Morehouse 29, Bowie State 22

And it was the missed opportunities that haunted the Bulldogs as they saw the Maroon Tigers of Morehouse College score a touchdown with 50 seconds left in the game to escape with the 29-22 win.

Twice the Bulldogs (2-3) had the ball inside the Maroon Tigers' (3-2) five-yard line in the fourth quarter but were unable to come away with any points. Bulldogs' strong safety Harry Brunson's third interception of the game gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Maroon Tigers' five-yard line. The Maroon Tigers held on four straight downs, stopping the Bulldogs' quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal from the one with 12:48 left in the game, however.

A Kendall Stewart blocked punt gave the Bulldogs the ball deep in Maroon Tiger territory, but on fourth-and-goal from the one, kicker Turahn Jeter missed wide right on a 20-yard field goal attempt with just under eight minutes to play.

"We had our chances to win but we couldn't capitalize on them," said head coach Henry Frazier, III. "My hat is off to their defense. They held us and they wanted it a little more."

The Maroon Tigers went 68 yards in eight plays for the game-winning score, with running back Nathan Zackery running it in from 15 yards out.

The Bulldogs' defense entered the game as the 13th-best in Division II, but the Maroon Tigers didn't seem to notice as they went 54 yards in seven plays on their first possession of the game. Quarterback Chival Daughtry rushed for 24 of those yards finishing the day with 74 yards on 15 carries. He also completed 10-16 attempts for 193 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Dominique Maddox finished off the drive by running it in from 19 yards out, and the Maroon Tigers took an 8-0 lead after a successful rush for two-point conversion by Earnest Hunter.

"We let Daughtry get outside because the defensive ends lost their containment and he was able to run on us," said Frazier.

Freshman linebacker Atcheson "AT" Conway led the defense with 16 tackles, including eight solos. Most telling about the Bulldogs' defensive statistics was that their next four leading tacklers were all defensive backs, paced by Linwood Jones, who had nine, and Antone' Sewell, who had eight and forced a fumble.

For the Maroon Tigers, Zackery rushed for 89 yards on 23 carries while receiver Kenneth Rodgers caught six passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.

The Bulldogs closed to within 8-6 at the 4:46 mark of the first quarter when Ian Greenlee turned a screen pass from quarterback Kernis Faison into a 19-yard touchdown. The rush for two-point conversion was stopped just short.

The score was set up by the first of Brunson's three interceptions.

His second pick came at the eight-minute mark of the second quarter, with the Bulldogs taking over on the Maroon Tiger 45. Faison was out for the series with a leg injury, and after backup Dante Harris drove the Bulldogs to the Maroon Tiger 18, his second pass attempt was picked off by Corey Strong at the Maroon Tiger six.

The interception was the first for the Bulldogs in three games. Harris finished 1-2 for 13 yards and the interception while Faison came back to finish 14-33 for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

After the interception, the Bulldogs forced a punt and saw a golden opportunity to possibly tie the game slip away. The snap went through the punter's legs into the end zone. It looked as if two Bulldogs had a chance to fall on the ball for a touchdown, but neither could grasp the pigskin. Instead, they settled for a safety, cutting the lead to 22-16 with 1:27 left in the half.

The Maroon Tigers had taken a 22-6 lead on a Daughtry two-yard run and a 80-yard touchdown hookup between Daughtry and Rodgers.

The Bulldogs then closed to 22-14 on a five-yard rush by freshman Kelvin Collins with 8:27 left in the half.

Injuries would prove to be key as well later for the Bulldogs while missing their goal-line chances in the fourth quarter. Their offensive line, already depleted by the loss of their original two starting tackles prior to the game, had to replace starting center Marcus Skelton, who was lost for the remainder of the game with a shoulder injury early in the second quarter. Fullback Caleb Cranke went out in the third quarter and never returned.

It was a wild third quarter for both teams. On the Bulldogs' first possession, they were forced to punt and Faison had his kick blocked. It was ruled that the Maroon Tigers got possession of the live ball then fumbled, giving the Bulldogs a first down.

Unable to convert, the Bulldogs were forced to punt again, and Nate Talley forced a fumble that was recovered by T-Wuan Prather at the Maroon Tigers' 28.

On the ensuing drive, facing fourth-and 14 from the Maroon Tigers' 22, Faison hit wide receiver Mike Bryant in the end zone for an apparent touchdown. A holding penalty wiped out the score, but Faison connected with Bryant again, this time on a crossing pattern for the 32-yard touchdown. The Maroon Tigers' special teams came through again and blocked the extra point attempt, keeping the score tied at 22.

The Maroon Tigers then drove from their 27 to the Bulldogs' four. On second-and-goal, Daughtry was hit by Sewell just before the goal line and fumbled the ball through the back of the end zone, giving the Bulldogs the ball on a touchback.

The Bulldogs will resume Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association play next Saturday when they travel to face the Vikings of Elizabeth City State University.

"We are still in the hunt for the CIAA championship. Our goals are still obtainable, we just have to get back to work and get ready for Elizabeth City," concluded Frazier.

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