Grambling State keeps SWAC dreams alive with 28-14 win over Bethune-Cookman

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Generally speaking, forcing ball carriers to fumble are positive plays for the defense. Grambling State sustained a huge exception against visiting Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. But the wacky play didn’t matter in the end.

Grambling was suffocating on defense in a 28-14 victory that kept its hopes alive in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Tigers gave up just 96 yards rushing and 81 yards passing. Bethune might have been held scoreless, too, if not for two long touchdowns after recovering fumbles – one of its own.

Before a sparse crowd at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium, the craziness began on the opening possession. With nothing to lose in a season going nowhere, Bethune attempted to convert on fourth-and-1, lining up in shotgun formation from its own 42-yard line. 

Sophomore tight end Nebanye Moore came in motion and stopped quickly under center for a sneak attempt. Grambling senior defensive end Sundiata Anderson ripped out the ball after Moore’s momentum was stopped. Bethune wideout Tink Boyd was walking toward the scrum when the ball flew into his arms. He quickly juked a defender at the line and raced 58 yards for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

It was the first time all season that Bethune (1-7 overall, 0-5 in the SWAC) scored on its initial drive. The offense wasn’t as fortunate after a mishap on its next possession. 

On first-and-10 from his own 17-yard line, grad student quarterback Tylik Bethea was looking the other way, perhaps distracted by Grambling defenders threatening to blitz. The shotgun snap sailed past Bethea’s left shoulder into the end zone. He gave chase but overran the ball, allowing Grambling linebacker Davonte Webster to recover it for a 7-7 tie three minutes into the game.

The score was 21-7 with 10 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Set up by a 33-yard punt return from freshman wideout Javon Robinson, Grambling drove 57 yards in four plays, capped by sophomore halfback Chance Williams’ 3-yard touchdown run. After punting and missing a field goal attempt on its next possessions, Grambling struck again. 

Williams took a first-down handoff and ran, never breaking stride as his linemen opened an alley. Sophomore wideout Nae’Saan Dickerson delivered a big block, putting a defender on the ground, and Williams sprinted untouched for a 61-yard touchdown. He finished with 119 rushing yards.  

The Wildcats closed to within 21-14 at halftime thanks to another crazy fumble as Grambling halfback Floyd Chalk IV was being ridden to the ground. Linebacker Malik Stinnet threw a perfect right hook to dislodge the ball, which took a perfect bounce to cornerback Omari Hill-Robinson. With Grambling wideout Antonio Jones in hot pursuit the whole way, Hill-Robinson dashed 77 yards for the score.

Chalk, who contributed 117 yards from scrimmage (80 on the ground), atoned for his mistake midway through the fourth quarter. His 34-yard touchdown run was the game’s final score and a tremendous display of strength and determination.  

Finding a wall on the right side, Chalk bounced back and reached the 5-yard line before Bethune cornerback Nichalas Rawls II grabbed him by an ankle. Floyd took another step, planted his right hand at the 3-yard line, and propelled himself to the pylon, with Rawls holding on in vain.

Grambling’s defense and ground game didn’t require much assistance from quarterback Myles Crawley, who completed 11 of 22 passes for 142 yards. He had a much easier day than his counterpart, Bethea, who was making his first start for Bethune. Bethea finished 8-of-24 passing for 70 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked four times.

Grambling (4-4, 3-2) got good news Saturday from Tallahassee, Florida, where Florida A&M beat Prairie View A&M, 45-7. There’s still a chance for Grambling to win the SWAC West if it prevails against Alabama State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Southern.

The Tigers would own the tiebreaker with a victory against Southern (5-3, 4-1) in the Bayou Classic on Nov. 25. Southern visits Alcorn State on Saturday in what’s essentially a playoff game. They’re tied for first in the SWAC West, and the winner controls its playoff destiny.

“We’re not going to get caught up in what may be and what could be,” coach Hue Jackson said last week. “The most important thing is that we go out and win. Winning takes care of a lot of that.”

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