HOUSTON, Texas — The North Carolina Central University football program dropped its season opener Saturday night at W.W. Thorne Stadium, as Texas Southern came away with a 42-30 win.
The Eagles fell to 0-1 on the season and lost their first season opener since 2019.
Freshman quarterback Nelson Layne, in his collegiate debut, got the Eagles on the board first with a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The run capped a six-play, 84-yard drive for NCCU.
Layne followed up his touchdown run with a 10-yard pass to Connor Everett to extend the lead to 14-0 after the good PAT from Riley Daniels in the closing minute of the opening quarter.
Texas Southern (1-0) recorded its first score of the game after Cam'ron McCoy connected with Jaquan McGee from 11 yards out, cutting the Eagles' lead to 14-7.
Layne answered on the following drive, scoring his second rushing touchdown of the game from 2 yards out to put NCCU up 21-7 at the 11:49 mark of the second quarter.
But the Tigers answered again, when McCoy found McGee in the back of the end zone from 25 yards out to make it 21-14 with 20 seconds left in the first half.
NCCU then went 57 yards in three plays to set up a Daniels 25-yard field goal.
The Eagles led 24-14 at the half.
Texas Southern received the ball to start the second half and went 48 yards in 54 seconds to get within three points after McCoy hit Roriyon Richardson from 45 yards out.
The Tigers took their first lead of the game off a special teams play, after Jacob Washington blocked a punt that Jordan Thompson returned for 34 yards to give TSU a 28–24 lead.
The Eagles added three more points on the leg of Daniels, who made his second field goal of the game — this one from 32 yards away to cut the Tigers' lead to 28-27 late in the third.
The Tigers answered with a touchdown on the next drive, before Daniels hit his third field goal of the night — a long of 37 yards — to cut the lead to 35-30 early in the fourth quarter.
But Washington scored on a 20-yard run with 2:07 remaining to give the Tigers a 42-30 lead and put the game away.
Layne led the Eagles both through the air and on the ground, recording 131 passing and 116 rushing yards. He completed passes to eight different Eagle receivers.
The Eagles will play at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday, when they take on Elizabeth City State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., and the game will air live on the MEAC Network.
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
