Grambling simply runs past Southern in 36th Bayou Classic

Grambling ran its way to a second Bayou Classic victory in as many years – and fifth since 2000.

Frank Warren led all GSU rushers with 166 yards and two touchdowns in an eventual 31-13 win over Southern, its in-state Southwestern Athletic Conference rival.

“That was the plan, to give it to Frank and (fellow junior running back) Cornelius (Walker), and let them take it over,” said junior GSU quarterback Greg Dillon.

Grambling’s 53 rush attempts were most all year; its 308 yards were also a season high. Every GSU touchdown came on the ground.

“Our offensive line really did an outstanding job,” said Grambling coach Rod Broadway, now 2-1 against Southern. “Any time you rush for that many yards, you’re doing something right.”

A game featuring teams tied at 18-18 all time in the Superdome – and 4-4 in the 2000s – played as scripted, with Grambling and Southern trading pairs of touchdowns in the first half.

Dillon ran for an 8-yard touchdown to open the scoring, followed by a 14-yard TD by GSU athlete Kiare Thompson. Southern answered right back with a 31-yard scoring pass by Bryant Lee to Currey Allen and a 3-yard TD run by Gary Holliman.

The difference in the 14-13 lead for Grambling at the break was a blocked second-quarter extra point by Christian Anthony, the contest’s eventual most valuable player.

Warren returned to score a 13-yard third-quarter touchdown before the 36 th annual Bayou Classic, again in keeping with tradition, stalemated once more.

Southern and Grambling traded seven consecutive punts into the fourth period before Grambling added a 24-yard Ari Johnson field goal and Warren’s clinching blast from the one – both inside the game’s final 5 minutes.

Lee, the MVP of Southern’s 2007 victory in Broadway’s rookie season at Grambling, was 13-of-28 for 137 yards and the Jaguars’ opening touchdown. Dillon, who mostly handed off, was 12-of-26 for 134 yards.

“One thing we wanted to do was run the ball, and keep their offense off the field,” Grambling’s Broadway said. “They can be explosive.”

Not on this day.

Southern’s celebrated receiver Jaumorris Stewart was shut down by Grambling defensive back Nigel Copeland, finishing with just three catches for six yards. Stewart came into the game leading the SWAC in receptions, yards and touchdowns.

INSIDE THE HUDDLE:
GOOD PLAY
Greg Dillon hurtled over Timothy Berry for the game’s first points, going airborne from the SU 2 and then helmet over tea kettle into the end zone for the touchdown.

BAD PLAY
Grambling got the ball back on a Bryant Lee fumble when Charlie Brewer recovered at the SU 31 just before the half, but failed to score to extend its early one-point lead.

BIG HIT
Don Holloway sniffed out a Dillon scramble, closed fast and absolutely swallowed up the Grambling quarterback, dropping him for a 14-yard loss on Grambling’s final second-quarter possession. That pushed GSU to 4th and 22, and a punt.

DID YOU NOTICE?
Faces in the crowd included a number of former Grambling standouts – quarterbacks James “Shack” Harris and Doug Williams, defensive backs Everson Walls and Greg Fassitt (re-signed this week by the Saints), defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, and running back Vyron Brown, among many others.

SOMETHING SPECIAL
Southern opened with a knifing return for 74 yards by Corey Cushingberry, all the way to the Grambling 10. But GSU stopped the Jaguars three consecutive times, then Jaguars kicker Joshua Durant missed the 21-yard field goal.

EXTRA POINT
Christian Anthony, announced this as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award recognizing the nation’s best FCS defender, earned game MVP honors Saturday after making a team-high 9 tackles, a game-high two sacks, forcing a fumble and blocking an extra point.