DOVER (November 1, 2008) ? Delaware State nearly overcame a 20-point deficit before falling to South Carolina State 23-17 at Alumni Stadium Saturday afternoon. The first-place Bulldogs won their fifth straight game to improve to 7-2 overall and 5-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Hornets lost their second in a row to fall to 3-5 and 3-3. The loss eliminates Delaware State, the defending MEAC champ, from winning 2008 conference title outright.
South Carolina State led by 20 points after Travil Jamison's one-yard touchdown run with 5:00 left in the third quarter.
Delaware State scored 14 unanswered points to pull to within 23-17, but failed to complete the comeback when its final possession ended in South Carolina State territory in the closing moments of the game.
"It's tough to come back after falling behind by three touchdowns against a team like South Carolina State," said Delaware State head coach Al Lavan, who fell to 27-8 vs. MEAC opponents. "I was proud of the way we fought back, but South Carolina State came up with some big plays down the stretch."
South Carolina State scored first when quarterback Malcolm Long connected with tight end Octavius Darby on a seven-yard touchdown pass on the game's opening drive to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead. Delaware State blocked the extra-point attempt. The score capped off a nine-play, 70-yard drive.
A Delaware State turnover resulted in South Carolina State's second score.
Four plays after South Carolina State recovered a fumble by Delaware State punt returner Chris Strother at the DSU 17, Blake Erickson hit a 31-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 9-0 lead with 9:26 left in the second quarter.
The Hornets responded with a 13-play, 54-yard drive, but had to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Riley Flickinger to pull to within 9-3 with 3:43 left in the first half. Quarterback Vashon Winton completed five-of-seven passes for 46 yards during the drive.
Long and Darby connected on a 48-yard scoring pass on a third-down and-11 play to give the Bulldogs a two-touchdown lead late in the second quarter. The extra point kick by Erickson gave South Carolina State a 16-3 lead with 1:59 left in the half.
Darby had four catches for a game-high 97 yards and two touchdowns. Long completed 18-of-30 passes for 246 yards and two scores.
Jamison's touchdown run capped off a five-play, 41-yard drive, and gave the Bulldogs a 23-3 lead with 5:00 minutes left in the third quarter. The big play in the drive was a 21-yard completion on third-and-11 from Long to wide receiver Phillip Morris to the Delaware State eight-yard-line.
Delaware State used a trick play to score its first touchdown in two games. A 20-yard completion from second-string quarterback Anthony Glaud to Winton gave Delaware State the ball at the Bulldog eight-yard line. Glaud was lined-up as a running back on the second-and-14 play. The reception was the first of Winton's career. Winton capped off the 10-play, 64-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Eric Jones to pull the Hornets to within 23-10 with 52 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Hornets capitalized on South Carolina State's first turnover of the game to pull closer. Three plays after an interception and 26-yard return by Jerome Strums gave Delaware State the ball at the South Carolina State 11, Jaashawn Jones reached the end zone on a three-yard run to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 23-17 with 8:44 left to play.
"We needed a big turnover to get back into the game, and I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time," said Strums, who is tied for the team lead with three interceptions.
South Carolina State answered with a seven-play, 48-yard drive, but running back William Ford lost a fumble to the Hornets at the DSU 18-yard line with 4:31 left to play.
The Hornets held Ford, the MEAC's second-leading rusher, to 70-yards on 19 carries. Ford was averaging nearly 122-yards-per-game entering the contest.
Delaware State gained 34 yards to the SC State 48 on the ensuing possession, but the drive ended on a fourth down incomplete pass with 1:27 remaining.
"We had a good drive going at the end, but South Carolina State came up with some big defensive plays," said Winton, who completed 23-of-34 passes for 147 yards. "We were winning the close games last year, but have come up short in a lot of key situations this season."
South Carolina State outgained the Hornets 364-to-229 in total yardage. The Hornets netted just nine yards rushing.
Delaware State's Derrick McNeil had a career-high eight catches (48 yards) to lead all players. Nine players had at least one catch for the Hornets.
Delaware State will play its 2008 home finale against Winston-Salem State next Saturday, while South Carolina State returns home to face Howard next weekend.
