Atlanta, GA- Looking for its first win of the season with a frenzied homecoming crowd watching, Morehouse put on a show in the fourth quarter that nearly erased a double-digit deficit. But Kentucky State pulled the plug on the electricity inside B.T. Harvey Stadium, squelching a game-tying 2-point conversion attempt that helped the Thorobreds to a 23-21 win Saturday afternoon.
Down 16 points entering the final period, the Maroon Tigers used a methodical drive to get back in the game. Morehouse ran 16 plays (15 of them in the fourth period) and chewed up 75 yards and nearly eight minutes of clock. Just two of those plays went for more than 10 yards and they were big gains – a 27-yard reception by Marqueiz Pride to convert on 3rd-and-13, then a 15-yard catch by Michael Carter II on 4th-and-10 to keep the drive alive. On the next play, Jaiden Jones punched it in from three yards out and a two-point conversion halved the deficit to 23-15 with 7:41 remaining.
The Maroon Tigers defense did its part as well. On KSU's second play of the ensuing drive, Jaiden Downing intercepted a pass from Navy Curry and the offense was right back on the field, 43 yards away from the end zone. Again, facing two big fourth down plays to extend the drive, Morehouse quarterback Miles Scott made the big play. The first was a 14-yard pitch-and-catch with Pride when the Maroon Tigers needed 11. The second came when Morehouse needed five yards inside the red zone to keep possession but instead, Scott hooked up with a wide open Brogan Korta in the back of the end zone for a 12-yard scoring pass with 3:42 remaining.
Morehouse elected to go for two in an attempt to tie the game. But a penalty pushed the ball back five yards and the running play was stopped well short of the goal line and the Thorobreds remained in front. The Maroon Tigers defense needed a stop in hopes of getting one final chance to win the game. Forcing a 3rd-and-10, Morehouse looked to have contained Curry for a very short gain, which would have forced a punt. But the shifty KSU quarterback slipped past three defenders and picked up nine yards. Needing less than a yard, the Thorobreds pushed Curry ahead for a three-yard gain, which effectively ended the contest.
For the second straight week, Morehouse got off to a good start. Tyler Davis and Didier Attipou both had interceptions on Kentucky State's first two drives. Chase DeVaughn converted the second turnover into points with an 8-yard touchdown run to give the Maroon Tigers a 7-0 lead eight minutes into the contest. That was the score heading into the second quarter, marking the first time Morehouse has held a lead at the end of the first quarter this season.
Daylon Land forced and recovered a fumble in the second quarter, part of four forced turnovers on the day. But it was not enough to keep KSU from scoring 17 unanswered points in the period to take a 10-point lead into halftime and a 31-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Saleem late in the third quarter for a 23-7 KSU advantage before the Maroon Tigers fought back in the final quarter.
Among the top offensive performers for Morehouse were Scott (114 yards passing), Jones (80 yards rushing), Pride (three catches, 48 yards) and Coleman (three catches, 35 yards). Defensively, Land finished with 14 tackles (13 solo) while Attipou (four tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack) and Bradley Johnson (four tackles, one sack) played well for the Maroon Tigers, who conclude their season on Saturday at Clark Atlanta in the Battle for the AUC, kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m.
