NEW ORLEANS, La. | Grambling State saw its late lead slip away in the final minutes, falling 28–27 to Southern University in the 52nd Bayou Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Caesars Superdome.
The Tigers controlled much of the game and held a 27–21 advantage midway through the fourth quarter, but Southern put together a pair of explosive scoring drives in the final period to edge ahead. Grambling had one last opportunity in the closing minutes, driving inside Southern territory, but a fumble at the Jaguars' 38-yard line ended the comeback bid.
Quarterback Hayden Benoit threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns, including a 28-yard strike to Keith Jones Jr. and a 9-yard score to Barron Miles Jr. His 70-yard connection to Andrew Frazier helped spark an early touchdown to give GSU a 7–0 lead in the first quarter. Benoit's efficiency helped the Tigers build a 24–14 advantage entering the fourth.
Running back Andre Crews powered the ground game with 47 yards and a third-quarter touchdown, finishing off a 10-play, 57-yard march that briefly pushed the Tigers ahead 24–14. Josh McCormick added two key field goals, including a 52-yarder in the fourth quarter that extended the lead to 27–21.
Defensively, Grambling produced eight tackles for loss and two sacks, led by Bryce Cage with seven total stops and four tackles for loss. Tyrell Raby added a 22-yard interception return that set up a second-quarter touchdown.
Southern relied on big plays late to complete its comeback. A 51-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a pair of fourth-quarter scoring drives, including a 34-yard touchdown pass with 7:16 remaining, proved decisive. The Jaguars finished with 204 rushing yards, using explosive gains to overcome Grambling's advantage in time of possession and field position.
Despite outgaining Southern through the air and forcing two turnovers, the Tigers were unable to capitalize on multiple late opportunities, missing two field goals and coming up short on a fourth-quarter drive.
Grambling closes the regular season 7–5 overall and 4–4 in SWAC play.
FOLLOW GRAMBLING ATHLETICS
Stay updated with Grambling State Athletics by following @GSU_Tigers on X, @gramblingathletics on Instagram, and /GramblingStateTigers1901 on Facebook, or by visiting gsutigers.com.
