COMMERCE – Despite outgaining the Grambling Tigers by nearly 200 yards, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team fell 35-28 in overtime on Saturday night in its home opener at Ernest Hawkins Field in Memorial Stadium.
The highly anticipated matchup certainly delivered as the Tigers tied the game with less than two minutes left in the game and picked up the win by scoring first in overtime and forcing a Lion interception to end the game.
Grambling got on the board first in the game with a 35-yard scoop and score from Blake Davis in the first quarter, but missed the extra-point attempt, and the Lions answered right away with a 69-yard touchdown run from
BK Jackson (Missouri City – Ridge Point) to momentarily tie the game and took the lead on made extra point from
Luke Jackson (Bensalem, Pa.).
BK JACKSON FIRST TOUCHDOWN HIGHLIGHT
The Tigers jumped back out in front with a 10-yard touchdown reception from Myles Crawley to Jacoby Bellazar. The duo also connected on the two-point attempt to lead 14-7.
Jackson found the end zone once again for the Lions, this time from nine yards away to tie the game at 14.
BK JACKSON SECOND TOUCHDOWN HIGHLIGHT
After holding the Tigers to a punt, the Lions added another rushing touchdown as
JaiSean McMillian (Mobile, Ala.) punched it in from five yards out and give the Lions a lead, but Grambling just took 12 seconds to re-tie the game going into halftime on a 41-yard touchdown run from Tre Bradford.
JAISEAN MCMILLIAN TOUCHDOWN HIGHLIGHT
Jaden Rios (Frisco – Lone Star) picked off Crawley and set the Lion offense inside Tiger territory in the third and
Braxton Garmon (Kaufman) ran in the fourth rushing touchdown of the night for the Lions, scoring from three yards out.
BRAXTON GARMON TOUCHDOWN HIGHLIGHT
Both teams exchanged punts until the Tigers put together a six-play 75-yard drive to tie the game with 1:18 left in the game on a 27-yard touchdown catch by Nicholas Howard. The Lions got the ball back and marched into Grambling territory, but were held to a punt.
Grambling got the ball first in overtime and took five plays to score on a three-yard touchdown run from Bradford.
The Lions' pass on the first play of overtime was intercepted to end the game, which was the fourth interception and sixth turnover of the game for the Lions. Saturday was the first overtime game for the Lions since falling to Saginaw Valley State at home in 2021.
Dominating on the ground, the Lions rushed for 267 yards, including 149 from Jackson. McMillian ran for 48.
Ron Peace (Malakoff) went 14 for 28 with four interceptions
The Lions outgained the Tigers, 419-247.
Brandon Tucker (DeSoto) led the team with 10 tackles, including a forced fumble, while both Rios and
Christian Shaw (Mansfield – Lake Ridge) had an interception in the game.
The Lions fall to 0-3 to start the season, while Grambling is now 2-1.
POST GAME INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
The home stand continues next Saturday at 6 p.m. against nationally ranked Sacramento State.
-TAMUC-
