Birmingham, AL- The atmosphere was electric as the brawl for it all in the 2012 SWAC Championship game where the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions battled the Tigers of Jackson State University in front of 32,480 fans.
Jackson State got on the scoreboard first at the 9:16 minute mark when Clayton Moore found Rico Richardson on a 40-yard touchdown pass. Jackson State would push their lead to 14-0 when Rakeem Sims scored on 37-yard jaunt at the 4:48 minute mark of the first quarter.
The Golden Lions would answer back at the 14:57 mark of the second quarter when Ben Anderson scored on quarterback keeper to make the score 14-7.
The Tigers would score once again on a one yard run by Clayton Moore to make the score 21-7. With four seconds left in the first half outside linebacker
Xavier Lofton sacked JSU quarterback Clayton Moore causing a fumble, at which point Lofton's counterpart senior middle linebacker
Bill Ross scooped up the fumble rumbled 73-yards for a touchdown making the score at halftime 21-14.
That score would hold up until two minutes left in the ball game, when Anderson would find
Willie Young breaking across the middle of the field on a post route for a 95-yard touchdown to tie the score at 21 all.
Time would expire with the score knotted 21 apiece. The Golden Lions and the Tigers would need overtime to settle this battle for the SWAC crown.
Jackson State would have the first possession in the overtime period and after being stopped on three straight plays, the Tigers opted to attempt a field to take the lead but the kick was blocked by senior defensive lineman
Sean Robison giving ball back to the Golden Lions with an opportunity to make history.
With their shot at the end zone and potentially the first SWAC championship looming in the balance,
Justin Billings would take the ensuing hand-off around the left end for was thought to be the game winning touchdown. But after an official's review, Billings would be ruled out at the five yard line.
Two plays later, place kicker
Tyler Strickland would get a chance at redemption. Earlier in the ballgame Strickland missed a 25 yard attempt, but proved to the hero of the ballgame by knocking down the game winning 26-yard field goal to cement this historic season, giving the game its final score of 24-21.
