BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The play’s official name is 571 Z Post, but Willie Young simply calls it his “money route.”

It paid off the first time Arkansas-Pine Bluff ran it Saturday.

Young slipped behind a Jackson State defensive back to catch a pass from Ben Anderson, then raced to the end zone to complete a 95-yard, game-tying score.

It erased a deficit UAPB had been trying to overcome since early in the first quarter and forced overtime, where the Golden Lions eventually put away Jackson State 24-21 to earn its first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.

It was a play Jackson State Coach Rick Comegy didn’t see, but one that Young knew was going for big yards as soon as it was called.

“I kind of know it’s going to happen,” Young said. “ It’s like my money route. I actually know what’s about to take place.”

Good thing, too, because UAPB (10-2) was just about out of chances in its bid to win its first conference championship.

The Golden Lions trailed 21-14 when it forced Jackson State into a punt that rolled to the UAPB 4. Anderson gained 1 yard on first down before offensive coordinator Eric Dooley called the play on second down.

“Our back was against the wall and we had our speed burner right there,” Dooley said. “I said, ‘Why not? I’m not running all game long. Let’s take a shot at it.’ ”

Dooley had kept the play in the back of his mind all game. Not only was it open twice in UAPB’s victory over Jackson State on Oct. 6 - it fell incomplete both times - but Young twice scored 66-yard touchdowns on the play this season.

Comegy said there wasn’t any busted coverage on the play. Young simply slipped behind Hill.

Jackson State’s coach said he looked away when he saw the ball in the air, thinking it would land incomplete. Then he heard the UAPB crowd roar and turned back toward the field as Young crossed the Jackson State 15-yard line as he coasted into the end zone.

“I didn’t think he was going to be able track that ball down,” Comegy said. “It turned out to be a great, great throw.”

The reaction was understandable considering Anderson, who ended up 13 of 25 for 225 yards, had missed all five of his deep passes before hitting Young.

Three of those were overthrown, and the other two were under thrown and ended up being intercepted. The first interception, by cornerback Qua Cox, led to a 40-yard touchdown pass from Clayton Moore to Rico Richardson that gave Jackson State a14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Even so, Dooley didn’t hesitate to call the deep pass when UAPB needed it most.

“It was a tough game,” Anderson said. “I had to fight myself mentally and get my head back in the game. An opportunity presented itself, and I threw up my best and it came out good.”

Sports, Pages 30 on 12/09/2012