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Major Takeaways
Tennessee State upset Morgan State 25 to 16 at homecoming on Saturday night.
Reggie Barlow earned his 100th career win days after his father died at age 78.
Daylin Lee threw two touchdown passes and did not throw an interception.
The Tigers held Morgan State scoreless in the fourth quarter to protect the lead.
Tennessee State football gave its homecoming crowd a night it will never forget.
The Tigers beat Morgan State 25 to 16 on Saturday at Nissan Stadium.
The win came before 11,347 fans in Nashville.
Morgan State arrived ranked 24th in the nation.
The Bears also sat at the top of Black college football.
Tennessee State entered with just one win all season.
None of that mattered once the Tigers found their rhythm.
Head coach Reggie Barlow reached 100 career wins on the night.
He did it just days after losing his father.
That mix of grief and glory made this one feel much bigger than football.
A Coach Coaching Through Grief
Barlow lost his father in the days before the game.
Clemmon Barlow Jr. was 78 years old.
He was a longtime radio disc jockey known as Spider Man.
His voice had been part of Black life in his community for years.
Barlow said his players knew the week had been tough on him.
He thanked them for rallying around him through it all.
After the Tigers scored twice in the third quarter, the tribute showed itself.
Players flashed the Spider Man hand gesture on the field.
Barlow had to wave them down before a penalty could follow.
It was a small moment that said everything about this team.
These young Black men played for their coach as much as for the score.
Tennessee State Football Struck First
The Tigers opened the game with a statement drive.
Jaden Jones hit Cam Bulluck for a 50 yard touchdown pass.
The four play drive covered 81 yards on the opening possession.
Rymen Mosley then intercepted Morgan State quarterback Cameron Edge.
Tennessee State turned that takeaway into a field goal.
Preston Hurless connected from 25 yards to push the lead to 9 to 0.
Mosley struck again late in the first quarter.
His second interception came at the Tennessee State 6 yard line.
That play killed a real Morgan State scoring threat.
The Tigers had come to play defense from the very first snap.
Morgan State Answered and the Lead Kept Moving
Morgan State settled down in the second quarter.
Keith Jenkins Jr. scored on a 28 yard touchdown run.
Gavin Fetty added a 22 yard field goal soon after.
The Bears suddenly led 10 to 9.
Tennessee State answered right before halftime.
Daylin Lee led a six play drive of 84 yards.
He found Brock Montgomery for a 19 yard touchdown.
Only 22 seconds remained in the half.
The Tigers went to the locker room ahead 15 to 10.
Morgan State grabbed the lead back in the third quarter.
Edge threw a 30 yard touchdown pass to Joseph Towler.
That score put the Bears in front 16 to 15.
The homecoming crowd could feel the game slipping away.
This team had lived that exact story too many times.
Daylin Lee Protected the Ball When It Mattered
Lee had endured two rough weeks before this game.
He threw three interceptions and lost a fumble against UT Martin.
He threw two more interceptions against Western Illinois.
Ball security became the focus of every practice this week.
Lee responded with the cleanest game of his season.
He completed 17 of 34 passes for 220 yards.
He threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions.
He also led the Tigers on the ground with 63 rushing yards.
The response drive in the third quarter showed his growth.
Tennessee State marched 65 yards on 18 plays.
The drive ate more than seven minutes of game clock.
Hurless finished it with a 27 yard field goal.
The Tigers led again at 18 to 16.
On the next possession, Lee delivered the dagger.
He hit Francisco Pratts III for an 11 yard touchdown on fourth down.
The score made it 25 to 16 late in the third quarter.
The Defense Closed the Door Late
Tennessee State had blown second half leads three times this season.
Losses to Jackson State, Western Illinois and UT Martin all followed that script.
This time the defense refused to let it happen again.
Morgan State got nothing in the fourth quarter.
The Tigers forced the Bears to give the ball up on downs twice.
Morgan State gained only 51 yards in the final quarter.
For the game, the Bears managed 301 total yards.
They converted just two of 11 third down tries.
Tennessee State finished with 360 total yards.
The Tigers also held the ball for more than 33 minutes.
Bulluck caught six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Brendan Hale led the defense with eight tackles.
The win snapped a four game winning streak for Morgan State.
It was also the first loss for the Bears against an FCS opponent this season.
What Win 100 Means for Black College Football
Barlow now owns 87 wins at the college level.
He won 49 games at Alabama State, his alma mater.
He won 34 more at Virginia State.
He has now won four at Tennessee State in his second season.
He added 13 wins with the DC Defenders in pro spring football.
That body of work now stands at 100 career victories.
Barlow knows this world from every side of it.
He starred at Alabama State as a player.
He played in the NFL and won a Super Bowl ring with Tampa Bay.
Now he is building a program at one of the proudest HBCUs in America.
Homecoming at an HBCU is family, memory and pride in one place.
A win like this gives that family something real to build on.
Morgan State will have to regroup fast in the MEAC race.
The Bears host Howard next Saturday in Baltimore.
Tennessee State proved the top of Black college football can change any week.
For more football coverage, visit the Sports section at Urban City Podcast.
Read our look at A.J. Brown and his return and the Broncos overtime win too.
