apiece and a combined two sacks and three tackles for loss.
Clark Atlanta was able to control the ball with its passing game through Allen transfer David Wright. The junior quarterback helped the Panthers outgain the Wildcats, 474 to 274 and on time of possession (30:59 to 22:21). Wright went 23 of 31 for 423 yards and seven touchdowns.
Trailing 14-0, Clark Atlanta pulled to within a point, 14-13, by the end of the first 15 minutes. FVSU pushed its advantage back to 21-13 on Durham's second passing touchdown with 9:28 in the second frame. CAU rebounded with two touchdowns in the final 6:20 for 26-21 intermission lead.
FVSU started the second half as it did the first. The Wildcats marched down the field and saw Marshall run three yards off left guard into the end zone to retake the lead, 28-26. It would turn out to be the last lead.
CAU put the next three touchdowns on the scoreboard over a 10:51 period of time and opened a 45-28 lead.
Marshall pulled in a short pass to the left flat, cut back to the middle after a block and raced to the end zone for a 47-yard score with 9:40 left. Durham gave the Wildcats more life of a comeback as he scrambled up the middle for 15 yards and the touchdown and a 45-42 tally.
Following a final CAU punt, FVSU took over with under 20 seconds. On the final play, Durham lofted the 'hail marry' pass into the right corner of the endzone which was almost caught before it hit the turf ending the day.
FVSU will now have a bye week. The Wildcats will return to Wildcat Stadium and host the Thorobreds of Kentucky State on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 14. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.
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