September 4, 2010—The Morehouse defense forced three fumbles and snagged two interceptions, to help the Maroon Tigers upset the Fort Valley State Wildcats 47-34.
As in last week's 34-27 overtime win against Benedict, Morehouse jumped out to a big lead against the Wildcats then let it slip away, before regaining control.
By the time Derrick Hector caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Byron Ingram early in the third quarter, the Morehouse lead had ballooned to 40-17 and seemed in total control.
Fort Valley battled back with 14 unanswered points, on rushing touchdowns of six and 36 yards and a 42-yard field goal, to close the gap to 40-34.
A 19-yard rushing touchdown by Ingram, early in the fourth, halted the Wildcat comeback. The score by the sophomore transfer from Atlanta put the game out of reach and gave Morehouse its first 2-0 start since 1997.
All –SIAC linebacker Charlie Wilson returned a fumble 95 yards for a touchdown. Wilson scooped up the fumble and sprinted his way into the Morehouse record books, with one of the longest fumble-recovery touchdowns in school history. The scoop and score was three yards longer than Derrin Nettles' fumble recovery touchdown against Miles last season.
Defensive back Olajawaun Gooch got into the scoring column, when he returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown.
Hector had a big game, catching 5 passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Ingram, who took over for starting quarterback William Brack in the second half, passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another.
Running back David Carter rushed for 113 yards, on 26 carries.
There were a lot of scoring firsts in this game. Robert Darby-McNair's first touchdown catch, as a Maroon Tiger, put Morehouse ahead, 32-17. Jeremy Halbert-Harris' first receiving touchdown was his first catch in a Morehouse uniform. In his first game since transferring this season, Ingram rushed for his first touchdown and threw his first touchdown pass.
In other SIAC action, Tuskegee beat Benedict 34-18 and Kentucky State beat Lane 27-14. Traditional Alabama rivals, Stillman and Miles, play Sunday, at Birmingham's Legion Field. Albany State and Clark Atlanta were idle.
Morehouse will take on the Lane College Dragons, Saturday, at 7 p.m., in the first home game of the season. Lane lost to Clark Atlanta, 20-6, in week one, and to Kentucky State, 27-14, Saturday.
