HOUSTON-Â The Texas Southern Tigers football team entered Saturday's Southwestern Athletic Conference match-up with Alabama A&M with one goal in mind which was to improve to 1-0 for this week of competition.
Behind the leg of place kicker Eric Medina the Tigers were able to do just that as they won their third straight conference game for the first time since 2000.
Medina converted on a career high 51-yard field goal as time expired and Texas Southern came back to beat Alabama A&M 34-31 in front of an excited home crowd eager to celebrate a signature home win.
"Tonight's game wasn't pretty by any means," said TSU head coach Michael Haywood. "We have a lot of things we need to correct but we played hard for 60 minutes and gave ourselves an opportunity to win the football game at the end. I thought our play on special teams was outstanding throughout the game."
Medina's kick capped a 5-play 34 yard drive, highlighted by an Averion Hurts13-yard completion to Austin Watts and a roughing-the-passer penalty to put the Tigers in range.
Hurts threw for 256 yards and two TD's and added 55 yards rushing with a score. Larry Clark had 104 yards receiving for the Tigers.
Texas Southern trailed 31-24 late in the fourth, after a Jordan Bentley 10-yard scoring run gave the Bulldogs the lead. Hurts answered for the Tigers with a 5-yard TD run to tie it up with 2:25 to go.
After an exciting win at home the Tigers will get a bye this upcoming week before traveling on the road to face the defending SWAC Champion Alcorn State Braves in Mississippi (Oct. 15). Â
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