Clark Atlanta twice led the SIAC's defending champions, Tuskegee, but couldn't hold on as the Golden Tigers used two fourth-quarter touchdowns to get a 24-17 come-from-behind win over CAU Saturday at Panther Stadium.

CAU (0-3, 0-1 SIAC) jumped out to an early, first-quarter 8-0 lead after Corey King's 2-yard touchdown run, followed by Makel Young's 2-point conversion pass to Deondre McNeil.   They held their lead in the second quarter after a Tuskegee (2-1, 1-0 SIAC) field goal by adding a safety when the CAU defensive line swamped Tuskegee quarterback Ahmad Deramus in the end zone put the Panthers up 10-3.

It looked like Clark Atlanta would have at least half of the crowd of 5,046 smiling as they would go into halftime with that lead, but Ahmad Deramus' 34-yard touchdown toss to Javarrius Cheatham on the half's final play knotted the game at 10-10.

The Panthers again took the lead, this time as CAU's Kenneth Morgan scooped up a fumble and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown to put CAU back on top at 17-10. 

But it would be the final lead of the night for the Panthers.

The CAU offense bogged down in the second half, mustering only two first downs in the half and punting on three of their four second half possessions.  The final drive ended on a Tuskegee interception.  Tuskegee did the opposite as Ivonte Patterson got 49 of his 62 rushing yards during that same period, helping set up two fourth-quarter Deramus touchdown passes, one a three-yarder to Cheatham and a 55-yard TD strike to Peyton Ramzy that proved to be the game winner.

Charles Stafford led CAU with 122 yards after hitting 12-out-of-19 throws.  He also rushed for 14 yards. Roger Thomas had 51 yards rushing for the Panthers.

Defensively, Justin Wade had a big game for CAU, making 12 tackles – ten of them solo – along with a sack and three tackles for loss.  Ezekiel Edmonds had nine solo tackles and one assisted stop, as well as picking up a sack and a tackle for loss. Morgan had nine tackles and a fumble recovery.

Tuskegee was led by Deramus' three touchdown passes.  He was 10-of-17 passing for 209 yards, though CAU sacked him three times.   Patterson had 62 rushing, while Cheatham hauled in five passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

Another big issue for CAU was penalties.  The Panthers had ten for 219 yards.

Next up for CAU is a short trip up I-75 when the Panthers visit Big South member and fellow metro Atlanta institution, Kennesaw State.   Game time is at 6 p.m.