MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. | In what was beginning to look like the college football game of the year, the Florida Memorial University Lions had their exciting contest against the Clark Atlanta Panthers halted numerous times due to a lightning delay. In the end, mother nature won the 2024 Sunshine Showdown as both teams tied at 28 apiece with nearly an entire second half to play as the game transitioned from being suspended to being final.
"It was an act of God with the weather," said FMU Lions head coach Bobby Rome. "We can only control what we can control. We got a lot of good film and we have alot of things to work on. We're eager to get back and get things going as we prepare for Cumberland this week. It was a good game though. I was proud of the adjustments that were made to correct the issues during the game. Overall, I'm proud of my boys and proud of my coaching staff and I really would have liked to see what would have happened if we had a chance to finish the second half," Rome explained.
FMU quarterback
Cedquan Smith was surgical, completing 19-of-22 passes for 284 yards and one touchdown while running back
Walter Wilbon, III rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown, including a 40-yard scamper to the house. FMU all-time leading rusher
George Young returned to the gridiron from last year's season ending injury and scored a 6-yard rushing touchdown for the Lions. Marcus Barthel also scored a short yardage touchdown for FMU, who generated a program-best 28 points in the second quarter.
Florida Memorial was led by receiver
David Studstill who finished with a team-high six catches for 132 yards and a touchdown, while two-sport athlete, track star
Christian Edgerson finished with three catches for 94 yards, including a 73-yard bomb where he stepped out of bounds just shy of the end zone.
On the defensive end,
Joshua Mimms led all Lions with four tackles while teammate
Antwan Davis finished with three. Defensive back
Marcell Blocker produced a game-high three pass breakups in the tie.
The Lions return to action on Saturday, September 21 as they travel to Tennessee to face Cumberland.
