Box Score BOWIE, Md. – In the final game of the season for both teams, Bowie State claimed a 35-30 victory over Elizabeth City State. The win, Bowie State's third in a row and winners of five of their last six games, closeout the season with a 5-5 overall record and 5-2 in the CIAA.   SENIOR DAY AWARDS
 
As a team, the Bulldogs rolled up 434 yards of total offense with graduate student Matthew Goggans (Pine Grove, Calif.) responsible for a personal season-best 368 passing yards and four touchdowns. Junior Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.) was Bowie State's top receiver with a career-best 119 yards on eight catches. The Bulldogs defense was led by graduate student Christopher Townsend (Washington, D.C.) with a team-high 10 tackles.
 
Bowie State University used a big third quarter and held off a late Viking rally to topple Elizabeth City State University 35-30 Saturday afternoon at Bulldogs Stadium.
 
Elizabeth City State's Tyrell Houghton (Reidsville, N.C.) topped all performers posting career highs in both passing and rushing. Houghton had four passing touchdowns finishing with 485 yards though the air and carried the ball eight times for 105 yards on the ground both game-highs. As a team the Vikings totaled an impressive 617 yards of offense, their largest output since October 19, 2013 when they hung 585 yards on The Lincoln University.
 
However despite their big offensive numbers, two costly turnovers were major momentum swings that would turn in the favor of the Bulldogs.
 
Defensively the Vikings were paced by Stephen Williams who led all defenders with a game high 14 tackles.
 
Elizabeth City State (4-6, 3-4 CIAA) held a 10-7 lead in the second quarter faced third and goal at the Bowie State one yard line. A bad exchange between Houghton and Kenny King was recovered by BSU's Townsend, costing the Vikings a scoring opportunity. Another chance at putting points on the board was squandered when in the BSU red zone when Houghton's pass was intercepted in the end zone and returned by redshirt freshman Austin Phillips (Pomfret, Md.) to the ECSU 43.
 
For the day the Vikings were 4-for-7 in the red zone and were flagged 10 times for 118 yards.
 
The Bulldogs had seemingly put the game away after Goggans' fourth passing TD of the day gave Bowie State 35-17 lead with 7:26 left in the game.
 
The Vikings rallied back scoring two touchdowns in less than a minute in the final 1:41 of the contest. Antonio Gunter (Raleigh, N.C.) hauled in a four yard scoring pass and after a successful onside kick, the Vikings struck again with 53 ticks left. Javoris Bryant (Decatur, Ga.) recorded a five yard TD reception from Houghton, his second score of the day, pulling Elizabeth City State within striking distance. Bryant had a career day, catching nine passes for a game-high 222 yards. Montario Hunter (Ahoskie, N.C.) also eclipsed 100 receiving yards, recording 167 yards on the loss.
 
However the Vikings did not convert the two point attempt and their try for another onside kick was covered by BSU's Cropper.  The Bulldogs then ran out the clock for the five point win.
 
Prior to the game, 11 Bulldogs seniors (Keith Brown, Joseph Coates, Nigel Cross, Mario Diaz-Aviles, Jeremy Dorsey, Khari Lee, Jeffrey Ojiribe, Paxton Queen, Jair Ramos, Christopher Townsend and Leroy Williams) were honored.