Circle City Classic: NC Central capitalizes on turnovers, wins 40-10

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  -  Playing in a building that hosted the Super Bowl just a few months earlier was exciting for the North Carolina Central players.

But the Eagles were more thrilled after their 40-10 victory over South Carolina State in the Circle City Classic on Saturday because of the significance to their program, showing just far they have come since moving up to the Football Championship Subdivision from NCAA Division II nearly two years ago.

“It's such a blessing, beating a team that's ran the (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) for who knows how long,” North Carolina Central quarterback Jordan Reid sad. “Kind of like beating your big brother.”

The Eagles (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) went just 2-9 last season, their first in the FCS level (formerly NCAA Division I). And, as Reid noted, South Carolina State (2-4, 1-1) has been something of the king of the MEAC, winning the league title in three of the last four years.

But before an estimated crowd of 20,000, North Carolina Central looked like the seasoned bunch. It took advantage of three South Carolina State turnovers to score 30 points in the second quarter and cruised after that.


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NCCU 40, S.C. STATE 10: Eagles turn 5 TOs into rout in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. — N.C. Central rode a school record 30-point offensive explosion in the second quarter to a 40-10 MEAC win over South Carolina State at the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL Colts, here Saturday.

The 30-point outburst, which overwhelmed S.C. State’s early 3-0 lead, set a school record for points in a second quarter.

The Eagles’ win was fueled by five S.C. State (2-4, 1-2 MEAC) turnovers, one of which turned into a 27-yard touchdown return by linebacker Tazmon Foster. The victory snapped a seven-game losting streak to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe SCSU and marked NCCU’s fifth win in six games played in National Football League stadiums since 2000.

The only loss at an NFL venue was to Georgia State in overtime in 2010 before NCCU’s jump to Division I and the Football Championship Subdivision of the NCAA.

Oleg Parent’s 43-yard field goal early in the second quarter drew NCCU (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) even and Arthur Goforth’s 13-yard scoring run gave NCCU a lead that the Eagles would not relinquish.

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