JEFFERSON CITY, MO.—The Lincoln University football team started fast, then used a late rally to get back into the game, but fell short, as Peru State defeated Lincoln on homecoming, 16-14, Saturday afternoon at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.
Lincoln (0-7) received the ball first and marched right down the field behind the strong running of freshman Andre Young and solid blocking by the offensive line to move all the way to Peru State’s 46. Following a few plays that positioned the Blue Tigers down to the Bobcats’ 38, Lincoln opened the playbook, as junior quarterback Josh Goffigan faked a pitch, then aired it out hitting sophomore wide receiver Gordon Everett in the back of the end zone for the touchdown just four minutes into the game to make it 6-0 following the missed extra point try.
The Blue Tiger defense would help keep the lead at six, as the Bobcats marched on their opening drive, but we stuffed inside the Lincoln 10 and on a field goal attempt, junior corner back Ammar Dyson flew through blocking the kick to keep Peru State off the scoreboard.
Both teams would continue to battle it out on the rain-soaked field, before a big turnover helped the Bobcats tie the game. Junior runningback AJ Simeon lost the ball around the right side giving the Bobcats’ terrific field position at the Blue Tiger 13.
On the next play, Nate Jeter rumbled around the outside and dove for the pile-on to tie the game and after Demarkis Smith blocked the extra point try to keep it a six all game early in the second quarter.
A field goal by Peru State would give them a 9-6 lead and one that would remain that way into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter then turned into a whole different ballgame, as each team made big plays with the clock winding down.
With the ball hanging around midfield, the Bobcats finally got a drive mounted that led them to a fourth-and-three at the Blue Tiger 10 with three minutes to go in the contest. Quarterback Curtis Thompson bootlegged out to the right and his fullback again, Jeter, got loose in the defense, as he caught the pass at the five and went in untouched to give the Bobcats a 16-6 lead following the extra point with just 3:02 left to play.
With the Blue Tigers needing a quick strike, they began to air it out with quarterback Allan McClain, as he opened up the drive with a 48-yard strike to a wide-open Chris Willis who rumbled down to the Bobcats’ 13. Following an incompletion, McClain hit Goffigan in the back corner of the end zone to trim it to a 16-12 lead for Peru State and the Blue Tigers would get even closer, as on the two-point conversion, Dyson took the pitch and found the end zone to make it a 16-14 gap with a little over two minutes left in the game.
Lincoln then went with an onside kick that was recovered by the Blue Tigers at their own 40, but with a 15-yard penalty, the Blue Tigers backed up to the 25 with still time remaining.
The Blue Tigers continued with the trickery plays, as McClain rolled out to his right, and then threw back to the left hitting Goffigan, who avoided several would-be tacklers to get the ball down to the Peru State 39.
But the Bobcats’ defense came up big, as after an incompletion, McClain tossed one near the sidelines at the 12 and as Goffigan went for the ball, he slipped, which allowed the Bobcat defender, Fred Whitted the chance at the interception, which he would record to give the Bobcats the chance to run out the remaining minute and a half.
The Blue Tigers outgained the Bobcats, tallying 273 yards to 266, as Lincoln passed for 187 yards.
In Goffigan’s short time moving from quarterback to wide receiver in the fourth quarter, he led the team in receptions and yards, corralling three receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Young once again carried the ground attack for the Blue Tigers, pounding out 62 yards on 18 carries. Lincoln dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for over 44 minutes (44:18), while Peru State had it just over 30 minutes (30:42).
Lincoln will be back in action next Saturday when they will travel to Central State for a Great Lakes Football Conference game with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m.
Box Score (Final)
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Peru State.......... 0 9 0 7 - 16 Record: (3-3)
Lincoln University.. 6 0 0 8 - 14 Record: (0-7,0-1)
Scoring Summary:
1st 10:49 LU - Everett, G. 38 yd pass from Goffigan, J. (Campbell, A. kick failed), 8-60 4:11, PSU 0 - LU 6
2nd 12:22 PSU - Jeter, N. 13 yd run (Kohlhoff, Z. kick blockd), 1-13 0:09, PSU 6 - LU 6
06:51 PSU - Kohlhoff, Z. 25 yd field goal, 10-52 3:59, PSU 9 - LU 6
4th 03:02 PSU - Jeter, N. 10 yd pass from Thompson, C. (Kohlhoff, Z. kick), 5-35 2:15, PSU 16 - LU 6
02:19 LU - Goffigan, J. 13 yd pass from McClain, A. (Dyson, A. rush), 3-61 0:36, PSU 16 - LU 14