Naysayers and nonbelievers of head coach Broderick Fobbs’ G-Men football squad were heard throughout the press box in Rice-Totten Stadium during last Thursday’s game.
“This will be an easy win for Mississippi Valley.”
“And they (Grambling) say their record is 6-0 in the SWAC?”
These were just a couple of comments rendered, but what onlookers had failed to pay attention to is you cannot have greatness without the ‘G’.
The matchup against the Delta Devils began slowly and not so appealing to look at in the first quarter. Mississippi Valley scored the first two touchdowns of the game, with both of them coming from quarterback Quantavius Peterson.
But having a slight disadvantage didn’t prove to be a domineering factor for the G-Men. Both the defensive and offensive squads used the fact that they were losing as motivation to make a comeback in the game, and they did just that.
An 11-yard pass from quarterback Johnathan Williams to teammate Chad Williams resulted in the first touchdown for Grambling, putting points on the board for them. However, the good fortune for the G-Men didn’t stop there. With 50 seconds remaining in the second quarter, QB Williams threw a 30-yard pass to Anthony McGhee, resulting in a touchdown.
The Tigers would have a scoring advantage over their opponents for the remainder of the game.
While the G-Men have been able to upset their last six opposing teams during this season, Mississippi Valley was not ready to hand over the win so easily. Officials of the game threw their flags in the air many times on both teams. A total of 23 flags were thrown (13 for the G-Men and 10 for the Devils). Unsportsmanlike conduct and personal fouls were penalties called on Mississippi Valley and Grambling, resulting in the two teams losing a combined 260 yards.
Much determination was exemplified on the field from the Tigers — mainly in the third quarter. The offensive squad worked overtime, ensuring that their opponents would not be able to score. On two occasions in the game, the Tigers stopped the Devils from reaching the end zone to score a touchdown, when they were literally inches away from the goal line.
Both teams went on to score both a touchdown and field goal in the fourth quarter, but it was the Tigers who came out victorious. Final score of the game was 38-23.
Peterson of the Devils threw 138 yards while Williams of GSU surpassed him with 382. G-Men defensive leaders Donovan McCray and Steve Orisakwe both had seven tackles a piece.
The G-Men will take on Alabama State University Saturday. This will be the Tigers’ final home game of the season and Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Eddie G. Robinson Stadium.