ATLANTA, Ga. - In the 89th meeting in battle of the AUC, Clark Atlanta picked up the 50th overall victory over Morehouse on a final second field goal. Clark Atlanta scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the victory.
THE GAME
Score: Clark Atlanta 37; Morehouse 36
Records: Clark Atlanta (3-2; 2-2 SIAC), Morehouse (2-3; 0-3 SIAC)
Date: Oct. 1, 2016 | 4:00 pm Kickoff
Location: CAU Panther Stadium | Atlanta, Ga.
Series: 89th Meeting | CAU leads 50-36-3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Morehouse scored the first time they had the ball, with a 37-yard FG. Clark Atlanta fumbled the ball on the next drive giving the Maroon Tigers the ball at the home 39 yard line with 8:15 left in the first quarter. The drive ended with another MC field goal - again from 37 yards to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.
Morehouse added a safety after the snap went over the punters head and was recovered by CAU in the end zone for two points.
The Maroon Tigers added a 25 yard scoring run with 1:31 left in the first quarter to put CAU behind 15-0.
The first quarter ended as
Johnathon McCrary was hurried in the pocket and was able to find
Matthew Daniels on the shovel pass for 39 yards - with a block downfield by
Trenton Earl - moving the ball to the MC26 yards line.
The drive concluded as McCrary found Daniels on the 5-yard scoring pass. The point after by
Carlos Saldana made the deficit 15-7 with 12:23 to play in the opening half.
A fumble by Daniels on 4th-and-1 from midfield was returned by Morehouse for the touchdown to push the advantage for MC to 22-7 with 3:59 left in the first half.
Shaquan Mitchell picked off the Morehouse pass in the end zone to end the first half with CAU trailing by the 22-7 score.
After Morehouse score to open the second half, 29-7, Clark Atlanta marched 72 yards on two plays as McCrary found
Dre Martin on back-to-back plays of 37- and 35-yards for the score. Saldana's PAT made the score 29-14 with 8:41 left in the third quarter.
After CAU fumbled after a reception that would have moved the chains, Morehouse scored on a 34-yard pass to put the visitors ahead 36-14.
CAU scored twice - late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter - as McCrary connected with Martin again on scoring passes of 48 and 17 yards. The second of those scores was set up by
Harding Harper grabbed the tipped Morehouse pass and tallying his first interception of the season.
McCrary found Earl late in the fourth quarter on a nine-yard scoring pass. The 2-point conversion attempt failed. CAU attempted the onside kick with less than 90 seconds to play, and on the third hop Earl was able to recover the kick.
After eight plays, the Panthers lined up for the 35 yard FG and Saldana was good on his lone FG attempt of the night as time expired just after the ball was snapped.
OFFENSIVE NUMBERS
McCrary was 27-for-45 for 456 yards and five touchdown passes.
Martin hauled in seven receptions for 238 yards and three scores - all in the second half.
DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
William Kimmey paced the defensive line with nine tackles, 3.5 behind the line of scrimmage including a sack.
Jacob Mitchell added eight stops with 2.5 TFL and a sack.
TEAM NUMBERS
CAU rushed for negative 54 yards compared to 122 for Morehouse.
The CAU defense allowed just 122 passing yards while the Panthers tallied 456 yards - CAU led the overall yardage 402-244.
The Panthers were flagged for 13 penalties resulting in a loss of 160 yards.
Clark Atlanta was 6-for-13 on third down and 1-for-3 on fourth down.
UP NEXT
Clark Atlanta will travel north to Rome, Ga. to face Gulf South Conference opponent Shorter University (0-5; 0-3 GSC) on Thursday night, Oct. 6. The teams have faced each other just once with Shorter winning during the 2013 season; 58-14.
