Panthers Get Defensive In 17-7 Win Over TSU

Monday, September 07, 2009 05:58 PM

Game Box Score

HOUSTON – Prairie View A&M started the 2009 season on the right foot as they used a strong defensive effort to defeat Texas Southern 17-7 in the 25th annual Labor Day Classic at Reliant Stadium.

Texas Southern scored the game’s first touchdown after De’Markus Washington intercepted a Jay Bluford pass and raced 55 yards towards the end zone for a 7-0 lead.

Bluford, making his first career start at Prairie View, shook off the early setback and found his groove as he kept the next drive alive with a 22-yard rush on 3rd-and-4 and a 17-yard strike to wideout Shaun Stephens on 4th-and-10.  Three plays later, Bluford threw his first career touchdown as Gabe Osaze-Ediae outjumped a TSU defender in the corner of the end zone en route to a 7-6 margin.  Brady Faggard’s PAT was good as PV tied the game at 7-all with 1:44 left in the first quarter. 

From that point, it was all defense as neither team scored to close out the first half.  TSU had an opportunity to get on the scoreboard with no time remaining in the second quarter but Robert Hersh’s 32-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.

In the third quarter, Panther defensive back Yavarian Richardson turned the tide of the game as he forced TSU quarterback Gino Simoni to fumble.  Renoldo Revuelta recovered the fumble and put the Panthers in scoring position at TSU’s 27.  Six plays later, Faggard connected on a 26-yard field goal to move PV on top 10-7.

Early in the fourth stanza, Prairie View’s Anthony Weeden returned a punt 20 yards to move PV into scoring position at the TSU 15.  On 3rd-and-10, Bluford threw his second touchdown pass of the game as Brandon Bell separated from the TSU defender.

Prairie View accounted for 176 yards of total offense while TSU finished with 204.  Bluford finished 10-of-18 with one pick for 91 yards while Michael Jason rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries.  Lester Butler, Chris Ford, Renoldo Revuelta and Max Sencherey finished with eight tackles each.

Saturday’s win marks the third consecutive year Prairie View has defeated TSU.  The last time Prairie View held a winning streak longer than two games over TSU occurred from 1957 to 1960 (four games). 

The Panthers hit the road next week for a trip to Las Cruces, NM to face FBS opponent New Mexico State at 7 p.m.