Virginia State scores late to best Shaw, 28-24

Courtesy of Virginia State Athletics

24 Shaw

28 VSU

In a game that saw six lead changes, Jordan Davis helped the Trojans gain the lead with :7 left to go in the fourth quarter

ETTRICK, VA – The Virginia State football team increases their overall win streak to four games and move to 3-0 in conference play after a dramatic victory over Shaw 28-24 as Jordan Davisscored the go-ahead touchdown from four yards away with :12 left in the contest.


Game Information
Score: Virginia State 28, Shaw, 24
Records: Virginia State (4-1, 3-0), Shaw (2-3, 2-1)
Location: Rogers Stadium (Ettrick, VA)
Series: VSU leads 4-1 in matchups dating back to 2012

Inside the Box Score

• Jordan Davis put the conference on notice following his big performance against Shaw. Davis went 16-of-31 through the air for a career-high 257 yards with a pair of touchdowns. He added nine rushes for 33 yards capped with two touchdowns. His last rushing score put the Trojans ahead with just :7 left in the game. He also accounted for eight punts for 178 yards and one of them was downed on the one yardline.
• Willie Drew caught not one but two interceptions in the first half and accounted for a tackle-for-loss and a pass break up.
• Tyrone Fisher was sideline-to-sideline accounting for 14 tackles (two solo) with a half tackle-for-loss.
• Kymon Pope earned a career-high 12 tackles (eight solo) and also added a career-high 3.5 tackles-for-loss. He also accounted for a pass breakup and the game-winning interception.
• Zion Johnson earned nine tackles (two solo) which tied his season-high along with a half tackle for loss.
• Tylique Ray tied his career-high with four receptions for 76 yards and added a touchdown to his day.
• Malik Hunter earned a career-high 60 yards after reeling in three receptions
• Marqueal Pillow-Smiley was extremely disruptive all day long as he accounted for a pair of tackles-for-loss along with a forced fumble, five tackles (three solo) and a sack.
• The Trojans offensive line gave up no sacks along with 193 rushing yards in the contest. 
• The VSU offense accounted for 434 total yards in the game and converted on third down 40% of the time.
• The Trojan defense held the Shaw offense to 29% on third down and held the potent Shaw run game to just 155 yards on the ground and just one touchdown.

FIRST HALF

• After the two teams were forced to punt to start the game, Willie Drewshowed the opposing quarterback he is not the one to try as he caught an interception with 5:15 left in the first quarter.
• Unfortunately, the Trojans went three-and-out the ensuing drive which allowed Shaw to take over on their own 44 yardline.
• The Bears would go on to strike first with a field goal from 30 yards away to make it 0-3 with :23 left in the first quarter.
• Faced with a 3^rd and 10 on the ensuing drive, Jordan Davisescaped a sack and completed the pass to Darius Hagans for 15 yards. Hagans also broke off a 31-yard run down to the 12 yardline. Jordan Davis was the one to carry the ball into the endzone to take the lead 7-3 with 12:05 in the half.
• Following a muffed punt, the Shaw quarterback eluded a few tackles on his way to the endzone to give the Bears the lead 7-10 with 8:30 left to go in the half.
• The VSU offense took over with 3:56 left to go in the half and started their drive on their own 26 yardline. Davis and Roy Jackson, III connected on a pair of passes that gained more than 15 yards each in the drive. Jordan Daviscapped the drive with a beautiful rainbow pass deep down the right sideline that Tayshuan Porter ran under for his first score as a Trojan to make it 14-10 with just 1:24 left in the half.
• The first play of the ensuing drive saw Willie Drew reach up and grab his second interception of the half.
• After the VSU offense went three-and-out, Shaw took over on the VSU 49 with :58 to go. The Bears would go on to connect on a hail mary like pass to the endzone for a touchdown just prior to the end of half.

• For the first time since week one, the Trojans trailed heading into halftime 14-17.

SECOND HALF

• Following a huge kickoff return by Upton Bailey to open the half, Jordan Davis and Tylique Ray only needed two plays to find to endzone as the two connected on a 39-yard pass to make the score 21-17 with 14:30 left to go in the third quarter.
• The Bears struck back with a seven-yard scamper to the endzone to take the lead yet again 21-24.
• The score would remain idle as the VSU holder fumbled the snap on a field goal attempt which would have tied the score.
• Both defenses showed their true colors down the stretch as neither allowed the opposing offense to really get going.
• As VSU took over on their own 10 yardline with 3:12 left to go, the Trojans offense got to work. Jordan Davis completed four straight passes with all of them being for 10 or more yards to get his team down to the Bears 37 yardline. As Upton Bailey ran for 12 more yards, Davis and Porter connected on a pass down the middle for 15 yards which allowed VSU to set up shop on the three yardline. Faced with a third and goal opportunity from the four, Jordan Davis pulled a read option play and beat the Bears to the pylon to score the go-ahead touchdown with :07 to make the score 28-24.
• On the ensuing hail mary pass, Kymon Pope capped his career day with an interception to give the Trojans the win 28-24.
   
  Up Next
  The Trojans will get to enjoy the win for a limited amount of time as they set their sights on a huge divisional matchup against Bowie State for homecoming starting at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 8. The game will be broadcasted by PRC Communications on the Trojan Sports Network.

Next Game:
Bowie State University **Homecoming**
10/8/2022 | 4:00 p.m.

Team Statistics

1ST QUARTER
00:31 – Sha – Versteegen,Devin 30 yd field goal 8 plays, 43 yards, TOP 03:08	3	0
2ND QUARTER
12:08 – VSU – Davis,Jordan 7 yd run (Ward,Matthew kick), 9 plays, 70 yards, TOP 03:15	3	7
08:35 – Sha – Peters,Christian 27 yd run (Nagra,Armaan kick), 3 plays, 27 yards, TOP 01:26	10	7
01:32 – VSU – Porter,Tayshaun 38 yd pass from Davis,Jordan (Ward,Matthew kick) 8 plays, 74 yards, TOP 02:24	10	14
00:14 – Sha – Barnes,Jon 39 yd pass from Peters,Christian (Versteegen,Devin kick) 5 plays, 49 yards, TOP 00:44	17	14
3RD QUARTER
14:38 – VSU – Ray,Tylique 39 yd pass from Davis,Jordan (Ward,Matthew kick) 2 plays, 39 yards, TOP 00:13	17	21
10:29 – Sha – Dangerfield, Jr.,Elliot 7 yd pass from Peters,Christian (Versteegen,Devin kick) 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 04:01	24	21
4TH QUARTER
00:12 – VSU – Davis,Jordan 4 yd run (Ward,Matthew kick), 10 plays, 90 yards, TOP 03:00	24	28