Photo Credit: Morehouse Football
The lights were bright, the crowd was loud, and the Morehouse College Maroon Tigers took the field for the Big Cat Classic on Clark Atlanta University’s bright red turf in a nighttime showdown.
From the start, Clark Atlanta wasted no time making a statement. Two quick touchdowns had the Panthers up 21–0 before the first quarter ended. Then, their third came after a deep pass that slipped away from Morehouse on a fumble.
But the Maroon Tigers showed fight. First, QB Miles Scott broke free for a rushing score to get Morehouse on the board. Then, after a big kick return from RB Corey Pendergrass, Scott connected deep with WR Azari Brown for another touchdown, trimming the lead to 24–13.
The second quarter started slowly. However, the Panthers struck first with a rush from 230-lb RB Jalen Samuels, extending their lead to 31–14 after the extra point. But Morehouse wasn’t done. Scott led the Maroon Tigers down the field and connected with RB Dallas Johnson, bringing the score to 31–21.
Just before halftime, Clark Atlanta added another touchdown to take a 38–21 lead.
Meanwhile, the Maroon Tigers’ struggles showed on the stat sheet: limited rushing yards and costly penalties. As a result, the Panthers extended their lead to 45–21.
However, Morehouse refused to quit. Scott rushed in for another touchdown, cutting the lead to 45–28. Following that, Morehouse recovered an onside kick, setting up a successful field goal to make it 45–31 with 14:05 left in the game.
In the final quarter, both teams traded points. Clark Atlanta kicked a field goal, and Morehouse responded with a touchdown, trimming the deficit to 48–38. With that score, Scott broke the Morehouse single-season passing touchdowns record, reaching 17 and surpassing Jimmie Davis’ 1989 mark.
QB Miles Scott is throwing a touchdown in the 4th quarter to WR Eric Stephens. Photo Credit: Morehouse Football
The Tigers kept fighting late. A reception and touchdown by WR Eric Stephens brought Morehouse within three points at 48–45. But it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
Ultimately, the Panthers held on to win, taking bragging rights in this year’s rivalry matchup. Both teams finished the season with a 3–7 record.
