Tuskegee holds off Alabama State 27-25

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Derrick Washington ran for 95 yards and a touchdown and threw a 57-yard pass on a halfback option to help Tuskegee beat Alabama State 27-25 on Thursday in the Turkey Day Classic, spoiling the Hornets’ first game at New ASU Stadium.

Washington also had three catches for 32 yards for the Southern Intercollegiate champion Tigers (10-1). Justin Nared was 9 of 16 for 161 yards and two touchdowns, a 40-yard strike to Marquel Gardner in the second quarter and a 16-yarder to Kaleep Williams in the third. Gardner had four catches for 149 yards.

Alabama State (7-4) had a chance to tie with 2:04 to play, but Greg Jenkins’ two-point conversion pass failed.

The Hornets cut it to 24-19 early in the fourth quarter on Jenkins’ 5-yard pass to Jarrett Neely, Tuskegee made it 27-19 on Eduardo Murillo’s 20-yard field with 5:22 to go, and Alabama State completed the scoring on Isaiah Crowell’s 1-yard run before the deciding two-point try failed.

Jenkins was 20 of 26 for 147 yards and an interception and also ran for 106 yards on 15 carries. Crowell led the Hornets in rushing with 118 yards on 18 carries.

Tuskegee has won 10 straight after opening with a loss to Alabama A&M. The Division II Tigers were coming off a 55-24 victory over Fort Valley State last week in the SIAC Championship game in Atlanta. They will play Elizabeth City State in the Pioneer Bowl on Dec. 1 in Columbus, Ga.

Tuskegee leads the Turkey Day Classic series 49-32-3 and is 61-34-4 overall against Alabama State.

A crowd of 29,500 attended the game.