Bowie State 21, Saint Paul's 7

October 15, 2005

(BOWIE, MARYLAND The Bulldogs of Bowie State started off a little sluggish but pulled it together to capture a 21-7 homecoming victory over the Tigers of St. Paul’s College. The win keeps Bowie State (6-2 / 3-2 in the CIAA) in the hunt for the CIAA Eastern Division title with two games left.

Bowie State junior Terrence Stafford tackled SPC’s Larry Graham in the Tigers end zone with 36 seconds left in the first quarter, giving BSU a 2-0 lead. BSU’s stingy defense held Saint Paul’s to minus 9-yards in total offense in the first 15 minutes of play.

The Bulldogs increased its lead to 9-0 at the 12:47 mark of the second quarter, when senior Olayinka Adeboyeku scored his first of two touchdowns of the afternoon. Adeboyeku capped off a 6 play – 56 yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. Saint Paul’s cut the BSU lead to 9-7 with 5:15 remaining in the second quarter on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Craig Mangrum.

BSU’s Stafford came up big again early in the third period, picking off a Demetrius Brown pass and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown, making the count 15-7 Bulldogs. Adeboyeku accounted for Bowie State’s final six points of the afternoon with 2:47 left in the third, scoring from 1-yard out and increasing the home team advantage to 21-7. “This was a great way to send our seniors out and we’re just real proud of the efforts our seniors gave in the final home game,” said BSU Head Coach Mike Lynn.

Statistically, Bowie State rolled up 257 yards in total offense (222 rushing) and was led on offense by Isaac Redman with 92 rushing yards on 15 carries. With Redman’s 15 carries, he has now become Bowie State’s All-Time leader in Season Rushing Attempts with 155 on the year. The old mark was set in 1975 by Milton Carr with 150 rushing attempts. St. Paul’s (3-5 / 2-3 in the CIAA) managed 179 yards in total offense (82 rushing and 97 passing). Quarterback Walter Virgil led the Tigers with 97 passing yards, completing 13 of 25, but was sacked three times. Stafford was the top Bulldog on defense leading both teams with 11 tackles, which included 3 tackles for a loss of 13 yards and 1 ½ sacks for nine yards. Jerome Mann and Jason Nichols paced the Tigers defense with 10 tackles each.

Bowie State University travels to Richmond, VA next weekend to face Virginia Union University in the Gold Bowl Classic. Virginia Union was pummeled 48-12 at Virginia State (10/15).