ATLANTA – Clark Atlanta University quarterback Johnathon McCrary threw for 302 yards and a pair of touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Panthers over the Benedict College Tigers 27-14
on Saturday in Panther Stadium, winning their Homecoming game.
Benedict had a pair of turnovers and failed to convert on two fourth-down attempts and fell to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the SIAC with its third straight loss. Clark Atlanta improved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the SIAC with its fourth straight win.
“It’s a disappointing loss,” Benedict head coach Mike White said. “We got outplayed today. They played harder than we did. We couldn’t overcome the mistakes we made and gave up too much in the passing game. We knew they were a pretty good passing team, but I thought we were a little bit better than that.”
Clark Atlanta jumped to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter and the Tigers could never catch up. Clark Atlanta took the opening kickoff and drove 63 yards on eight plays, with McCrary throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to Trenton Earl.
After a 43-yard kickoff return by Leondre Hughes, the Benedict drive stalled at the Clark Atlanta 39-yard line. Benedict opted to go for the first down on third-and-12, but Phillip Brown‘s pass attempt was incomplete. The Panthers took over on downs, and McCrary and Earl connected again on the first play from scrimmage for a 66-yard touchdown pass and run for a 14-0 Clark Atlanta lead with 5:21 left in the first quarter.
“We’re not good enough as a football team to make those kind of mistakes,” White said. “There were a ton of mistakes, one after another. We’ve got to go back as a staff and see what we can do.”
George Myers Jr. broke through the line and zipped down the left sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-7 with 4:22 left in the first half. Myers finished the day with 115 yards on 15 carries.
The Panthers took the ensuing possession and drove 41 yards, with all the yards coming on McCrary passes, and got a 40-yard field goal with 29 seconds left on the clock for a 17-7 halftime lead.
The Panthers got another field goal in the third quarter, capping a 21-play, 71-yard drive that ate up more than eight minutes off the clock. Twice the Panthers converted on third-and-long. McCrary completed a 13-yard pass for one first down, then a personal foul penalty against Benedict on third-and-18 gave the Panthers an automatic first down and kept the drive alive. Carlos Saldana’s 30-yard field goal made it 20-7 with 1:36 left in the third quarter.
Benedict cut the lead to 20-14 with 13:08 left in the game when the Panthers fumbled the pitch on a running play, and Charles Williams scooped up the loose ball and ran 26 yards for the defensive touchdown.
The Panthers quickly answered, with McCrary running for 13-yards on a quarterback keeper for a score with 10:47 left to play, making the score 27-14. Benedict had three more drives but couldn’t find the end zone.
“We came in and we were trying to feel them out, and they hit us and we were on our heels all day,” White said.
Benedict returns home next Saturday to face Morehouse College at 2 p.m. for Benedict’s Homecoming contest. Morehouse is on a five-game losing streak.
