ATLANTA – Kentucky State built an early cushion behind explosive plays from its offense and a momentum-swinging pick-six, and the Thorobreds never looked back in a 35-17 win over Morehouse on Saturday.
Kentucky State showcased depth at quarterback as
Torrence Bardell threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns on just seven completions, while
Denim Johnson went 8-for-10 (80 percent) with a touchdown. On the defensive side,
Roman Hernandez and Jordan Thomas each recorded 10 tackles. Hernandez tallied six solo stops, while Thomas added three solo tackles and two tackles for loss totaling 18 yards, including three sacks for 15 yards.
Navy Curry delivered the defensive highlight of the day with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter.
How It Happened
Kentucky State struck first when quarterback
Torrence Bardell found
Cameron Tucker for a 61-yard touchdown pass, giving the Thorobreds a 7-0 lead with 5:21 remaining in the first quarter.
On a one-play drive,
Torrence Bardell connected with
Jon McCall for a 34-yard touchdown pass at the 3:38 mark of the first quarter, extending Kentucky State's lead to 14-0.
At the start of the second quarter (13:16) the Maroon Tigers scored their first points on a 28-yard field goal.
The Maroon Tigers' red-zone threat was cut short when
Navy Curry picked off a pass and raced 100 yards for the touchdown, pushing the Thorobreds' lead to 21-3 with 2:57 left in the first half.
Morehouse answered with a 69-yard touchdown pass at the 2:02 mark of the second quarter, cutting Kentucky State's lead to 21-10.
In the final minute of the first half,
Denim Johnson capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a touchdown pass to
Carlos Bazert, giving Kentucky State a 28-10 advantage at halftime.
In the opening minute of the fourth quarter, Chad Elzy powered in from two yards out to extend Kentucky State's lead.
On the ensuing drive, the Maroon Tigers answered with a short touchdown pass to trim the margin, but the Thorobreds held firm to secure a 35-17 victory.
Up Next
Kentucky State continues its road swing on Sept. 27 with a 6 p.m. kickoff at SIAC foe Savannah State in Savannah, Ga.
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