SWAC Full of Blowouts And Shootouts In Week Three

Lenard Tillery and Southern came up with a 62-59 double overtime win against Prairie View A&M. (Advocate Photo)

While the MEAC was busy making waves in out of conference play, several SWAC teams got together for some high-scoring, exciting contests on Saturday. Outside of the conference, however, several teams struggled or were just plain bad.

Alabama State traveled to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in desperate need of a win after losing both of its first two contests in the games last minutes. UAPB, the defending champs, needed a win just as badly, having been blown out in its first two contests of the season. It looked as if they were headed to another  one early, as Alabama State jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Lions roared back, outscoring the Hornets 32-3 in the second and third quarter to take an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Hornets came back with a touchdown run by Isaiah Crowell and a Bobby Wenzig field goal to come away with a 40-39 win. 

Alabama State wins 40-39 thriller at defending @THESWAC champion #UAPB http://t.co/1ojMEcc34n #MyASU #HBCU
– Nick Birdsong (@birds_word) September 15, 2013

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Over in Louisiana, Southern and Prairie View put on an offensive fireworks show fans won’t soon forget. Like Alabama State, Prairie View stunned the home crowd by taking a 22-point lead over Southern late in the third quarter. Southern responded with a touchdown to cut the lead heading into the fourth, then outscored Prairie View 29-14 to face overtime. The teams traded scores until Lee Doss hauled in a 24 yard pass from Dray Joseph, his sixth touchdown pass of the game, to give Southern a 62-59 win. 

Southern wide receiver Lee Doss explodes for three touchdowns against Prairie View A&M: video http://t.co/q6Th9v4BM3
– NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) September 15, 2013

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Continuing the trend of late-game comebacks, Alcorn State rallied from a 14 point halftime deficit to to beat Mississippi Valley State 35-28 win, keeping MSVS winless. 

Those were the highlights for the SWAC. But out of conference play would not be so kind as both Alabama A&M (32-0 loss to SC State) and Texas Southern (55-17 loss to Sam Houston State). Only Jackson State’s 26-16 loss to Tennessee State was even close. 

Still, the most disappointing loss of the week goes to Grambling. Days after firing Doug Williams as head coach, GSU suffered a 47-34 loss to Lincoln (MO), a member of the Division II MIAA, in the Missouri Classic.  It was a tough end to a tough week for the Tigers.