Lincoln's defense limited the Virginia State University football team to a season low 232 yards total offense on Saturday. However the Lions offense again struggled as the Trojans pulled out a 33-5 win at Lions Stadium.
The loss drops Lincoln's record to 0-8 overall and 0-5 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) games. The Trojans improve to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in league games.
Lincoln held the Trojans to just ten first downs, 99 yards passing and 132 yards rushing; the first two items (first downs and passing) were the lowest outputs by any LU opponent this season. VSU's 232 yards of total offense was also the lowest output by an opponent this season and the second time in 2019 that the LU defense has held an opponent to under 300 yards total offense.
The Lions jumped out to an early 3-0 league on
Cole Klubek's (Biloxi, Miss./Hamburg) first collegiate field goal. Starting on their own 28-yard line, the Lions drove down to the Trojan nine-yard line before the drive stalled.
Emmett Hunt's (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) 36-yard pass to
Dah'mear Triplett (Elkton, Md./Elkton) helped set up a first-and-ten from the VSU 12. Once the drive stalled, Klubek came in and drilled the field goal from 31-yards out to give Lincoln the early 3-0 lead.
Virginia State scored 26 unanswered points before haftime and went into the locker room leading 26-3. The Lions added a safety late in the third quarter when
Roosevelt Jordan (Shamong, N.J./Seneca) blocked a punt that went out of the end zone, making the score 26-5. The Trojans added a late touchdown to round out the scoring.
Justin Johnson (Etters, Pa./Red Land) led the Lions with 21 yards rushing. Hunt (4-7, 70 yds.) and
Eban Jackson II (Los Angeles, Calif./Narbonne) (11-23, 80 yds.) combined for 150 yards passing. The two quarterbacks were also sacked a total of 15 times over the course of the game. Triplett led all receivers with five catches for 60 yards while
Deontae Brockington (Randallstown, Md./Baltimore City College HS) had four catches for 36 yards.
On the defensive end
D'Rico Cook (Waldorf, Md./St. Charles) had ten tackles (seven solo) to lead all players. He also added a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and one tackle for an eight yard loss.
Solomon Bassett (Fort Worth, Texas/Boswell) added seven tackles (five solo).
The Lions return to action on Saturday, November 2, 2019 when they visit defending CIAA Champion Bowie State University. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m.
