West Georgia defeats Albany State 48-16

CARROLLTON — West Georgia got out to a quick start and built a commanding 41-point lead before Albany State could get any points on the board as the Golden Rams dropped a 48-16 decision Saturday afternoon to even its record at 2-2.

It was the second consecutive loss for ASU. West Georgia is 3-1 on the season.

The Wolves opened the scoring in the first quarter, with Willie Candler hitting J.J. Jones with a 9-yard strike to cap an 11-play, 74-yard drive. Another TD toss from Candler — a 3-yarder to Shaq Roland, wrapped up a second drive, this one 69 yards in 13 plays, to gives West Georgia a 14-0 advantage.

In the second quarter, Candler continued the attack, calling his own number for a 14-yard score with 13;11 to go. He then Hit Deniko Carter with a 40-yard pass to with time expired, giving the Wolves a commanding 28-0 lead going into halftime.

The third quarter started out badly for the Golden Rams. Starting at their own 22, The Rams moved the ball to the 28 before junior running back McKinley Habersham fumbled on a three-yard loss, with the Wolves recovering on the 30. Junior running back Devontae Jackson picked up 20 on the ground and Candler got three more before Travis Custis took the ball in from the 7.

Later in the third, Candler hit Tevin Isom with a 28-yard pass to complete a 79-yard, nine-play drive. The Rams defense blocked the point-after by kicker Trey Wiggins, however, and junior linebacker Anthony Davis, who blocked the kick, took the ball all the way down field to get ASU on the board, trailing 41-2.

Albany State got on the board with a touchdown after West Georgia’s Jones fumbled a 46-yard punt by ASU’s Gabriel Balinas on the Wolves’ 18 and Habersham recovered the ball on the 20. Fraise picked up seven on the ground, then freshman quarterback Chancellor Johnson hit senior tight end Chris Hunt with a 13-yard strike to the end zone. The point after made it 41-9.

In the fourth quarter, Fraise broke loose to wrap up ASU’s scoring. He picked up five yards on the ground that were negated by an illegal substitution penalty on the next play. After an incomplete, Fraise broke loose to scamper 60 yards with 10:14 to go in the game. The point after made it 41-16.

West Georgia, however, answered with a long scoring run of its own — a 34-yarder by Perry Seldon — which was followed by the PAT, giving the Wolves a 48-16 lead that would stand.

West Georgia had a wide advantage in total yardage, 509 to 207 for ASU, and had nearly triple the number of first downs — 18 to the Rams’ 10.

Albany State got 120 yards on the ground on 33 rushes and 146 in the air, with 8 of 21 passing. West Georgia showed a balanced attack, grinding out 225 yards on 45 rushes and netting 284 in the air on 24 for 34 passing.

In Individual statistics, Fraise, aided by his long scoring run, averaged 13.6 yards per carry, with 68 yards on five rushes to lead Albany State’s ground game. Johnson, who was sacked three times, was 5 for 11 in the air for 46 yards and a TD, while sophomore Billy Cobb hit 3 of 10 for 41 yards. He was sacked once. Mike Green led Ram receivers with 44 yards on four catches.

Jackson led the Wolves on the ground with 65 yards on a dozen carries,, while candler was 21-29 in the air for 263 yards and four touchdowns. He was sacked once. Roland led West Georgia receivers with 54 yards and a TD on five catches.

Albany State travels to Fairfield, Ala., Saturday to play the Miles College Golden Bears.