The final homecoming at Blackshear Field ended on a positive note as the Prairie View A&M football team held off a second half charge by Alabama State to claim a 34-24 win Saturday afternoon before a capacity crowd at Blackshear Field.

ASU wasted no time in attempting to set the tone as Khalid Thomas' 7-yard run capped off a seven-play, 74-yard opening drive for a 7-0 lead following Preston Clark's PAT.  The Panthers responded with a vengeance on their opening drive as they rode the legs of Johnta' Hebert, Jerry Lovelocke and Jovante Ham en route to Hebert's 5-yard scoring scamper.  Chris Barrick's PAT was good as the Panthers knotted the contest at 7-all with 5:38 left in the first quarter.

ASU's Preston Clark missed a 43-yard field goal to open the second quarter and the Panthers took advantage of the opportunity as Barrick nailed a 35-yarder to pull PVAMU ahead 10-7 at the 8:06 mark.  On the next possession, ASU misfired the snap on a fourth down punt attempt and the fumble landed in the hands of PVAMU's Stephen Meighan at the ASU 3.   Two plays later, Ham rushed it in from two yards out for a 17-7 lead after Barrick's PAT.

After a pair of punts, Barrick once again rose to the occasion as his 25-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in the half gave PVAMU a 20-7 lead.  ASU drove down the field and managed to jump into scoring position as Clark hit a 34-yard field goal with no time remaining in the first half.

The Panthers opened the second half with a bang as Johnta' Hebert had a 43-yard run to set up Lovelocke's 1-yard scoring run and a 27-10 lead with 12:57 left.  However, the Panthers settled into a comfort zone from that point and the Hornets began to buzz as their running attack came to life.  Quinteris Toppings capped off a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard rush for a 27-17 margin after the PAT.

The Panthers were forced to punt on their next drive and ASU kept on charging as Thomas scored his second touchdown of the day from 10 yards out at the 6:21 mark.  The PAT was good as ASU closed to within a field goal at 27-24 with 6:21 left in the third quarter.

Both defensive units rose to the occasion after the scores as there were three punts and an interception by PVAMU's Jalen Thibodeaux to open the fourth quarter.  Unfortunately, the Panthers failed to capitalize as ASU's Najee Bright picked off Lovelocke at the ASU 2.  The Panther defense forced ASU to punt on the ensuing drive and the offense finally woke up after its lull as Arthur Lockett and Hebert broke off two big runs.  With 7:19 left, Lovelocke scored from 1-yard out as the Panthers found breathing room in a 34-24 lead.

From that point, the Panther defense rose to the occasion and stopped ASU on its final two drives while the offense ran the clock out for its second consecutive win of the year.  In addition, the win also marked PVAMU's first over ASU since 2009 and only the fifth all-time in the series.

The Panthers finished with 411 total yards while ASU had 393.  Hebert finished with 99 yards on 23 attempts and one touchdown while Lovelocke passed for 231 yards on 19-of-23 passing.  Greg Thurmond caught five passes for 79 yards followed by five receptions for 63 yards from Gabe Dunlap.  Linebacker Jerome Howard tallied a game-high 15 tackles with two sacks and four tackles for loss.  Fellow linebacker Danny Brownell followed with 14 tackles while Damond Jackson rounded out the double digit tacklers with 12.

The Panthers hit the road next weekend for a match-up at Mississippi Valley State beginning at 2 p.m. in Itta Bena, Miss.