Raequan Beal threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes, and Tuskegee rallied past Winston-Salem State 20-17 in Sunday night’s Red Tails Classic at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL.
Lorcan Ryans 29-yard field goal with 5:15 left provided the winning points for the Golden Tigers, who won the Red Tails Classic for the second time in its five-year history. The unique showcase game honors HBCU football and the Tuskegee Airman from WWII.
Winston-Salem State’s season starts 0-1.
Key Takeaways
- The loss is an early blow to a confident WSSU team that has been aiming to reascend to the top of the CIAA in 2025. Those dreams are still very much within reach, but a lot has to be cleaned up before league play begins in a few weeks.
- Winston-Salem State seemed to be asserting control by halftime Sunday night, holding a 10-3 lead and a 196-82 yardage advantage in total offense. But missed opportunities and the inability to pay off drives cost the Rams in the end.
- WSSU only had one third-down conversion in 10 attempts. The Rams never could get the ball back after the last failed third-down play, and Tuskegee ran out the clock. WSSU finished with just 11 first downs.
- Quarterback Daylin Lee threw two impressive 34-yard touchdown strikes – one to Jahari Mitchell in the first half and the other to Davontay Deloatch in the second. But overall, Lee was inconsistent – 9 of 19, 169 yards, 1 interception, 1 lost fumble, sacked three times.
- The Rams were flagged for nine penalties for 79 yards, also hurting momentum.
- Three Winston-Salem State defensive players – Kyle Williams, Jamieson Alston and Chancellor Smith – finished with nine tackles. Williams also had one TFL for negative eight yards.
Next Up For WSSU Football
The Rams travel to Mars Hill on Saturday, Sept. 6. This will be the season opener for the Lions and the head coaching debut of Kevin Barnette, who is replacing long-time Mars Hill fixture Tim Clifton.
