TUSKEGEE - The Golden Tigers were able to overcome slow starts in their first two home games of the 2013 season, but four first-half turnovers in the SIAC West Division Championship at Cleve Abbott Stadium turned into a 27-point deficit that the 2012 SIAC Champions could not overcome.  In the upset of the season, Miles College shocked all of HBCU Football by defeating Tuskegee 41-36 on Saturday.

Much has been written about the two quarterback system of Rashard Burkette and Justin Nared, but both were responsible for the four turnovers which eventually led to four touchdowns for the Golden Bears.  After Nared's pass was intercepted by Joe Beckham at the five-yard line, the Golden Bears were eventually able to march 90 yards down the field and scored on a goal-line rush by quarterback David Thomas 18 plays later to take their largest lead of the game at 34-7 with 2:10 remaining until halftime.

"We just gave up too many big plays today," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater.  "We had four turnovers in the first half, and we didn't even have to punt one time today."

But, Tuskegee refused to lay down, as they would proceed to score on three consecutive possessions.  Michael J. Thornton was a major contributor to the rally, as he punched in a goal-line run for a touchdown with three seconds remaining in the first half.  Then, he would score again from two-yards out in the opening possession of the second half, before catching a 49-yard touchdown pass from Burkette just 22 seconds later after Michael Robinson was able to pick off Thomas near midfield.

On the extra point attempt after the touchdown reception, Trevor Wylie's extra point was blocked, which kept Miles' lead at a touchdown before it was later expanded to 14.  Slater said that at this point in the game, he decided that he needed to have his team get points whenever they were available.  This decision even influenced how the coaching staff would approach the comeback attempt.  After two failed fourth down conversions by Burkette, the Golden Tigers would settle for a 41-yard field goal by Wylie with 9:34 remaining in the game.  The successful attempt trimmed Miles' lead down to 41-30, but there was just 9:34 remaining in the game.  On their next possession, Miles was able to eat up over four minutes on the clock, which essentially secured the upset bid.

"We missed the extra point, and coming into the second half, I knew that we needed three touchdowns and the extra point," Slater said.  At that point, if we scored another touchdown, we'd have to kick the extra point just to tie the game.  I just wanted to get us some points."

Miles will play Albany State in the SIAC Championship next week at Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta.  Meanwhile, questions linger for the Golden Tigers, as the first appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs in school history seems unlikely, if not impossible.  Tuskegee was ranked fifth in Super Region II before the loss, and the top six teams from each super region are allowed entry into the postseason.

Slater refused to speculate where he thought his team would end up in the most recent round of rankings.  But, the idea of the Golden Tigers no longer being able to control their own destiny does not sit well.

"I have no idea," Slater said.  "It's bad when your destiny is in someone else's hands.  But, that is where we happen to sit right now."