SALISBURY, N.C. – The Bowie State football team (1-2, 0-1 CIAA) came up just short 17-16 in its Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) opener on the road at Livingstone (2-1, 1-0 CIAA) on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Memorial Stadium.
The Bulldogs struck first after a 57-yard kickoff return from Ty Lyles put the offense in prime position. Micah Robinson's hard running set up Chris Coleman's 17-yard field goal to give BSU an early 3-0 lead.
Bowie State extended its advantage in the second quarter when Kevin Taylor connected with Lyles for a 30-yard touchdown strike, pushing the Bulldogs ahead 10-7 with 7:41 left before halftime. Running back Maximus Jones powered the offense with several key gains, but a late turnover allowed Livingstone to respond, and the Bulldogs trailed 17-10 at the break.
The defense set the tone to open the third quarter as Damir McCrary and Davon Telp, Jr. stuffed the Blue Bears for a loss, and Jamal Jones hurried the quarterback to force a punt. Jones continued to spark the offense on the ground, but BSU's momentum stalled after a blocked field goal attempt kept the deficit intact.
In the fourth, Bowie State mounted a comeback. Jones ripped off back-to-back runs of 10 and 25 yards to set up Taylor's 31-yard touchdown pass to Antwain Banks with 13:20 remaining. The Bulldogs' two-point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 17-16. The defense answered with a crucial goal-line stand, denying Livingstone on fourth down inside the 5-yard line. Despite calling timeouts in the closing minutes, BSU's rally fell just short as Livingstone ran out the clock to escape with the narrow win.
Bowie St. Top Performers
Jamal Jones
- 6 tackles
- 1.5 sacks
Maximus Jones
- 122 rushing yards on 15 attempts
Moses Sarweh
- 8 total tackles
Up Next
Bowie State returns home for the first time in the 2025 season to take on CIAA Southern Division rival Winston-Salem State on Saturday, September 27. The home opener serves as Faculty and Staff Appreciation with a kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity sport teams, please visit bsubulldogs.com.
