TUSKEGEE, Ala. – The Tuskegee University football program had to endure a one-hour lightning delay and a driving rainstorm but were able to notch a convincing win over Edward Waters, 23-6.
 
The Basics
 

• Final Score: Tuskegee 23, Edward Waters 6

 

• Records: Tuskegee (1-2, 0-0 SIAC) | Edward Waters (1-2, 0-0 SIAC)

 

• Location: Tuskegee, Alabama – Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium

 

• Series History: Tuskegee Leads 3-0

 

• Winning Streak: Tuskegee (W3) | Edward Waters' Last Win: N/A

 

How It Happened

1st Quarter
 

• EWU took the opening kickoff and had 3rd-and-two to go but Jeremy Dees blew the play up in the backfield to force a three-and-out.

 

• Tuskegee started its first drive from its own 48 courtesy of a personal foul by an Edward Waters defender and set the tone immediately, methodically marching 52 yards on seven running plays over 3:41 to take the early momentum on a short Ivonte Patterson rush up the gut (7-0).

 

• Mother Nature decided to call a timeout with 9:09 left in the period, sending lightning streaking across the sky to halt the contest for the next 88 minutes before resuming play.

 

• When the Tigers took its next snap, the visitors from Jacksonville could only muster 22 yards on five plays before punting.

 

• TU would then eat up over six minutes of possession but wound up just outside of Huskic's field goal range.

2nd Quarter
 

•  The visitors in white went three-and-out and Tuskegee made it all the way down to the EWU, converting a chip shot field goal to go up two scores (10-0).

 

• Edward Waters responded with its best drive of the first half, attempting to convert on a 4th-and-7 from the Tuskegee 31, they came up three yards shy of the sticks.

 

• TU drove back into EWU territory to the 30 but a rain-slicked pigskin forced a wobbly pass that was picked off by Dartrelle Rolle to halt the momentum.

 

• Another three-and-out by Edward Waters led to a perfectly executed two-minute drill by Bryson Williams and company ended with a one-yard plunge by Ivonte Patterson with about three seconds to go in the half to take a comfortable lead into the break (17-0).

3rd Quarter
 

• Tuskegee came out of the locker rooms and took control from the jump, gassing the defense over a soul-crushing six-minute, 12-play and 77-yard drive to basically put the game away on Patterson's third close range score of the afternoon (23-0).

 
 4th Quarter
 

• An Edward Waters drive that began at the 3:13 mark in the third showed the Tigers' resiliency, hitting paydirt on a De'Shaun Hugee touchdown run to cut the TU edge down to 17 after shanking the extra points (23-6).

 

• A botched snap on the ensuing punt by Tuskegee gave EWU a glimmer of hope as the resulting four-yard pooch kick after a mad dash for the ball landed at the visitors' 37.

 

• The Tigers in white had one last gasp, failing to convert on 4th-and-19 from the Tuskegee 31 to end the comeback as TU ran out the remaining 5:50 to earn its first victory.

Tuskegee Top Performers
 

• Ivonte Patterson was a workhorse for Skegee, becoming the first running back with three scores on the ground since Michael Thornton did so against Miles in November of 2014.

 

• The senior from Atlanta set new career-highs in touchdowns (3), rushing yards (145) and doubled his previous best in carries (30) while also adding a reception for five yards.

 

• Carl Matthews logged a team leading eight tackles while contributing his first career sack in 24 contests.

 

• Bryson Williams set new personal-highs in quarterback rating (125.53), completion percentage (70.6%), total completions (12) and rushing yards (38).

 

• Wesly Appolon was one of only two Golden Tigers with five-plus tackles, recording six (3 solo, 3 assists) while Woodly had a tackle for loss.

 

• Darren Peterson tied Freddrick Austin for the club's sack leader, taking down Edward Waters' Cedquan Smith once.

 

• Keynon Webb topped all receivers with a season-best 52 yards, including a huge chunk of it on a 36-yard catch-and-run.

 

• Rorrick Steward tied his career-best with two pass breakups to lead the squad.

 

• Arnes Huskic cashed in on his first made field goal of 2021, pushing a 19-yarder through the sideways rain.

 

• Jerkevion Goodloe finished off the day with two punishing runs on the final drive for 13 yards.

 
Notes

• The Tuskegee defense smothered the Tigers all day long, limiting the EWU offense to just nine first downs, 64 passing yards and 178 in total yards.

• It was the first time the Crimson and Old Gold held an opponent to single digit first downs since October 20, 2018.

• TU used a punishing ground game to hold the ball and keep the Edward Waters offense on the sidelines, winning the time of possession battle by over 15 minutes (37:41 to 22:19).
• As a team, Coach Slater's group committed the fewest penalty yards in eight years on Saturday, getting flagged just three times for only 15 yards.

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