Miscues cost Grambling at Bayou Classic

NEW ORLEANS - Grambling State’s inability to execute cost itself a chance to end their season on a high note at the 50th annual Bayou Classic, with the Southern Jaguars taking the win 27-22.

With the win, Southern (6-5) extended its lead in the all-time series to 26-24 after defeating Grambling (5-6) for the fifth time in the last six meetings. And for the first time since the 1998, 1997, and 1996 seasons, GSU finishes with a losing season for the third year in a row.

With four chances inside the Southern 4-yard line with under two minutes left after a 28-yard run from Floyd Chalk, the Tigers failed to punch it in to take the lead - a fitting end to a night of failed opportunities.

After multiple handoffs went next to nowhere inside the 5, GSU attempted a fade pass on 4th and goal from the Southern 3 to Lyndon Rash in the end-zone but it fell incomplete, giving Southern the win.

Chalk’s late heroics capped off a big day from the sophomore, as he finished with a career-high 172 yards and a rushing touchdown.

While the goal line stop was the final series of the game, GSU cost itself a chance to win much earlier with lack of awareness.

The miscues started less than 40 seconds into the contest as GSU running back Chance Williams fumbled on the Tigers’ second play of the game to make it four turnovers in the last five quarters for the G-Men against their arch rival after committing three in last year’s loss to Southern.

Neither offense got much going from there until GSU’s defense came up with a fumble recovery of their own inside its own 10 as Kevin Thomas came up with the ball. Over the next six minutes, Grambling marched 13 plays and 97 yards to take the game’s first lead on a short keeper from quarterback Myles Crawley for a touchdown.

That’s when it went quiet for a while for the Tigers, including a potential interception wiped away thanks to an offsides penalty against GSU defensive end Lane Lewis. Southern took advantage of the second chance and took nine plays to tie the game at 7-7 on an 8-yard touchdown from Noah Bodden to Darren Morris.

Outside of Crawley’s touchdown, the G-Men finished the first half with a punt, turnover on downs and then a blocked field goal taken back for a touchdown as Southern led 21-7 at the break.

The poor play continued for GSU out of halftime, as Southern’s ability to execute extended the score to 27-7 on a 73-yard touchdown run from Kendric Rhymes on the second play of the half. Grambling punted its next three drives to let the momentum stay with Southern for a majority of the third quarter, until Andrew Jones jumped a potential route from the Jaguars and returned an interception for a touchdown to make it 27-14 with 8:26 left in the quarter. Soon after, GSU seemed to be coming to life as Southern’s punter committed a safety to cut the lead to 27-16 - giving the ball back to GSU in the process.

Just as Grambling had new life, and marching deep into Southern territory on a 13-play, 65-yard drive, Crawley was picked off in the end-zone with his team trailing 27-16. Nearly six minutes of clock wasted.

But Southern did itself no favors by wasting the takeaway and punting, only for Chalk to punch in his lone score of the evening to make it 27-22 with 7:02 left in the game after a failed two-point conversion by the Tigers.

And with under four minutes left, GSU’s defense forced the stop it needed and gave the offense the ball back with 3:59 left down 27-22.

It was a heavy dose of Chalk and Williams on the drive, with the duo combining for 60 yards on their first four carries of the series - with Chalk’s 28-yard scamper setting up the eventual last chance for the Tigers.

In the end, GSU outgained Southern 432-317 and had the ball for 11 more minutes than the Jaguars but came up short once again in the season finale.