Texas Southern scores in final minutes, tops Mississippi Valley State for first win of the season

INNA BETTA, Miss. (AP) — Athean Renfro ran five yards for the winning touchdown for Texas Southern with 1:18 left in the game, lifting the Tigers to a 23-20 comeback win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night.

Texas Southern recovered a fumble with 6:27 to play. On a 4th and 4, Tigers quarterback KJ Cooper threw the ball as he was being tackled, but the officials determined his knee was down before the throw. Mississippi Valley took over on downs, up 20-16, with 3:25 to play but the Delta Devils were stopped at midfield.

Cooper and the Tigers’ offense took over with just under two minutes to play. He threw a deep ball to Trenton Leary for a 48-yard completion to the 5-yard line. Renfro ran the ball in to make it 23-20 with 1:18 to play.

Renfro finished the day with 80 yards on 21 carries. Cooper went 13-for-20 passing with 165 yards.

Mississippi Valley quarterback Josh Brown threw for 252 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass to Kerrick Ross in the second quarter.

Texas Southern (1-3, 1-1 SWAC) is 8-5 all-time against Mississippi Valley State (0-4, 0-1 SWAC). The Tigers' last win against the Delta Devils was in 2018.

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