College football: St. Augustine's 45, Livingstone 14

By Rick Rogers

sports@salisburypost.com

DURHAM — Livingstone’s football team fell to the St. Augustine’s Falcons 45-14 on Saturday at Durham County Stadium.

Livingstone’s defense boosted the Blue Bears at the start the game by forcing a three-and-out and forcing a punt.

The poor punt gave Livingstone field position at the St. Augustine’s 46-yard line.

Livingstone then took a 7-0 lead on quarterback Craig Murdock’s 22-yard rush and his 24-yard TD pass to Carl James.

St. Augustine’s tied the game on its third possession, a 15-play, 82-yard drive that spanned more than five minutes .

The Falcons extended their lead early in the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal.

A Murdock fumble handed St. Aug’s the ball on the LC 17, and the Falcons punched in another score for a 17-7 halftime lead.

Livingstone couldn’t move the ball at the outset of the second half, and St. Augustine’s opened a 24-7 lead with a 16-play, 67-yard drive that took eight minutes off the clock.

Another Livingstone fumble, this one recovered at the Blue Bears’ 21, led to another St. Aug’s TD and a 31-7 lead.

Livingstone got its final TD when linebacker Tyheim Pitt intercepted a Joaquin Green pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown.

St. Aug’s tackled on two TDs in the final 2:50, including a 65-yard scoring pass with 1:24 remaining.

Murdock finished 9-for-20 for the Blue Bears for 118 yards. Javon Williams was the team’s leading rusher with 18 yards. James made three catches for 56 yards.

In addition to his pick-6, Pitt led the Blue Bears with 17 tackles.

The Blue Bears finish the season next Saturday at 2 p.m. against the Johnson C. Smith in the Commemorative Classic at Charlotte’s Memorial Stadium.

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Rick Rogers is Livingstone’s sports information director.