Albany State’s inability to finish, cost the Golden Rams
IAlbany, GA – This week 2 matchup between Albany State from The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and Shaw University representing the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) could be considered a classic when it comes to the back-and-forth scoring of both teams. When Both teams kept their fans on the edge of their seats throughout the game because neither could sustain their leads. When both quarterbacks combine threw a total of 9 touchdown passes, fans could expect for the game to be tight. Shaw University Christian Peters threw 42 passes completing 20 for 322 yards, 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and Albany State University quarterback Isaiah Knowles threw 26 passes completed 20 for 262 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the game.
Shaw University scored first with a safety when Golden Rams quarterback Isaiah Knowles was sacked in the endzone. Shaw University went on to score a touchdown on their next possession increasing their score to 9-0. Neither team’s lead was safe in this game.
Albany State found themselves behind in this game due to unnecessary penalties, and miscues on the field allowing Shaw University to score points to erase the 10-point lead the Golden Rams thought they had to secure the victory.
Albany State Devin Harrel intercepted the ball late in the third quarter deep on Shaw University’s end of the field positing the Golden Rams quarterback Isaiah Knowles to throw a touchdown pass to Xavier Herndon. Albany State had an opportunity to put this game away in the third quarter when Shaw University quarterback Christian Peters threw several errant passes that were not intercepted, only for the Golden Rams defensive back to get flagged on the ensuing play for pass interference to keep the Bears drive alive cutting the Golden Rams lead to three points, on a touchdown pass from Christian Peters to Bears receiver John Barnes.
Albany State Golden Rams Tiant Wilche returns the ensuing kickoff up the sideline for a touchdown for the Golden Rams to extend their lead back to 10 points with the score being 23-33 Golden Rams. The Golden Rams inability to sack Shaw University’s quarterback allowed Christian Peters to find open receivers down the field to position the Bears football team to score points.
Albany State Isaiah Morrison blocked Shaw University’s field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter with the Golden Rams up 3 points. Isaiah Knowles throws another touchdown pass Jamill Williams for 35 yards, extending the Golden Rams lead back to 10 points with 4:27 left to go in the game.
The Shaw Bears weren’t going down without a fight scoring 13 unanswered points in the last 2 minutes of the game with two touchdown passes from Christian Peters to Kyree McLean and Ah’shaan Belecher to get the win against the Albany State Golden Rams sending them to 0-2 on the season.
The Golden Rams had opportunities to win this game but found ways to self-destruct at the most unopportune times in the game. Albany State has the week off to prepare for the Fredrick Douglass Classic against Central State University on September 21, and Shaw University will take its undefeated record to play Catawba College on September 14th.