CLEVELAND, Miss. – The Delta State University football team shut out Shorter University 23-0 on Saturday night at Parker Field at McCool Stadium, using a dominant rushing attack and a suffocating defensive effort to even its record at 2-3.
After a scoreless opening quarter, the Statesmen broke through in the second as
Price Nixon connected on field goals from 24 and 46 yards to take a 6-0 lead into halftime.
Delta State took control in the third quarter when
Nick Clark capped a short drive with a nine-yard touchdown run. Nixon later added a 28-yard field goal to extend the lead to 16-0 entering the fourth.
Clark led the offensive effort with a career-high 139 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown, powering a ground game that finished with 241 yards.
Emile Picarella added 51 rushing yards, while
Qualon Farrar contributed 49 as the Statesmen controlled the tempo throughout.
Defensively, Delta State delivered one of its most complete performances of the season. The Statesmen held Shorter scoreless and limited the Hawks to just 269 yards of total offense, including only 120 on the ground. Delta State forced three interceptions, consistently disrupting drives and winning the field position battle throughout the night.
Tavian Moore led the way for the Statesmen with seven tackles (4 solo) with 1.5 TFLs and a sack.
The unit also produced key stops on third down, holding Shorter to just 2-of-14 conversions, and allowed just one red-zone opportunity.
Jordan Bradley provided the exclamation point in the fourth quarter, returning an interception 88 yards for a touchdown to seal the shutout victory.
The Statesmen forced three interceptions produced by the pass rush one by
Drake Fowler and the other by
Xavier Havis.
Delta State totaled 306 yards of offense and controlled possession for more than 31 minutes in the win.
The Statesmen approach a bye week before making their second longest road trip of the season, traveling to Virginia to take on the Panthers from Ferrum University on Saturday, Oct. 17. The Panthers defeated Barton College 21-0.
