After a lengthy weather delay on Saturday night, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff came back to take a fourth quarter lead but couldn’t hold it.
UAPB lost 20-16 to Grambling State at Simmons Bank Field after a late touchdown by the Tigers and an unsuccessful desperation heave to the end zone.
The game entered a lightning delay at 4:35 p.m. with 14:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. UAPB (3-4, 1-2 SWAC) trailed 14-7 at the time but had a first down at the Grambling 13-yard line. The delay lasted roughly two hours and nine minutes, with play resuming at 6:44 p.m.
The Golden Lions ultimately settled for a field goal after play restarted. Grambling fumbled on each of its next two possessions deep in its own territory. UAPB had to settle for field goals again each time, but the three kicks by senior Trey Glymph put UAPB in front, 16-14.
UAPB coach Alonzo Hampton said failing to score touchdowns cost the Golden Lions the game.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“Had the ball in the red zone four times, kicked three field goals,” Hampton said. “You don’t deserve to win. … I gotta go watch the film. Thought we had a couple things that was there. We just didn’t execute it. When you play a good team, we knew they had a good defense. Just came up short.”
Grambling (4-3, 1-2) responded with a 13-play, 65-yard touchdown drive to retake the lead. Graduate student running back Tre Bradford scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:42 remaining, giving the Tigers a 20-16 lead after a failed 2-point attempt.
The Golden Lions got to the GSU 30-yard line on the ensuing drive, but quarterback Christian Peters had no choice but to take a shot for the end zone on the next play with 4.5 seconds remaining. The Tigers batted the pass down to escape Pine Bluff with their first SWAC win this season.
Peters completed 12 of 30 passes for 204 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Peters also led the Golden Lions in rushing with 14 carries for 84 yards. His touchdown pass was to Ellis Stewart in the first quarter, giving UAPB a 7-0 lead at the time.
Peters said he needed to make better reads in the red zone during the fourth quarter field goal drives.
“They kind of attacked us, put nine in the box,” Peters said. “Just gotta make a read, give a guy one-on-one outside, let him have a chance for the ball instead of just handing it down and letting the nine come to the ball and end the game, basically.”
GSU sophomore quarterback C’Zavian Teasett started the game after head coach Mickey Joseph said on Monday he would be considered day-to-day with a foot injury that caused him to not start the Tigers’ game last week against Texas Southern. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Bradford led the Tigers in rushing with 123 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. Grambling as a team finished with 152 rushing yards.
Bradford and Teasett each fumbled in the fourth quarter. Bradford’s fumbled occurred near the sideline on the Tigers’ first offensive play of the quarter, and UAPB linebacker Danarius Hilliard recovered it.
The Tigers lost three fumbles against Texas Southern, and Hilliard said the UAPB coaches had been telling the defense during the week to look for opportunities to knock the ball out.
“Coach was saying they wasn’t gonna have the ball tight,” Hilliard said. “They ain’t been having it tight during the whole game, so in my mind, I’m already thinking, we gotta get the ball back. It ain’t that much time on the clock. We gotta get it back. So, seen he had it loose. Had to get it out.”
Hilliard finished with six tackles, one for a loss. He was second on the team only behind fellow linebacker Derron Moore’s 13 tackles.
UAPB’s loss comes despite outgaining Grambling 320-300. The Tigers’ 152 rushing yards were the fewest UAPB has allowed to a Division I team this season. Defensive end Tylan Cole and defensive back Kristian Gammage each sacked Teasett.
Hampton said this was probably UAPB’s best defensive performance since he has been the head coach.
“We’ve been giving up a lot of rush yards, and I’ve been on them,” Hampton said. “Today, they stood up, and they gave us a chance to win the game. I’m happy for (defensive coordinator Jeff) Burrow and the defensive staff, did a good job, had a great game plan.”
Grambling’s defense and special teams made a few key plays, including blocking a 45-yard field goal attempt to start the second quarter which could have given UAPB a 10-0 lead and stopping the Golden Lions on fourth down in their own territory. The fourth down stop in the third quarter set up the Tigers to take a 14-7 lead.
