ITTA BENA, Miss. In an intense league showdown on Saturday, the Prairie View A&M Panthers got a two-yard rushing touchdown from Lamagea McDowell with 2:57 left in the ballgame to secure a hard-fought victory over the Mississippi Valley Delta Devils with a final score of 17-16 in Itta Bena, Miss., at Rice-Totten Stadium. The Panthers' resilience and strategic playing under cloudy skies improved their season to a 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
The game remained tight, with the Panthers trailing at halftime with a score of 0-3. The turning point came in the fourth quarter when Lamagea McDowell charged through the Delta Devils' defense to score two crucial rushing touchdowns, dramatically shifting the momentum in favor of Prairie View. Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez also contributed significantly, first putting the Panthers on the scoreboard with an impressive 46-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Offensively, quarterback Jaden Johnson completed 14 out of 23 passes for 170 yards. McDowell not only scored the pivotal touchdowns but also amassed 130 rushing yards. James Burns and Jeremiah Ratliff bolstered the receiving corps with significant gains.
The Panthers' defense stood tall against the Delta Devils' advances, highlighted by Jeremiah Harris, who made 6 total tackles and forced a fumble. Cameron Franklin and Terrell Coleman Jr. disrupted plays, contributing to the defense's strong performance.
Special teams' efforts were led by Garcia Rodriguez, who made one of two field goal attempts and was perfect in point-after tries. Efren Jasso's punting also played a vital role in the field positioning battle.
Looking ahead, the Panthers will return to their home grounds at Prairie View in Texas on November 9, facing the challenging Rattlers as they aim to build on this thrilling victory and end their season on a high note.
McDowell totaled 130 yards to lead the Panthers' ground attack and added two touchdowns in the game, picking up 6.2 yards per carry along the way. Scooter Adams also tacked on 31 yards on the ground.
James Burns reeled in four catches for 50 yards.
Fred Stokes, Jr. led the Prairie View A&M defensive effort, recording six tackles, 2.0 TFL, and one sack.
Prairie View A&M had a powerful performance on the ground, racking up 210 rushing yards while averaging 5 yards per carry and out-rushing Mississippi Valley State by 129 yards.
Prairie View A&M's defense was tough against the run, limiting Mississippi Valley State to only 81 yards on the ground.
How It Happened
Prairie View A&M scored first with 9:00 remaining in the second quarter to take a 3-0 lead.Mississippi Valley State scored to go ahead 10-3 before the Panthers responded with a score of their own to even it up at 10-10.
Prairie View A&M followed with a two-yard touchdown run at the 2:57 mark in the fourth quarter and took a 17-10 lead in the process. Prairie View A&M went scoreless the rest of the game while Mississippi Valley State tacked on six points to finish off the scoring.
Game Notes
» Prairie View A&M outgained Mississippi Valley State 385-368, including a 210-81 advantage on the ground.
» Prairie View A&M tallied 14 points in the fourth quarter, accounting for 82.4% of their total score.
» Prairie View A&M converted 5 of 13 third downs while Mississippi Valley State was successful on 3 of 11.
» Prairie View A&M went 1-for-1 on fourth down, converting on 100 percent of attempts.
» Prairie View A&M allowed just three points in three Mississippi Valley State trips to the red zone.
» Prairie View A&M won the time of possession battle 30:58 to 27:55.
» Ty'Jarian Williams led the Delta Devils passing attack, completing 16 of his 24 attempts for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
» Nathan Rembert was Mississippi Valley State's leading receiver with 163 yards and one touchdown.
