Sports

Texas Southern comes from 10 down to beat Grambling 23-17 in OT on Jamal Small TD

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Grambling running back Jestin Kelly (28) searches for running room against Texas Southern in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Grambling, La., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Kita Wright) (The Associated Press)

Grambling running back Cedric Skinner (23) runs as Texas Southern defensive lineman Amir Bloom (44) stops him in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Grambling, La., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Kita Wright) (The Associated Press)

Texas Southern rallied from a 10-point deficit and defeated the Grambling Tigers, 23-17, when backup quarterback Jamal Small plunged through the middle for a 2-yard score in overtime on Saturday.

The defeat put a damper on a chaotic 10-day stretch that included a boycott, a forfeit and a swarm of national attention to this campus in rural Louisiana.

Initially, Grambling quarterback D.J. Williams showed no ill effects from the unplanned off week caused by his team's forfeit to Jackson State. Williams fired two long touchdown passes (82 and 60 yards) to help push his Tigers to a 17-7 first-half lead.

Texas Southern (2-6, 2-5 SWAC) tied the game early in the fourth quarter with a 20-yard scoring strike from Small to Jaquaa Peters.

Grambling (0-9, 0-6) survived a pair of interceptions from Williams in the fourth quarter. In overtime Johnathan Wallace missed a 30-field goal attempt wide left.