UAPB team, players earn football honors
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team has been named as the Stats FCS national team of the week.
Either Grambling or Southern has represented the West Division in the last seven SWAC championship games, but UAPB has defeated both powers on the road for its first 2-0 start since 2000.
The Golden Lions defeated Grambling 48-21 on Saturday.
The Golden Lions led Grambling 14-7 at halftime before pulling away with 28 points in the third quarter.
Quarterback Skyler Perry set career highs with 346 passing yards, 384 yards of total offense and four touchdown passes. Linebacker Isaac Peppers had 10 tackles and two sacks and forced two fumbles.
Perry also received Stats FCS honorable mention honors for national offensive player of the week for his performance against the Tigers.
Perry and Peppers also earned Southwestern Athletic Conference honors for their play in UAPB’s win at Grambling on Saturday.
Perry (6-3, 215; junior, New Orleans) was named as the league’s Co-Offensive Player of the Week, while Peppers (6-0, 205; junior, Greenville, Miss.) was named SWAC Defensive Player of the Week.
Perry earned SWAC offensive honors for the second time this season.
He threw touchdown passes of 58 yards to wide receiver Harry Ballard III in the second quarter, 60 yards to Josh Wilkes and 28 yards to tight end Jeremy Brown in the third quarter, and 31 yards to Brown in the fourth quarter.
In the second quarter, Peppers forced a fumble that was recovered by Grambling, and later in the period Peppers recorded a 4-yard sack.
In the fourth quarter, a 10-yard sack by Peppers resulted in a fumble that was recovered by teammate Kolby Watts.
UAPB (2-0 overall, 2-0 SWAC) will host Alabama State (2-1, 2-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Simmons Bank Field.
The game will be video streamed live on the ESPN App. The UAPB Sports Network radio broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. on 99.3 FM The Beat, online at uapblionsroar.com/live, and on the free UAPB Athletics App. Tickets are available at uapblionsroar.com/tickets.