By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Grambling State football coach Mickey Joseph has preached to his team all season long about finishing games strong and not committing costly and untimely penalties.
But those factors came back to bite the Tigers Saturday afternoon as they played a Southwestern Athletic Conference contest at Bethune-Cookman, which had only won one game this season.
Make that two after the Wildcats battled back from a 14-point third-quarter deficit and scored 17 unanswered points to defeat Grambling 24-21 at Municipal Stadium.
The win dropped GSU to 4-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play while Bethune-Cookman moved to 2-7 overall and 2-3 in the SWAC.
Grambling’s loss also spoiled a standout performance by sophomore receiver Javon Robinson, who led the Tigers with seven receptions for 91 along with a long punt return for a score.
The G-Men struck first as senior running back Keilon Elder broke loose on a 22-yard scoring scamper with 2:27 left in the opening stanza.
Then Robinson propelled GSU to a 14-0 lead with a punt return that was simply spectacular. The punt sailed way over Robinson’s head, sending him running backward.
Robinson stretched and caught the ball midstride at the GSU 28-yard line as if it was a reception. He reversed direction and started dancing and weaving upfield, pointing out defenders for his blockers before slowing to a near complete stop to jump behind three of them, who walled off the Wildcats and freed Robinson to dash across the goal line for the 72-yard return touchdown that pushed GSU’s lead to 14-0 with 4:51 remaining in the first half.
But the Wildcats clawed into GSU’s momentum before intermission as the Wildcats methodically marched 66 yards for a score with 51 seconds left in the second quarter to cut Grambling’s lead to 14-7 at halftime.
The second half was almost all Wildcats. After the Tigers marched 69 yards on nine plays starting the third period with backup quarterback Deljay Bailey, playing in place of injured starter Myles Crawley, breaking free for a 9-yard scoring scamper that put Grambling on top 21-7 just 3:56 in.
Bethune-Cookman countered with a 40-yard field goal at the 7:00 mark of the third period to cut GSU’s lead to 21-10.
The Wildcats were only getting started.
Cam Ransom launched a 58-yard scoring strike to Darnell Deas to pull BC within four points of at 21-17 with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter.
On the final play for the third quarter the Wildcats grabbed their first lead of the contest as GSDennis Palmer burst through the gap off left tackle and raced to paydirt to give Bethune-Cookman the 24-21 lead.
After a three-and-out on their first offensive possession of the fourth quarter, Grambling drove as deep as the BCU 39-yards on its next series with the ball before Bailey was intercepted on a fourth-and-12 pass attempt that turned the ball back over to the Wildcats with 4:57 remaining.
The Tigers couldn’t pull off the late comeback as Bailey was intercepted for a second time with 30 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats possession at the GSU 27.
Bailey completed 18-of-33 passes for 206 yards. Andrew Jones again led the Tigers in tackles with 11 to push his total to 83 on the season, an average of 9.2 per game.
Grambling was flagged eight times for 85 yards compared to 6-50 for BSU. GSU is the most penalized team in the SWAC, averaging 12 times and 81.1 yards per contest.
Grambling plays its home finale starting at 2 p.m. this Saturday as Alabama State visits Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com