South Carolina State, Georgia State Look Forward to Thursday Night Opener

THURSDAY, AUGUST 30

Football vs South Carolina State, Georgia Dome

Time: 7:30 PM

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Television: CSS

Radio: NewsTalk 1160, WCFO-AM;
1690 WMLB-AM
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Game Day Central: Ga. State vs. S.C. State

ATLANTA, Georgia  - Season three of Georgia State football kicks off with a stern test as the Panthers host a South Carolina State program that has posted 11 straight winning seasons in Thursday's season opener at the Georgia Dome.

Thursday's game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and will be regionally televised on CSS. Radio coverage is available on the GSU Radio Network, including flagship stations Newstalk 1160 AM (WCFO) and 1690 AM (WMLB) as well as WGST (AM 640 and FM 92.3).

For tickets, call 866-GA-STATE or visit GeorgiaStateSports.com.

Opening on Thursday night, Georgia State will be among the first college teams in the nation to tee it up, and head coach Bill Curry and his squad appreciate that."It's something that Cheryl Levick, our director of athletics, works very hard to put together," said Curry at his weekly press conference.

"We love the idea of us starting out on Thursday night. Our students love it. Our fans love it. We do get to go first. It's going to be televised. It's an exciting moment and we want to play well. We want to go out and execute.

"And Curry, entering his final season on the sideline, knows that the Panthers will have to play well to give themselves a chance against a very good football team."South Carolina State is one of the better FCS programs, and when I say program, I'm talking about perennial winners," he said.

"They've got 11 consecutive winning seasons to their credit and have won championships in their league. They have a tradition of over a century of excellent football."Included in that century is a victory over Georgia State last season, when South Carolina State scored the game's final 13 points to down the Panthers, 23-13, at Orangeburg, S.C.

"Last year was a lesson playing against them because we played very hard, but they played harder," said Curry. "The game was a good physical match and was won by the team that was more determined. We've got to be more determined when the chips are down."For Georgia State, redshirt freshman Ben McLane of Snellville, Ga., will make his debut at quarterback, with junior Kelton Hill also expected to see action.

"The way to prepare for a game like this, in my opinion, is not to make a big deal out of it," said McLane, whose last game in the Georgia Dome came when he led Brookwood High School to a victory over Colquitt County in the 2010 Class AAAAA state title game.

"We prepared so hard in the off-season and we've had a long training camp. You put so much pressure on yourself that when it comes to a big game like this, it's like another day at work. When you do walk out under the lights and have a bunch of people there, it's just like in practice. We've done that to ourselves, and we embrace whatever comes our way.

"South Carolina State, coached by Buddy Pough, counters with returning starter Richard Cue, an athletic quarterback who passed for 900 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 514 yards and eight scores in leading the Bulldogs to a 7-4 record in 2011.

In the game against GSU, he finished 16-for-30 for 213 yards passing while rushing for two touchdowns. Curry announced that the game captains for the South Carolina State contest are senior safety Demazio Skelton, junior wide receiver Jordan Giles - a native of Columbia, S.C. - and junior long snapper Scott McQueen.

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Alabama State Hornets Bring Gameday to Practice

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Head Coach Reggie Barlow brought a gameday atmosphere to the Alabama State football  practice Tuesday night during practice at Hornet Stadium.

The 8^th edition of the MEAC-SWAC Challenge between the Hornets and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats kicks off Sunday just after 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET (WVAS 90.7 FM/HSRN.com./ESPN) in Orlando, Fla. at the Citrus Bowl.

The Mighty Marching Hornets band played during most of the night practice in the stands, giving both players and coaches a taste of what Sunday's gameday atmosphere could feel like.

“I thought the guys had good energy tonight,” Barlow said. “We tried to bring additional elements out here to be distracting and see how they would perform. It's a direct correlation to Sunday. There will be a lot of things going on on gameday and we want our guys to be focused on the task at hand. I thought the energy level was good and hopefully we will continue that this week.”

The Wildcats posted an 8-3 record last season, 6-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. B-CU led the conference in scoring (33.9 ppg) and total offense (435.3 ypg), based on a potent rushing attack that averaged nearly 260 yards per game, also a conference-best.



“They have several outstanding running backs,” Barlow said of the Wildcat offense. “They like to change their formations in a variety of ways, and have had a lot of success with it. We have to make sure we're dialed in and read our keys defensively.”

Last season, the Hornet' D struggled at times against the run, allowing on average 158.1 ypg. With several returning veterans in the front seven, Barlow is confident the run defense will be effective this Sunday.

“Brandon Slater is a big, strong guy for us in the middle, along with Winton Steward,” Barlow said in discussing some key pieces of the linebacker corps. “It's all about our alignments, making sure we're where we are supposed to be and fighting off blocks. We believe we have quality guys in the lineup, but they haven't been tested yet this season. They'll be tested on Sunday, and hopefully we'll be able to hold up.”

The Hornets will practice Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Thursday at 11 a.m.

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Hampton vs. Tennessee Tech

COOKEVILLE, Tennessee – The Hampton University football team will open the 2012 season on the road on Thursday, taking on Tennessee Tech at Tucker Stadium at 8 p.m. EST.

The Pirates, in their fourth season under head coach Donovan Rose, won seven games last season and went 5-3 in the MEAC. Tennessee Tech won the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2011, also going 7-4 overall with a 6-2 mark in conference play.

This will be the first-ever meeting between Hampton and Tennessee Tech.



Game Notes

The Pirates averaged almost 29 points per game last season – 28.4, to be exact – ranking third in the MEAC in total offense. Hampton eclipsed the 30-point mark in five contests in 2011 – including a season-high 42 in back-to-back games against Delaware State and Morgan State to close out the season. The Pirates also scored 41 points at Old Dominion on Sept. 17, 31 points in a road loss to Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 22, and 30 points in an overtime Homecoming win over North Carolina Central on Oct. 22.

Junior running back Antwon Chisholm (Belle Glade, Fla.), the 2010 MEAC Rookie of the Year, comes into his junior season as a Preseason Second Team All-MEAC selection. He was the team’s leading rusher last season, ranking fifth in the MEAC with 72.4 rushing yards per game.

He carried the ball 192 times for 796 yards and eight touchdowns. He rushed for over 100 yards twice last season – including a season-high 141 yards against Alabama A&M – and for his career, Chisholm has four 100-yard rushing games in his career.

Defense has long been a strength for the Pirates – particularly given Rose’s background – and 2012 appears to be no different as Keith Goganious enters his third season as defensive coordinator. The Pirates will return their top five tacklers from last season, led by linebackers Delbert Tyler (Monroeville, Pa.) and Lyndell Gibson (Virginia Beach, Va.), both of whom eclipsed 100 tackles last season.

Tyler led the Pirates with 110 total stops, including 41 solo efforts, while Gibson – a transfer from Virginia Tech – had 108 total tackles, including a team-high 52 solo stops. Gibson also led the team in tackles for loss (14.0) and tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles.

The Pirates were fourth in the MEAC in scoring defense last season, giving up just 21.8 points per contest. The Pirates also led the MEAC in pass efficiency defense, holding opponents to an efficiency rating of just 98.4 – the only rate under 100 in the conference. Hampton was also fourth in the conference in passing defense, holding opponents to just 183.9 yards per game through the air.

Hampton also had 14 interceptions as a defense in 2011, sitting fifth in the MEAC. The defense was also a major part of Hampton leading the MEAC in turnover margin at +13, between those 14 picks and 15 recovered fumbles.



The Pirates are 0-2 all-time against teams currently in the Ohio Valley Conference, having gone 0-2 all-time against Tennessee State. Tennessee State is the only school from the OVC that Hampton has faced to this point; the Pirates have never played Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee Tech, or Tennessee-Martin.

The Pirates went 1-3 on the road last season, with their lone win coming at Savannah State on Oct. 29. Hampton also lost road contests last season at Old Dominion, at Bethune-Cookman, and at Norfolk State. During Rose’s tenure as head coach, Hampton is 7-9 on the road.

The Pirates have six road contests this season.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

MEAC champion Spartans show off their ring bling

NORFOLK, Virginia - Pete Adrian didn't want Norfolk State's MEAC championship ring to be too gaudy. So he only ordered extra-extra-extra large.

"I wanted it to be smooth," said Adrian, who helped pick the model. "I didn't want it to be real flashy-flashy where it gets your attention."

The NSU football team received the rings Friday, the first ever for the school. Items that rare, it seems, don't follow the same sizing conventions as things like pants.

"Most of the big sports, they typically use something in this range," said Maureen Cooper, the sales representative for Jostens.

Norfolk State would not reveal how much each ring cost, and the NCAA regulates the amount of money that can be spent on each ring.



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U. Charleston vs. Shaw Bears

CHARLESTON, West Virginia - Charleston, picked fourth in the WVIAC preseason poll, opens up against CIAA foe Shaw in the first of two Thursday night games for the Golden Eagles. The two programs have not met in recent history.

UC boasts All-American Jordan Roberts on the offensive side of the ball. He averaged 130 yards a game on the ground and scored 17 touchdowns a season ago. All-conference offensive lineman George Davilla could challenge for All-America honors as well in 2012.

Honorable mention all-conference performer Jeff Green tallied 11 sacks a year ago. He, alongside Ike Gibson will help out what could be a strong defensive unit this season. First-team all-conference punter Puma Nuredini will hold down the kicking game for the Golden Eagles.

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West Virginia State University toughens up schedule

INSTITUTE, West Virginia - In Institute, The West Virginia State Yellow Jackets are gearing up for their season opener Saturday against CIAA power Johnson C. Smith University.

The Jackets have a tough schedule, not only J.C. Smith, but they also have two 1-AA opponents on the schedule. According to Jacket head coach Earl Monroe, the tougher schedule alone has helped in recruiting.

"We have a tough schedule. I think our guys will be up for the challenge. We've got some junior college transfers that we were able to sign simply because we have 1AA teams on our schedule."

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WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY YELLOWJACKETS
2012 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

9/1/2012	1:00 PM	vs Johnson C. Smith University			Live Stats			1:00 PM	Details
9/8/2012	6:00 PM	at North Carolina A&T State University	Greensboro, NC					6:00 PM	Details
9/15/2012	3:00 PM	at Elon University	Elon, NC					3:00 PM	Details
HOME GAME
9/22/2012	1:00 PM	vs Concord University			Live Stats			1:00 PM	Details
9/29/2012	Noon	at Seton Hill University (Pa.)	Greensburg, PA					Noon	Details
HOME GAME
10/6/2012	1:30 PM	vs West Liberty University			Live Stats			1:30 PM	Details
10/13/2012	1:00 PM	at Glenville State College	Glenville, WV					1:00 PM	Details
HOME GAME
10/20/2012	1:00 PM	vs Shepherd University			Live Stats			1:00 PM	Details
10/27/2012	1:00 PM	vs West Virginia Wesleyan College			Live Stats			1:00 PM	Details
11/3/2012	1:00 PM	at Fairmont State University	Fairmont, WV					1:00 PM	Details
11/10/2012	1:00 PM	at University of Charleston	Charleston, WV		Live Stats			1:00 PM	Details

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TSU Tigers open season vs. Florida A&M Rattlers

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - On Saturday, the Tennessee State football team hosts the Rattlers from Florida A&M at LP Field. The Tigers take on their rivals in the fourteenth annual John A. Merritt Classic in honor of legendary TSU coach John A. Merritt.

This year's game will be the 51st meeting between the two schools and the first since 2010's Atlanta Football Classic. The Tigers won the last contest, 29-18 to tied the all-time series at 25-25 dating back to 1944.

For Tennessee State, the Tigers are looking to build upon last year's 5-6 record with a season opening victory. TSU returns a total of 14 starters, including nine on the offensive side of the ball. They also return six specialists from a year ago - everyone except punter Matt Moseley.

On offense, the Tigers will feature an offensive line that boasts three all-conference selections in tackle Rogers Gaines, center Sherman Carter and guard Kadeem Edwards. Tennessee State will count on those three plus the rest of its line to help protect quarterback Michael German and open up running lanes for running back Trabis Ward.

Last season, German passed for 1,899 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to being named the Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. German accomplished the feat after only starting eight games last season.

Tennessee State loses its leading receiver in terms of yards from a year ago, but junior wideout Devin Wilson looks to build upon his sophomore campaign where he caught a team-high 48 passes, two of which went for touchdowns.

Ward was 23 yards shy of 1,000 last season after carrying the ball 193 times. He also scored 11 touchdowns on the ground.

	Rod Reed Weekly OVC Teleconference - Talks about upcoming John Merritt Classic and FAMU.
	TSU Game Notes
	FAMU Game Notes

Defensively, the Tigers lose their leading tackler from a year ago in Rico Council, but do return all-conference selection Antonio Harper. Harper will start for TSU at one of the defensive ends after leading the squad in sacks last season with 6.5. The Memphis, Tenn. native also recorded nine tackles-for-loss and 44 total tackles.

Another key returnee from last season is defensive back Steven Godbolt. Godbolt is coming off of freshman campaign that saw him grab All-OVC Newcomer honors and a team-high two interceptions.

On special teams, the Tigers welcome back return man Weldon Garlington who accumulated 544 return yards including a 100-yard scamper that went for a touchdown. This preseason, Garlington was named an All-American by Boxtorow.

Last year, FAMU sported a 7-4 record, but the Rattlers will have to find a way to replace 13 starters from a year ago.

The key returnees for the offense are quarterback Damien Fleming and left guard Steven Robinson. As a freshman last year, Fleming threw for 1,622 yards and 11 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. Robinson was vital in padding Fleming's numbers, as the 300 pound senior earned First Team All-MEAC honors last season.

Defensively, the Rattlers must find replacements at both defensive ends and at three linebacker positions. FAMU does return one linebacker in Brandon Hepburn and First Team All-MEAC safety John Ojo. Last season, the duo combined for 105 tackles, and Ojo recorded a team-high four interceptions.

This year's John A. Merritt Classic honors all the players that were coached by "Big John". The game starts at 6 p.m. at LP Field.

Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.

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