image via Tennessee State Athletics
Despite the defense holding the opponent under ten points and forcing multiple turnovers, as has been the case for the majority of the season, the Tennessee State offense was unable to capitalize on those aspects and the Tigers ended the season on a sour note, losing 7-6 to Charleston Southern.
Neither team was able to score in the first quarter, Charleston Southern came the closest to lighting up the scoreboard but was unable to convert a 37-yard field goal. It was Tennessee State who struck first, ending a 12-play, 63-yard drive with a 30-yard field goal off the foot of Freddy Perez, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead with 4:51 left in the first half.
The Buccaneers responded with a scoring drive of their own, 4 plays, 75 yards, ending on Zolten Osborne’s 56-yard pitch and catch with Quay Kindell that put CSU up 7-3 and took just 1:52 off the clock. After the teams exchanged fumbles, which neither team was able to capitalize on, Tennessee State forced a second fumble, which was recovered by Jelani Willis at their own 15-yard line with 0:40 seconds to go in the half. However, TSU chose not to attempt to score, choosing to sit on it and go into the half down 7-3.
Following forcing a punt on CSU’s opening possession of the second half, Tennessee State was able to put together an 8-play, 51-yard drive that ended with Perez’s second field goal of the afternoon, from 39 yards, that trimmed the lead to 7-6.
When Byron McNair connected with Justin Hughes on a 58-yard touchdown strike, it appeared Tennessee State had taken the lead, the play was nullified by offensive pass interference, killing the drive and TSU would end up punting. Another Tennessee State drive reached the Charleston Southern 47 but they could get no closer.
The Tigers generated 285 yards of offense (155 passing, 130 rushing); the Tennessee State offense has only eclipsed 300 yards or more of production just twice this season ( 336 against Alabama A&M on 9/13 and 351 on 10/25 versus Western Illinois).
The loss, mercifully, ends the season for Tennessee State. The Tigers finished the season on a 5-game skid with an overall 2-10 and 0-8 within the Big South-OVC, a low light not achieved since posting a 0-7 Conference mark in 2010.
