On the road again: Albany State heads to South Carolina

ALBANY — Albany State finally got the fast start David Bowser had been looking for Saturday.

This week, the Golden Rams would like to do it again — for a different reason.

Coming off a 49-17 victory over Savannah State that gave Bowser his first win as Albany State’s head coach, the Golden Rams travel to Columbia, S.C., Saturday to face an Allen University team capable of putting points on the board in a hurry.

The Yellow Jackets are 2-1 and have scored 37, 31 and 43 points in their first three games. They opened with a 37-16 win at Livingstone, lost 38-31 to Florida Memorial and bounced back Saturday with a 43-7 road victory over Lane.

And they have a weapon who has played in the SEC.

Wide receiver Deion Smith played at LSU and Ole Miss and was rated the nation’s No. 1 junior-college receiver after a season at Holmes Community College in Mississippi in which he led the NJCAA with 1,063 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

Bowser knows exactly what that means for his secondary.

“Cam will have his work cut out for him this week,” Bowser said, referring to Albany State defensive back Cam Watts.

Smith has already shown his big-play ability at Allen. Against Florida Memorial, he caught only three passes but turned them into 123 yards, including a 63-yard reception. Quarterback Brent Upshaw Jr. threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

That’s why Bowser’s preferred scenario begins with Albany State’s offense.

He wants the Golden Rams to come out fast, build pressure on Allen to keep pace and take away some of the Yellow Jackets’ offensive options.

In other words, make them one-dimensional.

“Take one away and take it away early,” Bowser said.

That would allow Albany State to lean on what has been the strength of the team through three weeks — its defense.

Bowser believes defensive backs Watts and Evan Wynn are playing at a high level, while the Golden Rams are getting strong play up front from defensive ends Drayton and Weeks. Watts, Bowser said, is beginning to hit his stride as Albany State finds different ways to create pressure.

The return of sophomore linebacker Jimmy Dawson also gives the defense a different feel.

Dawson missed the Johnson C. Smith game after being injured in the season opener against Florida A&M. He returned Saturday against Savannah State and, even at what Bowser estimated was about 80 percent, helped energize a defense that limited the Tigers to 19 rushing yards.

Bowser calls Dawson the “heart and soul” of the defense because of the way teammates respond to his presence.

But Allen presents a different test.

The Yellow Jackets have demonstrated balance when needed. In their loss to Florida Memorial, they threw for 252 yards while Javis Floyd rushed for 131. In the season opener against Livingstone, Allen threw for 333 yards and rushed for 189.

For Albany State, Saturday is also an opportunity to prove its performance at Savannah State was more than a one-week breakthrough.

After opening 0-2 against FAMU and Johnson C. Smith, the Golden Rams changed several elements of their preparation last week. Bowser slowed down the teaching process, increased walkthrough work and altered the offensive approach.

It paid off with 49 points and a game in which Albany State never punted.

Now comes the next step.

Bowser also wants continued improvement on special teams, particularly in the field-goal game. The Golden Rams didn’t need three points at a time in a runaway victory Saturday.

They may not have that luxury every week.

And against an Allen team that has shown it can strike quickly, Albany State’s challenge is straightforward:

Start fast, take something away and make the Yellow Jackets play the game on the Golden Rams’ terms.

The game will air on the SIAC network at 4 p.m. Saturday.