Prairie A&M’s dream season came to an end with a 40-38 four-over loss to South Carolina State on Saturday notepad.
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The Panthers, fresh off their first 10-win season in a decade and a SWAC championship, jumped out as they had a first-half lead that was unstoppable by a dazzling offense and defense.
From there, the bulldogs would be excluded Prairie view 40-17 regulation and running time to carry the HBCU national title.
“I’m really proud of these guys,” Jackson said afterward. “We started this thing in July, and I think it was people in our building who thought we could be here. So it’s been a good thing to be here.”
Photo: @elmcrtv: instagram
Despite the Prairie look, they had chances to put the game away.
With the Panthers facing 35-28 and SC State’s fourth-and-16 with 3:45 left, backup quarterback Ryan Stubblefield found Jordan Smith for an 18-yard gain. The Bulldogs would squeak in a Smith TD reception to tie it with 1:45 left three plays later.
In triple overtime, Prairie View had a chance to win it, but Diego Alfaro’s 38-yard field goal missed just inches to the right, tying the game at 38-38.
South Carolina State then led on a successful two-point conversion attempt and then intercepted Cam Peters on the Panthers’ next possession.
“We had chances to win,” Jackson said. “We didn’t capitalize on those things. I told the young guys in the locker room. ‘If you have a chance to control your own destiny, you have to control it.’ “
The Panthers are coming off a 10-4 season, marking their most successful campaign in a new era.
Jackson said the challenge now is to build on that foundation and translate confidence into consistency. “We learned who we are,” he said. “Now it’s time to be every Saturday.”
