First playoff appearance in school history for Tuskegee UniversityTUSKEGEE, Alabama -- The Golden Tigers Football team, at the result of their division rivals' misery, will live to fight for another day after all. This afternoon, the NCAA announced that Tuskegee will travel to Florence, Ala. to Tom Braly Municipal Stadium to play the Lions of North Alabama in the first round of the Division II Football playoffs. Tuskegee intentionally backed out of its' agreement to play Alabama State in the annual Turkey Day Classic on Thanksgiving, and was not assured of getting into the postseason until Miles College lost to Albany State in the Centennial SIAC Championship Game by a score of 17-14 on Saturday night in Atlanta.
Tuskegee was ranked seventh in Super Region II in the final Super Regional standings release last weekend. However, as a result of Miles' loss, Tuskegee was the best ranked team in the SIAC. There's a catch as to why Tuskegee got into the playoffs, and it's one that multiple teams have been affected by (both positively and negatively) over the past few years. It's called Earned Access. Per the NCAA, through their website:
"Earned access to the playoffs can be gained by a conference if a conference representative finishes in the top eight of the final super regional rankings."
Since the Golden Tigers were allowed access into the postseason, they knocked out West Alabama, which was prevented from getting access to the playoffs for a third consecutive season. The Tigers set both a school record and Gulf South Conference record for points in a game by defeating Central State by a score of 91-28.
"I know that there's been some other coaches that have been out there lobbying for their team," said Tuskegee Coach Willie Slater. "I know Central State, West Alabama beat them 91-28. They made it sound like Central State beat us. But, Central State didn't beat us, and we didn't run the score up on them. We don't do things like that. But, I'm excited. We're not just happy to be in the tournament. We actually think that we have a legitimate chance if we play well."
Regarding Miles' loss last night in the SIAC Championship Game, Slater said that he did not watch the contest, and that he felt bad for Miles Football Coach and former Tuskegee Assistant Reginald Ruffin.
"I know a lot of coaches that saw the game," Slater said. "I didn't. I didn't even want to look at it, to be honest with you. But, I got phone calls about the game, and I hate it for Coach Ruffin. Coach Ruffin is a very good friend of mine, but I knew that he had a tough task on his hands. They played well against us. I thought they played really well against us. I think it's hard to duplicate that, and I knew that they were going to have to play really well to defeat Albany State. Albany is a defensively minded team, and their offense feeds off of that defense."
Slater is very excited to return to Florence, home of the Division II National Championship Game since 1986. For historical purposes, the Golden Tigers will not play at a better location for their first ever appearance in the Division II playoffs.
"Thirteen of our fourteen times, I've been a part of the winning team in that stadium," Slater said. "That's a special place for me, so I'm excited about going back there, and I'm excited about these young men. I think that they want to play. They've proven it to me. So, we will go back to that drawing board on the practice field, and see if we can't get it done."
In Slater's time as an assistant coach at North Alabama, he became very familiar with many of the members of the staff that are up there today.
"I coached there for seven years," Slater said. "I coached for Coach (Bobby) Wallace. Coach Wallace was the guy that hired me there, and he is the coach right now. The offensive coordinator is Cody Gross. He was my quarterback. As a quarterback, he was 42-1-1 as a starter. He won three national championships, and was up for the Harlon Hill Award. There's a lot of history that goes back to North Alabama. That is a special place for me."
The Lions are making their seventh playoff appearance under Coach Wallace, and are making their 18th playoff appearance overall, tying them with UC-Davis and Northwest Missouri State for most playoff appearances of all time. Northwest Missouri State also made their 18th playoff appearance in Division II history.
Kickoff for the game on Saturday will begin at Noon. The men's basketball team will also compete with North Alabama in a regular season game on campus.
Due to the first round of the playoffs, that game will be postponed until 5:00 p.m.
"I know that there's been some other coaches that have been out there lobbying for their team," said Tuskegee Coach Willie Slater. "I know Central State, West Alabama beat them 91-28. They made it sound like Central State beat us. But, Central State didn't beat us, and we didn't run the score up on them. We don't do things like that. But, I'm excited. We're not just happy to be in the tournament. We actually think that we have a legitimate chance if we play well."
Regarding Miles' loss last night in the SIAC Championship Game, Slater said that he did not watch the contest, and that he felt bad for Miles Football Coach and former Tuskegee Assistant Reginald Ruffin.
"I know a lot of coaches that saw the game," Slater said. "I didn't. I didn't even want to look at it, to be honest with you. But, I got phone calls about the game, and I hate it for Coach Ruffin. Coach Ruffin is a very good friend of mine, but I knew that he had a tough task on his hands. They played well against us. I thought they played really well against us. I think it's hard to duplicate that, and I knew that they were going to have to play really well to defeat Albany State. Albany is a defensively minded team, and their offense feeds off of that defense."
Slater is very excited to return to Florence, home of the Division II National Championship Game since 1986. For historical purposes, the Golden Tigers will not play at a better location for their first ever appearance in the Division II playoffs.
"Thirteen of our fourteen times, I've been a part of the winning team in that stadium," Slater said. "That's a special place for me, so I'm excited about going back there, and I'm excited about these young men. I think that they want to play. They've proven it to me. So, we will go back to that drawing board on the practice field, and see if we can't get it done."
In Slater's time as an assistant coach at North Alabama, he became very familiar with many of the members of the staff that are up there today.
"I coached there for seven years," Slater said. "I coached for Coach (Bobby) Wallace. Coach Wallace was the guy that hired me there, and he is the coach right now. The offensive coordinator is Cody Gross. He was my quarterback. As a quarterback, he was 42-1-1 as a starter. He won three national championships, and was up for the Harlon Hill Award. There's a lot of history that goes back to North Alabama. That is a special place for me."
The Lions are making their seventh playoff appearance under Coach Wallace, and are making their 18th playoff appearance overall, tying them with UC-Davis and Northwest Missouri State for most playoff appearances of all time. Northwest Missouri State also made their 18th playoff appearance in Division II history.
Kickoff for the game on Saturday will begin at Noon. The men's basketball team will also compete with North Alabama in a regular season game on campus.
Due to the first round of the playoffs, that game will be postponed until 5:00 p.m.
BY: Michael Stewart, Sports Information Director, Tuskegee University
COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELAITONS
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