Sports

Tigers settle Quarterback controversy with shutout in SWAC opener

GRAMBLING, La. – The Grambling State Tigers beat Alabama State University 34-0, Saturday night at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.

The win put Tigers home winning streak to 13 games.

Head coach Broderick Fobbs stated, “It felt good to get a victory and our kids played extremely hard, it also felt good to be dominate in most phases of the game” in his post-game interview Saturday night.  

Fobbs altered the starting lineup and went with Freshmen Aldon Clark at quarterback. Clark split time with Geremy Hickbottom the first two games of the season where he showed flashes of a starter. The G-MEN dominated every aspect of the game offensively, defensively, as well as special teams.

Special teams got the Tigers on the board first after Malik Route went for a career long 79 yard punt return for a touchdown minutes into the first quarter. The offense kept the momentum coming out dominating the line of scrimmage, racking up over 290 yards offensively. The defense did their job forcing the Hornets into four turnovers highlighted by a 66 yard interception return for a touchdown by De’Arius Christmas. Senior kicker Marc Orozco took a step closer to becoming the all-time leader in points by a kicker. Orozco came into the game 44 points away, he registered 10 points on the night with four extra-point kicks and two field goals on the night bringing him just 34 points away.

When asked, how much of a statement was it to have a shutout in this first SWAC win Fobbs replied “Big, that’s our defense.” The defense didn’t allow a single point on the board for the first time since the 2011 season.

Grambling State will travel to Dallas, Texas for the 95th Annual Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic to take on Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Sept. 29 at Cotton Bowl stadium, kickoff is set for 4 p.m. The Tigers came out on top against the Panthers in their 2017 matchup. Prairie View A&M is coming in off a 62-13 victory on Sept. 22, over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Fighting Tigers

  • Sept. 29 vs. Prairie View A&M (State Fair Classic)

  • Oct. 6 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State

  • Oct. 13 at Texas Southern

  • Oct. 20 at Alcorn State

  • Oct. 27 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

  • Nov.3 vs. Mississippi Valley State (Homecoming)  

  • Nov. 10 at Alabama A&M

  • Nov. 24 vs. Southern (Bayou Classic)