TUSKEGEE, Ala. – In a hard-fought Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) matchup, the Tuskegee Golden Tigers came up just short on Saturday afternoon, falling 27-20 to the Fort Valley State Wildcats inside Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium.
The defeat dropped Tuskegee to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Fort Valley State improved to 1-3 on the year and 1-1 in the SIAC.
The game opened with fireworks, as Fort Valley struck on its first offensive play. Quarterback Jai'que Hart connected with J.T. Pendleton for an 84-yard touchdown to quickly put the Wildcats ahead, 7-0.
Tuskegee responded with a steady drive capped by a 25-yard field goal from Lorcan Ryans, trimming the deficit to 7-3 late in the first quarter.
Ryans added another field goal, this one from 19 yards, to pull the Golden Tigers within a point at 7-6 early in the second quarter. However, Fort Valley answered with a 10-play, 70-yard march capped by a two-yard touchdown run from Alexander Wilson to take a 13-6 advantage into halftime.
The Wildcats extended their lead in the third quarter as Wilson struck again, finding the end zone on a four-yard rush to push the margin to 19-6.
Tuskegee's offense came alive in the fourth quarter behind quarterback Raequan Beal. The Golden Tigers pieced together an 80-yard drive, capped by Beal's six-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Khael Rowser to close the gap to 19-13.
But Fort Valley responded immediately, as Braelen Morgan returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion, giving the Wildcats a 27-13 cushion with under nine minutes remaining.
Refusing to quit, Tuskegee stormed back with another scoring drive. Beal connected with EJ Hall on a 27-yard touchdown strike, pulling the Golden Tigers back within 27-20 with just over five minutes left to play. The defense forced a stop, but a late Tuskegee drive stalled, and the Wildcats held on for the victory.
Beal had a career day despite the loss, completing 29-of-45 passes for 380 yards and two touchdowns, though he was intercepted twice.
Hall led all receivers with 81 yards and a touchdown on three catches, while Rowser added 43 yards and a score. Devon Cooper and Rashad Wilson Jr. also chipped in with 60 and 50 receiving yards, respectively.
Tuskegee's running game struggled against the Fort Valley front, managing just 28 net yards on 23 attempts. Johnny Morris led the way with 46 yards on 12 carries.
Defensively, Kaquan Kimber paced the Golden Tigers with nine tackles, including a sack, while Antonio Knight Jr. and Masiah Wells added six stops apiece. Jakoby Diamond also recorded a sack for the Tuskegee defense.
Fort Valley's offense was led by Hart, who completed 14-of-16 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown. Pendleton was his top target, hauling in five catches for 137 yards and the opening score. Wilson added two rushing touchdowns to complement the aerial attack.
Up Next
The Golden Tigers will look to bounce back next week as they continue SIAC play with the Morehouse Tuskegee Classic in Montgomery at the Cramton Bowl next Saturday.
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