Prairie View Routs Texas Southern 52-14 in 41st Labor Day Classic

Prairie View A&M scored on its opening play from scrimmage and never let up, routing Texas Southern 52-14 in the 41st Labor Day Classic on Sunday at Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field. J. Kuykendall took the opening kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown, and Prairie View led 17-0 after the first quarter. The Panthers move to 1-0 in the SWAC West, a stakes-setter Prairie View coach Tremaine Jackson had flagged on this week’s SWAC media call, and keep the traveling Nicks-Durley Trophy.

A fast start Texas Southern never answered

Kuykendall’s return touchdown came 15 seconds into the game. Prairie View added a 24-yard touchdown pass from Tevin Carter to D. McDaniel and a 37-yard field goal from E. Eddins before the first quarter ended, building a 17-0 lead on just three possessions. Texas Southern’s only response in the first half was a 17-yard touchdown run by Cam’Ron McCoy early in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 17-7 at the break.

Prairie View turned the third quarter into a rout, scoring 28 unanswered points on five straight possessions: a 24-yard Carter touchdown run, a 39-yard touchdown pass to T. Jones, a 46-yard touchdown pass to C. Bingmon, and a 2-yard touchdown run by Bingmon. Texas Southern’s best answer of the half was a blocked 50-yard field goal attempt by Miguel Arana. Carter added a fifth touchdown, a 2-yard pass to Jones, early in the fourth quarter before Texas Southern’s Ri’Jon Hammond scored on an 8-yard run with five seconds left to set the final margin.

Carter accounts for five touchdowns; Renfro held in check

Carter finished 17 of 23 for 222 yards and four touchdowns, adding a rushing score for a five-touchdown day. He spread the ball to five different receivers, with T. Jones (three catches, 36 yards, two touchdowns) and C. Bingmon (four catches, 59 yards, one touchdown, to go with his rushing score) doing the most damage. Kuykendall’s return touchdown was part of a 147-yard all-purpose day.

Texas Southern running back Athean Renfro, last week’s SWAC Offensive Player of the Week after a 163-yard outing, was held to 85 yards on 17 carries without a touchdown. Prairie View coach Tremaine Jackson previewed exactly this plan on the SWAC coaches’ call earlier in the week. “You got to fit your gaps, build a wall, and tackle,” Jackson said at the time. “Stopping the run is like building a house. It’s brick, mortar, brick.”

Prairie View’s M. Williams led the pressure up front with three sacks and three tackles for loss, while K. Canterbury led all tacklers with 11.

Texas Southern’s passing game never found a rhythm. Cam’Ron McCoy was sacked seven times for 32 yards lost and finished 10 of 19 for 81 yards with no touchdowns before Nelson Peterson Jr. took over and went 4 of 8 for 21 yards. McCoy also lost two fumbles. McCoy’s 17-yard touchdown run and Hammond’s 8-yard score in the final minute were Texas Southern’s only two trips to the end zone.

A stat sheet that does not match the scoreboard

Texas Southern actually led several categories on the stat sheet. The Tigers held the ball for 40 minutes, 37 seconds to Prairie View’s 19:23, ran 76 offensive plays to the Panthers’ 55, and posted 21 first downs to Prairie View’s 20, converting 7 of 18 third downs to Prairie View’s 3 of 9. None of it mattered against a Prairie View offense that averaged 7.3 yards per play to Texas Southern’s 4.1. Prairie View also converted all three of its red zone trips into scores, two touchdowns and a field goal, while Texas Southern scored on two of its three, and won the turnover battle 2-0, with Texas Southern’s two lost fumbles both coming on McCoy sacks.

Prairie View moves to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the SWAC West. Texas Southern falls to 1-1.