image via TSU Athletics
Tennessee State and North Carolina A&T locked horns in the 2025 John A. Merritt Classic, the first time the two schools had met since Tennessee State laid a 37-7 beating on the Aggies in the 2010 Circle City Classic. Buoyed by big plays, the Tigers were able to defeat North Carolina A&T 24-21 in a winning start to the Reggie Barlow era.
North Carolina A&T struck first, taking a 7-0 lead when Wesley Graves burst through the middle and took it 40 yards to the end zone with 7:07 left in the first quarter.
Tennessee State responded on the first play of their very next possession when Jonathan Palmer connected with DeVaughn Slaughter on an 82-yard pass to tie the game at 7 at the 6:51 mark of the opening period. The game would then devolve into an offensive malaise with the team exchanging punts for a combined 8 offensive possessions, with no drive moving more than a mere 7 yards.
The next score would not come until the latter portion of the second quarter. Ravon Johnson forced a fumble when he sacked A&T signal caller Champ Long. Syncere Safeeullah, setting the Tigers offense up at the A&T 24 yard line. Seven plays later Tennessee State took their first lead of the afternoon when Freddy Perez connected on a 41-yard field goal that put TSU up 10-7 with 4:03 remaining in the first half.
A&T’s Joshua Isiah picked off a Palmer pass at the TSU 22. Braxton Thomas’ 1-yard plunge put the Aggies back in 14-10 as the game headed into halftime.
Tennessee State reclaimed the lead at 17-14 with another explosive play, this one a 60-yard burst from Kendric Rhymes with 5:51 left in the third quarter. The Tigers extended their advantage to 24-14 on another Rhymes home run play, this a 51-yard jaunt up the middle just 41 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Aggies struck back with a big play of their own, a 66-yard touchdown reception from Thimas Braxton to Amonte Jones that pulled NCA&T to within three at 24-21 with 9:58 remaining in the period.
Tennessee State was unable to deliver a potential knockout blow, as their next two drives resulted in 8 plays for just 10 yards.
The Aggies took possession of the ball with 2:52 to go in the game and drove into field goal range, setting up a 38-yard field goal attempt with 0:06 in the contest. The potential game-tying field goal was blocked, preserving the win for Tennessee State.
In his first start with the Tigers, Jonathan Palmer looked shaky at times, completing 11-21 passes for 123 yards, 1 touchdown, and an interception. Kendric Rhymes ran for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns on 21 carries, while DeVaughn Slaughter hauled in 4 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Up next for Coach Barlow and the Tigers is a tall task in the form of the incoming No. 1-ranked and defending FCS national champion North Dakota State Bison. The Tigers were obliterated 52-3 last season when the two teams met in Fargo, ND.
