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Clark Atlanta University Athletics

Trayvon Pinder
Justin Mordecai/Clark Atlanta Athletics
24
Winner Clark Atlanta CAU 3-7 , 3-5
13
Fort Valley St. FVS 2-8 , 1-7
Winner
Clark Atlanta CAU
3-7 , 3-5
24
Final
13
Fort Valley St. FVS
2-8 , 1-7
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
CAU Clark Atlanta 7 3 0 14 24
FVS Fort Valley St. 0 7 0 6 13

Game Recap: Football |

Panthers Rally Past Wildcats on Thursday Evening to Close out 2026 Regular Season

Clark Atlanta caps off the regular season with a road win over Fort Valley

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Clark Atlanta scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally past Fort Valley State 24-13 on Thursday, fueled by Trayvon Pinder's 158 rushing yards and a defense that forced two turnovers.

The Panthers improved to 3-7 overall and 3-5 in SIAC play. Fort Valley State fell to 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the conference.

Pinder led Clark Atlanta's ground attack with 158 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Xzavier Jackson completed 10 of 17 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown without an interception, while Chry'shawn Sellers led the Panthers with three receptions for 51 yards and the go-ahead score.

Grace'son Carter paced the defense with 11 tackles, including nine solo stops and a team-high 3½ tackles for loss. Lacedric Foster added eight tackles and a team-leading one sack, while Jermihia Williams finished with five tackles. Dwayne Mills Jr. recorded four tackles, an interception and a team-high two pass breakups.

Clark Atlanta struck first when Pinder scored on an 8-yard run with 9:25 remaining in the opening quarter. Cedric Oglesby's extra point gave the Panthers a 7-0 advantage.

Mills halted Fort Valley State's ensuing possession with an interception at the Clark Atlanta 10-yard line that resulted in a touchback, preserving the early lead.

The Panthers created another takeaway in the second quarter when Pierre Fogle Jr. forced a fumble on a punt return, and Semaj Hicks recovered at the Wildcats' 15. Cedric Oglesby capped the ensuing possession with a 20-yard field goal, extending Clark Atlanta's lead to 10-0 with 6:39 remaining before halftime.

Fort Valley State answered with an 11-play, 91-yard drive, finishing with Saadiq Teel's 5-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds left in the half. The Panthers entered halftime ahead 10-7.
Neither team scored in the third quarter before Teel gave the Wildcats a 13-10 lead on a 28-yard touchdown run with 9:33 remaining in the fourth. Desmond Whitson blocked the extra-point attempt to keep the margin at three.

Clark Atlanta responded on its next possession. Following a 3-yard run by Pinder and a 6-yard completion from Jackson to Kevin Deceus, Jackson connected with Sellers for a 45-yard touchdown with 8:18 remaining. Oglesby's extra point put the Panthers back in front, 17-13.

The defense forced a punt on Fort Valley State's next possession, and Chry'Shawn Sellers returned the kick 18 yards. An additional unnecessary roughness penalty against the Wildcats gave Clark Atlanta possession at the Fort Valley State 9.

Deceus scored on a 9-yard run on the next play, and Oglesby converted her third extra point to extend the lead to 24-13 with 6:11 remaining.

Fort Valley State advanced to the Panthers' 20 on its next drive, but Clark Atlanta held firm. Mills broke up a pass during the possession, and Kimble's fourth-down pass breakup ended the threat with 2:38 remaining. The Panthers then ran out the clock to secure the victory.

Clark Atlanta finished with 302 yards of offense, including 184 rushing yards, and scored on all three red-zone opportunities. Derrick White added two receptions for 26 yards, Skyler Worthey caught two passes for 21 yards, and Deceus finished with two catches for 19 yards in addition to his rushing touchdown.

Wright averaged 42.8 yards on four punts, placing all four inside the 20 with a long of 56 yards. The Panthers' defense totaled three sacks and eight tackles for loss.

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