Nov. 22, 2007

Final Stats

Montgomery, Ala. - The 84 year history of the Turkey Day Classic makes it the oldest black college classic in America. And, the triple overtime thriller played on Thanksgiving Day 2007 at Cramton Bowl might have been the best.

Tuskegee held on to beat upset-minded Alabama State 64-58 in front of a partisan crowd of 17, 361.

The Hornets performance featured an offensive explosive missing for much of the year. ASU gained 505 total yards, including 280 yards passing - both season highs.

Quarterback Chris Mitchell was spectucular - and he had to be, because of the opposing signal caller.

Tuskegee's Jacary Atkinson came into the game as the nation's top rated passer in Division II. He hadn't even played in the second half of many of Tuskegee's games because they'd built such huge leads.

Atkinson was everything advertised (279 yards and 4 touchdown passing and 159 yards and 2 more touchdowns rushing); however Mitchell was impressive in his own right - throwing for 272 yards and touchdowns, which rushing for 71 yards.

An exciting first half foreshadowed what was to come.

Tuskegee scored first when Jacary Atkinson hit Jason English for a 27-yard touchdown. ASU responded with a 21-yard field goal by Jeremy Fetterhoff. Jay Peck's 1-yard plunge put the Hornets up 9-7. However, the Golden Tigers blocked the extra point and returned for a 2-point conversion to tie the score 9-9.

A snap over the head of the Tuskegee punter set the Hornets up on the 7 yard line. Rahmod Traylor took over from there, blasting into the end zone to put the ASU up 16-9. King Keith evened the score on his 3-yard touchdown run. Fetterhoff's second field goal put ASU back ahead, but TU answered on a 63-yard toucdown pass. It was Atkinson to English, again, and Tuskegee led 23-19.

Fetterhoff hit a 22-yard field just as the clock expired to make the score 23-22.

The Golden Tigers seemed poised to pull away as their 14 points were the only ones scored in the 3rd quarter. Once more, Atkinson found English - on his second juggling catch- good for 24-yard touchdown. Atkinson did all the work himself on a 1 yard run, and Tuskegee entered the 4th quarter with a 37-22 lead.

ASU - reminding fans of the exciting plays that marked the early part of the season - outscored Tuskegee 22-7 in the 4th quarter to force overtime.

The biggest moment came on 4th and goal with ASU parked at the Golden Tigers' 8-yard line and trailing by 7. Mitchell had led the Hornets 61 yards down the field. ASU head coach Reggie Barlow called time out and signaled his quarterback to the sideline.

Mitchell went under center and quickly swung a pass to wide receiver Darius Mathis. After faking a run, Mathis - a former quarterback - turned and threw the ball all the way across the field into the waiting arms of Peck. The cement stands of Cramton Bowl somehow withstood the jumping and dancing of ASU fans as the Hornets sent the game into overtime.

ASU got the ball first and scored on a 9-yard catch by Steve Briggs. Stephen Freeman's 2-yard touchdown tied the score.

In the second overtime, Atkinson snuck in from 2-yards to push the Golden Tigers ahead. On the Hornets' possession, Mitchell hit Cedric Harris who raced 20 yards for a touchdown.

When ASU got the ball back, the Hornets fumbled. Richard Fitzhugh's 7-yard scamper put an end to the marathon. While the Tuskegee fans celebrated, both teams spent an unusual amount of time on the field - exhausted, and talking between each other, and soaking up the game that was.

"It was a classic", said ASU head coach Reggie Barlow. "We really wanted to get this game for our seniors. I'm so proud of our guys. We believed when no one gave us a chance.'

The Hornets finish the season 5-6 in their first year under Barlow. Tuskegee is currently 11-0 and will face Virginia Union on December 11 in the Pioneer Bowl.

NOTEBOOK:

* While Jacary Atkinson was named Offensive MVP for his outstanding play. the performance of Rechard Johnson didn't go unnoticed. The redshirt-sophomre capped an amazing first year as a starter with 18 tackles in the game earning Defensive MVP honors. He entered the day 3rd in the SWAC in tackles, and 7th in the nation in tackles for loss.

* The combined 122 points is the most in the history of the ASU-TU rivalry, beating the record from 1902 game which Tuskegee won 85-0.

* "90 Smoke throwback" - That's the name of the touchdown play called by ASU offensive coordinator Maurice Harris on 4th and goal at the 8-yard line with only 27 seconds to play. Barlow admitted that the team had been working on it for a couple weeks, but had no idea it would come in so handy.

* ASU's Cedric Harris had 6 catches for 104 yards and 2 touchdown, all season highs for any ASU receiver.

* A kicking game to be thankful for: After making only one field goal on six attempts all season, ASU's Jeremy Fetterhoff made three and went 5-6 on PATs.

* Seniors stand out: Peck had 138 yards and a touchdown in his final game as a Hornet. Receiver Antonio James had the best game of his career - 5 catches for 84 yards, before injuring his shoulder late. Fellow wide out Steve Briggs had 2 catches for 22 yards, the biggest being a 9 yard touchdown catch in the first overtime when he just got his feet down in the end zone while falling out of bounds.

* HORNETWALK-ing: ASU held its first ever Hornetwalk as the team entered the stadium by walking through the tailgate area and a tunnel formed by fans and the Mighty Marching Hornets. "This is awesome," Peck said as his name was screamed by fans.