It wasn't pretty, but it was a victory.

The Shaw defense allowed Livingstone only 267 yards of total offense, while the Shaw offense moved the ball just enough as the Bears defeated the Blue Bears 17-7 before a crowd of 3,652 at Alumni Stadium

In a defensive first half, both teams failed to advance the ball into the
red zone.  Penalties hurt Shaw in the first half as they had a couple of big plays nullified, including a 50-yard pass and catch from Jermonty Kimbrough to Damon Harrison.  The Blue Bears could not  capitalize as the Bear defense played big, forcing Livingstone to punt on its first two possessions, and Chris Joseph's interception of a David Melton pass, as the Blue Bears started on the Bear 45, nullified another Livingstone opportunity.  Joseph and linebacker Chris Peavy were the playmakers for the Bear defense, as Joseph also forced and recovered a fumble, taking the ball, literally, from Livingstone wide out Chris Jeter, nullifying another Blue Bear drive, while Peavy finished the game with 12 tackles (five solo), two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a sack.  The teams went into the half tied at 0-0.

Shaw opened the second half with an impressive eight-play, 69 yard drive which took 3:55.  Kimbrough and Harrison made it right this time as they hooked up for a 24-yard pass and catch as Shaw took a 7-0 lead.  The Bear defense would come up big to start the fourth quarter as David Melton's pass was picked off by free safety Torrance Nunnally and returned 29-yards for a touchdown as the Bears led 14-0.

The Blue Bears would not go away putting together an 11-play, 68 yard drive on the ensuing possession as Melton hooked up with wide out Travis Gist for a 19-yard scoring pass.  Shaw would ice the game with a 13-play, 58-yard drive which took 6:37 as Chester Charles' 29-yard field goal put the Bears up 17-7.

In his first game back since the 2002 season, running back Dion McIver carried the ball 17 times for 69 yards.  Kimbrough finished the day 9-of-18 for 113 yards with one touchdown and one interception.  Running back Santana Mauney led Livingstone's attack with 18 carries for 76 yards.  Melton finished 11-of-26 for 146 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. 

Shaw will host Johnson C. Smith next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at John Baker Stadium.