Albany, Ga.- Running back Jarvis Small rushed for 123 yards, his sixth straight game with 100 yards or more, and three touchdowns to lead the Albany State Golden Rams to a 34-12 victory over the Clark Atlanta Panthers. With the win, ASU, celebrating the university's annual homecoming, improves to 5-2 overall and 5-0 in the SIAC. CAU falls to 2-6, 0-4.
Small scored Albany State's first points late in the first period. With 3:20 left in the stanza, he ran the ball in from seven yards out to provide the Golden Rams with a 7-0 lead after Zachary Gayden-Holley's successful PAT. ASU used 2:29 to go six plays for 38 yards.
Small emerged again in the second quarter at the 12:53 mark. This time, he scored a 23-yard rushing touchdown to cap a 5-play, 44-yard drive that used 2:54. Albany State led 14-0 at that moment.
Five minutes later, quarterback Frank Rivers connected with Devonta Osborne for a 20-yard touchdown and a 20-0 lead. The PAT was blocked. The drive went for six plays and 42 yards in 2:54. The Golden Rams would take the same lead into halftime.
With 2:15 left in the third quarter, Clark Atlanta would finally score with an 18-yard rushing touchdown to cut its deficit to 20-6. The PAT was no good.
Albany State would answer CAU's small rally at the 14:31 mark of the fourth quarter. Rivers found Leonard Walker for a 49-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 27-6. The drive lasted for 2:33 and went six plays for 71 yards.
After leaving the game for an injury, Small returned to score a 4-yard touchdown with 7:25 remaining in the game. The Golden Rams led 34-6 after a 9-play, 46-yard drive in 3:55.
CAU closed the game scoring when they scored a 52-yard rushing touchdown at the 4:05 mark to account for the final score.
Rivers finished 13 for 17 with 174 yards and two touchdowns. Walker caught three passes for 70 yards, and Osborne added five catches for 63 yards.
Defensively, Tavarius Washington led Albany State with 10 tackles, nine of which were solo. Larry Whitfield added eight solo tackles and Damien Goosby recorded two sacks.
Albany State will return to action on Saturday, November 1st when it travels to Columbia, South Carolina to face the Benedict College Tigers. Game time is slated for 2 p.m.
