Sept. 29, 2007
Final Stats
WASHINGTON, DC - The Winston-Salem State Rams (2-3) fell to a tough Howard Bison (1-3) squad, Saturday afternoon. In a game that saw momentum swing from side to side for the entire contest, the Rams found themselves on the wrong side of the pendulum in the loss. Senior quarterback Monte Purvis passed for 261 yards in the loss, but the effort was not enough to pull out the win.
After struggling early, the Rams offense got in gear over the course of the game totaling 319 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in the loss. It was Purvis who led the way for the Rams offense completing 14-of-24 passes for 261 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the loss, but was sacked six times in the contest. WSSU redshirt-sophomore Michael Scarbrough was the beneficiary of six Purvis passes, totaling 107 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Junior running back Roderick Fluellen led the WSSU rushing attack with 58 yards.
Causing concern for the Rams, however was the fact that Purvis went down with injury late in the overtime period. "Purvis went down with a shoulder injury," WSSU head coach Kermit Blount said following the game. "He didn't start because of it and he landed on it wrong during the overtime period."
The Rams defense gave up 372 yards of total offense to the Bison, but was able to make some key plays when needed and kept the game close for all four quarters. For the second week in a row, it was WSSU junior safety Jamaine Mack that led the Rams defense with eight total tackles in the game. Redshirt-sophomore linebacker Chedrick Marshall added eight tackles as well. Senior Corey Swinnie recorded the sole sack of the game for the Rams.
WSSU sophomore quarterback Jarrett Dunston started the game, ending a string of 23 straight starts by Purvis at the quarterback position. The Rams' offense ran into some early struggles in the game, punting on their first two drives of the game. Purvis would enter the game early in the first quarter to get things going for the Rams. Though Purvis would lead the Rams to a pair of early first downs, he would have his third pass of the game intercepted on the Howard 4-yard line and returned the ball 31 yards. The effort would spark the Howard offense leading to a 12-yard TD pass from Howard quarterback Brian Johnson to senior wide receiver, Jarahn Williams. The PAT kick would leave the Rams trailing early 7-0 with 4:25 left in the first quarter. The Rams' struggles would leave the team with a 7-0 deficit heading into the second quarter.
Howard would strike again in the second quarter, going on a 10-play 91-yard touchdown drive that would put the Rams behind 14-0. It was another Johnson to Williams touchdown that would hurt the Rams with 13:16 left in the quarter. Though behind early, the Rams showed their meddle battling back to close the gap. WSSU sophomore linebacker Shawn Kearney would spark the Rams blocking a Howard punt at the Howard 17-yard line. The Rams would take advantage of the block when Purvis completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Kinzer with 00:35 left in the half. The Rams would force another opportunity on the very next play recovering a Howard fumble on the kickoff return at the Howard 23-yard line. The Rams would not capitalize however, as freshman kicker Matt Mitchell missed his second field goal of the game.
The Rams would immediately get the ball back once again recovering a Howard fumble at the 23-yard line on the kickoff return and recovering the fumble. Freshman kicker Matt Mitchell would miss his second field goal of the game and send the Rams into the half trailing 14-7.
For the half, the Rams totaled 164 yards of total offense, led by Purvis' 105 passing yards and touchdown. Senior running back Jed Bines added 21 yards on the ground to lead the WSSU rushing attack in the first half.
The second half saw the Rams battle back in the game as a pair of Howard penalties would give the Rams a total of 30 yards and a pair of first downs on their first drive of the second half. The team would capitalize when Scarbrough would take a 28-yard Purvis pass just inches off the ground in for the tying touchdown of the game. The play was a "gut-check" for the Rams as it came on 4th-and-8 for the Rams at the Howard 28-yard line.
The Bison would respond, however, when Johnson connected with freshman tight end Xavier Fowler for a 32-yard TD pass with 4:42 left in the third quarter. The PAT left the Rams trailing 21-14. The score would stand heading into the fourth quarter as a Howard defensive stand would force a WSSU punt that would give Howard the ball heading into the fourth quarter.
Howard would dominate possessions for the much of the remainder of regulation play as the Rams would total just over five minutes of possession time in the fourth quarter. The Rams would not need long to score however. After getting the ball with 5:21 left in regulation play, WSSU senior offensive lineman Javon Hubbard would recover a Fluellen goal-line fumble in the endzone to score the tying touchdown. The Mitchell PAT would tie the game, 21-21 and send the game into overtime.
The overtime session was a brutal one for the Rams as the team opened the period with three straight sacks to put the team in a 4th-and 33 situation. Making matters worse, it was then that Purvis was sidelined by injury. Dunston would connect with redshirt freshman Bryant Bayne for 42-yard touchdown, but had the play called back because of a holding penalty. Dunston was intercepted on fourth down to end the Rams' possession.
Howard would capitalize on their next drive with three straight rushes to set up the game-clinching 28-yard field goal.
"Howard stepped up big late in the game and forced out of rhythm," WSSU head coach Kermit Blount said following the loss.
With the loss, the Rams fall to 2-3 on the season while Howard improves to 1-3 on the year. The Rams will not have long to recover as the team will face the Florida A&M Rattlers in the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana next Saturday.
