Tigers Pull Off Walk-Off Win Against No. 13 Virginia Union in Unity Classic Thriller
Head Coach Brian Jenkins
Edward Waters University stunned No. 13 Virginia Union 41-38 in the first ever Unity Classic held Saturday in Jacksonville, FL. The Tigers made history by starting the season 3-0 for the first time since 1964, riding a dramatic last-second field goal to a gutty win over the defending CIAA champs.
Quarterback Noah Bodden threw 19-of-35 for 283 yards, including a touchdown, and avoided turnovers under pressure. Edward Waters balanced their attack with running back Johntarrious Thomas rushing for 99 yards and a score, while Brady Tillman broke loose for a 70-yard touchdown run. Receiver Izaiah Jean-Baptiste made big plays, hauling in two receiving touchdowns and over 110 yards.
Virginia Union didn’t go down quietly. Curtis Allen ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns, and wideout Jeremiah Francis hauled in two touchdown catches as VUU mounted several late comebacks. The Panthers even forced a tie late in the fourth quarter and seemed primed for a win. But Edward Waters responded, with a 90-yard kickoff return by Kieren Jackson followed by a perfectly placed 35-yard walk-off field goal by freshman kicker Ryan Gagne as time expired.
Despite some penalty issues (Edward Waters had 23, and combined the teams committed around 40 penalties), momentum swung in favor of the Tigers in the second half, where their defense stepped up with key stops.
Looking Ahead
This win gives Edward Waters serious momentum. Moving forward, they’ll need to clean up penalties and maintain composure in tight spots if they want to keep up this hot start. Virginia Union, meanwhile, must shore up their red-zone execution and limit mistakes if they hope to rebound and defend their CIAA title. Next, Edward Waters will face Bethune-Cookman, and VUU takes on Johnson C. Smith. Both games will be important measuring sticks for each program.
