Albany, GA- After a furious second-half comeback, the Golden Rams came up short to the Shaw University Bears on Saturday evening at ASU Coliseum for the home opener. With the loss, Albany State fell to 0-2 on the season, while SU improved to 2-0 overall.

In the first quarter, the Golden Rams and Bears battled for the initial opportunity to score, but neither team managed to put points on the board.

In the second quarter, a game-changing interception led to a celebration that backfired, resulting in a safety and giving Shaw the first score of the game. The Bears extended their lead to 9-0 before the Golden Rams managed to score, narrowing the lead. Christian Peters connected with Jon Barns for a 53-yard pass, extending their lead to 16-9 just before the half.

The Golden Rams offense came out with a surge of energy, eager to turn things around. They were relentless as they scored the first touchdown of the half through Dajon Richard, putting them ahead by three points. Later, Knowles made an impressive 23-yard pass to Devon Dorsey, extending the lead to 19-16. The Golden Rams further solidified their lead with another touchdown scored by Xavier Herdon, putting them ahead of the Bears 26-16. The dominant Dirty Blue Defense frustrated the Bear's offense, stalling their third-quarter performance.

In the thrilling fourth quarter, both teams showed incredible determination as they battled it from one end zone to another. The Bears' offense kicked off the final quarter with a touchdown, setting the stage for an epic finish. ASU responded with a jaw-dropping 88-yard kick-off return by Tiant Wyche, extending their lead to 33-23. After an intense back-and-forth of scoring, the Golden Rams were ahead 40-37. With just under two minutes left on the clock, the Bears gained possession. In the final drive, Shaw's offense took the lead with just eight seconds remaining and secured a 43-40 victory over the Golden Rams.

History:
The Bears last defeated the Golden Rams in 1968 with a final score of 15-13. After this initial meeting, Albany State and Shaw met two more times. The Golden Rams secured their first win against the Bears in 1977 with a score of 45-6. The most recent meeting between the two schools took place in 2008, with the Golden Rams extending their series lead to 2-1 with a 27-10 victory over the Bears. With this loss, the series is now tied 2-2.

UP Next:
After taking a week off, the Golden Rams return to action and begin conference play on the road against Central State on September 21 in Rochester, NY, for the inaugural Frederick Douglass Classic.  

Stay Connected
For complete coverage of ASU Athletics, follow us on social media @asugoldenrams (Instagram), @ASUGoldenRams (Twitter), ASU Rams Nation (Facebook), or visit the official home of the Golden Rams at www.asugoldenrams.com.