Morehouse picked the right time to win their first game of the season, beating Tuskegee 27-20 in the 85th playing of the historic classic.
Tuskegee dominates the series 75-30-7, including 10-4 over the last 15 years. The Maroon Tigers last defeated the Golden Tigers in the first full season after COVID in 2021.
After the first 28 minutes, Tuskegee led 17-0 and appeared to have a 76th win cued up.
That was until Maroon Tigers defensive lineman CJ Odoms slapped the ball out of Bryson McGrew’s hands into the hands of his Morehouse teammate Nicholas Lemons. The turnover gave the ball back to the Maroon Tigers offense with the best field possession of the half.
Quarterback Miles Scott showed his appreciation with a dime to running back Nicholas Woodford at the Golden Tigers’ 40. The true freshman hit the turbo boost, broke several tackles, and turned the 4-yard pass into a 44-yard touchdown.
Scott has thrown for over 250 yards in each of the Maroon Tigers’ last three games, including 326 yards against the Golden Tigers. The junior added another touchdown in the third with a 25-yard strike to Kamrin Brunson. Brunson’s touchdown was his fourth of the season.
Suddenly, Tuskegee’s projected win appeared to be in jeopardy despite leading 20-13.
As the offense congratulated Brunson while they ran off the field, one of his teammates yelled, “It’s a new game now!”
Scott and Brunson teamed up again for a 24-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to tie the game 20-20.
Morehouse’s defense understood the assignment and got after McGrew, sacking him twice and forcing the true freshman to fumble twice in front of his hometown fans. The Montgomery native recovered the first fumble. Weak-side linebacker Sean Johnson recovered the second for the Maroon Tigers inside the Tuskegee 30.
Another short field led to another Morehouse touchdown. Miles threw a dart to his hulking 270-pound tight end Maurice Veney in the middle of the end zone for the go-ahead score. The Philadelphia native caught six passes for 73 yards and his first touchdown of the season.
Next week:
Morehouse travels to Wilberforce, Ohio, to face Central State. The Marauders improved to 2-3 (2-4) in the SIAC with an 18-14 win over Fort Valley State on the Wildcats’ homecoming. Tuskegee gets a week to recalibrate before going on the road to face the Golden Rams of Albany State (3-0, 4-1).