Johnson C. Smith football hasn’t had a winning season since 2012.
The Golden Bulls look ready to end that trend in 2023, recording their third victory in four tries. Jacob Newman, Robert Adams and Shydem McCullough rushed for touchdowns, and Alejandro Morillon-Garcia booted two field goals to propel JCSU past Lincoln (Pa.) 27-20 on the road.
The Golden Bulls, now 2-0 in the CIAA Southern Division, outrushed their hosts 201-35. They dominated time of possession, holding the ball for more than 42 of the 60 minutes.
Jaquirius Smith, Daryl Taybron, Cadricus Stanley and Benari Black led the stingy Johnson C. Smith defense. Each had tackles for loss, with Stanley sending the Lincoln quarterback backwards 19 yards on one play with a sack. Tynan Tucker picked off a pass.
Johnson C. Smith took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, getting a 42-yard field goal from Morillon-Garcia and a short yardage rushing TD from Adams, the team’s quarterback. Lincoln tacked on two touchdowns in the second period to take a 14-10 lead into the break.
McCullough’s one-yard TD plunge up the middle put the lead back in JCSU’s hands, this time for good. Newman’s 21-yard touchdown run early in the fourth period sent the Bulls ahead by 10 points again. Morillon-Garcia’s second field goal from 36 yards away with 1:40 left in the game provided the final margin, answering Lincoln’s final touchdown.
Newman led all rushers with 94 yards on 20 attempts. Adams finished with 55 yards rushing to go with a 14-of-28 passing performance for 127 yards. He did not throw a touchdown pass or interception.
Johnson C. Smith finished 2-7 last season, coach Maurice Flowers’ first, and 1-7 in 2021. The Bulls last .500 season came in 2013 when the team finished 5-5 under coach Steven Aycock. The 2012 squad went 6-4 – the most recent JCSU team to post a winning campaign.
This year’s JCSU squad will play the second of three straight road games next Saturday, traveling to Elizabeth City State.
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TEAM 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q FINAL Johnson C. Smith 10 0 7 10 27 @ Lincoln 0 14 0 6 20
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