Updated

Texas Southern rallied from a 10-point deficit and defeated the Grambling Tigers, 23-17, when backup quarterback Jamal Small plunged through the middle for a 2-yard score in overtime on Saturday.

The defeat put a damper on a chaotic 10-day stretch that included a boycott, a forfeit and a swarm of national attention to this campus in rural Louisiana.

Initially, Grambling quarterback D.J. Williams showed no ill effects from the unplanned off week caused by his team's forfeit to Jackson State. Williams fired two long touchdown passes (82 and 60 yards) to help push his Tigers to a 17-7 first-half lead.

Texas Southern (2-6, 2-5 SWAC) tied the game early in the fourth quarter with a 20-yard scoring strike from Small to Jaquaa Peters.

Grambling (0-9, 0-6) survived a pair of interceptions from Williams in the fourth quarter. In overtime Johnathan Wallace missed a 30-field goal attempt wide left.