Title image via Allen Football
Courtesy of Allen Athletics
10
POI
35
Winner AUL
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POI | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| AUL | 21 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
Behind a 21-point first quarter, Allen University football earned their first win of the season and under first-year head coach Cedric Pearl Saturday as the Yellow Jackets defeated Point University, 35-10.
After both teams exchanged early punts, Allen found the scoreboard for the first time in Saturday’s game with 4:49 left in the opening quarter as quarterback Jamir Dismukes found wide receiver Montrell White down the left sideline for a 40-yard touchdown. The first of three touchdown passes for Dismukes capped-off a five-play, 71-yard scoring drive.
On the ensuing Point possession, Allen defensive end Justin Eaton forced a fumble by the Skyhawks’ tailback at the 20-yard line and defensive lineman Darius Williams jumped on the loose football to secure the takeaway at the 18-yard line.
It took the Yellow Jackets just three plays to turn the turnover into a touchdown as Dismukes kept it himself on a rush to the right side for the 9-yard score to take a 14-0 lead with 3:25 left in the quarter.
In his home debut, Dismukes completed eight-for-14 passes for 112 yards and three touchdowns.
As the first quarter continued, Allen’s defense continued to put pressure on Point’s quarterback Michael Gossett. Following Dismukes’ touchdown run, the Yellow Jackets intercepted the next two pass attempts from Point. Junior defensive back DeJuan Hughes and redshirt sophomore linebacker Edmund Whitaker each recorded their first interceptions of the season.
Hughes led the Yellow Jackets defensively with seven tackles, including one tackle for loss, an interception, one pass break up, and one quarterback hurry.
With 3:10 to play in the first quarter, Allen faced a short field following Whitaker’s interception at the Point 24-yard line. Five plays later and the Yellow Jackets were once again in the endzone as junior tight end Jordan McGee caught his first touchdown of the season and his career from eight yards out.
The first quarter closed with the Yellow Jackets ahead, 21-0.
In the second quarter, Point found their offensive rhythm as the Skyhawks ran in a two-yard touchdown and kicked a 29-yard field goal to send the game into halftime with Allen leading 21-10.
Allen found one of the best ways to excite their first home crowd of the season as sophomore Nanders Lawrence caught the second half kickoff at Allen’s 12-yard line and raced his way to the opposite endzone to score his second return touchdown of 2024 and give Allen a 28-10 lead.
At the break, Allen also made key defensive adjustments to put an end to Point’s second quarter offensive rhythm as the Yellow Jackets held the Skyhawks scoreless in the second half.
Jayshawn Smalls, Osirus Rhodes, and Kirkland Boone each recorded solo sacks in Saturday’s win, and Darius Williams, and Jayshawn Benjamin combined for a fourth sack for the Yellow Jackets’ defense.
To close the third quarter, the Yellow Jackets saw cornerback Kevin Graham pick-off a Point pass and following the end of quarter break, Allen scored their fifth and final touchdown of the night with 14:57 left to play. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Dismukes connected with senior wide receiver Kaleb Commings on a nine-yard touchdown pass. To accompany Allen’s five touchdowns, freshman kicker Sam Herman went a perfect five-for-five on extra-point attempts.
Following a two-week non-conference slate, the Yellow Jackets return to SIAC play next Saturday, September 28 against Miles College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the game will be televised on HBCU Go.
