BOWIE, Md. – In the 12th meeting between Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and No. 15 Bowie State University, the Bulldogs clinched the CIAA North for the second-consecutive season after defeating the Lions by a score of 65-20 on Saturday afternoon at Bulldogs Stadium. This is the fourth time in five seasons that Bowie State clinched the division title and send the Bulldogs back to the CIAA Championship game with one regular-season game remaining.
The victory improves the Bulldogs record to 9-0 overall, 6-0 in the CIAA and 4-0 in the Northern Division while the Lions’ record dropped to 0-8 overall, 0-6 in league play and 0-4 in the North.
The Bulldogs racked up 406 yards of total offense with three different quarterbacks splitting reps. Junior Ja’rome Johnson completed 13-of-17 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns to lead Bowie State offensively. Fellow junior Gaston Cooper accounted for 126 yards by completing 10-of-16 passes.
On the opposite end of the ball, Lincoln (Pa.) tallied 329 yards of total offense but turned the ball over nine times (six interceptions and three fumbles).
It did not take long for Bowie State to score as the Bulldogs penetrated the Lions endzone at the 14:12 mark of the opening quarter, when sophomore Demetri Morsell returned a 34-yard interception for a touchdown, putting the Bulldogs up 7-0.
Four minutes later, redshirt senior Adam Gillis Jr. took a four-yard run into the endzone and followed that up with a seven-yard run at the 7:38 mark, giving Bowie State a 21-0 lead.
Redshirt senior Geordan Clark caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Johnson, which extended the Bulldogs lead 28-0 with 3:04 left in the first quarter.
However, the Lions responded with 1:10 left to play in the first, when Dah’mear Triplett hauled in a 29-yard pass from Eban Jackson, shortening the Bulldogs advantage to 28-6.
At the 12:22 mark of the second quarter, junior Calil Wilkens rushed through the teeth of the LUPA defense for a 3-yard touchdown, stretching the Bulldogs lead 35-6.
Freshman Victor Olayinka snagged a 1-yard touchdown pass from Johnson, increasing the Bulldogs lead to 42-6.
At the 7:12 mark, redshirt junior Montez Clay caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Cooper, to expand the Bulldogs lead to 49-6.
Just before the half, Morsell picked off his second interception of the game (8th of the season) and returned it for a 64-yard touchdown which sent Bowie State fans into a frenzy, pushing the Bulldogs cushion to 55-6 heading into halftime.
In the third quarter, Bowie State continued to pile up the points on the scoreboard, taking the opening possession 65 yards in 11 plays which was capped off by a three-yard touchdown run by senior Derrick Kittrell and expanding the Bowie State lead to 62-6.
The Bulldogs scored its final points of the afternoon with 3:29 left in the third quarter. Senior Gene Carson connected on a 40-yard field goal attempt, which extended the Bulldogs lead to a whopping 65-6 lead.
Although the game was over, the Lions continued to fight in the fourth quarter. At the 5:55 mark, Triplett caught another touchdown pass from Jackson, this time for a 27-yard score. Then at the 1:53 mark, LUPA’s Deontae Brockington hauled in a 17-yard pass from Jackson to account for the final margin of 65-20.
Senior defensive back John Johnson IV was Bowie State’s leading ground gainer with 39 yards on a fake punt for a touchdown. Clay was the Bulldogs’ top receiver with 61 yards on five receptions while junior Chauncey Jackson was BSU’s top tackler with five.
The Bulldogs will take its undefeated record into Elizabeth City (N.C.) State Saturday (Nov. 9) to close out the regular season against the Vikings at 1:30 p.m.
