STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The Chicago State University football team started strong, finished strong, and competed hard in a 56-21 loss at #4 Tarleton State Saturday night.
The first 12 minutes of the game exemplified the greatness that the Cougars' football program can evolve into. After the Cougars allowed a 59-yard pass on the game's opening play, Tarleton State had first and goal at the 10-yard line.
However, an epic defensive stand ensued by Chicago State. On third and goal from the one, CSU's Khalil Robinson stopped Tarleton State for no gain. On fourth and goal, the Cougars'
Mark Pullman and
Adrian Bowers combined for a four-yard loss, ending the Tarleton State drive.
Chicago State then embarked on a 19-play, 95-yard scoring drive, taking more than nine minutes off the clock. The Cougars were 5-for-5 on third down conversions, all on pass completions by QB
Ashton Pannell: 14 yards to Devalle Barksdale, six yards to
Arshawn Powell, 31 yards to Devantae Gray, and completions of 15 and 17 yards to Barksdale, the latter to the Tarleton 2-yard line.
On second and goal,
Chris Edmonds' one-yard run gave Chicago State a 7-0 lead with just over three minutes to play in the opening period and the Cougars maintained that lead into the second quarter.
Tarleton State found its footing, taking a 21-7 lead into the halftime locker room and extending its lead to 49-7 in the fourth quarter before CSU scored again.
Pannell's 38-yard scoring pass to
Kymari Gray was the Cougars' second touchdown of the night and put Gray over the 100-yard receiving mark for the second time this season. Gray's 130 receiving yards on seven catches eclipsed his 111-yard, two-touchdown receiving game in CSU's win over Kentucky Christian.
Gray's 80-yard kickoff return late in the fourth quarter set up Chicago State's final score, a one-yard score by
Jacob Tiberi, who recovered his own fumble before scoring.
Pannell completed 27 of 44 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Bowers recorded 13 tackles to lead all players.
Chicago State returns to action October 17 at North Carolina A&T at 11 a.m. (CT) in Greensboro, North Carolina.
