DALLAS -- Big Tex overlooked Prairie View A&M, holding off Grambling State for a 21-14 victory Saturday night at the State Fair Classic in the Cotton Bowl.  If they win this classic again, the committee may consider erecting a statue of a Black Panther guarding the pathway inside of the legendary 96-year-old stadium.

The win improves the Panthers to 2-3 overall and 2-0 in the SWAC, sharing the West lead with Alcorn State, which outlasted Texas Southern 43-40 in overtime.

Grambling State fell to 2-2 and 0-1 in conference play.  Mickey Joseph’s team gave Prairie View a good fight, using a variety of passers, none of whom is RJ Johnson, the team’s starter.

Prairie View A&M’s signal-caller, Tevin Carter, was steady, completing 18 of 22 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

Jahbari Kuykendall rushed 11 times for 41 yards and a third-quarter touchdown, giving the Panthers their first lead.  Chase Bingmon ground out 11 rushes for 42 yards, while Carter notched 13 carries for 56 rushing yards.

Coach Tremaine Jackson has one pet peeve.  Turnovers.  None in which the Panthers turned the ball over against the G-Men.

The State Fair Classic had 42,942 attendees who braved the early 91-degree heat.

Prairie View used its rushing attack to amass 168 yards on 41 carries, outgaining Grambling 317 yards to 265 and holding the ball for 31:40.

A Scoreless First Quarter

The first quarter was like watching a Floyd Mayweather fight, a lot of measuring with very little action.  Then, after the undefeated champion took a few hits and figured out his opponent, he got to work.  

Grambling State got in the first hit, taking a 7-0 lead with 7:36 left in the second quarter. Ashton Frye entered at quarterback and ran four times on the drive. On third-and-7 from midfield, he found Nae'Saan Dickerson for a 50-yard touchdown, and Theodore Caballero added the extra point.

Prairie View countered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive. On the drive, Carter completed three passes to Damien McDaniel to move the chains. Next, he hit Travon Jones for a 37-yard touchdown with 3:39 left in the half. Ethan Eddins kicked the extra point to tie the classic at 7-7.

Before the half ended, the Panthers backed down Grambling to reach the 34-yard line.  On fourth-and-4, the Jon Horton and Corey Amos combo sacked Carter to force a turnover on downs.

The score stayed 7-7 at halftime.

Panthers Take Control in the Second Half

Prairie View seized the lead on a nine-play, 83-yard drive that chewed up 5:25 of the clock.

Rodny Ojo caught a 25-yard pass from Carter on second-and-13 play. McDaniel ran for 12 yards. Kuykendall finished the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run at the 5:40 mark of the third quarter. Prairie View led 14-7.

Grambling drove to the Prairie View 31 on its next possession. On the final play of the third quarter, Cedric Thornton Jr. and Eric Zachery sacked Jacobe Robinson for a 25-yard loss. The Tigers punted two plays later.

Prairie View extended the lead with a 10-play, 77-yard drive early in the fourth quarter. Chase Bingmon converted a fourth-and-1 at the Grambling 49 with a 5-yard run. Two plays later, he broke a 12-yard run to the Grambling 29. A Grambling unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the 13. Carter threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kheagian Heckaman with 9:13 left. Prairie View led 21-7.

Maxson Stop Holds Up

Grambling moved to the Prairie View 39 on its next drive, helped by a pass interference penalty. On fourth-and-4, Damani Maxson broke up Robinson's pass to force a turnover on downs with 6:00 left. Maxson finished with three pass breakups.

The Tigers got the ball back after a Prairie View punt. Robinson hit Tyson George for a 47-yard touchdown with 3:10 remaining. The four-play, 62-yard drive took 47 seconds and cut the lead to 21-14.

Kuykendall returned the ensuing kickoff 25 yards to the Prairie View 37. Carter ran for 12 and 15 yards on the first two plays. Kuykendall converted a third-and-2 with a 5-yard run. Carter knelt twice to end the game.

Panthers Stat Leaders

• Carter added 38 net rushing yards on 13 carries.
• Bingmon ran 11 times for 42 yards.
• Kuykendall carried 11 times for 41 yards and a touchdown.
• Prairie View outrushed Grambling 146 yards to 72.
• Rodny Ojo led the receivers with five catches for 64 yards.
• Chaney Fitzgerald caught five passes for 37 yards.
• McDaniel had five receptions for 26 yards.
• On defense, Kamrin Canterbury and Jalen O'Neal each made six tackles.
• O'Neal also broke up a pass. Zachery had 1.5 tackles for loss.

Tigers Stat Leaders

• Robinson completed 9 of 18 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.
• Frye went 1-for-3 for 50 yards and a touchdown.
• George caught two passes for 63 yards.
• D'Shaun Ford led the Tigers with 31 rushing yards on eight carries.
• Lonell Cunningham led all players with 11 tackles.
• Marcellius Johnson made 10 tackles and a sack. Horton had 1.5 sacks. The Tigers sacked Carter four times.
• Penalties hurt the Tigers.
• Dirty laundry was everywhere: Grambling was flagged 10 times for 90 yards, and Prairie View had seven penalties for 62 yards.

Next

Grambling State (2-2 overall, 0-1 SWAC) will host Alcorn State (3-2 overall, 2-0 SWAC) at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium for Homecoming on Oct. 3. The kickoff is set for 2:00 PM CT.

Prairie View A&M (2-3 overall, 2-0 SWAC) will travel to Itta Bena, Mississippi, for a 2:00 PM CT meeting with Mississippi Valley State (1-4 overall, 0-1 SWAC) at Rice-Totten Stadium.