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Nov. 3, 2007
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Jackson State University football team has taken sole possession of the top spot in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division with a thrilling 43-40 overtime win over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs Saturday evening at Louis Crews Stadium. The Tigers and the Bulldogs entered the game tied for No. 1 in the East. JSU entered the game as the No. 1 ranked defense and Alabama A&M was the No. 1 offense. JSU finished the day with 539 yards of offense and Alabama A&M had 276. In overtime Alabama A&M got possession first and connected on a 41-yard field goal to take a 40-37 lead. On JSU's possession of OT Jimmy Oliver completed a 24-yard pass to Carlos Simpson to the Bulldog one-yard line and fullback Edward Lee punched the ball in, on his only carry of the day, to make the final score 43-40. Jackson State rushed for 148 yards and held the Bulldogs to 15 yards. The Tigers maintained possession of the ball for the majority of the game, 43:36 as opposed to A&M's 16:24. The Bulldogs scored the first points of the game when Ulysses banks capped a three play, 42-yard drive with a seven yard run at the 13:33 mark in the first quarter. Jeremy Licea kicked the extra point to give Alabama A&M a 7-0 lead. The Bulldogs increased their lead with a pair of field goals. Licea connected on a 37-yard field goal at the 9:34 mark and another 41-yard at the 2:31 mark. After being blanked in the first quarter JSU got on the scoreboard at the 14:13 mark in the second quarter as Eric Perri capped a 10 play, 58-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal. Five minutes later Perri capped an eight play, 22-yard drive with a 47-yard field goal to make the score 13-8. After failing to convert a fourth and goal on the Alabama A&M one-yard line JSU's Dennis Coit sacked Kelcy Luke in the end zone for a safety. However, the Bulldogs had one more trick up their sleeves in the first half as Luke connected with Thomas Harris for a 49-yard touchdown pass. Keith Camp blocked Licea's point after kick. Alabama A&M carried a 19-8 lead into halftime. JSU took control of the game in the third quarter behind the play of Oliver. The Tigers capped a seven play, 80-yard drive with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Oliver to Rodney Gray with 12:34 remaining in the third. At the 7:09 mark Oliver connected with Terrance Jones for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Oliver next hit Jaymar Johnson on a 30-yard strike to give JSU a 30-19 lead. Alabama A&M ended the quarter with a 37-yard field goal. The Bulldogs opened the fourth with 27-yard scoring pass and catch from Luke to Geral Stockdale. With 5:35 remaining in regulation Byron Wilson recovered and returned an Oliver fumble 42-yards to put the Bulldogs ahead 37-30. At the end of regulation Oliver and Gray connected for a five-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 37-37. Oliver completed 26 of his 43 pass attempts for 391 yards and four TDs. Erik Haw rushed for a game high 117 yards and Carlos Simpson caught seven passes for 83-yards. Jaymar Johnson and Terrance Jones each caught six passes for 95-yards and a TD. Luke led the Bulldog offense as he connected on 16 of 34 pass attempts for 261 yards and two TDs. Harris caught four passes for 87 yards and a TD. Malcolm Palmer, Corey Clark, Oliver McNeil and Daniel Brooks each recorded four tackles for JSU. Al Donaldson and Avery Moland each finished with 12 tackles. JSU will return to action next Saturday when the Tigers travel to Prairie View, Texas to face Prairie View A&M in SWAC action.
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