With 2:44 left in the third quarter, the Southern University Jaguars (4-6 overall, 3-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) never looked back at the Miles College Golden Bears (5-5 overall, 3-3 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) after quarterback Quincy Richard ran two yards for a touchdown. That touchdown brought the Jags from a 15-point deficit to a four-point lead.
“I couldn’t let a Division II school beat us,” said Richard. “This was a big game. I didn’t want a losing season. A losing season could hurt your pride.”
That touchdown placed the Jags 25-21 over the Golden Bears and in the fourth quarter, with 6:28 left in the game, Jags sophomore kicker Colby Miller made a 22-yard field goal that gave the Jags a seven point lead that was held until the end of regulation.
From the start of the game, it seemed as if Golden Bears head coach and former SU quarterback Wade Streeter and his squad were going to shock the Jaguar Nation by taking a 15-0 lead over the Jags. That is until Richard connected with senior wide receiver Michael Hayes for Southern’s first touchdown with 7:36 left in the first quarter. Miller failed to make the extra point, which left the Jags lagging behind the Golden Bears 15-6. Miles then shifted into gear as quarterback Nicholas Smith threw a 21-yard pass to Chris Bryant for the score and a 15-point lead.”I told the players that we couldn’t get relaxed against Southern with just 21 points,” said Streeter. ” We would have to play even harder to keep that lead. Allowing them to come back in the first quarter cost us the game.”
With 2:58 left in the first quarter, freshman wide-out James Vernon took a 48-yard pass into the end zone to bring the Jags within six points. Richard tried for two points after the score, but failed.
Eventually, Streeter’s homecoming was one full of shortcomings. The third quarter would see the Jags come out and defend a Miles offense that was not capable of returning a score for the remainder of the game.
“We have started off slow all year, but we came out in the second half ready to play,” said junior defensive back Lenny Williams. ” We did what we had to do to give our offense a chance to go out there and score.”
The offense stepped up at the 7:06 mark when sophomore running back Kenneth Peoples took a one-yard rush in for another touchdown to put the Jags atop for good at 25-21. After the score, Richard would go for two again, but failed.
Peoples would end the game with 20 carries for 77 yards and one touchdown.
“This was our secondary’s worst game of the season,” said Streeter. “Bottom line is when you are up 21-6, you are supposed to win a game.”
The Jags would score once again later in the fourth quarter off the 22-yard field goal attempt by Miller that sealed their victory over Miles with the final score 28-21.
