Grambling State University scored 16 unanswered points to capture the 2011 SWAC Football Championship, 16-15, over Alabama A&M Saturday at Birmingham’s Legion Field.  Down 15-0 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, the G-Men used a field goal and two big plays to capture their sixth title in the 13-year history of the event.

Alabama A&M, who scored all of their points in the first half, appeared headed to overcome a 1-4 all-time record in the championship game jumping out to a 15-0 lead on an 11-yard run by Kaderius Lacey, a 36-yard strike from QB Deaunte Mason to Terence Pride and a 34-yard field goal by Chance Wilson.  However two missed PAT attempts by the Bulldogs proved to be their undoing.

A 27-yard field goal by Grambling’s Zoltan Riazzo with just 2:42 remaining in the first half cut the AAMU lead to 15-3 at halftime in a game where the Bulldogs dominated the stats but fell short on the scoreboard.

Grambling won the game despite completing just four passes and being outgained in total yardage 331-183.

Two big plays by GSU, one in each of the two final quarters, helped propel the Tigers into their only lead of the game and fourth straight win over A&M in the championship game.  An 80-yard touchdown pass from D.J. Williams to Mario Louis and a missed PAT attempt helped GSU cut the lead to 16-9 at the 6:53 mark in the third quarter.

GSU’s Jacardi Carter picked up an Alabama A&M fumble and ran 66 yards to tie the score at 15-15 at 12:27 in the fourth quarter.  Riazzo’s PAT kick was good and Grambling had its first lead of the game.

Grambling’s defense shut out A&M in the second half and held the Bulldog’s Lacey, the SWAC’s second leading rusher, to just 86 yards in the game.  Meanwhile, SWAC rushing leader Darenc Roberts ran for just 63 yards, well below his season average of just over 110 yards per game.

Grambling finishes the season at 8-4 with its seventh straight victory of the season.  AAMU falls to 8-4 after suffering its second loss in the past three games.  The Bulldogs had won eight of their last nine games going into the SWAC Championship Game.