In the last game of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) football season, Morehouse College defeated Clark Atlanta University 35-21 Saturday afternoon. Both the Maroon Tigers and Panthers went into the affair with 0-9 overall records.
Out of the gate, the Maroon Tigers blocked a Panther punt that was recovered in the end zone by Maroon Tiger sophomore Jalen Brown for a touchdown.
A series of turnovers, penalties, and skirmishes followed that did not have effect on the game until late in the quarter during a Maroon Tigers’ offensive drive. A late hit out of bounds hit by Panthers freshman defensive back Seth Brooks warranted an unnecessary roughness penalty to put Morehouse in the red zone.
On the next play, Maroon Tigers freshman running back Jaiden Jones collected his first touchdown of the day rushing into end zone giving Morehouse a 14-0 advantage.
The Panthers opened the second quarter with an eight-play drive that was ended in a score when junior wide receiver Devion Newson displayed his athleticism by leaping over his defender in the end zone to put the Panthers on the board, 14-6. That would be Newson’s only touchdown of the day.
Morehouse would answer back on their next offensive possession with some help from the Panthers defense. A face mask penalty put Morehouse deep in Clark territory which led to an 11-yard touchdown run by J0nes, his second of the game.
Clark Atlanta came close to scoring again on their next offensive drive towards the end of the half. Morehouse’s defense made their presence known by stopping Panthers junior running back Daquan Kincey, one of the top running backs in the SIAC, at the 1-yd line to end the half.
To open the half, the Panthers were forced to punt on their opening drive. After Morehouse sophomore Brogan Korta collected an interception earlier on defense, he upped the score on offense by receiving his first touchdown pass of the day.
CAU answered back halfway through the quarter on a speedy 40-yard run by junior running back Josef Douglass and converted a two-point conversion to draw closer, 28-14.
Korta’s second touchdown of the day came on a middle of the field pass into the in-zone to open the fourth. Following the touchdown, freshman Billy Johnson put CAU at Morehouse’s 21-yard line on a 49-yard kick return. Douglass quickly finished off the two-play drive, spinning out of a tackle in the back field, and rushing into the end zone and making CAU’s deficit 14 points.
There wouldn’t be enough time however and Morehouse has now defeated Clark Atlanta in each of the last four seasons. The Maroon Tigers once again have secured bragging rights in the AUC until these teams meet again in 2024.