Two special teams touchdown put Miles ahead but it was quarterback
Anthony Mix, Jr. who made some big plays at the end as the Golden Bears took down Fort Valley State Thursday night at Sloan-Alumni Stadium.
Down 7-0 in the first quarter, Miles saw freshman
Jaecyn Myles even the score in quick fashion. On the ensuing kickoff after the FVSU score, Myles broke free for a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to even the score. It was the first kick return for touchdown by the Golden Bears since D.J. Fife ran one back 94 yards against West Georgia on Sept. 15, 2012 - a span of 14 years and 138 games. But the special teams heroics did not end there.
After Lavarian Logan's 7-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter knotted the score at 14, the Wildcats immediately put themselves back in position to take the lead. But Kyle Keese's 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by James Jordan. The ball bounced right into the hands of
Jacobi Whitfield, who raced 70 yards untouched for a touchdown that gave the Golden Bears a 21-14 advantage that they would take into halftime.
A scoreless third quarter quickly turned into a no-holds-barred final period that saw the teams race up and down the field. Mix, who was elevated into the starting lineup for the second time this season, concluded a 13-play, 80-yard drive with a 6-yard scoring run to give Miles a 28-14 advantage. It looked as if the Golden Bears would coast to victory with a two-touchdown edge with less than 10 minutes to go. But FVSU had other ideas.
On their next drive, the Wildcats went 91 yards in four plays, scoring when quarterback Don Hudson hit receiver Solomon Burney with a short pass, watched him break multiple tackles, then saunter into the end zone for a 78-yard touchdown reception. After Miles missed a field goal, Hudson wasted no time in getting back to the end zone. But he did it himself, rushing right through the Golden Bears' defense for a 77-yard touchdown that tied the game at 28 with 3:43 remaining.
But the Golden Bears came right back. Mix connected with
Jaiden Jones on a 39-yard pass play and after a 15-yard penalty by FVSU, Miles had the ball at the Wildcats 26. Two plays later, Mix found
James Gatewood in the front of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass to put Miles back in front with 2:20 left. Fort Valley State started its last drive at its own 20 and advanced to the Miles 15. But four straight incomplete passes put an end to any late heroics and sealed the win for the Golden Bears.
Mix led the Miles offense, accounting for 284 yards of total offense. He completed 14 of 26 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 122 yards and another score.Â
Edward Osley contributed 74 rushing yards, while Gatewood led Miles receivers with six catches for 66 yards and the decisive touchdown. Defensively,
Kingston Lowe had five tackles, two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Courtney Clark paced the defense with nine total tackles. Miles also recorded four sacks as a team.
The Golden Bears close out the regular season next Saturday when they travel to face Tuskegee. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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