Tigers Drop Season Finale, 43-38, to UT-Martin
Despite career-high performances by Javarris Williams and
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, miscues by the Tennessee
State University Tigers cost them a heart-breaking 43-38 decision to Tennessee
Martin at home in Nashville.
Junior RB Javarris Williams rushed for a career-high 162 yds
on just nine carries with 4 touchdowns. He also had two receptions for 41 yards
for 203 All-purpose yards. Williams scored on TD runs of 48, 4, 16 and 73
yards. Senior CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returned five kickoffs for 151
yards, including a 92 yd TD to open the second half.
UT Martin got on the board first, scoring a TD on a 46 yard
interception return at 8:05 of the first quarter. TSU responded late in the
quarter(1:37) with Javarris Williams’ 48 yard scamper to close the score to
7-6. The TSU PAT kick hit the right upright and the Tigers trailed by one.
In the second quarter, the Skyhawks manufactured a 9-play 59
yd drive for a 14-6 lead at 12:36. The Tigers responded with a 73 yard, 7-play
drive that took just 1:58 and drew the score to 14-12 at 10:31. The Tigers’
two-point PAT failed. Late in the quarter, UTM’s Don Chapman scored on a 1 yard
run to move the Skyhawks to a 12-12 (1:53) And TSU’s Eric Benson was good on a
33 yard FG at the end of the half (0:01) for a 21-15 game going into
intermission.
The second half opened with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
gathering the kickoff at the 8-yard line and weaving his way to the end zone
for a 92 yard TD return (14:39) to put TSU ahead 22-21. Midway through the
quarter (9:52) the Tigers increased their lead to 29-21 after Williams’ third
TD of the game, culminating a 3-play 55 yard drive. The Skyhawks closed the
score to 29-28 after a 14-play drive (3:48). On the ensuing kickoff,
Rodger-Cromartie fumbled on 5-yard line and UTM promptly converted the miscue
into a score at 2:54 to take a 36-29 lead. The quarter ended with that score.
The final saw Javarris Williams tie the score at 36-36 with
an electrifying 73 yard TD run at the 9:42 mark. On the next possession, UTM
drove 62 yards in eleven plays for the go-ahead TD, 43-36, at the 4:31 mark,
The Tigers took over with 4:24 on the clock and the ball for 1st and
goal on the UTM six yard line. With 2:18 left on and 2nd and goal
from the 2 yard line, the Tigers’ fumbled the ball over the UTM. The Skyhawks
were unable to gain a first down and opted to take a safety with 1:06
remaining. The score stood at 43-38 when the Tigers took their last possession.
The Tigers were sacked for 9 yards on first down and a third down pass for 16
yards left them needing 8 yards on fourth down. The Tigers’ pass on fourth down
was incomplete and UTM took over on downs with 0:42 reaming. Two kneel-down
later the game was over.
Tennessee
State finishes their
season with a 5-6 overall record and 4-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The
Tigers are co-champions of the OVC’s Sgt. Alvin York Challenge, finishing tied
with Austin Peay with a 2-1 record among Tennessee’s
OVC football schools. TSU will hold the cup this year, since they beat Austin
Peay in head-to-head competition.
