Albany State 17, Kentucky State 7

September 11, 2005

Albany State University’s Antwan Andrews rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown and Antonio Atkins ran 105 yards to help the Golden Rams gallop away with a 17-7 home-opening victory over the Kentucky State University Thorobreds before a crowd of 6,211 on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the Albany Municipal Coliseum in Albany, Ga.

On the second play of a Thorobred drive late in the first quarter, ASU’s Alton Pettway forced and recovered a fumble by KSU’s Cassius Chambers on the KSU three yard line. The Golden Rams posted numbers on the scoreboard with just 22 seconds in the first quarter after Andrews dashed two yards into the KSU end zone.

Just minutes before the half, Pettway recovered another fumble, this time by KSU’s Anthony Robinson at the KSU 17 yard line. After a five-play, 13-yard drive, Matthew Hawthorne’s 22-yard field goal upped Albany State’s lead to 10-0.

The Thorobreds got on the scoreboard when Robinson caught an eight-yard pass from Shawn Johnson on a seven-play, 72-yard drive with 2:18 in the third quarter to bring the Thorobreds to within three points of the Golden Rams. Johnson passed for 90 yards, completing 13 of 38 passes and an interception.

ASU quarterback Hosea Harris, who passed for 76 yards, sealed the victory for the Golden Rams on a two-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

The Golden Rams racked up 318 total offensive yards, including 242 rushing and 76 passing yards, while the ASU “Dirty Blue” defense, led by Pettway with 13 tackles (five solos), gave up only 166 yards to the Thorobreds. Pettway also recorded two sacks for 13 yards and nine quarterback hurries, and blocked a punt. Franklin Turner added seven tackles (five solos), with three for a loss of 14 yards, and recorded two-and-a-half sacks for 13 yards. Eric Crosby assisted with a Turner sack and added nine tackles (four solos), with four for a loss of 12 yards. Mike Pittman and Demetrie McCray had an interception each.

The game was designated Military Appreciation Day and the ASU family honored the brave men and women who serve in the U.S. armed forces. Victims and families of both the 911 disaster in New York and Washington, DC that happened four years ago, and Hurricane Katrina were also honored.

The Golden Rams (2-1, 2-1) will travel to Jackson, Tenn., on Sept. 17 to take on the Dragons of Lane College in a 6 p.m. (CST) SIAC game. The Dragons lost to the Wildcats of Fort Valley University on Sept. 10.

Next week, Kentucky State (1-2, 1-1) will play Central State University in the Heritage Classic in Lexington, Ky.