RALEIGH, N.C. – Bowie State University (2-0) and Shaw University (0-2) football met for the 11th time in a series that dates back to October 21, 1977 and thanks to the Bulldogs’ special teams, Bowie State came away with a dramatic 26-21 non-conference victory.

“We played well enough defensively to win the game but offensively we didn’t score enough points or executed well enough. However, special teams did what they needed to do at the end”, said Bowie State Head Coach Damon Wilson.

Gaston Cooper made his second start at quarterback for Bowie State and completed 15-of-31 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. DuShon David was the leading receiver for the Bulldogs with 72 yards on five receptions. Defensively, Anthony Howard paced the Bulldogs for the second game in a row, accounting for 10 total tackles (seven solo).

Bowie State used a Shaw turnover to secure its first points of the game at the 8:27 mark as Gene Carson kicked a 27-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

Shaw answered on its next possession as Torrin Campbell connected with Daniel Bender for an 18-yard, pass, catch and score to give the Bears a 7-3 lead with 6:12 to go in the opening quarter.

The Shaw Bears found the end zone again at the 6:48 mark of the second quarter as Campbell connected on a 75-yard pass to Marquis Gorham to give the home team a 14-3 advantage.

Bowie State’s Calil Wilkens pounded in from 2-yards out with 2:27 left in the second quarter and Carson’s point after was good, trimming the Bulldogs deficit to 14-10.

The Bulldogs added two more to the scoreboard at the 1:35 mark via a safety, pulling Bowie State within two at 14-12.

Shaw’s Gorham scored his third touchdown of the game, this time for 39 yards to extend the Bears lead to 21-12 with 14:07 left in the fourth quarter.

Bowie State’s Blake Dove blocked a Shaw punt deep in Bears territory late in the 4th quarter which was recovered in the end zone by Reicardo Smith, trimming the Shaw lead to 21-19. Dove was instrumental again with 24 seconds left in the game, blocking another punt. Unfortunately for Shaw, the Bears were penalized on the same play, giving the Bulldogs first and goal at the 5-yard line. Two plays later, Gaston Cooper lofted a pass to DuShon David in the back of the Shaw end zone to lift the Bulldogs to the dramatic 26-21 comeback victory.

~BSU Sports Information