Owens Makes TSU History, Tigers Dominate Alcorn State 44-10
10
6-4 , 5-2
44
Winner
3-7 , 2-0
6-4 , 5-2
10
Final
44
3-7 , 2-0
Winner
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
|
|
14 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 44 |
Game Recap: Football | | TSU Sports Information
LaDarius Owens made TSU history as the Tiger football team dominated Alcorn State from start to finish in a 44-10 victory inside Shell Energy Stadium on Sunday.
Having to play on Sunday due to a stadium conflict on Saturday, the change of day didn’t stop TSU’s momentum as Jace Wilson found Trenton Leary for a 67-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the game’s second drive. TSU would force another punt and Quay Davis took a 2nd-and-10 pass 48 yards to the Alcorn State 11. Three plays later, Owens took a handoff from Wilson up the middle for an 11-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 lead after Gustavo Romero’s PAT.
ASU would answer the score on a 49-yard touchdown reception on the ensuing drive but TSU countered as Jyrin Johnson had a 31-yard reception on the next drive as the first quarter came to a close. The drive would stall but Alcorn State’s Akeem McNair muffed the punt and TSU’s Alex Bouldin recovered it at the ASU 15. TSU used some razzle dazzle on its next play as Trenton Leary took a handoff and found C’ing Blanton for a 15-yard touchdown pass and a 21-7 lead following the PAT.
Alcorn State would get to the TSU 17 on the next drive but the TSU defense held ground and forced a field goal. A personal foul by ASU before the field goal pushed the attempt back 15 yards as the Braves missed a 48-yard field goal.
TSU kept its foot on the gas and marched 68 yards on eight plays as Leary caught a big 23-yard reception from Wilson at the ASU 4 which set up a 4-yard run from Jacorey Howard and a 28-7 margin.
The defense would come up with a big play on the next drive as Jacorey Benjamin intercepted ASU and returned the ball 43 yards to the ASU 34. The team would turn to LaDarius Owens on its next drive as he combined to rush for 38 yards with the final 20 coming on a touchdown run with 3:07 left as TSU upped the lead to 35-7 after the PAT. Both teams would trade punts to end the half as TSU led comfortably.
TSU added a field goal from Romero to up the lead to 38-7 in the third quarter followed by a Braves’ field goal to open the fourth quarter. Three drives later, Owens made TSU history with a 62-yard burst for a touchdown as he became TSU’s all-time leading rusher. With history made, Owens and TSU never looked back as the team defeated Alcorn State in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1999 and 2000.
TSU finished with 499 total yards (303 P, 196 R) while the defense allowed 318 yards. Owens passed for 288 yards on 17-of-23 passing with a touchdown while Owens rushed for 211 yards on 24 carries and three touchdowns. Leary caught six passes for a career-best 137 yards and a touchdown.
TSU closes out the 2023 season at home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 2 p.m. next Saturday at Shell Energy Stadium.
Courtesy: TSUSports.com
