COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Fort Valley State University Wildcats took the field Saturday afternoon for the 36th Annual Fountain City Classic, facing longtime rival Albany State University at the Albany State University Coliseum. Despite a determined effort from the Wildcats, Fort Valley State fell 49-0 to the Golden Rams in the annual rivalry showdown.
Fort Valley State continued to compete throughout the contest, recording 207 yards of total offense on 65 plays while collecting 17 first downs. The Wildcats also controlled the football for 32:55, maintaining possession for nearly six minutes longer than Albany State.
The Wildcats accumulated 146 passing yards and 61 rushing yards. Quarterbacks Saadiq Teel and Don Hudson combined for 16 completions on 35 attempts.
Teel led the passing attack, completing 11 of 24 passes for 117 yards, including a 27-yard completion. Hudson added five completions for 29 yards while contributing 12 yards on the ground.
On the ground, Rodrick Payne paced the Wildcats with 35 rushing yards on five carries, including an impressive 29-yard run. Micheal Cabellero added 13 yards on two attempts, while Hudson contributed eight carries for 12 yards.
Through the air, Paul Burkly led Fort Valley State with 27 receiving yards on one reception. Solomon Burney and Jamyez Thompson each contributed 17 receiving yards, while J.T. Pendleton recorded three receptions for 17 yards to help lead the Wildcats' receiving corps.
Defensively, Fort Valley State recorded 39 total tackles, including 23 solo stops and four tackles for loss totaling 13 yards.
Austin Landon led the Wildcats with five total tackles, including four solo stops. DeZavion Holman contributed four tackles, including one tackle for loss, while Isaiah Carter and Ezekiel Theodoris each recorded three tackles.
The defensive unit also created opportunities to disrupt Albany State's offensive rhythm, recording four pass breakups and forcing a fumble. Theodoris contributed a fumble recovery, while Jeffrey Givens added a forced fumble.
Jordan Meek provided a consistent presence in the punting game, averaging 39.3 yards on six punts for 236 total yards. Meek placed two punts inside the 20-yard line and recorded a long punt of 53 yards.
Donte Curry Jr. contributed 51 kickoff return yards on two attempts, including a 28-yard return. Desmonte Brown added a 24-yard kickoff return.
The Wildcats will look to regroup and build on the experience gained throughout the season as they take on the Panthers of Clark-Atlanta University on Thursday, November 12th at 6 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium.
