JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Tuskegee Golden Tigers (1-3, 1-1 SIAC) earned their first win of the 2024 season with a gritty second-half comeback to defeat Edward Waters (1-4, 0-2 SIAC) by a score of 27-13 on a rare Sunday afternoon game at Nathaniel Glover Community Field & Stadium.
After trailing 13-3 at halftime, Tuskegee dominated the second half, scoring 24 unanswered points to seal a much-needed conference victory and end their three-game losing streak.
The game began as a defensive struggle, with both teams trading field position throughout the first quarter. Tuskegee's defense, led by standout performances from
Rossie Grimes and
Malik Moore, set the tone early by stifling Edward Waters' rushing attack. Tuskegee struck first with a 15-yard field goal by kicker
Lorcan Ryans late in the first quarter, capping an 11-play, 70-yard drive to give the Golden Tigers a 3-0 lead.
Edward Waters responded in the second quarter, finding success on the ground with running back Kentrelle Williams breaking free for a 44-yard run, setting up a short touchdown drive. Quarterback Keith Moore II connected with Darius Rucker on a seven-yard touchdown pass, but a missed extra point left Edward Waters with a 6-3 lead.
Tuskegee's offense struggled to gain traction during the remainder of the first half. A key turnover deep in their own territory led to another Edward Waters touchdown when Greg Mango punched in a 2-yard run, extending the lead to 13-3. With momentum firmly in Edward Waters' favor heading into halftime, Tuskegee knew they needed to make adjustments to mount a comeback.
Coming out of the locker room, Tuskegee's offense found new life behind quarterback
Raequan Beal, who sparked the Golden Tigers with his leadership and playmaking. On their opening drive of the third quarter, Beal orchestrated a 9-play, 75-yard drive that included critical completions to
Reggie Brigman and
Johnny Morris. Beal capped the drive by connecting with wide receiver KJ Law for a 21-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 13-10 and shifting the momentum back to Tuskegee.
With their defense rejuvenated, the Golden Tigers continued to shut down Edward Waters' offense, forcing a series of three-and-outs. Tuskegee's defense was relentless in applying pressure, with
Noah Holton and
Mikael King Jr. leading the charge in the secondary, both recording key interceptions to stymie Edward Waters' passing game.
In the fourth quarter, Beal once again led Tuskegee down the field with precise passing and timely runs from
Chase Sellers and Morris. Beal then found tight end
Renoldo Spivey Jr. in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass, giving Tuskegee its first lead of the game at 17-13.
Tuskegee's defense continued to dominate, forcing another punt from Edward Waters, giving the Golden Tigers excellent field position midway through the fourth quarter. Sellers took advantage, breaking loose for a 60-yard drive that featured multiple punishing runs and set up
Johnny Morris for a one-yard rushing touchdown, extending the lead to 24-13.
Edward Waters attempted to mount a late comeback, but their efforts were thwarted by
Rossie Grimes and
Malik Moore, who combined for a critical sack on third down, forcing Edward Waters to punt once again. With time winding down, Ryans added a 30-yard field goal to extend Tuskegee's lead to 27-13, effectively sealing the game.
Tuskegee's defense stepped up in a big way, allowing only 130 total yards in the second half and forcing two interceptions. The Golden Tigers also recorded three sacks and held Edward Waters' leading rusher, Greg Mango, to just 25 yards after his early second-quarter touchdown.
Beal finished the game with 145 passing yards and two touchdowns, leading the second-half surge that sparked Tuskegee's comeback.
Morris amassed 81 rushing yards on 25 carries, including a key one-yard touchdown to ice the game in the fourth quarter, while Sellers contributed 55 rushing yards on seven carries, including multiple pivotal runs during Tuskegee's late-game drives.
Brigman was Beal's favorite target, recording four receptions for 74 yards, keeping drives alive with clutch catches.
Moore led the defense with seven total tackles, while Holton and King Jr. each had interceptions that swung the momentum in Tuskegee's favor in the win.
Up Next
With this victory, Tuskegee will now look to build on this momentum heading into the heart of the conference schedule. The Golden Tigers will compete against a familiar foe in their next contest on October 5 in the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic, as the game returns to Columbus for the first time since 2019. Kickoff for the game is set for 2 p.m. ET at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium.
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www.goldentigersports.com.
