Wide receiver Jayvonne Dillard makes a reception over the outstretched arm of Chicago State cornerback Tehron Spencer in Saturday’s North Carolina A&T victory. (Photo by NCATAggies.com)
By Barry Bottino
A slow start Saturday sent Chicago State to its fourth loss in a row – 27-12 at North Carolina A&T.
The Aggies (3-5) used 24 first-half points and three passing touchdowns by quarterback Kevin White to subdue the Cougars (1-6).
White threw TD passes of 22, 25 and 21 yards in the first half as the Aggies outgained CSU, 160-70, in the opening half.
Chicago State entered the game averaging 340.8 yards per game on offense. But through three quarters, the Cougars could muster only 151 total yards.
After A&T scored a touchdown on its opening drive, CSU fumbled the ensuing kickoff. The Aggies recovered at the Cougars’ 23-yard line and turned the CSU mishap into a 42-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead just 3 minutes, 52 seconds into the game.
On its second drive of the first half, CSU turned the ball over on downs, stalling at the A&T 28.
CSU quarterback Ashton Pannell threw a pair of second-quarter interceptions that stopped Cougar drives. He finished 18-for-34 passing for 171 yards.
Pannell led the team on two fourth-quarter scoring drives, throwing TD passes of 3 yards to Tre’ Hartwell and 9 yards to Develle Barksdale.
Chicago State was limited to 171 passing yards, the team’s second-lowest total of the season. They rushed for only 68 yards on 25 carries.
The CSU defense was led by linebacker Armani Itote, who had a team-high 10 tackles, three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss.
Game changers
12:14, 1st quarter: RB J.T Smith scored on a 22-yard reception to start the scoring.
0:43, 2nd quarter: Carlock-Williams hauled in his second TD catch from White to give the Aggies a 24-0 halftime lead.
8:40, 4th quarter: Pannell delivered a 3-yard scoring pass to Hartwell for CSU’s first points.
What’s next?
The Cougars travel to suburban St. Louis for a 2 p.m. kickoff Oct. 24 against Lindenwood University.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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