In the final HBCU football game of the weekend, the Tuskegee Golden Tigers rode a strong second-half performance to a 20-17 victory over the Winston-Salem State Rams in the Red Tails Classic.
Tuskegee has now won two of the last three Red Tails Classics after previously losing the first two iterations of the game’s history.
They also avenge their loss in the first cross-conference Red Tails Classic last season when they fell 21-13 to Johnson C. Smith.
Quarterback Raequan Bell began his second year at Tuskegee with 150 passing yards, completing 55% of his passes, and scoring two touchdowns.
Preseason All-SIAC selection Masiah Wells also performed well for the Golden Tigers, finishing with three tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks.
Winston-Salem State quarterback Daylin Lee opened the 2025 season with 169 passing yards and two touchdowns. His top receiver, Ja’Hari Mitchell, contributed two catches for 84 yards and a touchdown.
🐅🔥 1-0. Red Tails Classic CHAMPS. 🏆
Golden Tigers start the season with a statement win! 💪#SkegeeFB | #MyTUAthletics | #RedTailsClassic | #SIAC pic.twitter.com/eznMbs699t
— Tuskegee Football (@SkegeeFootball) September 1, 2025
Struggling to move the ball early on offense, the Rams’ defense provided the team a boost in the form of an interception by Terrel Chance to give them the ball back with three seconds left in the first quarter.
On the next offensive play, Lee put the Rams in the end zone, connecting with Mitchell downfield, who bobbled and hauled in a 50-yard reception for a touchdown to go up 7-3 at the end of the opening period.
The second quarter saw both teams become stagnant on offense, with dropped passes and penalties keeping them from having success.
In the end, Winston-Salem State connected on a 34-yard field goal to give them a 10-3 advantage at halftime.
It was in the third quarter when Tuskegee began to hit its stride on offense, using its run game to control time of possession in the period, which in turn led to it creating a decided advantage in the game.
The Golden Tigers scored touchdowns on their only two drives in the period, holding the ball for over 10 minutes in the period, taking a 17-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
Tuskegee’s third-down execution was a huge reason for their second-half success, converting on all three attempts in the third quarter.
Winston-Salem State answered with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Davontay Deloatch to tie the game 17-17.
On the Golden Tigers’ next drive, an extended drive was ended anticlimactically when Tuskegee was forced to settle for a field goal after a holding penalty took them from inside the 10-yard line.
Tuskegee sealed its win when it forced a three-and-out on Winston-Salem State’s next possession, getting the ball back and running out the clock to claim victory.