September 7, 2006 – ATLANTA – For the second straight week, Morehouse fell behind early, rallied then came up short. This time, way short, as the Lane College Dragons breathed fire on the Maroon Tigers by a score of 48-31.
The game, broadcast to a national television audience on College Sports Television (CSTV), lasted three hours and 35 minutes and featured 966 yards of total offense.
Morehouse scored first on the team’s first field goal of the season, a 37-yarder by Muhammed Abdur-Rahman. That was the only Morehouse lead in the 2006 home opener. The halftime score was 20-3.
As in last week’s loss to Fort Valley, the Morehouse defense gave up multiple big plays that proved to be the difference in the game. Taking advantage of a Morehouse secondary depleted by injury, the Dragons rushed for 195 yards and four touchdowns. Lane scored on plays of 89, 36, 35, 46 and 60 yards for their first win against Morehouse since 1998.
Morehouse managed only 82 yards on the ground and one touchdown, a three-yard run by Eddie Rowe with 42 seconds remaining.
As in last week’s game, Ruben DuPree took over for starting quarterback Carlos King and rallied the Maroon Tigers to a second half charge. But also like last week, his desperation passes were picked off by the opposition that was poised for the pass. DuPree hit 16-of-24 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He led Morehouse in rushing with 40 yards on 10 carries. One of his two fourth-quarter interceptions was run back 60 yards for Lane’s final touchdown.
After being yanked from the quarterback position, King ran some plays as a wide receiver. His only reception was a two-yard touchdown catch from DuPree. As a passer, King was 12-of-21 for 143 yards and no touchdowns.
Ten Morehouse receivers hauled in 28 passes for 395 yards, led by Achille Hendje, who grabbed four passes for 123 yards.
Wide receiver and kick returner Jeremy Major accounted for 163 yards of offense with four runbacks totaling 95 yards and four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Quincy Avery had his best game as a Maroon Tiger, catching five passes for 59 yards and a touchdown.
On the other side of the ball, Lane’s Jacoby Jones torched the Maroon Tigers for 192 yards of offense and a touchdown. The conference leader in all-purpose yardage, rushed, ran kick returns, caught passes and completed a pass for career night against a beleaguered Morehouse defense.
Lane, which has only won three games in three seasons, improved to 3-0.
Morehouse falls to 1-2 (1-2 SIAC) and will face the Kentucky State Thorobreds, Saturday, at 7 p.m. at B.T. Harvey Stadium.
