Livingstone gets best of J.C. Smith in Classic rivalry
The Commemorative Classic trophy is heading up I-85 for the first time in three years.
Livingstone rode a strong defensive effort and the passing of quarterback Miles Hayes to beat J.C. Smith 20-9 Saturday at McGirt Field. The win, Livingstone’s second in 10 classics, cut J.C. Smith’s advantage in black college football’s oldest rivalry to 50-32-3.
The Blue Bears’ defense was stout, limiting J.C. Smith to 106 yards on offense, zero on the ground. The pass rush, led by Devonte Adams’ three sacks, consistently pressured Golden Bulls freshman Antonio Wallace, who completed just 5-of-24 passes, including a 57-yard touchdown strike to Braxton Gambrell to close to within 17-9 in the third quarter. Livingstone had five sacks and forced three turnovers.
Meanwhile, Hayes was efficient, hitting 11-of-19 passes for 214 yards and a 32-yard score to Justin Ruffin for a 7-0 lead. The Blue Bears made the most of their scoring chances, converting both red-zone possessions into field goals compared to 0-2 for J.C. Smith.
Records: Livingstone 3-6, 3-3 CIAA; J.C. Smith 2-7, 2-4 CIAA.
Three who mattered
Hayes: Livingstone’s quarterback put on a productive show in the first half, hitting 8-of-14 passes for 159 yards and a 32-yard scoring strike to Justin Ruffin.
Gambrell: The Golden Bulls receiver’s 53-yard scoring reception cut Livingstone’s lead to 17-9 in the third quarter.
Adams: The Livingstone defensive end put an impressive cap on his senior season with five tackles, including three sacks in his final game as a Blue Bear.
Worth mentioning
▪ Livingstone’s special teams were an adventure, with a pair of errant snaps on punt attempts resulting in a J.C. Smith safety and turning the ball over on downs at the Blue Bears’ 4 late in the fourth quarter.
▪ Livingstone controlled time of possession - 34 minutes, 42 seconds compared to J.C. Smith’s 25:11.
▪ Eight Blue Bears caught a pass, with Anthony Faraimo the top receiver with 93 yards on three receptions with a long of 60 yards. He also rushed for 40 yards and a score on three carries.
▪ Both teams struggled with third-down conversions. J.C. Smith managed one in 14 opportunities and Livingstone turned two into first downs on 13 tries.
▪ The Golden Bulls are 0-7 when they fail to score first.