HOUSTON, Texas | The Grambling State University football team saw its two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday night as the Tigers fell to Texas Southern, 41-7, in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game at PNC Stadium.

After both teams traded punts to begin the game, Texas Southern set up shop at the Grambling State 42.

TSU (5-5 overall, 4-3 SWAC) moved the ball on the ground four straight plays before Andrew Body connected with Derek Morton for 30 yards, setting up first-and-goal from the GSU 1. LaDarius Owens punched it in on the very next play, capping a 6-play, 42-yard drive as Texas Southern took a 7-0 lead with 6:20 remaining in the opening quarter.

Texas Southern gambled on its next drive after a GSU punt. TSU faced 4th-and-1 from its own 37, but Trent Henry came up with the stop on Kevin Harris, forcing a turnover.

On the very next Grambling State play, Julian Calvez hit Joshua Johnson 37 yards up the middle for the score, tying the game at 7 with 2:19 left in the first.

TSU responded with a 5-play, 54-yard drive, as Harris took Garrett Urban's kickoff back 30 yards to set up first down from the Texas Southern 46.

Body moved the ball down field, completing a 28-yard pass to Owens and a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tavaris Achane as Texas Southern took a 13-7 advantage. Sundiata Anderson blocked the extra point as TSU grabbed a 13-7 advantage with just 23 seconds left in the period.

Texas Southern added to the lead after a turnover on downs by Grambling State at there TSU 31.

It took one play as Body connected with AJ Bennett for 65 yards and the two combined for the two-point conversion as Texas Southern increased the advantage to 21-7 with 2:07 remaining in the first half.

TSU got a pick six as Quaterius Hawkins was intercepted by Isaiah Hamilton, who took it 12 yards into the end zone, extending the lead to 27-7.

Grambling State (3-7, 2-5) tried to cut the deficit as Garrett Urban's 45-yard field-goal attempt was short as Hamilton returned the missed kick 46 yards.

Texas Southern took advantage of the miss field goal, capping an 11-play, 54-yard drive as Harris scored on a 1-yard carry, pushing the margin to 33-7 with five seconds remaining in the third.

TSU tacked on another touchdown and put the game out of reach with 7:20 left as Da'Veon Ford punched in a 1-yard carry, extending the lead to 41-7.

CHECKING THE BOX SCORE 

• Grambling State finished with 14 first downs and 244 total yards of offense
• The Tigers recorded 126 yards on the ground
• Chance Williams paced the ground game with 45 yards on 11 carries, averaging 4.1 yards per touch
• Julian Calvez went 6-of-12 passing for 85 yards, with one touchdown and one interception
• Joshua Johnson caught one pass - a touchdown reception - for 37 yards
• Lewis Matthews led the defense with 12 total tackles, including 11 solo stops
• Joshua Reed tallied seven tackles (four solo), along with one sack
• Jimmy Iles punted the ball five times for 218 yards, with a long of 58 yards
• Iles also had one punt inside the 20
• Grambling State was flagged eight times for 45 yards 
• Texas Southern finished with 22 first downs and 443 total yards of offense
• The Tigers amassed 253 yards on the ground, averaging 5.5 yards per carry
• LaDarius Owens carried the ball 13 times for 105 yards and one score
• Owens averaged 8.1 yards per carry
• Andrew Body found eight different receivers and went 15 of 22 passing for 190 yards, with two scores
• AJ Bennett caught one pass - a touchdown - for 65 yards
• Jadrian McGraw registered seven total tackles, including three solo stops
• TSU was penalized four times for 44 yards

NEWS AND NOTES 

• Grambling State and Texas Southern met for the 69th time
• GSU continues to lead the all-time series, 47-19-3
• Grambling State saw its two-game winning streak snapped
• Texas Southern has now won four out of its last five games
• TSU celebrated Senior Night with a win
• Saturday's game marked the third straight week GSU played a game on ESPN+
• Garrett Urban has now scored at least one point (field goal or extra point) in the last 18 games, dating back to the 2021 season
• GSU played three quarterbacks as Julian Calvez starter, but was replaced by Quaterius Hawkins and Amani Gilmore also saw action
• Grambling State surrendered a two-point conversion in the second quarter, the last time that happened was in 2019 against Prairie View A&M
• GSU saw its streak of two straight games without giving up a rushing touchdown snapped in the first quarter
• GSU's last loss at Texas Southern came during the 2012 season (23-20)
• Grambling State fell to 3-2 all-time in games played at PNC Stadium (losses in 2012 and 2022)
• Texas Southern picked up its largest margin of victory over Grambling State
• The previous margin of victory came during the 1952 season, 46-14

UP NEXT 
Grambling State will take a week off before returning to action in the 49th Annual Bayou Classic, presented by Procter & Gamble. Tickets for the Bayou Classic can be purchased by calling the Grambling State Ticket Office at (318) 274-2629 or click here. Kickoff against rival Southern will be 1 p.m. and will be televised live on NBC SPORTS or the Peacock Channel.

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