PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Two University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff quarterbacks finished Saturday’s game with an arm in a sling on a day nothing went the Golden Lions’ way.
Prairie View A&M defeated UAPB 56-9 at Panther Stadium in Prairie View, Texas, clinching the SWAC West Division title.
UAPB (4-7, 2-5 SWAC) struggled to create offense from the start of the game. The Golden Lions did not convert a first down until a Panther penalty moved the chains on their third drive. UAPB did not move the chains with an offensive play until its fourth drive, which ended in a 27-yard field goal by kicker Trey Glymph after UAPB got inside the 10-yard line.
The Golden Lions’ lone touchdown came two plays into the second half, when junior running back Jaylen Jennings broke free on a 56-yard touchdown run, which cut the Panthers’ lead to 28-9 after a bad snap on the extra point.
Jennings finished with 114 yards, and UAPB as a team rushed for 173 yards. Both were season-highs against a Division I foe.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB coach Alonzo Hampton said Prairie View has a good defense, but the Golden Lions often didn’t make the correct reads.
“We had things that were there that we thought we could exploit,” Hampton said. “Penalties, just uncharacteristic, really kind of undisciplined at times. This is a team you don’t want to get behind the chains on, and that’s what we did early in the game.”
Quarterback injuries didn’t help UAPB’s cause. Starter Christian Peters carried the ball twice on UAPB’s opening drive, though a penalty negated his first run. He landed hard on his arm and did not play again after that drive, later emerging from the locker room in street clothes with his left arm in a sling.
Backup quarterback DJ Stevenson took over on UAPB’s second drive and played most of the game until he took a big hit on a keeper early in the fourth quarter. He left the game and did not return, giving way to third-string quarterback Tysan Robbins.
Hampton said he doesn’t expect Peters nor Stevenson to be available for next week’s season finale at Alabama State.
“(Peters) ran the ball and fell on his shoulder and damaged it,” Hampton said. “Sprained, probably done for the year. Couldn’t throw it, he’s in a lot of pain. … (DJ is) in a lot of pain. Just the turnaround, being able to get the rehab, it’s going to be tough for either one of those guys to be able to play this week.”
Robbins was the only other quarterback to play Saturday, but UAPB also has redshirt freshman Landon Holcomb and true freshman Garrison Davis on the roster. Hampton said this could be an opportunity for the freshmen to jockey for positioning entering spring practice.
The Golden Lions did not attempt a pass until their third drive. Stevenson completed 8 of 15 passes for 78 yards and an interception. Robbins completed his only pass for 2 yards.
Prairie View A&M (8-3, 6-1) did not have the same offensive struggles. UAPB stopped the Panthers on fourth down on the game’s opening drive at the UAPB 30-yard line, but Prairie View scored a touchdown on each of its next five possessions.
The fourth touchdown came with 37 seconds remaining in the first half. Prairie View quarterback Cameron Peters threw a pass to his left toward the endzone. UAPB linebacker Danarius Hilliard got a hand on the ball and nearly brought in an interception which he could have returned a great distance, possibly to the other end zone.
Instead, Hilliard bobbled the ball several times before it fell into Prairie View wide receiver Andre Dennis’ hands. Dennis secured the ball and ran into the end zone to make the Panthers’ lead 28-3 at halftime.
Prairie View’s Peters, not to be confused with UAPB’s quarterback, completed 20 of 24 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns in three quarters. The Panthers pulled him early in the fourth for backup Tevin Carter while leading 42-9.
Peters threw all but five of his passes in the first half with one incompletion and two touchdowns. Carter threw two passes, both going for touchdowns.
The Panthers rushed for 288 yards and four touchdowns, led by Chase Bingmon’s 135 yards and two touchdowns. Lamagea McDowell rushed for 32 yards and two touchdowns.