ETTRICK, VA – The Lincoln University football team fell to Virginia State Saturday, 23-3, at Rogers Stadium on the Trojans' Homecoming game.

Lincoln scored first as freshman Samuel Okezie-Imo (Owings Mills, Md. /New Town) capped off a 13-play, 65-yard drive with a 32-yard field goal. A 44-yard pass from freshman Andrew Banks (Atlanta, Ga. /Mays) to junior Drew Stephens (Newark, N.J. /Abraham Clark) put the Lions in the red zone was the biggest play of the drive.

Lincoln's defense stiffened late in the quarter as a punt return left Virginia State 15 yards from pay dirt, but it couldn't muster any offense and had to settle for a 32-yard field goal. Another short field had the Lions in a perilous position, but Lincoln forced another field goal by limiting VSU to 26 yards on five plays.

A fumble on special teams threatened to allow Virginia State to put more points on the board, but the LU defense forced a three and out.

Virginia State scored its first touchdown of the game with a 14-play, 90-yard drive in the second quarter. The Trojans added a field goal in the third quarter and a touchdown in the fourth.

Senior Devon Cathcart (Chicago, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) finished with eight tackles, including one for loss, while junior Kentrell Pierce (Calumet City, Ill./Harold Richards) added five tackles and three pass breakups. Junior Mike Johnson (Edgewood, Md./Edgewood) and freshman Franklin Turner III each had a sack.

Stephens finished with a career-high 103 yards on five catches as freshman Andrew Banks (Atlanta, Ga. /Mays) was 9-of-21 for 131 yards and one interception.

Junior Samuel Jordan (Shamong, N.J./Seneca) finished with 48 yards on 16 carries for the Lions.

Lincoln welcomes nationally-ranked Bowie State Saturday for Senior Day.