COLUMBIA, S.C.—Allen University mounted a fourth-quarter comeback behind two touchdown catches from freshman wide receiver
Talik Graham, but the Yellow Jackets ultimately dropped a tight 32-28 decision to Albany State on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Charles F. Bolden Stadium.
After a wild first half that featured 47 combined points and four lead changes, Albany State leaned on two field goals and a sustained rushing attack to hold off the Yellow Jackets down the stretch. Allen cut the deficit to four points with 3:36 remaining in the contest when
Brent Upshaw Jr. found Graham in the end zone, but the Golden Rams converted two key first downs on the ground to run out the remaining clock and escape with the road victory.
What began as a fast-paced shootout with both teams trading blows in the first 30 minutes turned into a battle of attrition and timely defense in the final two frames.
Allen's defense stood strong on several high-leverage possessions, forcing a crucial turnover on downs inside the red zone in the second quarter and holding Albany State to field goals on two deep fourth-quarter drives. Prior to Saturday's contest, Albany State had won its previous conference outing decisively, but the Yellow Jackets pushed the perennial SIAC contender to the final whistle.
With the setback, Allen moved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in SIAC action on the season. Albany State improved to 2-2 on the year and remained unbeaten in conference play at 2-0.
Upshaw went the distance under center for the Yellow Jackets, engineering multiple extended drives and completing 17 of 29 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while also tallying 30 rushing yards on five carries.
Wide receiver
Deveon Williams delivered a standout performance on the perimeter, pulling in six receptions for a game-high 119 yards, including long gains of 38 and 21 yards. Graham maximized every touch, turning both of his receptions into scores to finish with 21 yards and two touchdowns.
Ashton Horton hauled in four passes for 40 yards, while
Lorenzo Kitching Jr. secured two catches for 14 yards alongside 125 kickoff return yards on three attempts. Javis Floyd paced the backfield, rushing 18 times for 110 yards and two touchdowns while catching three passes for 16 yards. Defensively, Jayshawn Smalls dominated the line of scrimmage, registering a game-high 11 total tackles (eight solo), 4.0 tackles for loss, and two sacks.
Aeron Gresham and Carson Pritchett added six tackles apiece, and
Tyreshon Freeman and
Nicholas Payne each tallied five stops.
For Albany State, Jeffery Davis completed 13 of 19 passes for 177 yards and two scores. Jayden Threatts led the ground game, racking up 228 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, while Roderick McCrary chipped in 46 yards rushing and caught five passes for 56 yards.
Notes •
Talik Graham recorded his first career multi-touchdown game, accounting for both of Allen's receiving scores and 12 total points. • Javis Floyd produced his second multiple-touchdown outing of the season, posting 110 rushing yards on 18 attempts. •
Deveon Williams surpassed the century mark through the air for the Yellow Jackets, totaling 119 yards on six catches. • Jayshawn Smalls led all players with 4.0 tackles for loss and two sacks, spearheading an Allen defense that stopped Albany State on downs in the red zone. • Allen proved exceptionally clutch in late-down situations, converting all three of its fourth-down attempts during the contest. •
Lorenzo Kitching Jr. delivered major field position for the Yellow Jackets, averaging 41.7 yards per kickoff return, highlighted by runbacks of 43, 42, and 40 yards. • The Yellow Jackets converted on 4-of-5 red-zone chances, with all four successful trips ending in touchdowns.
How It Happened First Quarter • Allen took the opening kickoff and drove 50 yards in nine plays following a 42-yard return by Kitching Jr. to start at midfield. On fourth-and-2 from the ASU 14, Upshaw found Graham on the right side for a 14-yard touchdown pass, and
Ethan Piel's extra point gave the Yellow Jackets a 7-0 lead at the 10:56 mark. • Albany State answered on its ensuing drive, moving 75 yards in six plays before Davis connected with Omarion Dupree for a 14-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. • Allen responded immediately with a quick three-play, 65-yard drive that featured a 39-yard sprint by Floyd, who capped the march with a 5-yard touchdown run to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 14-7 with 6:10 left in the frame. • The Golden Rams answered back on a fourth-and-1 play from the Allen 45, as Davis found Exavior Sherrod for a 45-yard touchdown reception with 1:45 remaining, but a missed extra point left Allen ahead 14-13.
Second Quarter • After an Allen turnover gave Albany State possession at the Yellow Jacket 25, the Allen defense stood tall, forcing an incomplete fourth-down pass broken up by
Deldric Townsend to cause a turnover on downs. • Albany State took a 19-14 lead at the 6:12 mark when Threatts broke loose on the right sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run, followed by an unsuccessful extra-point try. • The Golden Rams extended the margin to 26-14 with 3:28 left in the half when Cameron Watts fielded an Allen punt and returned it 69 yards for a touchdown. • Allen punched back before the break, putting together a seven-play, 75-yard drive highlighted by Upshaw's 38-yard pass to Williams, capped by an 8-yard touchdown run by Floyd to trim the deficit to 26-21 at the 1:14 mark.
Third Quarter • Albany State opened the second half with a nine-play, 55-yard series that stalled inside the red zone, resulting in a 35-yard field goal by Jonathan Rodriguez to make it 29-21 at the 10:02 mark. • Allen's defense held firm on Albany State's next possession, forcing a punt after a 10-play sequence to keep the Yellow Jackets within striking distance entering the final quarter.
Fourth Quarter • Albany State put together a 10-play, 48-yard drive to set up first-and-goal at the Allen 2-yard line, but the Yellow Jacket front held firm on three straight goal-line runs to limit the Golden Rams to a 19-yard field goal, making it 32-21 with 7:17 remaining. • Allen countered with an eight-play, 40-yard scoring drive kept alive by Upshaw's 21-yard scramble on fourth-and-10 from the ASU 28, followed by a 7-yard touchdown strike from Upshaw to Graham at the 3:36 mark to cut the deficit to 32-28. • Albany State took over on its own 25 and picked up two first downs on the ground, allowing Davis to take three kneel-downs to run out the clock and secure the victory.
Up Next
Following an open date next weekend, Allen will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Yellow Jackets travel to face Savannah State University at 6:00 p.m. in Savannah, Ga.
