CHARLOTTE – Johnson C. Smith quarterback Darius Ocean threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers as the Golden Bulls defeated the Shaw Bears 21-14 on Saturday afternoon at Irwin Belk Complex, preserving their perfect record.
Ocean connected with Brevin Caldwell 15 times for 182 yards and a touchdown, leading an efficient passing attack that helped Johnson C. Smith improve to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Golden Bulls remain the lone undefeated team in the state of North Carolina.
Shaw (4-4, 2-3) opened the scoring when quarterback Christian Peters found Ah’sha Belcher for an 8-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. The Golden Bulls answered quickly as Ocean hit Blake McCullough for a 23-yard score to tie the game at 7-7.
After a scoreless second quarter, Johnson C. Smith took control in the second half. Ocean found Avante George for an 8-yard touchdown in the third quarter and later connected with Caldwell on a 12-yard score, capping a 100-yard drive to build a 21-7 lead.
Shaw’s Travon Tensley, who finished with 96 rushing yards on 20 carries, scored on a 1-yard run with 2:18 remaining to narrow the gap. However, Johnson C. Smith’s defense held firm in the final minutes to secure the victory.
Despite controlling possession for over 36 minutes and outgaining Johnson C. Smith 355-325 in total yards, Shaw was unable to overcome the Golden Bulls’ defensive effort, led by Benari Black’s 15 tackles.
Up Next
The Golden Bulls will look to maintain their unbeaten record next week at Winston-Salem State, while Shaw aims to rebound from their fourth loss of the season with another road game at Fayetteville State.
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