Dismal 2nd half extends misery for winless Tigers
Losing streak reaches seven after blowing 13-point lead
Texas Southern was knocking on the door Saturday afternoon at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Less than 20 yards away from a game-tying touchdown with just over a minute remaining, the Tigers had four chances to pick up a first down or a touchdown.
But on fourth-and-10 from the Alabama State 14, quarterback Dominic DeLira tossed a high ball into double coverage, and it was intercepted by the Hornets’ TJ Presley in the end zone, sealing a 23-16 homecoming loss that is TSU’s seventh straight dating to last season.
The Tigers (0-6, 0-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) led 16-3 late in the second quarter, but Alabama State (1-5, 1-2) closed the game with 20 unanswered points to claim its first win of the season and extend TSU’s misery.
“We didn’t do a very good job adjusting to what they were doing in the second half,” TSU coach Michael Haywood said. DeLira spurs fast start
DeLira finished the game just 14-of-27 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns, tossing scoring passes of 32 and 19 yards to Carter Jefferson and Tracy Johnson, respectively, to help TSU take a commanding lead.
TSU’s running back tandem of Brad Woodard Tylor Cook was steady on the ground throughout the first half. It was the Tigers’ ground game that helped set DeLira up to find Johnson for the 19-yard touchdown to up the lead to 14-3.
That offensive momentum helped them win the first-half field position battle. Even when promising drives stalled, they still forced the Hornets to drive a long field.
That pressure paid off late in the second quarter when Tigers punter Donald Halstead pinned Alabama State at its own 10-yard line. Three plays later, Hornets quarterback Kobie Jones was chased into the end zone, hoisting a pass forward to avoid the safety as he was swallowed by a host of TSU defenders.
He was called for intentional grounding leading to a safety.
TSU led 16-3, but a poor 19-yard punt from Halstead gave Alabama State a short field to drive for a late score, coming via quarterback Darryl Pearson’s 8-yard pass to Palmer Graham, just before halftime.
“I mean that (punt) changed the complexity of the game,” Haywood said. Hornets sting back
The score kept Alabama State in the game as it looked like the contest was slipping away.
The Hornets inched closer with a 28-yard field goal from Hunter Hanson in the third quarter and went ahead 20-16 minutes later after wide receiver Willis White streaked past the TSU secondary for 67yard touchdown reception.
With close to seven minutes left, TSU linebacker Sean Jones stripped Pearson and returned the fumble 39 yards for what would have been the goahead touchdown.
The play was called back, as Jones was penalized for a questionable targeting foul. The Tigers lost the touchdown and Jones in the same call when the senior was ejected.
“That’s a 10-point swing,” Haywood said. “We don’t have instant replay. Without instant replay, he’s only making a human call. We all make mistakes.”
The drive ended in a 40yard field goal from Hanson with 4:14 remaining, giving Alabama State a 2316 lead that would hold up.