Elijah Odom threw two touchdown passes and the Clark Atlanta University Panthers' defense held Allen University to less than a half of their usual scoring output as CAU defeated Allen 21-12 Saturday at CAU Panther Stadium.

Clark Atlanta (2-4, 0-2 SIAC) avenged a tough 16-10 loss to Allen (3-3) in 2019 and won their first game this season since defeating Livingstone in the season-opener.

Allen – which isn't eligible for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title race as they are still transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II competition - came into the game second in the SIAC by scoring 26 points per game and featuring the second-best team in pass offense and total offense.  Allen quarterback David Wright had thrown touchdown passes in every game and led the SIAC in passing and total offense.

But the CAU defense was up for the challenge, sacking Wright twice and largely holding him in check Saturday, though Wright did throw for 280 yards and rushed for a touchdown and passing for another.

CAU jumped out to a 14-0 lead as it was Clark Atlanta's Odom who provided the quarterback sparks early, tossing touchdown passes to Drakar Jerry (42 yards) and Darren Stephens (31 yards) in the first half.  Defensively, CAU forced Allen to punt three times and forced a fumble before Wright rushed for a touchdown with just under six minutes left before halftime.  Allen's two-point try failed.

The Panthers started out the second half by driving 37 yards in seven plays, getting a two-yard touchdown run by Jeremiah Gibbs to go up 21-6.

Allen countered later in the third quarter with Wright's lone TD pass, a 12-yarder to Beau Harrington to pull to 21-12.  Their two-point conversion failed.

The Clark Atlanta defense held Allen in their final three possessions forcing a punt and ending two series on downs, once inside the CAU 24-yard-line and late in the fourth quarter at the CAU 38-yard-line, to salt away the win.

Odom finished 18-for-31 for 207 yards and two TDs, along with one interception.  He also rushed nine times for 45 yards. His top receiver was Jerry who caught seven passes for 103 yards and one touchdown.  Stephens, who caught the other Odom TD, caught two passes for 52 yards.  Josef Douglas led CAU in rushing with 50 yards on six carries.

Defensively, Rodney Lewis had a big day, making 11 tackles, ten of them solo, getting two sacks and four tackles for losses totaling 16 yards.  Zion Nwokocha had ten tackles, nine solo, and 2.5 tackles for loss. Tyrese Ross had seven tackles, while Travis Taylor had six stops.

Wright finished 21-of-38 for 280 yards and a touchdown for Allen.  He also rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown.  Beau Harrington rushed for 97 yards while Jamal Jones caught eight passes for 134 yards. Defensively, Gary Bourrage, Dahlil Wilkins, and Demarcus Jones each had six tackles for the Yellow Jackets.

The Panthers head back out on the road next week when they head to south Georgia to take on Savannah State on Saturday, Oct. 16.   After visiting Fort Valley State the next week, CAU returns home on Oct. 30 when they host Benedict.