Albany State slams Clark Atlanta 54-19

The Albany State Golden Rams scored three touchdowns in just seven plays in the second quarter to blow open a close game and slammed Clark Atlanta 54-19 Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.

The Clark Atlanta Panthers committed three turnovers on three consecutive plays and the Rams responded quickly each time to take the score from 6-0 in favor of Clark Atlanta to 20-6 for the Rams in the span of just seven plays.

The Panthers had jumped on the board quickly when the Rams Tracy Scott fumbled, and the Panthers took the ball in for a touchdown. But the turnover bug then hit the Panthers in the second quarter. ASU’s Tyler Scott picked off a pass from Clark Atlanta Charles Stafford, an Albany graduate from Monroe High School. On the second play, junior running back Tracy Scott broke off the biggest run of the year so far for the Rams with a 53-yard touchdown run. The PAT kick by Gabriel Ballinas gave the Rams the lead 7-6.

After the Panthers took the kickoff, they fumbled on the first play and Albany State recovered and had possession at the 24-yard line. One play later, the Rams were in the end zone for another six points on a 24-yard run by McKinley Habersham. The same thing happened on the next possession. Linebacker Brandon Kimble recovered another fumble by the Panthers and the Rams had the ball at the 24 again. Two plays later, Tracy Scott blew past the Panther defense for his second touchdown run of the game and the Rams led 20-6.

The Panthers didn’t fumble on the next drive, but the offense couldn’t move against Albany State’s “Dirty Blue” defense and were forced to punt. When they did punt, the Rams blocked the punt and ASU had possession at the nine-yard line. On third and goal from the two, redshirt sophomore tight end Kejon Deberry caught a play action pass in the end zone for his first reception as a Ram and gave Albany State a 27-6 lead after Ballinas kicked the extra point.

Ballinas booted a 46-yard field goal late in the second to push the halftime lead to 30-6.

The Rams pushed the lead to 47-6 in the third quarter as substitute after substitute saw playing time for Albany State. Ballinas nailed a 42-yard field goal, then freshman Edward Walker scored his first touchdown with a 21-yard run and that was followed by a 47-yard touchdown run by freshman Marcus Fulks.

The Rams got one more touchdown in the fourth quarter when Matavion Brooks raced past the Panthers for a 72-yard run with just over seven minutes left in the game.

Clark’s quarterback Stafford finally found some success in the fourth quarter, leading two drives for touchdowns. Stafford finished the first drive with a 27-yard pass to Corey King to cap a 96-yard, 12-play drive. On the final scoring drive of the game, Stafford hit King with a five-yard pass to cap a 75-yard drive.

The Rams are now 2-2 on the season and will be at home in the Albany State Coliseum next Saturday afternoon. Tuskegee University will be coming to Albany to face the Golden Rams in another SIAC matchup. Kick-off is slated for 5 p.m.