FORT VALLEY, GA - Morehouse's offense struggled to score in a tough 37-21 loss to Fort Valley State at Wildcat Stadium on a rainy Saturday Afternoon.

The Maroon Tigers fall to (2-5, 0-3 SIAC) while the Wildcats improve to (5-2, 3-0 SIAC).

The Wildcats scored quickly on their first possession of the game. On a 3^rd and 9 from Morehouse's 47-yard line, quarterback Slade Jarman threw a 47-yard bomb to receiver Jeffery Mack for a touchdown. Jarman threw an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion, which kept the Wildcats' lead at 6-0. Morehouse didn't pick up a first down on their next offensive possession. After receiver Ricci Nuckles (Suwanee, Ga) rushed for 9 yards, running back Santo Dunn (Miami, Fla.) lost 4 yards and quarterback Jalen Brown (Stamford, Ct.) was sacked by defensive back Aaron Dore on 3^rd down, ending the drive.

Two big penalties by Morehouse's defense helped Fort Valley's offense advance the ball down the down field. The Maroon Tigers' defense was called for an offsides penalty on a 2^nd and 8 that gave the Wildcats 5 yards. Later in the drive, a pass interference penalty was called on Morehouse defensive back Dainel Norman (Oakland, CA). This play gave the Wildcats 15 yards and put the ball at Morehouse's 34-yard-line. Jarman threw a 28-yard pass to receiver Shemar Bridges on a 2^nd and 13 to put the Wildcats at Morehouse's 9-yard-line. On first down, Jarman threw his second touchdown of the game to receiver Griffin Watley to increase Fort Valley's lead to13-0.

On the ensuing kickoff, Morehouse linebacker Bertram Johnson (Detroit, MI) fumbled the ball and FVSU defensive back Kei'Jne Thomas recovered the ball at Morehouse's 34-yard-line. Jarman then led Fort Valley's offense on a 5-play, 34-yard drive that was capped off with a 13-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jamari Clark, pushing the Wildcat's lead to 20-0.

The Maroon Tigers got their first points of the game in the second quarter. A pass interference penalty on FVSU's Tyler Moore on a 3^rd and 8 at the end of the first quarter gave the Morehouse 15 yards and a first down. On the next play, FVSU defensive lineman Demetrius Harris was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty, which gave the Maroon Tigers an additional 15 yards and pushed the Maroon Tigers to the Wildcats 33-yard-line. This drive ended after Brown threw an incompletion to receiver Trevor Gichaba (Concord, NC.) on a 3^rd and 24 from FVSU's 25-yard-line. This led to a 42-yard field goal by Fernando Sdelamore (Fairburn, GA) that cut the deficit to 20-3.

On the next drive, Jarman led the Wildcats on a 12-play, 57-yard drive that took 4:05 off the clock. The Maroon Tiger's defense had a chance to get off the field on a 4^th and 3, but they failed to stop running back Jalen Lowder on a fake punt in which he picked up 4 yards. This drive ended after Jarman threw an incompletion to Bridges on a 3^rd and goal. This led to a field goal that increased FVSU's lead to 23-3.

Brown was able to lead Morehouse's offense down the field before halftime to further cut into the Wildcats lead. This drive was 8 plays and it took 3:47 off the clock. Running back Frank Bailey (Atlanta, Ga.) started off the drive with a 26-yard run that took the offense past mid field. The drive was stalled after an unsportsmanlike penalty was called on Dunn, which pushed the offense from FSVU's 2-yard-line to FSVU's 17-yard-line. Brown's run on 3^rd down didn't gain any yards, and the Maroon Tigers had to settle for a 34-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 23-6 heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats wasted no time putting more points on the board. Jarman's deep 45-yard bomb to receiver Jeffery Mack on a 3^rd and 4 put FVSU's offense at Morehouse's 7-yard-line. Jarman ran 6 yards to Morehouse's 1-yard-line and running back Kenav. Thomas ran for a 1-yard touchdown on 2^nd and goal to increase the lead to 30-6.

With 8:40 left in the third quarter, Brown was strip sacked by linebacker Jahseari Patterson and Harris recovered the fumble and ran into the endzone to give FVSU an insurmountable 37-6. Linebacker Jonathan Mathis (Stone Mountain, Ga.) blocked FVSU's punt with 0:42 left in the third quarter and Johnson returned the ball 41 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Michael Sims's 2-point conversion run helped Morehouse cut Fort Valley's lead to 37-14.

Morehouse carried their momentum into the fourth quarter. With 7:42 left in the game, Jarman threw an interception to defensive back Cartrell Strong at Morehouse's 37-yard-line and he returned it 63 yards for a touchdown, cutting Fort Valley's lead to 37-21. On the next drive, the Maroon Tigers' defense forced a three-and-out on the Wildcats' offense. The Maroon Tigers got the ball back at FVSU's 47-yard-line, but the offense was unable to move the ball past FVSU's 37-yard-line, as Sims was sacked on 3^rd and 10.

On the next drive, Marquis Deweert recovered a fumble at Fort Valley's 39-yard-line. Morehouse had one more chance to put more points of the board, but Sims was sacked by Patterson and defensive lineman Albert Sharpe recovered the ball at Fort Valley's 42-yard-line. The Morehouse offense would not see the ball again until 0:04 was left in the game.

Offensively, the Maroon Tigers were led by Sims, who completed 18 passes for 62 yards. Bailey had 36 yards rushing on nine attempts. Nuckles had 58 yards receiving.

Defensively, the Maroon Tigers were led by Mathis who finished with 10 tackles, two sacks and one blocked punt. Deweert had five tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Strong had an interception return for a touchdown.

Morehouse returns to the friendly confines of B.T. Harvey Stadium for homecoming on Saturday, October 26^th as they face the Tigers of Benedict College. Kick-off is set for 2 P.M. E.T.