Roger Thomas rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns as the Clark Atlanta Panthers defeated Fort Valley State University 21-19 in a key Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division battle Saturday.

The win for Clark Atlanta (2-4, 1-1 SIAC, 1-0 SIAC East) allows the Panthers to keep pace with division leaders Benedict (Saturday's homecoming opponent), Albany State and Morehouse, all who are 2-0 in conference play.

Thomas keyed a CAU running game that had 209 yards on the ground against Fort Valley State (1-5, 1-2 SIAC).

In a thrilling first quarter, Thomas followed up a big Elijah Odom-to-Corey King Jr. 37-yard pass with three straight runs, the final one a 1-yard plunge to put CAU up 7-0.   But on CAU's next possession, Majeste Hansberry picked off an Odom pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown, pulling FVSU to one at 7-6 with just over two minutes left in the quarter.

The CAU offense got it going again just before the quarter ended, with Odom throwing a 29-yard TD pass to the SIAC's leading receiver, Johnathan Sanders, to put CAU up 14-6 with 26 seconds left in the first quarter.

FVSU midway through the second quarter, with Jamari Clark ripping off a 67-yard run, followed by a Jeremy McCants 5-yard TD run to pull to 14-13.

In the second half, the CAU defense, led by Kameron Rogers, put the clamps on the Fort Valley offense, forcing four punts, three three-downs-and-outs, and no drive over six plays in the third quarter alone.   

Thomas tacked on a 45-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach, though FVSU got a late touchdown.  The CAU offense melted the clock away to seal the win after that.  

Odom finished 5-of-14 for 85 yards, a touchdown and an interception for CAU.  He also rushed for 39 yards.   Josh Banks caught two passes for 23 yards.

Rogers led a CAU defense that gave up only three first downs in the second half to the Wiildcats. Rogers finished with ten tackles, three for losses, two sacks, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.  Ezekiel Edmonds had eight tackles, a sack and three tackles for losses.  Tyrone Mixon had eight stops, a sack, a tackle for a loss and an interception. William Profit had seven tackles, five of them solo, while Kenneth Morgan and Jeramie Tate each had five tackles.

Next up for Clark Atlanta is a big homecoming battle against Benedict College Saturday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. at Panther Stadium.  Tickets are $30 and are available at the Clark Atlanta Bookstore and online at https://1591.thankyou4caring.org/football-tickets-2018-season.