*FCS Coaches Poll/STATS Media Poll
Date: Oct. 21, 2017
Time: 1 p.m.
Facility: Aggie Stadium (21,500)
Series: BCU leads, 22-16
Radio: ESPN Triad Radio (1320 AM, 93.7 FM, 104.9 FM, 1230 AM); Play-by-play – Donal Ware, Analysts – Al Swann
TV: ESPN3 Live; ESPNU tape delayed (10:30 p.m.)
OFFENSIVE STARTERS FROM LAST GAME: WR Elijah Bell (6-2, 221, So., needs one TD catch to tie the school’s single-season record); LT Brandon Parker (6-7, 309, R-Sr., will play in his 44th straight game as an Aggie); LG Joshua Mattocks (6-3, 331, R-Sr., he will be vital against a tough BCU D-Line); C Darriel Mack (6-2, 293, R-Sr., continues to have a superb senior season); RG Daquan Blake (6-1, 290, Sr., despite his physical play, he has been durable for the A&T); RT Marcus Pettiford (6-3, 274, R-So., steady O-lineman who gets very few penalties); WR Jaquil Capel (5-11, 190, Gr., who knows where this gentleman may lineup on the field; he’s that versatile); WR Xavier Griffin (6-1, 202, R-Sr., has three TD catches over the last three weeks); FB William Hollingsworth (5-9, 229, Jr., he gives Marquell Cartwright another excellent blocker); QB Lamar Raynard (6-4, 200, R-Jr., Raynard was just added to the Walter Payton Watch List for FCS Offensive Player of the Year) RB Marquell Cartwright (5-8, 201, R-Jr., If Cartwright reaches 1,000 yards it will be the seventh time in eight years an Aggie has rushed for 1,000 yards).
DEFENSIVE STARTERS FROM LAST GAME: DE Sam Blue (6-1, 247, R-Jr., one of three Aggies with more than five tackles for loss); NG Jermaine Williams (6-1, 301, R-So., Williams has filled in nicely for All-MEAC defensive lineman Julian McKnight); DT Kadarius Kendrick (6-4, 277, Jr., he has also proven the Aggies have depth in the trenches); DE Darryl Johnson (6-5, 226, R-So., he is marching toward an all-conference season); LB Julius Reynolds (5-9, 226, R-Jr., made two tackles at FAMU last week); LB Kiaundric Richardson (6-0, 214, R-Jr., mans the middle of the Aggies defense); LB Marcus Albert (5-10, 205, R-Sr., third-leading tackler on the team); FS Najee Reams (6-2, 180, R-Fr., in his first start he led the Aggies in tackles with eight); CB Mac McCain (5-11, 174, R-Fr., leads the nation in INTs per game); ROV Jeremy Taylor (5-11, 190, R-Sr., has three forced fumbles and three INTs on the season); CB Timadre Abram (5-10, 168, R-Jr., Abram is a good coverage man and a good tackler).
The Game: The 2017 N.C. A&T football team will try to become the first Aggies in 90 years to be 8-0. The 1927 team finished their season 8-0, earning the program’s first-ever conference championship (CIAA). With two more wins, the Aggies will secure four straight nine-win seasons, which has never been done in the history of Aggies football. N.C. A&T had three straight nine-win seasons from 1990-92. Reaching those goals will be difficult as the Aggies face a difficult opponent in the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats. BCU’s passing offense was a problem for the Aggies last season as Larry Brihm threw for 378 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-35 shootout that the Aggies won in Daytona Beach. Both of Brihm’s 100-yard receivers from last season’s game are back in Jawill Davis and Frank Brown.
N.C. A&T is coming off a grinding, heat-filled 31-20 win over Florida A&M at FAMU’s homecoming. An offensive explosion in the second quarter helped the Aggies overcome the Rattlers. N.C. A&T outscored the Rattlers 21-0 in the second quarter by compiling 159 yards and earning nine first downs. Despite the win, the Aggies failed to compile more than 400 yards of offense for the first time this season. Lamar Raynard still threw for 215 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions on 20-for-32 passing. Three different Aggies caught touchdown passes from Raynard last Saturday and Seven different Aggies have touchdown receptions on the season. Fourteen different receivers have caught passes in 2017.
News & Notes
- Lamar Raynard is 152 yards shy of becoming just the fifth Aggie to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. If he accomplishes the feat, he will be the first Aggie to do so since Lewis Kindle threw for more than 2,000 yards in 2011. The other Aggie QBs who have done it include Maseo Bolin, Alan Hooker and Ellsworth Turner. He needs 415 yards to break Bolin’s single-season passing record which stands at 2,262 yards.
- Rod Broadway won his 54th game as the head coach of N.C. A&T. He is now two wins shy of becoming second on the Aggies all-time wins list. If he were to stop coaching today, he would leave N.C. A&T with the best winning percentage of all time (.711). Bill Hayes held the previous high mark with a .624 winning percentage.
- The Aggies are in the midst of their sixth straight winning season. It is the longest such streak in the MEAC. The next longest streak in the MEAC is North Carolina Central who are after their fourth straight winning season on Saturday against Norfolk State.
- N.C. A&T is 23-3 at home against MEAC opponents since Rod Broadway became the head coach in 2011. The Aggies are 30-5 at home under Broadway overall with two of those losses to Coastal Carolina.
Opposing Point of View
“They’re very talented all around. They’re disciplined, and you can tell they are well coached. They don’t make mistakes. When you watch them play, you realize they’re not going to do a whole lot. But what they do, they do it very well, and they capitalize on the mistakes of their opponents. That’s what good football teams do. You definitely have to be concerned about the quarterback because he can extend plays with his legs, and he can definitely throw the football and manage the game. Then he’s got a bunch of receivers who can go catch the football. Then when you look at their defense, those guys create a lot of turnovers by swarming to the football. You have a lot of concerns when you play a football team like this, you just have to make sure that you’re on your ‘A’ game, and that you play a mistake-free game.”
Bethune-Cookman head coach Terry Sims on playing the Aggies
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