COMMERCE, Texas | The Grambling State University football team used several key defensive stops and a late touchdown to force overtime and defeat Texas A&M-Commerce 35-28 on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
Grambling State improved to 2-1 – the first time GSU has started a season with a 2-1 record since 2017. Texas A&M-Commerce dropped to 0-3.
The GSU defense came up big, forcing six turnovers on the day. Patrick Marshall came up with biggest takeaway of the day, picking off a pass on TAMUC’s first possession of the extra period.
Grambling State’s offense struggled with inconsistency but made crucial plays when the Tigers needed it. Starting quarterback Myles Crawley was 14-of-30 for 125 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Tre Bradford led the Tigers’ running game with 73 yards and two scores on 15 carries.
The Grambling State defense forced three turnovers within the Lions’ first four possessions. Brenden Barley picked off Lions’ QB Ron Peace, setting the G-Men up with a first and 10 at the TAMUC 23-yard line with 12:16 on the clock. A missed 40-yard field goal attempt kept the score tied 0-0.
Another interception by Markel Linzer set the Tigers up their own 45-yard line. Grambling State’s offense once again couldn’t convert that takeaway into points.
GSU’s defense took matters into hands on the next Texas A&M-Commerce drive when Marshall forced a fumble and Blake Davis scooped it up and returned it for a 35-yard touchdown. GSU nabbed a 6-0 lead after the PAT was missed wide right with 6:43 to go in the opening quarter.
TAMUC responded with a 69-yard touchdown by B.K. Jackson, giving the Lions a 7-6 lead at the 6:02 mark.
GSU’s Caleb-Lee Collins picked another TAMUC pass at the Lions 25 yard-line with 14:19 to go until halftime. A few plays later, GSU’s offense converted the turnover into a TD when Crawley found Jacoby Bellazar for a 10-yard TD. Grambling converted a two-point conversion to take a 14-7 lead.
After back-to-back TD drives for the Lions, Bellazar set GSU up in a prime territory with a kickoff return to the TAMUC 41-yard line. On first down, Tre Bradford kicked into high gear, sprinting 41 yards for another Tiger TD, tying the game 21-21 4:17 on the clock.
Both teams went into the half tied at 21.
GSU’s defense nabbed its fifth takeaway when David Jones forced another TAMUC fumble at the 50 yard line on the Lions opening possession of the second half. However, GSU gave the ball right back when the Lions’ Jaden Rios picked off Crawley at the GSU 44-yard line.
After driving inside the Tigers’ 5-yard line, TAMUC took a 28-21 lead Braxton Garmon carried the ball into the end zone for a 3-yard score with 8:56 to go in the third quarter.
Grambling State had an opportunity to tie the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but a fumble at the 1-yard line by Hargrove gave the Lions a first down at their own 20-yard line with 14:01 to play.
Texas A&M tried to put the game away but going for a fourth down conversion with 3:41 to play and the ball resting at the GSU 26 yard, but linebacker Andrew Jones came up with a clutch tackle to give the Tigers the ball back.
A 27-yard touchdown catch by Nicholas Howard capped off a 6-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game 28-28 with 1:18 left in regulation.
In overtime, with Grambling State need seven yards on third down, Ke’Travion Hargrove made a 17-yard reception inside the 5-yard line to set up first and goal. Bradford finished the drive with a 3-yard TD run giving the Tigers a 35-38 advantage.
On the Lions first play of overtime, Marshall made an interception at the 15-yard line to preserve the win.
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