Special teams play proved to be the controlling factor in last Thursday’s game against the Alcorn State Braves with the Panthers coming up on the short end of a breath-taking 17-14 game.4th and 10 with the ball on the Alcorn 37 yard lineand six seconds left in regulation the Panthers decided to try to tie the game as they sent all-SWAC punter Eric Hernandez on the field but the Braves D-line blocked the 54 yard attempt which sent fans storming toward the exits.
However, as the head referee came on the loud speakerand announced an offside penalty against Alcorn, the aisles refilled with hopeful fans. However those hopes were again dashed as the 49-yard retry, with no time on the clock, sailed wide left.
Alcorn started the scoring on special teams with a 23-yard Johnathan Williams field goal on their opening drive that was kept alive with a 3rd down 41-yard pass from QB Tony Hobson Jr. to WR Charlie Spiller.
The Panthers countered with a 38-yarder from Hernandez to tie the game at 3-3 after a key 2nd down sack by SWAC leader Jermaine McGhee forced Alcorn to punt from their own one yard line.
Running back Vernard Cooper provided Alcorn with their only offensive touchdown of the nightin the second quarter with an 8-yard run-and-dive just inside the left pylon for a 10-3 Braves lead. A 29-yard Hernandez field goal with 28 seconds left in the first half restarted the special teams play and narrowed the score to 10-6.
On their second possession of the second half the Panthers’ offense made a valiant drive,effecti-velymoving the ball on the ground but the drive stalled when the field goal team had a 43-yard attempt, which could have narrowed the deficit to a single point, blocked by the Braves’special teamsunit.
On the very next possession, a 24-yard fake punt and run by the Braves punter Tim Buckley put them deep into PV territory but safety Val Ford picked off a Hobson pass in the end zone to kill the Braves’ momentum.
With 9:30 to go in the game, back-to-backoffside penalties tormented the PV offense as they attempted to convert on 4th and inches, then 4th and 5 in Alcorn Brave territory.
Then lightening struck as the Panthers were forced to punt after the second costly penalty, as the Braves’ big playmaking return man Nate Hughes, who entered the game as the SWAC’s leading return man by nearly 10 yards per return, took the punt at the six yard line, broke a tackle along the right side-line and outran the Panthers’ punt team as well as his own blockers en route to a 94 yard return for a touchdownand a 17-6 lead for Alcorn.
A much needed fumble recovery by LB Zach East gave PV the ball back deep in Alcorn territory with 7:24 to go.
The Panthers, determined not to lose their second straight conference game, fought back with a 33-yard catch and run by WR Gab Osaze-Ediae on 4th down to pull the score to within 5. An option pitch from QB Chris Gibson to TB Arnell Fontenot converted the 2-point conversion and closed the score to 17-14 with 6:27 to play.
Prairie View’s final drive began with 2:28 in the game but the 13-play drive could not get them close enough to the end zone as Hernandez, who pulled double duty as punter and kicker, hadhisdesperation kickfall well short and off left of the goal posts.
Fontenot did not start but led the Panthers with 121 yards rushing and SR Chandre’ Ward led the defense with 9 tackles.