Panthers give Bearkats a scare
PRAIRIE VIEW — Few FCS football teams can match Sam Houston State’s explosiveness. It’s tough trying to stop or contain the Bearkats’ offense under the direction of senior quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe.
Yet Prairie View A&M had its share of moments against the nation’s thirdranked FCS team on Thursday night at Panther Stadium.
Despite some late heroics by Prairie View and a successful fourth-quarter onside kick recovery by the Panthers, Sam Houston State prevailed 44-31 in the non-conference matchup.
“We thought they would be a handful, and they were,” Bearkats coach K.C. Keeler said. “I’m impressed with their team. We knew that they were going to be a good team. They hit their money downs.”
Sam Houston State (20) led throughout, including 30-17 at halftime. But the Panthers would not go away.
Penalties were a key factor as the Panthers were penalized 16 times for 200 yards to offset their advantage in offensive yardage, 499-412. The Panthers, who got three rushing touchdowns from Dawonya Tucker, had possession of the ball for 36 minutes, 51 seconds.
“Against a team of that caliber, you can’t give them 200 yards,” Prairie View coach Willie Simmons said. “We outgained them, but you tack 200 yards of penalties that makes it 612 (yards).”
The Panthers pulled to within six points with 5:59 remaining in the third quarter. Tucker’s 19-yard scoring run and Owen Hoolihan’s extra point made it 30-24.
But on the ensuing kickoff, Jaylen Harris returned the kickoff 97 yards for a score for the most pivotal play of the game, swinging the momentum to the Bearkats.
“The play we called has a lane open toward the sideline,” Harris said. “And it opened up big and I followed Javin Webb all the way to the end zone.”
Tucker, who rushed for a game-high 126 yards, also scored on runs of 34 and 15 yards.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Simmons said. “If we can get everyone to match his intensity and his effort, we’ll be special.”
The Panthers’ offense was dominant in the third quarter but managed only seven points in the quarter. Getting the ball first to start the third quarter, the Panthers had possession of the ball a whopping 13 minutes, 36 seconds in the quarter.
But Briscoe, a product of Stratford, doesn’t need much time to produce. He threw scoring passes of 12 and 28 yards to Davion Davis and 7 yards to Nathan Stewart. Webb added touchdown runs of 7 and 2 yards.
In defeat, first-year Prairie View quarterback Lavell McCullers showed promise.
McCullers, a junior college transfer, passed for 150 yards and rushed for 126. Briscoe, who passed for 289 yards, was effective throwing short, precise passes. The Bearkats also were productive mixing in a run here and there.
This was the season opener for Prairie View because last week’s scheduled game with rival Texas Southern was moved to Nov. 25 as a result of Hurricane Harvey.
Thursday’s win is the 200th since Sam Houston State joined Division I and the Southland Conference for the 1986 season. It’s also the Bearkats’ eighth straight win over a SWAC opponent.
“We’re thankful to come out with a win,” Keeler said.