CHARLOTTE – Johnson C. Smith rallied late to defeat Livingstone 26-21 on Saturday at the Irwin Belk Complex, improving to 9-1 on the season while dropping the Blue Bears to 5-5. The victory clinched a spot in the CIAA championship game next Saturday against Virginia Union at Durham County Stadium.
The Golden Bulls led 20-14 at halftime but fell behind 21-20 early in the third quarter before regaining the lead for good on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Kelvin Durham to Deandre Proctor with 4:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. Durham found Proctor on a left sideline route that capped a six-play, 50-yard drive and gave Johnson C. Smith the lead back after trailing for most of the second half.
Bobby Smith carried the offensive load for the Golden Bulls, rushing 37 times for 164 net yards and a touchdown. His 36-yard run with 3:55 left in the game set up the winning score, moving the ball from the Johnson C. Smith 40 to the Livingstone 24. Smith averaged 4.4 yards per carry and consistently moved the chains on third- and fourth-down situations.
Durham completed 16 of 29 passes for 186 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked twice but also contributed 16 net yards on six rushing attempts when the pocket collapsed. Proctor emerged as his primary target, catching seven passes for 79 yards and the decisive fourth-quarter touchdown.
Johnson C. Smith opened the scoring when Bobby Smith rushed 8 yards for a touchdown with 9:20 left in the first quarter, finishing an eight-play, 80-yard drive. The Blue Bears answered just 13 seconds later when Elijah Alexander connected with Davyn Reid on an 80-yard touchdown strike down the right side, tying the game at 7-7.
The Golden Bulls built their halftime lead with three consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter. Lukasz Smolen kicked a 40-yard field goal with 10:02 remaining in the half to put Johnson C. Smith ahead 10-7. The 16-play, 71-yard drive consumed nearly 10 minutes and featured Bobby Smith's power running and short Durham completions to Proctor and Brian Lane.
Rontay Dunbar returned an interception for a touchdown at 8:31 of the second quarter, extending Johnson C. Smith's lead to 17-7. The pick-six came during a Livingstone drive that had reached the Johnson C. Smith 42-yard line.
Livingstone cut the deficit to 17-14 when Alexander hit Reid for a 65-yard touchdown with 1:49 left in the second quarter. The score came on the second play of a four-play, 98-yard drive that took just 54 seconds and marked the second time the duo connected on a long scoring play.
Johnson C. Smith answered with a 10-play, 44-yard march that ended with Smolen's 48-yard field goal as time expired in the half, giving the Golden Bulls a 20-14 halftime advantage.
The momentum shifted dramatically seven seconds into the third quarter. E'shawn Carter intercepted Durham at the Livingstone 15 and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Blue Bears their first lead since the opening quarter at 21-20 after Jason Zapata's extra point.
Johnson C. Smith's offense struggled for much of the third quarter but the defense kept Livingstone from extending its lead. Vincent Hill led the Golden Bulls with seven solo tackles and three tackles for loss. The defense forced Livingstone into difficult situations throughout, holding the Blue Bears to 0-for-9 on third-down conversions for the game.
Livingstone managed just 38 net yards rushing on 19 attempts, averaging 2.0 yards per carry. Javen Parker led the Blue Bears with 24 net yards on 12 carries, but the offense could not sustain drives on the ground. The Blue Bears completed just 7 of 21 passes, with Alexander going 4-for-7 for 161 yards and two touchdowns before being replaced by Trisitan McClary, who went 3-for-14 for 38 yards and two interceptions.
Reid provided the offensive spark for Livingstone, catching three passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns while also returning two kickoffs for 39 yards. His ability to stretch the field vertically kept the Blue Bears competitive despite their offensive struggles.
Johnson C. Smith converted 7 of 17 third-down attempts and possessed the ball for 41 minutes and 14 seconds compared to Livingstone's 18:46. The Golden Bulls controlled the game through Smith's ground attack and their ability to sustain long drives.
The Blue Bears' special teams struggled in key moments. Javon Pray punted eight times for a 41.3-yard average. Johnson C. Smith averaged 24.7 yards per punt on seven attempts by Smolen.
Johnson C. Smith's go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter started at the 50-yard line following a punt. Durham completed a 21-yard pass to Maliek Carter on third-and-8 to move the ball to the Livingstone 27. Bobby Smith then rushed three times for 3 yards total before Durham found Proctor for the winning touchdown.
Livingstone's final chance came with 1:11 remaining when McClary took over at the Blue Bears' 19-yard line. However, TyQueron Hines intercepted McClary's first pass attempt, giving Johnson C. Smith possession and allowing the Golden Bulls to run out the clock.
Johnson C. Smith's defense recorded three interceptions and held Livingstone to nine first downs. Elijah Wilson intercepted a pass in the second quarter that he returned for minus-15 yards before Dunbar's pick-six gave the Golden Bulls a double-digit lead.
The victory sends Johnson C. Smith to the CIAA championship game against Virginia Union, the team responsible for the Golden Bulls' only loss this season. The Panthers defeated Johnson C. Smith 28-10 earlier this year at Virginia Union, and the Golden Bulls will have a chance to avenge that defeat in next Saturday's title game.
Key Performers
Johnson C. Smith:
- Bobby Smith: 37 rushes, 164 yards, 1 TD
- Deandre Proctor: 7 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD
- Kelvin Durham: 16-of-29 passing, 186 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Vincent Hill: 7 solo tackles, 3 TFL
- Lukasz Smolen: 2-for-2 field goals (40, 48 yards)
Livingstone:
- Davyn Reid: 3 receptions, 156 yards, 2 TD
- E'shawn Carter: 1 interception return for TD
- Elijah Alexander: 4-of-7 passing, 161 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
- Velson Seide: 8 solo tackles, 9 total tackles
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