GRAMBLING, La. | Maurice Washington rushed for a career-high 201 yards and a pair of scores as the Grambling State University football team won back-to-back games for the first time since 2019 with a 36-10 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday afternoon at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers (3-6 overall, 2-4 SWAC) snapped a two-game losing streak to Arkansas-Pine Bluff and celebrated Senior Day and Homecoming in front of more than 13,000 fans.

After the two teams traded punts to open the game, Grambling State broke into the scoring column, completing a 9-play, 82-yard drive, with CJ Russell scoring on an 8-yard touchdown run, giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 6:10 left in the first quarter.

The Golden Lions (2-7, 0-6) nearly cut into the deficit early in the second, but Rey Estes blocked a 23-yard field goal attempt by Christopher Thompson, keeping Arkansas-Pine Bluff scoreless.

Grambling State went into the break with a 7-0 advantage, but exploded out of the gate to begin the second half.

On the very first play from scrimmage, Washington broke one tackle in the secondary and bolted 75 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown as GSU extended the lead to 14-0 with 14:40 remaining in the third quarter.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff cut into the margin, capping a 12-play, 67-yard drive as Thompson booted a 22-yard field with 10:07 left in the third.

Back came Grambling State as Washington broke free again, this time for 56 yards, as the Tigers extended the margin to 22-3 with just over eight minutes remaining in the quarter.

UAPB responded with a 78-yard drive, on seven plays, as Skyler Perry connect with Kenji Lewis for a 47-yard touchdown score as the Golden Lions trailed, 22-10, with 5:23 left.

However, that would be as close as Arkansas-Pine Bluff would get. 

The fourth quarter belonged to Grambling State as Julian Calvez scored on a 3-yard keeper and Dedrick Talbert found the end zone on a 4-yard score, capping a 36-10 homecoming victory.

CHECKING THE BOX SCORE 

• Grambling State had 17 first downs and 430 total yards of offense
• The Tigers amassed 348 yards on 41 touches
• Maurice Washington rushed the ball 10 times for 201 yards, along with a pair of scores
• Washington averaged 20.1 yards per carry
• Julian Calvez went 7 for 17 passing, with one interception
• Calvez also scored on a 3-yard touchdown run
• Lyndon Rash caught two passes for 18 yards
• Jimmy Iles punted the ball five times for 222 yards, with a long of 51 yards and one inside of the 20 yard-line
• Joshua Reed paced the defense with 14 total tackles, eight solo stops and 3.5 tackles for loss
• Lewis Matthews also recorded 10 tackles, along with six solo stops and one sack
• The Tigers were 3-for-3 in red-zone chances
• Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished with 21 first downs and 320 total yards of offense
• The Golden Lions registered 239 yards through the air
• Skyler Perry paced the ground game with 34 yards on eight carries
• Perry went 23 of 40 passing for 228 yards, with one interception and one touchdown
• Kayvan Britten caught eight passes for 38 yards
• Kenji Lewis finished with 78 yards on six receptions, with one score
• Josh Sanchez punted the ball five times for 186 yards, with one inside the 20
• Defensively, Rico Dozier registered nine tackles, with four solo stops, with one sack
• The Golden Lions were 1-for-3 in red-zone chances
• UAPB also went 1-for-6 in fourth-down conversions

NEWS AND NOTES 

• Grambling State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff met for the 47th time
• The Tigers continue to lead the all-time series, 32-13-2
• GSU won back-to-back games for the first time since 2019
• The Tigers also snapped a two-game losing streak to UAPB
• GSU head coach Hue Jackson won his second consecutive SWAC game and third overall
• Jackson also is 1-0 in homecoming contests as the head coach at GSU
• Saturday's homecoming attendance was announced at 13,467
• Grambling State finished with 348 rushing yards, the most since 2021 in the Bayou Classic against Southern (347)
• Maurice Washington has scored four times this season with runs longer than 30 yards (61 vs. Northwestern State; 73 at Jackson State; 75 yards and 56 yards vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
• Garrett Urban has now registered at least one point in the last 17 games, dating back to the 2021 season 
• The Tigers honored the 1992 and 2002 championship teams during the halftime festivities
• GSU celebrated Senior Day, honoring 20 seniors prior to the start of Saturday's game - Lawrence Asiedu, Noah Bean, Marquis Britten, Rey Estes, Wesley Green, Jimmy Iles, Phillip Lee, Bryan Powell, Lyndon Rash, Joshua Reed, Cameron Richardson, Jason Sheffield, Myron Stewart, Blake Thomas, Demarcus Tinsley, Garrett Urban, Brendan Vaughn, Maurice Washington, Greg White and Bertrell Williams

UP NEXT 
Grambling State returns to the road next Saturday with a trip to Houston as the Tigers visit Texas Southern. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. from PNC Stadium and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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