For Shaw, it was either risk going two games down in the CIAA's Eastern Division or win versus Bowie State.  The Bears chose the latter.

Shaw racked up 455 yards of total offense, including 362 on the ground in route to a 27-14 win over Bowie State at John Baker Stadium.  The Bears are now in a tie for first place in the division as Virginia State fell to Elizabeth City State 15-14. 

The turnover bug bit Shaw (4-2, 2-2) early on its first possession.  As the Bears were driving into further into Bulldog territory, Jermonty Kimbrough's pass was intercepted by Alonzo Corbett, one of two on the day for him and the drive was halted.  But the Bear defense played well all game and held Bowie State to a three-and-out.  The offense then went to work as Kimbrough and Dion McIver took the Bears 83 yards in eight running plays, capped off by Mciver's two-yard touchdown plunge and Shaw had the 7-0 lead.  McIver accounted for 46 yards on five carries, while Kimbrough had 15 yards on two carries and the Bears were also aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Bulldogs. Bowie State would capitalize on a Bear miscue.  Again driving deep into Bulldog Dion McIver fumbled the ball on the Bowie State 21 and Christopher Glass recovered and ran it back 79 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.

But the Bear came right back on the ensuing possession, as Mark Bransom carried the ball for 14 yards, then Terrance Ford scored the first of two touchdowns on the day off the right side as he ran 46 yards for the score and the 14-7 Shaw lead.  The Shaw defense then really began to step up intercepting two Bulldog passes in the second quarter and preserving the 14-7 halftime lead.

Shaw scored again in the third as McIver scored from three yards out and a blocked extra-point gave the Bears the 20-7 lead.  But Bowie State (3-3, 2-2) was not done, putting together a four-play, 43-yard drive that took 1:08, capped off by former Bear Dwayne Payne's 10-yard touchdown reception to cut the Bear lead to 20-14 very late in the third quarter.

As Bowie State continued to hang around, the Bear defense continued to play stellar.  With one play away from possibly taking the lead, mid-way through the fourth quarter, Khaleel Sutherland came up with his second interception of the day in the endzone, which thwarted a Bulldog score.  On the ensuing possession, the Bears put it away as Kimbrough found Anthony Frost for a 40-yard pass play and Ford ran up the middle and scored a touchdown on a 40-yard run to push the Bears ahead 27-14.

Both Ford and McIver ran for over 100 yards and scored two touchdowns, Ford 123 yards and McIver 110 yards, respectively.  The Bear defense intercepted five Bulldog passes.  Bulldog quarterback Jabali Smith was 13-of-28 for 249 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions.

The Bears will host Virginia Union for homecoming next week at 1:30 p.m. at Trojan Stadium.

Note: The last time two Bear running backs rushed for over 100 yards in a game was Sept. 20, 2003 against St. Aug's when Byron Cary rushed for 113 and Reginald Price 103.