ATLANTA – Senior wide receiver
Darius Cyprian caught two touchdowns and Kentucky State's defense held Clark Atlanta out of the endzone as the Thorobreds earned a commanding 30-3 SIAC win Saturday night at Panther Stadium.
Kentucky State improved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play after outgaining Clark Atlanta 453-156. The Thorobreds recorded 31 first downs, converted 10 of 13 third-down opportunities and controlled possession for 34 minutes, 39 seconds.
Cyprian led all receivers with nine catches for 140 yards, including touchdown receptions of 25 and 48 yards.
Jaun Gainous completed 18 of 29 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns, while
Denim Johnson went 6-for-7 for 52 yards and a score.
Kentucky State struck on its opening possession after
Dakota Arrington returned the opening kickoff 40 yards. Five plays later, Gainous connected with Cyprian for a 25-yard touchdown to give the Thorobreds a 7-0 lead with 13:29 remaining in the first quarter.
Leland Gantz extended the advantage with a 36-yard field goal at the 4:35 mark, capping an eight-play, 45-yard drive.
Clark Atlanta scored their only points early in the second quarter when Cedric Oglesby converted a 40-yard field goal, cutting Kentucky State's lead to 10-3.
The Thorobreds answered with a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
Tristan Thomas finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 17-3 with 10:50 remaining in the first half.
Kentucky State took control after halftime. Gainous found Cyprian for a 48-yard touchdown with 7:01 left in the third quarter, completing an eight-play, 74-yard drive and extending the lead to 23-3.
Johnson directed the Thorobreds' final scoring drive in the fourth quarter. He completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to
Dwaun Futch with 9:57 remaining, closing an eight-play, 68-yard possession and producing the final margin.
Kentucky State finished with 281 passing yards and 172 rushing yards. Jamohn Dyson led the ground game with 56 yards on 11 carries, while Thomas added 40 yards and a touchdown on six attempts.
Jaden Hale caught five passes for 52 yards, and
Joshua Thomas Jr. added three receptions for 33 yards.
The Thorobreds' offensive line did not allow a sack, and Kentucky State completed the game without committing a turnover.
Defensively, Kentucky State limited Clark Atlanta to 75 rushing yards and 81 passing yards. The Panthers completed just six passes and converted four of their 13 third-down attempts.
Trevio Chambers,
Landon Edwards,
Frank Walker and
Lensley Dieujuste each recorded a sack, while
Kendrick Curry and
Elijah Henderson combined for another. Kentucky State totaled nine tackles for loss and four pass breakups in the victory.
The Thorobreds also kept Clark Atlanta scoreless on its only red-zone opportunity and forced the Panthers to miss two of their three field-goal attempts.
Kentucky State will return home to host non-conference opponent Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. inside of Alumni Stadium.
Follow KSU Sports
For complete coverage of Kentucky State Athletics, follow the Thorobreds on social media @KYSUAthletics (X), @ksuthletics (Instagram), Kentucky State Athletics (Facebook) or visit the official home of Kentucky State Athletics at ksuthorobreds.com.
###
