Morehouse College football still rules its neighborhood.
The Maroon Tigers beat Clark Atlanta 30-2 Thursday night at Morehouse's B. T. Harvey Stadium. Morehouse earned its third consecutive victory and ninth in the last 12 meetings against its border rival west of downtown.
Morehouse (4-1, 2-0 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) kept pace with Albany State at the top of the East division. Clark Atlanta (2-3, 1-1), which leads the all-time series 48-33-2, fell behind 13-0 and never recovered.
“You had historical implications and also to keep us in the race for the conference championship,” Morehouse coach Rich Freeman said. “It was a big win for us. The guys know the magnitude. We are trying to make generational change. We are not just looking at this season.”
The game set up as a clash between Clark Atlanta's stout defense against Morehouse's prolific offense. Morehouse entered the game leading the SIAC in scoring and yards while Clark Atlanta was No. 1 in points allowed and third in yards surrendered.
Morehouse staggered the Panthers with two first-quarter touchdowns. Clark Atlanta's defense stiffened but the Panthers couldn't rally as they were stymied by special-teams miscues and a disjointed offense.
The Panthers (2-3, 1-1) had just 190 yards of total offense. They play host to Miles College on Oct. 8.
“The season is not over,” Clark Atlanta coach Daryl McNeill said. “That is just one conference loss and we've got five ballgames to go. The key right now is making sure is our kids understand we've got to stay together.”
Morehouse's three offensive standouts led the way.
Quarterback Byron Ingram (Redan High) completed 20 of 24 pass attempts for 205 yards and a touchdown. Running back David Carter (Sprayberry), the SIAC's leading rusher, ran for 150 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown and wide receiver Derrick Hector had seven catches for 81 yards.
The Maroon Tigers averaged 6.1 yards on 69 offensive plays.
“We knew Clark always keeps a good defense,” Ingram said. “We went out there and executed and had things rolling in our favor. We put up big numbers and that's big against a good defense like Clark because they are not a pushover.”
Morehouse's opening drive stalled after a touchdown was called back on a penalty and Clark Atlanta blocked a field-goal attempt. But the Panthers Clark Atlanta couldn't gain a first down and Morehouse's offense got rolling on the next possession.
Carter's six-yard run capped a 10-play drive and Morehouse's Darquan McCain caught a 23-yard touchdown catch at the end of the first quarter. The Maroon Tigers recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown in the second quarter to lead 20-2 at halftime.
Mychal Harrison's 30-yard touchdown run came after Clark Atlanta punter Kemuel Lawrence couldn't handle a high snap and Morehouse recovered.
“I was very happy with the way our offense played because Clark Atlanta is traditionally an outstanding defensive football team,” Freeman said. “We came out and we got a fast tempo going, we hit some plays early and we were able to keep that tempo throughout the game.”
McNeill tried three different quarterbacks in an effort to spark the passing game. T.J. Smith started before giving way to Bryan Mann and freshman Tyree Williams also took a turn.
All three players faced a heavy pass rush and as they combined to complete 14 of 36 pass attempts for 134 yards with two interceptions.
“We missed so many reads,” McNeill said. “Guys were running wide open and we just couldn't get the ball to them. It's the same thing we've been fighting all year. The quarterback is just holding the ball too long.”
Morehouse is seeking a return to the Division II playoffs after it qualified last season for the first time in its history. Freeman said the team would take a couple days off as the Maroon Tigers try to avoid fading late in the season again.
Morehouse next plays Tuskegee on Oct. 8 in Columbus, Ga., in the 76th annual classic. Tuskegee has won seven consecutive games against Morehouse.
“We have got to find a way to break the curse, if you want to call it, and get a win,” Freeman said.
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