(Fairfield, Ala.) - In a marathon game spread out over 9 ½ hours, twice delayed by lightning for a total of nearly five hours and ending at 1:29 a.m. Central time, the Clark Atlanta University Panthers led Miles College most of the way, only to come up short at the end, falling 31-27 Sunday morning.

CAU falls to 0-5, having lost their third game after failing on a potential game-tying or game-winning drive in the game's final minute.

This time after coming out slow following a three-hour weather delay and giving up two fourth quarter touchdowns to Miles (4-1), the Panthers had two chances to still defeat the Golden Bears. CAU twice gamely drove inside the Miles 5-yard line late in the fourth quarter with chances for go-ahead scores, only to come up empty both times.

A big homecoming crowd had filled Sloan-Alumni Stadium as heavily-favored Miles looked to keep alive their five-game winning streak against Clark Atlanta.  But a scheduled 4 p.m. kickoff was pushed back until nearly 6:30 p.m. when a series of lightning strikes forced officials to twice order the teams off the field and back into their locker rooms.

When they returned to the field for kickoff, Miles struck first in a wild first quarter, going up 3-0 on a field goal with 11:03 left in the first quarter.  Just over three minutes later, CAU countered when Stafford drove the Panthers downfield and hit Tyler Wimberly on an 11-yard TD pass to put the Panthers up 7-3.

The CAU defense then rose to the occasion as Tyrese Ross blocked a Miles punt and recovered it in the end zone, giving the Panthers a 14-3 lead with 6:43 left in the first quarter.

The two teams traded turnovers (CAU's Johnny Sharp picked off a Miles pass, but then a fumble was charged to CAU's Ty Woods) before Miles' Wade Streeter ran a 4-yard touchdown to close to 14-10 to end the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Golden Bears defense then did just as CAU did earlier – they got a quarterback sack on Stafford, who fumbled.  Miles recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown that put them back in the lead at 17-14.

But just before halftime, Stafford hooked up with Wimblerly again, this time on a 64-yard touchdown 19 seconds before halftime to take at 20-17 lead heading into the break.

The Panthers kept the momentum going early in the second half with Terrance Harris recovering a Miles fumble.  CAU capitalized, driving down field with Stafford and Wimberly connecting for third touchdown of the night, this one a 14-yarder to put Clark Atlanta up 27-17 with 9:13 left.

But as an inspired CAU defense was making things tough on the Miles offense, the weather became a factor again.  Lightning from storms that circled the Birmingham, Ala.-area all night, again forced officials to halt the game and send the games to their locker rooms with 1:12 left in the third quarter.

That delay started just before 9 p.m. Central time as nearly 12,000 fans were engrossed in a close, entertaining game.  By the time the delay ended at 12:40 a.m. on Sunday morning, the temperature had dropped from more than 90 degrees to the low 70s, the rain started to steadily fall, and the stands were virtually empty, save for maybe 40 observers.

The two teams returned to field in the wee hours of the Sunday morning.  Miles came out inspired, quickly driving downfield and getting a 9-yard touchdown run by Justin Ruiz to close the gap to 27-24 with 14 minutes remaining in the game.

The CAU offense struggled on their next two series, with six plays for negative-2 yards and being forced to punt twice.

After that second punt, Miles' Li'Jon Cordier threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to LaAnthony Robinson with 9:43 remaining to give Miles the lead at 31-27.
CAU's offense struggled again on their next possession with a three-and-out and having to punt.  But they found some life when Harris recovered a Donte Edwards fumble with 7:51 left. 

Stafford completed passes to Wimberly and Drakar Jerry, getting the Panthers deep into Golden Bears territory at the 18-yard line.   Stafford then hit Wimberly for an 11-yard pass and followed with a five-yard run that got CAU to the Miles 2-yard line. Stafford completed a pass to Wimberly to get CAU to the 1-yard line and knocking at the door for a score to put them back in the lead.

But the Miles defense caught Stafford behind the line for a three-yard loss on the next play and on fourth down, a Stafford pass fell incomplete, turning the ball over with 4:31 left.

The CAU defense forced Miles to punt, handing the ball back over to the Panthers offense with 3:08 left in the game.  A short Miles punt gave CAU the ball at the Miles 30.

Stafford completed passes to Jerry for 17 yards, to Wimberly for six and then Darius Blackmon for eight yards to get to the Miles 4-yard line. Five plays left with 52 seconds left, Stafford pitched the ball to Caleeb Roberson, who then reeled to his right and attempted a pass to an open CAU receiver in the end zone.  But the pass was short and intercepted by Miles' Maxel Wells, putting an end to a long, wild night. 

Stafford had a big night, finishing 30-of-55 for 371 yards and three TDs, all three to Wimberly. Wimberly had 13 of receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Jerry had five receptions for 63 yards while Blackmon caught five passes for 52 yards. 

Kenneth Morgan led the CAU defense with seven tackles while Harris had four tackles and two fumble recoveries. Lorenzo Fields, Rodney Lewis and Xavier Lewis each had a sack.
Ruiz led Miles with 115 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Clark Atlanta is back on the road next week when they head to Kentucky State at 1 p.m.