DALLAS – The Prairie View A&M University football team lost to Grambling 34-21 in the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl.
The Panthers (2-3 overall, 2-1 SWAC) trailed 10-7 after one quarter, but a 21-point second-quarter by Grambling (5-1, 2-0) broke the game open.
Lavell McCullers completed 16 of 29 passes for 194 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Khadarel Hodge caught six passes for 101 yards and one touchdown, while Josh Simmons caught four passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
"I have to tip my hat off to Grambling. They did what they needed to do to win the game," said Prairie View A&M head coach
Willie Simmons. "As far as us, we had just too many self-inflicted wounds. You're not going to beat a good football team when you don't capitalize on simple things that we missed opportunities on today. We have to get back to the drawing board. We'll watch the film and make the corrections, but again, I thought we left way too many plays on the field to beat a good team like that."
PVAMU scored on its third possession of the game, driving 85 yards in 11 plays. A diving 22-yard touchdown catch by Hodge cut the deficit to 10-7 late in the first quarter.
In the third quarter, a 52-yard punt return by
Ju'Anthony Parker set up the Panthers' second touchdown. Josh Simmons' eight-yard touchdown catch on the ensuing play cut the deficit to 31-14 with just under six minutes to play in the period.
Markcus Hardy's third touchdown in as many games, an eight-yard scoring catch from
Neiko Hollins in the final minute, completed the scoring.
The Panthers return to action next Saturday at 2 p.m. at Alcorn St.
