ATLANTA (AP) — Jacobian Morgan threw a pair of touchdown passes to Joanes Fortilien, Irv Mulligan added two short touchdown runs and Jackson State defeated South Carolina State 28-7 on Saturday in the Celebration Bowl that serves as the HBCU national championship.
The Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Tigers (12-2) outgained the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s Bulldogs (9-3) 383-211, giving up just 59 yards through three quarters to win their 10th straight game. Jackson State won its first Celebration Bowl, coming in its third appearance in four years.
Morgan was 15 of 21 for 233 yards passing with an interception. Isaiah Spencer had 123 yards receiving.
The Bulldogs’ Eric Phoenix, who sat out the third quarter, was 13 of 20 for 167 yards — enough to make him the program’s season passing leader with 2,628 yards. He ran for South Carolina State’s only touchdown.
SOUTH ALABAMA 30, W. MICHIGAN 23
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Bishop Davenport made his second start of the season and accounted for three touchdowns, Jeremiah Webb had six receptions for 182 yards and two TDs and South Alabama rallied to beat Western Michigan at the Veterans Bowl.
South Alabama (7-6), under first-year head coach Major Applewhite, played in a bowl game for the third consecutive season.
Hayden Wolff threw a 7-yard TD pass to Anthony Sambucci to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive and trim Western Michigan’s deficit to 23-20 with 6:17 to play but Kentrel Bullock ran five times for 50 yards, including 22-yard scoring run, on the ensuing drive to make it a 10-point game with 2:42 left.
Bullock finished with 130 yards rushing on 17 carries. Davenport completed 15 of 24 for 271 yards and two touchdowns and added 85 yards rushing, including a 50-yard TD in the third quarter.
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