Rhymes runs for 2 TDs to help Southern rally, beat Texas Southern 23-17 in OT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Joshua Griffin kicked a career-long 54-yard field goal near the end of regulation, Kendric Rhymes scored two rushing touchdowns and Southern scored the final 16 points to beat Texas Southern 23-17 in overtime Saturday.

Rhymes finished with 11 carries for 136 yards, including a 69-yard TD run that gave Southern (5-3, 4-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) a 7-3 lead in the second quarter.

Jacory Howard ran for a 10-yard touchdown to make it 10-7 going into halftime and Jace Wilson added another 10-yard TD to make it 17-7 with 9:51 left in the game. Ckelby Givens returned a fumble 34 yards for a TD about four minutes later and Griffin's long field goal with eight seconds left in regulation made it 17-all.

Texas Southern (2-6, 1-4) missed a 37-yard field goal-attempt on the opening possession of overtime and Rhymes had runs of 5 and 4 yards before his 16-yard winning TD.

LaDarius Owens had 244 yards rushing on 36 carries for the Tigers.

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