ITTA BENA, Miss. - The Mississippi Valley State football team forced Texas Southern into six turnovers while scoring three defensive scores in a 35-14 win for the Delta Devils Saturday afternoon. MVSU improves to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the SWAC while TXSO drops to 0-8 and 0-4 in the conference.

Key Game Stats:

• Mississippi Valley State had 307 yards of total offense on 66 plays, averaging 4.7 yards per play. 
• Caleb Johnson had 26 rushing attempts for 121 yards and scored a touchdown. He averaged 4.7 yards per rush.
• Dejerric Bryant rushed for 97 yards on the ground while completing 7-of-14 pass attempts for 57 yards and one touchdown. He found four different receivers, including Johnny Wilson, Malik Myers, and Jarius Clayton all for two catches each.
• Defensively, MVSU forced six turnovers including three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
• Jerry Garner (pictured above) led the MVSU defense in tackles with nine total including five solo stops. He scored twice on defense in the fourth quarter registering a safety and a fumble recovery. On the afternoon, he had two tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery.
• Keonte' Daniels had seven tackles along with Tracy Thompkins. Thompkins forced a fumble and recovered a fumble by the TXSO offense.
• Jonathan Jones picked off the Tigers twice recording a pair of interceptions and Tadarius Davis returned a 12-yard interception for a touchdown.
• The special teams were anchored by Justin Read averaging 35.4 yards a punt, putting three in the 20.
• TXSO's Devin Williams went 9-for-17 with two interceptions. Dominic Franklin had 79 rushing yards on 22 carries.

How It Happened

• Texas Southern blocked the Delta Devils punt on the opening drive of the game and returned it for a five-yard touchdown.
• In the second quarter, Caleb Johnson and Dejerric Bryant began to attack. Johnson collected 32 rushing yards, while Bryant rushed for a 37 yard gain and then a 14-yard gain. On the next play, he found Malik Myers on a fade route for a five-yard score. The PAT was no good as TXSO held on for a 7-6 advantage.
• The Delta Devils used their ground game on their next drive. MVSU rushed for 49 yards and capped the drive on a three-yard rush by Johnson. 
• The Tigers started at mid-field and used 12 plays driving to the MVSU 23 yard line on their next possession. With under a minute before halftime, Tracy Thompkins forces a fumble that is recovered by Eric Powell putting an end to their drive.
• In the third quarter, Tadarius Davis picks off the Tigers offense and races in for a 12-yard score as Valley led 19-7.
• The defense showed up once again at the start of the fourth quarter, Jerry Garner sacks the Tigers for a safety with 12:26 on the clock (MVSU 21 - TXSO 7).
• The Delta Devils continued the rushing attack on their next drive with Bryant scoring from two yards.
• Jonathan Jones ended TXSO's next drive with an interception on the MVSU 1 yard line.
• After a MVSU punt, TXSO went 34-yards on six plays behind Devin Williams 12-yard passing touchdown to Malik Webb with 2:31 left to play.
• TXSO was sacked with 41-seconds left and fumbled in their end zone with Garner recovering the fumble for a touchdown pushing the MVSU advantage to 35-14.

Inside the Numbers:

• Valley had season-high marks with 250 rushing yards, 35 points scored, and six forced turnovers.
• MVSU was a perfect 3-for-3 on trips to the red zone while TXSO was held to 1-of-3.
• Caleb Johnson rushed for a team-season high 26 attempts and recorded MVSU's longest gain of the season of 39 yards. He eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career and scored his first rushing touchdown.
• Malik Myers caught his second touchdown of the season
• Dejerric Bryant scored his seventh rushing touchdown of the season while throwing his 10th touchdown through the air.
• Jerry Garner recorded a season-high nine tackles and scored eight points for his defense. 
• Antoine Howard had a season-high six tackles.

Up Next:
Mississippi Valley State will play its third consecutive home game on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m., taking on Alabama State at Rice-Totten Stadium.