Alcorn’s Defense Shuts Down Southern for Fourth Consecutive Win

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – Allowing just 139 yards of total offense, the defense of the Alcorn State University football program shined in a 20-3 victory over Southern on a rainy Saturday evening at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

It was the fourth win a row for Alcorn (4-1, 2-0 SWAC), which spoiled Southern's (2-3, 1-1 SWAC) Homecoming night.

The defense gave up just 76 passing yards and 63 rushing yards. SU's lone score came after a kick-off was returned to the red zone, but the Braves held the Jags to a field goal.

Alcorn also scored seven points defensively on a pick-six by sophomore Qwynnterrio Cole.

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The Braves led 3-0 at half when the offense scored on their opening drive of the third quarter. The scoring play was a one-yard run by junior De'Shawn Waller. Cole's pick-six then made it 17-3 and gave Alcorn all of the momentum.

Junior Noah Johnson threw for 138 yards and rushed for a game-high 81 yards. The Braves ran for 243 yards as a team which included 57 yards by senior P.J. Simmons, 54 yards by Waller and 50 yards by freshman Marquise Forman. Junior Chris Blair led the receiving core with 79 yards.

Alcorn limited SU quarterback John Lampley to just 9-of-26 throwing with an interception.

To open the game, Southern had the ball first and was stopped, three-and-out, after a big tackle for a loss by junior Brelion Hollis on first down.

On Alcorn's first possession, the Braves moved the chains a couple times on runs by Simmons to cross midfield. Alcorn then faced 3rd-and-10 when Blair hauled in a 14-yard pass to move the ball to the SU 23. Though, the Braves got backed up by a chop block penalty and were sacked on third down which forced a punt.

Near the end of the first quarter, the Jags started with good field position after an interception by Demerio Houston on a deep route. SU moved the ball to the Alcorn 20 when the Braves got a stop, and a 37-yard field goal attempt sailed wide-right to keep the game scoreless.

A big play in the second quarter came after the Jags recovered a muffed punt at the Alcorn 46. Though, the Braves defense continued to hold strong and forced SU to punt after a rush for no gain, followed by two incomplete passes.

On the ensuing series, the Braves got it started by a 36-yard reception by Blair through the middle to move into SU territory. On the very next play, Simmons rushed up the middle for 13 yards to the SU 27. Alcorn got on the board with a 32-yard field goal by junior Corey McCullough to lead 3-0 with 50 seconds left in the half.

The Braves ran it all the way down the field on the first drive of the second half. It started with an 18-yard run to the right by Johnson after he kept it on a quarterback-option. On the next play, Johnson dashed through the center for a big 38-yard gain to setup first-and-goal. The Braves scored on a one-yard run by Waller as he went high and jumped through the defensive line to give Alcorn a 10-0 edge at the 12:58 mark.

Southern responded with a huge kick return by Christopher Chaney which put the Jags in the red zone at the Alcorn 18. However, the Braves defense stood tall again and held SU to a 28-yard field goal which cut the deficit to 10-3 with 11:11 remaining in the third. The series included a key tackle for a loss by Hollis on 3rd-and-1.

Alcorn had a promising drive going on its next series after Forman ran it to the SU 36 for a gain of 15. However, the drive ended after an interception by Chase Foster on a screen pass midway through the third.

After another defensive stop by the Braves, the Jags tried a fake punt but the pass fell incomplete, giving the ball back to Alcorn at the SU 40. The Braves were then looking at a 4th-and-4 when they decided to go for it, but the handoff through the middle was stopped short.

The Jags were faced with a 3rd-and-10 when Lampley tried to dump off a short pass to the right, but Cole cut in front of the route for an interception and returned it back untouched for a pick-six. It extended Alcorn's lead to 17-3 with 4:14 to go in the third.

The Braves upped their advantage to 20-3 with 8:28 left in the fourth after a 22-yard field goal by McCullough. It came after a 13-play, 54-yard drive which included a 12-yard rush by Forman.

SU had the opportunity to put points on the board after crossing midfield on the ensuing drive, but the Braves forced a turnover. Senior Sterling Shippy stripped the running back near the line of scrimmage and senior Brady Smith dove on it for the recovery.

Up next, the Braves will return to Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium next Saturday when they host Alabama State at 2 p.m. on Homecoming. Alcorn is 23-18 all-time against the Hornets and have won four straight meetings between the two teams.

NOTES
- Saturday marked the 65th meeting between the Braves and the Jaguars. Alcorn now leads the all-time series 37-27-2 and beat SU for the second straight year.

- The three points was the fewest allowed by Alcorn against Southern since 1981 when the Braves won 18-0.

- The Braves are off to a 2-0 start in conference for the second year in a row.

- Alcorn improved to 10-0 when leading at halftime over the last two seasons.

- Alcorn's perfect streak in the red zone came to an end when the team elected to go for it instead of kicking a field goal at the very end of the game leading 20-3. The Braves were one of 15 teams in the FCS to score on 100 percent of their trips inside the 20.

- On the flip side, the Alcorn defense entered the game ranked eighth in the nation in red zone defense, limiting teams to score on just 60 percent of their trips inside the 20. Southern was 1-for-2 (.500) in the red zone.

- Waller's 54 rushing yards marked a career-high. It was his first career touchdown at Alcorn.

- The Braves, which entered the game leading the SWAC in time of possession, dominated the time of possession battle tonight 36:03 to 23:57.

- Alcorn improved to 4-0 this year when it posts over 350 total yards, and also when it has more total yards than the opposition. The Braves notched 381 yards tonight.

- The Braves entered the game ranked No. 4 in the HBCU Poll, while the Jags were No. 7.

- Alcorn's captains were McCullough, Shippy and junior Darius Davis. Southern won the coin toss and choose to receive.

Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"Our guys played really hard tonight and gave great effort. The defense played a heck of a ball game. The offense sputtered a little bit, but overall our guys are fighters. We go after it at practice every day and our guys took it in stride tonight. Southern is a real good football team and we did what we needed to do to get a victory tonight."

On whether he was surprised or not that the offense sputtered for so long
"Yeah, well I thought we had a great game plan coming into the game. We made some adjustments at halftime and were able to come out and score on our first drive which was big. We still need to quit shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties and we need to learn to play without backing ourselves up. We need to continue to get better."

On the defense being able to play the way it did in a hostile environment
"We talked about this type of environment all week. We knew obviously it was their Homecoming, and it was a game where we'd need to grow as a team; we did that and we showed we can play in a hostile environment and under tough conditions. Our defense played fast and got turnovers which was what we needed."

Quoting quarterback Noah Johnson
On being able to win despite the offense not clicking on all cylinders
"Big shout out to our defense tonight. They played lights out and it gave us momentum. The offense was struggling a little bit tonight but the defense picked us up. We'll go back into the film room and clean everything up."

On what Southern did to throw them off
"We just beat ourselves. We started behind the chains too many times and we can't do that. We turned the ball over, and that's on me, I have to minimize those mistakes. We'll be fine though, and we'll get back at it at practice and be clicking again next week. It's just a lot of little things that we need to correct, especially not starting behind the chains. Our defense played really well tonight, and it's a team sport and I'm happy we got the win."

On whether it was something that was said at halftime to get the team going in the third quarter
"Yeah, the coaches got into us a little bit, but there was no negativity. We knew we had to pick each other up and get it going. The offensive line blocked their tails off and we were able to do enough to get the 'W' and that was big for us."

Quoting defensive back Qwynnterrio Cole
On the pick six
"On the first drive of the game, we had run the same coverage and they had run that same play. So, I saw what was coming, the ball came and I took off with it. I have to give a shout out to Creo Argue for putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback on the play, and I just had to do my part."

On what was going through his head after he grabbed the interception
"I was determined to run it all the way back. Especially in a low scoring game where points were hard to come by, I wanted to make a play and create a spark. A pick six is rare, but it felt good and I felt it was a game changer."

On his thoughts on the team's defensive performance as a whole
"We just have to do our part. Our coaches had us well-prepared tonight. We were familiar with a lot of their plays and we just had to go out and execute. We know the offense is going to score, and as a team we just pick each other up. When the offense struggles, we try to pick them up, and when the defense struggles, we know they're going to pick us up. It's a team game and it was a team win."

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Langston Men's Basketball Adds Two For 2018-19 Season

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- Langston University head men's basketball coach Stan Holt announced the latest signings of two impact forwards in Kameron Mack and David Hunt for the upcoming 2018-19 season.

Mack, originally from Tallahassee, Fla, most recently competed at Coastal Alabama Monroeville and will have two years left to pay. Hunt, originally from Chicago, Ill., last played at Rend Lake College and joins Langston with three seasons left to play.

Holt is ecstatic about bring both players into the fold and described both student athletes at "6'5 forwards that each bring unique skill-sets to the position."

"I am very excited to welcome Kameron (Mack) to the Langston Lion family," Holt said. "He is a tremendously versatile player who can contribute and help our team win in so many ways. He brings a great deal of athleticism to the court, he finished around the rim very well and he can guard all five positions on the floor. He's the kind of guy every coach needs in his program. We are very lucky to have him."

Mack averaged 7.7 points and 2.6 rebounds on a 21-win team last year and ranked top 5 on the team in scoring and rebounding.

Holt was also excited to welcome Hunt to Langston University, saying that he will bring "toughness, strength, and a physical presence to the program."

At Rend Lake, Hunt posted 11 points, 6.2 rebounds and ranked in the top three on his team in scoring, rebounding, free-throw makes, attempts, and percentage.

"David (Hunt) is a fiery competitor and he'll be an excellent teammate," Holt noted. "His best basketball is still ahead of him. He'll continue to get better and better and I'm excited to see the role David will take year after year in our program. He's a great person off the court, and tremendous talent on the court, and I'm happy he's on our side."

Langston is coming off its third-straight National Tournament appearance in Kansas City, Mo. The Lions open the season on the road vs Jarvis Christian College at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2,

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Journey To A Dream - TSU Men's Basketball Coach Brian 'Penny' Collins

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

VUL Dragons Spoil Fort Valley State Wildcats Home Opener

FORT VALLEY, Georgia  – In a game delayed at the start by almost two hours, the Wildcats had another tough start when they took the field and failed to capitalize in the second half to fully turn the tide. Virginia University at Lynchburg spoiled the Fort Valley State football Home Opener Saturday night, 31-14, in a damp Wildcat Stadium.

Trailing 17-7 late in the third quarter, the Wildcats (1-4) offense drove 63 yards to the Dragons (2-3) one yardline. On fourth-and-goal, the visitors defense stopped the FVSU rush attempt for no gain. Virginia Lynchburg took over on offense and quarterback Elijah Stewart found Jevon Green on the left sideline on the first play and saw his receiver navigate through a few FVSU defenders and went 99 yards for touchdown. The Wildcats failed to regain the momentum and were unable to cut into the 17-point margin over the final 16:55 of the contest.

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After tough-going first half, the Wildcats were able to move in the second half and outgained the Dragons, 324-217 off 19 more snaps. FVSU, though hurt themselves all night with 18 penalties for 163 yards, including a hold on the second-half opening kick-offs to call back a 90-yard Jeffery Mack kick return touchdown, and the game's lone two turnovers, which led to two VUL touchdowns.

The FVSU defense held the team in the game in the first half, including an early first-and-goal stand from its own four yardline to hold Virginia Lynchburg to a 35-yard field goal. The Wildcat defenders registered 14 tackles for a loss of 58 yards and four sacks.

Camron Young, Stacy Ivey Jr., and Malcolm Garrett paced the defense with seven tackles with each having at least one tackle for loss. Kei'Jne Thomas added two sacks, three tackles for loss and six total stops, while Niykiem Floyd and three tackles for loss of his six tackles.

Offensively, Garrel Quainton connected on 19 of 28 pass attempts for 232 yards with one score and an interception and a fumble. Willie Jordan rushed for 60 yards on 14 totes. Adrian Adams pulled in four passes for 54 yards and AJ Shipman four of his own for 35 yards.

Jeremy McCants scored the first FVSU touchdown from three yards out with 10:45 left in the third quarter. Quainton hit Jamari Clark in the left side and saw the running back dive into the corner of the end zone for the other score with 4:25 left in the game.

The VUL wide out combo of Johnny Rembert and Javon Green combined for six catches for 192 yards and four touchdowns.

FVSU returns to Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action next Saturday night, Oct. 6, against Clark Atlanta. The home game will begin at 6 p.m.

FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY WILDCATS SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU Lady Eagles Upset Preseason Favorite B-CU in MEAC Opener

DURHAM, North Carolina — A complete team performance lifted the North Carolina Central University volleyball team to a noisy 3-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southern Division triumph over visiting Bethune-Cookman University Friday evening in McDougald-McLendon Arena.

NCCU highlights included senior Whitney White tallying season-high totals of 13 kills and eight combined blocks (two solo, six assists); freshman setter Celene Morris finishing two helpers shy of the NCCU DI era record for assists in a match with 54; five Lady Eagles recording double-digit kills in a strong defensive effort that featured 90 total digs (two shy of another modern day record); and reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week Arlanda Faulkner ripping a match-high 21 kills.



BCU (7-8 Overall, 0-1 MEAC) – the preseason favorites to win the Southern Division in the MEAC Poll – served for match point at 14-13 in the fifth set, but Faulkner pounded down her 20th and 21st kills on the next two plays to set up match point for the maroon and gray. A hitting error by the Wildcats completed the wild 25-13, 17-25, 25-21, 23-25, 16-14 win for the hosts.

NCCU (3-9, 1-0) ended an eight-match losing streak against Bethune-Cookman. The Lady Eagles last defeated the Wildcats on Nov. 1, 2013, in another five-set affair. NC Central looks to stay undefeated in league play when the Lady Eagles entertain Florida A&M University on Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission is free.

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NCCU HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:

Faulkner reached double digit kills for a fourth consecutive outing. Her 21 kills are a new season-best for the rookie from Goldsboro, North Carolina. Faulkner also totaled 16 digs to complete her first collegiate double-double. White followed with 13 kills on an impressive .281 hitting percentage and she participated in eight of NCCU's 12 blocks. Freshman Morgan Goodwin took advantage of her attempts to chip in 10 kills.

Morris logged her fourth double-double after handing out 54 assists and making 14 digs. She also had five kills as the Lady Eagles hit .138 for the match.

Junior Jessica Pilivi paced a balanced defensive effort with 18 digs. Senior Erika Ianovale matched Faulkner with 16 digs and classmate Bree Simmons came up with 15 digs. Simmons served up two of NCCU's three aces.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN HIGHLIGHTS & STATS:

Sophomore Jordan Jefferson kept the visitors in the match with 21 kills and 22 digs. Junior Sterling Williamson just missed her own double-double with 10 kills and nine digs. Sophomore setter J'Nai Higgins supported the Wildcats for 25 assists and 14 digs.
9/28/2018 NCCU Volleyball Defeats B-CU in 5 Sets NCCU Volleyball Defeats B-CU in 5 Sets

SET-BY-SET:

1ST: NCCU hit .250 in the opener and held BCU to a negative .073 mark to cruise to a 12-point win. Ianovale made six digs to help keep the Wildcats offense from warming up.

2ND: Bethune-Cookman broke an 11-11 tie with the next four points. The Lady Eagles were unable to rally as the visitors leveled the match with the eight-point win.

3RD: The maroon and gray scored 17 of its 25 points on the attack to regain the lead. Faulkner was the focal point with seven kills, including on a set point to finish off the four-point conquest.

4TH: A dump-over kill by Morris had the Lady Eagles up 21-20, but the Wildcats were able to finally win the closest set that consisted of 13 ties. Jefferson, who ripped six kills in the second-set win for BCU, added another half dozen kills as she became the go-to player ever time the Wildcats were scoring in bunches.

5TH: The race to 15 points saw another 10 ties. NCCU looked to have things in control with a late 13-11 lead, but Bethune-Cookman rattled off the next three points to serve for match point. However, Faulkner pounded down her final two spikes to end that threat and setup the win. Pilivi came up with five clutch digs in the final period to keep BCU from winning.

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NSU Spartans Off to 3-1 Start after 54-28 Win over DSU

NORFOLK, Virginia --Juwan Carter passed for a career-high 318 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, and the Norfolk State defense scored twice on its own to lead the Spartans to a convincing 54-28 win over Delaware State in the MEAC opener for both schools on Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.

Carter threw touchdowns to three different receivers and also ran for another score for the Spartans (3-1, 1-0 MEAC), who are off to their first 3-1 start since the 2011 season. Brandon Savage returned an interception 80 yards for a TD and Nigel Chavis returned a fumble 23 yards for another score as part of a four-takeaway night for the NSU defense.

Marcus Taylor (120 receiving yards) and Isaiah Winstead (career-high 89) both made eight catches and caught a TD pass. Justin Smith also notched career highs of four receptions, 91 receiving yards and caught his first career scoring pass.

After the NSU defense forced a turnover on downs on the Hornets' opening drive, the Spartans drove 72 yards in eight plays for the game's first score, a 6-yard TD run by Aaron Savage. That was the first of three straight drives in which NSU scored a touchdown. Carter found paydirt on a 10-yard run just more than a minute into the second quarter to give NSU a 13-0 lead. Taylor's career-long 67-yard punt return set up the Spartans' next TD, a 7-yard pass from Carter to Winstead that increased the lead to 20-0 with 10:27 left in the half.

DSU drove into NSU territory on the ensuing possession. But Brandon Savage corralled an errant pass by the Hornets' Keenan Black and weaved his way to an 80-yard interception return for a TD that sent NSU into the half with a 27-0 lead. 

In the first two quarters, the Spartans forced DSU into two turnovers-on-downs and recovered a fumble in addition to Brandon Savage's interception. It was more of the same in the third quarter. On DSU's opening drive, linebacker Tyre Givers-Wilson sacked Black and forced a fumble which Chavis scooped up and returned 23 yards for another TD and a 34-0 NSU advantage. It marked the fourth time since the start of 2017 that NSU has scored more than one non-offensive touchdown in a game.

The Hornets got on the board with two kickoff return touchdowns in the third quarter, a 93-yarder by Kwannah Kollie and a 95-yarder by Brycen Alleyne. But the Spartans scored after both DSU touchdowns, on a 51-yard TD pass from Carter to Taylor and a 3-yard TD run by Gerald Hulett, to take a 47-14 lead into the fourth period.

NSU capped its highest-scoring night in 13 years midway through the final period when Carter found Smith on a 5-yard TD pass. The play was set up by a 45-yard hookup between the same two players, where Smith made an acrobatic leaping grab between defenders to convert a 3rd-and-21.

The Hornets scored twice in the closing minutes on TD passes of 18 and 16 yards from Black to Trey Gross.

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The 54 points NSU scored are its most since scoring 58 in a win at Savannah State on Oct. 1, 2005. The Spartans also finished Saturday with 430 yards of total offense, their most since posting 474 against Howard on Oct. 1, 2016. The Spartans also have back-to-back 400-yard games for the first time since 2011.

Carter completed 22 of 31 passes for 318 yards, eclipsing his previous career high of 292 passing yards he posted last year against DSU. He also led the Spartans with 37 rushing yards for a career-high 355 yards of total offense.

Defensively, Chavis, Nhyre' Quinerly and Walter Brantley all recovered fumbles in addition to Savage's first career interception. 

NSU's 26-point margin of victory was its largest against a MEAC opponent since a 30-0 win over Morgan State on Nov. 10, 2012.

The Spartans visit Florida A&M (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) in a key conference matchup next Saturday at 4 p.m. in Tallahassee, Florida. 

By Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Howard Women’s Soccer Defeats Grambling State University on Alumni Night

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Howard University women's soccer (3-6-1, 1-1-1) won its alumni night conference game against Grambling State University (5-7, 2-1) on Friday.

Senior forward Makela Davidson scored the only goal of the game. At the 59 minute mark, Davidson scored off of an assist from senior Marley Christian from about 25 yards out.

Goalkeeper Alayah Hightower had five saves and allowed zero goals. She played all 90 minutes of the game.

Statistically, Howard was outshot by Grambling, 15-11. Seven of those 11 shots came in the second half. Both teams had four corner kicks.

During halftime the Bison recognized visiting alumni. One former player came all the way from Toronto, Canada.

The Bison return to Greene Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m. to host University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff.

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About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Virginia State Trojans Outlast Bears 34-17 At Home

ETTRICK, Virginia – The Virginia State University Trojan football team (2-2 overall, 2-0 CIAA) defeated the Bears of Shaw University (1-3, 0-1) 34-17 at Rogers Stadium Saturday night.

With the victory the Trojans secured its second conference victory improving to 2-0 within the league and 2-2 overall.

Virginia State combined for 511 total offense, including 357 passing and 154 rushing while the Bears tallied 360 total offensive yardage that featured 62 on the ground and 298 through the air.

The Bears opened the contest with scoring the game's first touchdown when Shaw's quarterback Keon Marsh (Queens, NY) found junior tight end Kevonta Moses (Fort Myer, FL) on a 23 yard pass, taking a 7-0 lead.

Shaw would hold on to the seven point advantage until Virginia State University scored with 36 seconds left in the first half when Demetrius Strickland produced a seven-yard rushing touchdown to even the score at 7-all at halftime.

Both teams scored twice in the third quarter as the Bears took the lead on a 33-yard field goal from junior kicker Beni Kinsemi (Charlotte, NC) at the 10:21 mark. The Trojans answered with a slant route six yard reception touchdown from Maleek Henderson (Danville, Va.) that led to a 14-10 spread over Shaw with 8:28 left in the third frame.

VSU added more points to the board on a one yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Cordelral Cook (Atlanta, Ga.) to push the Trojans lead 20-10 but the Bears quickly cut the deficit thanks to a 78 yard pass from Marsh to junior wide receiver Marquis Gorham (Greensville, NC) putting Shaw within three (20-17) heading into the fourth quarter.

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The Trojans continued to add points as they scored off a one yard pass from Cook to Maurice Davis (Chesapeake, Va.) with 12:36 remaining. Shaw had an opportunity to score after gaining huge yardage for first downs including a 23 yard reception from Gorham but a false start, followed by an incomplete pass and quarterback sack from VSU resulted in the Bears turning the ball over on downs.

The next possession, the Trojans extended its lead to 34-17 after a seven yard rushing TD from Daniel Reid (Chester, Va.) that would ultimately seal the deal for the Trojans, giving Shaw its second-consecutive loss.

Cook finished with 357 yards on 31-of-45 pass completions and two touchdowns while Harris turned in 132 receptions yards and nine catches, followed by Andre Jackson (Durham, NC) finished with a game high 88 yards for five big receptions. Demetrius Strickland led the running backs unit with a team-best 15 carries for 63 yards.

Defensively, senior Dhevyn Anderson (Watertown, NY) led the Trojans with seven tackles and one breakup. Junior Elijah White (Hampton, Va.) contributed four tackles.

Virginia State will return to action Saturday Oct. 6 for its second home game of the season as they host the Vikings of Elizabeth City State University. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Rogers Stadium.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU Football please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Nothing 'dirty' about hit that left Tennessee State football player Christion Abercrombie with a serious head injury

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --A review of the game video by Tennessee State's coaches showed that middle linebacker Christion Abercrombie was injured on a routine play in Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.

Abercrombie was able to make his way to the sideline after the play. He complained to trainers about having a headache and collapsed soon after.

The Atlanta native was rushed to Vanderbilt Medical Center where he underwent emergency surgery. He is currently listed in critical condition.

"It was just a football play," Reed said Sunday morning on his coaches radio show on WNSR 560-AM/95.9-FM. "He was taking on a block and it wasn't anything malicious or dirty or anything like that. Just an unfortunate situation."

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Update on Christion Abercrombie pic.twitter.com/JN9WBycVYs

— TennesseeSt Football (@tsu_football) September 30, 2018

Road To the Championship. HBCU Football Scoreboard Week 5

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 2018

MEAC
North Carolina A&T 31, South Carolina State 16, Thursday
Norfolk State 54, Delaware State 28 
Florida A&M 55, North Carolina Central 14
Bethune-Cookman 35. Savannah State 20

OVC
Vanderbilt 31, Tennessee State 27

SWAC
Prairie View A&M 22,  Grambling State 16, State Fair Classic
Alabama A&M 21, Jackson State 16  
Alcorn State 20, Southern 3
Florida International 55, Arkansas Pine Bluff 9

BIG SOUTH
Charleston Southern 48, Hampton 14

OTHER HBCUs
Arizona Christian 31, Texas College 27

West Virginia State 31, Glenville State (WV) 17

Keiser 27, Edward Waters 23 

Langston 31, Wayland Baptist 20  

Indianapolis 41, Lincoln (MO) 17 

SIAC

Benedict 24, Central State (OH) 14

Tuskegee 17, Lane 8 

Morehouse 23, Kentucky State 21

Albany State 30. Miles 24 

Virginia University of Lynchburg 31, Fort Valley State 14

Clark Atlanta 31, Allen 6

CIAA

Bowie State 20, Winston-Salem State 17 

Fayetteville State 40, Chowan 38, 
Virginia State 34, Shaw 17 

Virginia Union 52, Livingstone 19

Saint Augustine's 24, Elizabeth City State 17

Johnson C. Smith 50, Lincoln (PA) 13

No. 19 Arizona Christian holds off Texas College rally

TYLER, Texas -- Texas College was halted near the end zone in the final minutes as the Steers came close to upsetting No. 19 Arizona Christian on Saturday in a Sooner Athletic Conference football game.

The Firestorm held off the Steers, 31-27, on Earl Campbell Field at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

In the fourth quarter, Stephen Barfield recovered a fumble for the Steers (0-2) at the Firestorm 28-yard line.

TC got the ball to the ACU 12, but needing two yards for a first down the Steers were stopped on a running play followed by an incompletion.

The Firestorm (5-0) took over on downs and ran out the final one minute and 23 seconds.

The Steers took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter as quarterback Vontyne Williams tossed a 22-yard TD pass to Chris Henry. Markese Denmon's extra point put TC ahead with 11:17 on the clock.

The two teams combined for 42 points in the second quarter, with the Firestorm scoring 28 points to the Steers' 14.

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Strong Second Half Lifts AAMU Bulldogs to First SWAC Victory

JACKSON, Mississippi – The Bulldogs shut out Jackson State in the second half and found the end zone twice in the third quarter to grab a 21-16 victory over the Tigers in the 11th Annual W.C. Gorden Classic at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday.

In the first conference victory for head coach Connell Maynor, the Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1 SWAC) out gained the host Tigers (1-2, 0-1 SWAC), who were competing in their league opener.

"It's always a great feeling after a win, as it's so hard to get one in this conference," Maynor said. "To go on the road and get a win against a good Jackson State football team is very satisfying."

Trevon Walters ran 15 times for 71 yards and two short touchdown runs against the JSU team. Aqeel Glass didn't find the end zone, but A&M's sophomore quarterback from St. Louis did complete 25 of 42 passes for 244 yards and an interception. Perhaps even more important was Glass not getting sacked the entire day due to strong play from the offensive line.

Brian Jenkins Jr. caught 10 passes for 112 yards, but his biggest contribution was an 18-yard touchdown run less than five minutes into the second half to pull the Bulldogs within a score at 16-14. The Bulldogs defense allowed the offense to find its way near the end of the third quarter. Walters scored from a yard out to put the Bulldogs in front for good, and Jackson State was unable to retake the lead despite covering 190 yards in the final two quarters.

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"We kept shooting ourselves in the foot, and I told the guys since the second quarter to stop committing penalties and giving them short fields," Maynor said, as JSU scored on one of its short drives after a blocked punt. "They didn't really drive the ball on us in the first half, as we were stopping ourselves."

Jackson State dominated the first quarter with Jordan Johnson' 4-yard touchdown run and left-footed Christian Jacquemin's 27-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead after the first 15 minutes. The Tigers extended their lead to 16 on Johnson's second score from seven yards out. Instead of hanging its collective head, A&M dug deep and realized how numbers could be deceiving due to allowing only 62 yards due to bad field position. Two of the Tigers' three scores began deep in A&M territory.

Walters gave the Bulldogs some life after scoring on a 3-yard run with 1:30 remaining before intermission.

"I told our guys we've got to go one play at a time to come back and win the game," Maynor said. "I told them we've got to believe in ourselves and finish this game."

The Bulldogs will hit the road again Saturday with a trip to Houston for a 6 p.m. kickoff against Texas Southern.

ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Nuggets nab 8th straight win, improve to 5-0 in GCAC

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball still has never dropped a set against Edward Waters, but the Gold Nuggets needed runs in the first and second sets to emerge with a 25-18, 26-24, 25-13 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victory Saturday.
     
The Gold Nuggets (14-4, 5-0, season-high eight-match win streak) rallied from a 12-8 first-set deficit and a 21-20 second-set deficit. There was much less drama in the final set, with the Nuggets pulling away after a tie at 4 and scoring 12 of the final 15 points.
     
"The third set was much better than the first two," said Pat Kendrick, who earned her 504th career victory and her 37th in 44 matches as XULA's head coach. "We showed good energy at the end of the match."

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Much of the energy came from Vivica Price-Spraggins, who produced four kills in XULA's final five points.
     
In the first set a Nerealice Quirindongo-Torres kill gave the Lady Tigers (6-7, 4-3) a 12-8 advantage. But XULA rallied and took the lead for good at 14-13 on a Beatrice Formilan ace, one of two during the Nuggets' 11-2 run. Jordan Johnson and Kayla Black each had a pair of kills to clinch that set.
     
In the second set Edward Waters led 21-20 after a Katarina Ribar ace, but the Lady Tigers never reached set point. After ties at 21, 22, 23 and 24, Black finished the set with a kill and an ace.
     
XULA leads the series 16-0 and has won all 48 sets. The teams will meet again Oct. 29 at XULA's Convocation Center.
     
XULA remained a half-match behind Tougaloo in the GCAC standings. The Lady Bulldogs (11-9, 6-0) won 26-24, 25-12, 25-23 at Talladega. XULA will visit Talladega at 6 p.m. Monday.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Big First Half Pushes #22 UIndy Past Lincoln (Mo.)

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY BLUE TIGER ATHLETICS

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- Indianapolis took advantage of a quick start and a big first half to hand the Lincoln football team its first conference loss of the season on Saturday night (Sept. 29). Indianapolis, ranked No. 22 in the American Football Coaches Association's Division II poll, beat the Blue Tigers, 41-17.

Indianapolis (3-1, 2-0 GLVC) opened the game by returning the kickoff 99 yards for a score, and tallied 31 first-half points to enter halftime with a 31-7 lead. Lincoln (2-3, 1-1 GLVC) scored just before halftime on a seven-yard reception by Ezekiel Lang, set up by a 30-yard catch by Blake Tibbs. Tibbs led LU with 95 receiving yards on eight grabs.

Lincoln tightened up defensively in the second half, giving up just 10 points, and ended the game with 23 first downs compared to 22 for the Greyhounds. The defense held Indianapolis to just 3-for-9 on third down conversions, while Lincoln finished 7-for-15 in that stat, and the Blue Tigers were also successful on both of their fourth down attempts.

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Kimbo Ferguson had a big night in the ground game, leading all rushers with 127 yards on 20 carries for a 6.4 average. Henry Ogala gained 32 yards on the ground and completed 15 passes for 168 yards and the score. The duo combined for 41 rushing yards on LU's first drive of the second half, which was capped off by a one-yard touchdown dive by Terry Hunter.

Edwin Durassaint and Victor Williams led Lincoln defensively with seven tackles apiece, and Isaiah Gray made two tackles for loss while Steve Henderson added five takedowns and broke up a pass. JaJuan Chambers provided six tackles, and Amani Nelson, Chavon Gross and Joseph Madrigal each recorded four tackles.

Fernando Ramirez closed out the scoring for LU with a 32-yard field goal, and averaged 43.0 yards on kickoffs. Wolky Belancourt, meanwhile, averaged 39.8 yards on four punts, with one pinning Indianapolis inside the 20.

The Blue Tigers return home next Saturday (Oct. 6) to celebrate Homecoming by hosting Quincy in a 2:00 p.m. CST showdown.

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Offensive explosion powers JCSU Football to first win of the season

OXFORD, Pennsylvania  --  Johnson C. Smith's football team scored on three straight possessions in the second quarter to defeat Lincoln (Pa) 50-13, Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Bulls explosion began with a second period onslaught that found JCSU scoring more points in a quarter than it had in some entire games this season.

After a scoreless first quarter, the stampede began at 10:42 in the second quarter when Todd Powers recovered a Lincoln fumble in the end zone to put JCSU up 7-0.

On its next possession, JCSU went 60 yards in nine plays with Desean Binyard finishing the drive with a four-yard touchdown run. A blocked PAT attempt left the Golden Bulls with a 13-0 lead.

Following a Lincoln punt, JCSU completed a 50 yard drive with Antonio Wallace finding Markel Freeman for a 18 yard touchdown. Wallace's two-point connection to Desmond Dozier pushed the Golden Bull lead to 21-0 going into halftime.

JCSU would hit paydirt two more times in the third quarter on Wallace passes to Reginald Bryant (11 yards) and Miles Kelley (10 yards) to push their lead to 36-0.

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Lincoln put up 13 points in the fourth quarter and JCSU responded with 14 points of its own to hit the 50 point total.

Wallace finished the day completing 19 of 24 passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns. He completed passes to 11 different receivers.

Jachin Watkins (78 yards) and Desean Binyard (75 yards) led the Golden Bull ground game as JCSU was able to take advantage of four Lincoln turnovers.

JCSU looks to continue its winning ways when the Golden Bulls host Winston-Salem State Saturday, October 6 in the Irwin Belk Complex. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.

JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN BULLS SPORTS INFORMATION

FSU Broncos Come Back to Defeat Chowan 40-38

FSU BRONCOS ATHLETICS

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina --  Fayetteville State performed as expected in the opening series of its first game since Hurricane Florence. But after 60 minutes of football, the Bronco defense secured a 40-38 victory over Chowan for its first conference win of the season.

The last game FSU played was three weeks ago which includes two weeks of not being able to step on the football field.

"I am really proud of these guys," said Head Coach Richard Hayes. "To come out here and get this big win today says a lot about the testament of our guys."

Chowan jumped to an early 14-0 lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter. The Hawks potent offense ate up 63 yards on its opening drive to score after four plays in a minute and 44 seconds. Dominic Floyd scored on a 31-yard pass from Bryce Witt to open the game. Witt connected with Paul Gooden for the second score that capped a seven-play 86-yard drive.

Prior to the end of the first quarter, David Lamb nailed a 39-yard field goal with 2:12 left in the period.

After a change in direction, at the 14:06 mark in the second quarter, Brandon Person-Boyd hauled in a 58-yard touchdown pass from Collyn Anderson to close the gap to 14-10.

The one-two punch of Stevie Green and Donshel Jetton began to shed a little light before halftime. Green, who ran for a game-high 202 yards, scampered into the endzone twice to give FSU a 24-14 lead with 8:29 left in the half.

Chowan would tack on two touchdowns of its own before intermission for a 28-24 halftime lead.

Fayetteville State would answer the call after the break with a slick touchdown pass from Wide Receiver Jalen Gavin to Quarterback Collyn Anderson and a 31-28 lead.

The Hawks tied the game at 31 with a 39-yard field goal and took a 38-31 lead with 12:47 left in the game.

Jetton, who finished the game with 90 yards rushing on ten carries, walked into the endzone from eight yards out to even the game at 38-all.

After a long kickoff that pinned the Hawks on their 13-yard line. After a delay of game penalty, the Broncos defense blitzed for a sack in the endzone and a 40-38 lead with the safety.

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With a minute left in the game, Chowan's Bryce Witt found Torry Baker in the middle of the field for a quick strike but the Broncos defense would come up with the football as Baker had the ball stripped by Alex Woods and landed in the waiting arms of Jerome Bentley.

Fayetteville State finished will face CIAA Southern Division foe Shaw University on next Saturday in the Durham County Stadium. 

FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY BRONCOS SPORTS INFORMATION

Joyner, Defense Spark SAU Football Past ECSU 24-17

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina – Wide receiver Lenwood Joyner (Sr./Miami, FL) scored three touchdowns and the Saint Augustine's University defense forced four turnovers in a 24-17 Falcons' football victory over Elizabeth City State University at Roebuck Stadium on Saturday.

The win was the first this season for the Falcons, who improved to 1-1 in the CIAA and 1-3 overall. Elizabeth City State, playing its first game in three weeks, dropped to 0-1 in the CIAA and 1-2 overall.

Led by Joyner's three scores, the Falcons opened a 24-10 lead over the Vikings early in the third quarter. After ECSU pulled within seven points in the same quarter, the Falcons relied on their defense to hold off several scoring threats after the Vikings drove deep in SAU territory.

The defense made its biggest stop in the fourth quarter. The Vikings had first-and-goal at the SAU one-yard line, but a false start penalty moved the ball back to the six. On the next play, defensive tackle Tyler Trexler (So./Chesapeake, VA) deflected a pass which linebacker Joseph Harris, Jr. (Fr./Jacksonville, FL) caught in the air for an interception.

The Vikings gained possession twice more but never crossed midfield. Roy Garris, Jr. (Jr./Raleigh, NC) sealed the Falcons' victory with an interception near midfield with under a minute left.

Head Coach Tim Chavous was glad to leave Roebuck Stadium with a victory.

"I am happy for the win," Chavous said. "I am happy for the fellows. They worked hard all week."

Chavous was especially proud of Joyner, a veteran starter who is having a breakout season. The three touchdowns were a career high for the speedy receiver in his SAU collegiate career.

"The guys rallied behind him today and we got the victory," Chavous said. "If we play well defensively and on special teams, then Lenwood can take us home."

Joyner put the Falcons on the scoreboard early in the first quarter with an eight-yard touchdown catch from John Darby IV (Fr./Detroit, MI), who was making his second straight collegiate start. The key play in the scoring drive was a 57-yard pass from Darby to Desmond Smith (Sr./Richmond, VA). The Falcons led 7-0 after Sean Smith (Sr./Valdosta, GA) booted the extra point, but the Vikings tied the score 7-7 later in the quarter.

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The Falcons regained the lead in the first quarter on an electrifying 66-yard punt return by Joyner, who started running left but reversed field after finding an opening. He was aided by two crushing blocks that lifted would-be tacklers off their feet that allowed him to run untouched into the end zone. Sean Smith's extra point made the score 14-7 Falcons.

"I got a lot of good blocks on the punt return," Joyner said. "Once I saw the hole open, I took off."

The Vikings closed within 14-10 in the second quarter on a short field goal, but Darby connected with Desmond Smith on a short throw that Smith turned into a 39-yard gain at the ECSU 25. Smith broke a tackle and raced down the left sideline for the big gain before he was pushed out of bounds. The long pass play set up Sean Smith's 24-yard field goal which gave the Falcons a 17-10 lead at halftime.

Joyner padded the Falcons' lead early in the third quarter when he caught a slant pass from Darby and outran the ECSU secondary for a 40-yard touchdown, his third of the day. The score was 24-10 after Sean Smith kicked the extra point.

His touchdown gave the Falcons the cushion they needed. The Vikings added a score in the third quarter to pull within 24-17 but the Falcons' defense step up to hold off the hosts.

Joyner totaled 143 all-purpose yards for the Falcons including 56 receiving yards on four receptions while Smith led all receivers with three catches for 106 yards. Darby was efficient in his second straight start, completing 10 of 15 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The Falcons committed no turnovers in the game.

Trexler had a monster game for the Falcons on defense. He finished with six tackles including three sacks and a tipped pass which halted a potential game-tying drive. The three sacks by Trexler nearly tied the school single-game record of 4.5 sacks set by former SAU All-American and former NFL player Alex Hall in 2006.

Ahmek Henry (Jr./Charlotte, NC) added six tackles and Harris recorded five tackles and an interception. Sidney Lawson (So./Charlotte, NC) also picked off a pass for the Falcons, his second in two games.

The Falcons forced Vikings' quarterback Kedrick Patterson into 13 of 31 passing for 194 yards and three interceptions. The defense also sacked Patterson four times.

Elizabeth City State almost struck first when the Vikings returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but a holding penalty negated the score.

The Falcons play their second straight road game next weekend. They visit Livingstone College in a CIAA Southern Division opener on Saturday, Oct. 6, in Salisbury, N.C. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m.

SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY FALCONS SPORTS INFORMATION

Virginia Union Panthers Crushes Livingstone 52-19

RICHMOND, Virginia  -- Virginia Union special teams coach Troy Shaffer has a plan for the Panthers each week that varies depending on the schemes the opposing team shows on film.

Shaffer's plan seemed to work to perfection Saturday against Livingstone as Virginia Union blocked two punts and an extra point, and former Highland Springs star Jaiden Reavis returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown in the Panthers' 52-19 victory over the Blue Bears.

VUU's standouts on special teams also included Russell Balance, who averaged 46 yards per punt with a long of 55, and Jefferson Souza, who was perfect on extra point attempts and nailed a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter.

"It's all about Coach [Alvin] Parker, who gives me a lot of leeway, and it's about our players, who came out and executed," said Shaffer, in his first year at the school. "It's great to finally see things come to fruition."

Virginia Union's play on special teams helped kick-start the offense's performance. After a slow opening quarter, quarterback Darius Taylor connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Fanfan early in the second quarter. Less than a minute later, Reavis opened the floodgates with an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Taylor also threw touchdowns of 34 and 45 yards in the quarter to extend the lead to 38-19 by halftime. He finished 21 of 33 for 331 yards and six touchdowns.

His six touchdown passes tied the school record set by Lamar Little against Tuskegee in 2007.

JUAN MCCALL PHOTO GALLERY 

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"Having Tabyus Taylor (Hopewell) at running back has really helped my game this year," said Taylor, whose six touchdown passes tied the school's single-game record. "Teams can't just play the pass or try stopping the run; we have a really balanced offense."

The Panthers' defense locked down in the second half, securing the blowout victory. The Blue Bears were held scoreless and managed only 49 yards after the break. Sterlin Hammond led Virginia Union with eight tackles.

As the Panthers continue in conference play, Darius Taylor has his mind set on winning a CIAA championship.

"We can't let up," he said. "We have to keep our foot on their necks and stay on top."

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY PANTHERS SPORTS INFORMATION

Morehouse Remains Undefeated With 23-21 Comeback Victory Over Kentucky State

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Morehouse came back from a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter to remain undefeated and beat Kentucky State, 23-21, Saturday evening in Frankfort, Ky.

The Maroon Tigers remain undefeated and improve their record to 5-0 (1-0 SIAC) while Kentucky State falls to 0-5 (0-2 SIAC).

"We had some difficulty getting the offense going this week due to the field conditions," said head coach Rich Freeman. "I thought our guys did a tremendous job staying in the game and pulling out this hard fought victory against a very well coached team."

With their 5-0 record to begin the season, the Maroon Tigers have their best start since 2010 when they made a run into the NCAA Division II playoffs before falling in the first round to Wingate.

For the second straight week the Maroon Tigers used some second-half magic to pull out the victory. This week, on a fourth and one deep in KSU's territory with less than two minutes remaining in the ball game,
coach Freeman decided to put the ball in sophomore running back Santo Dunns (Griffin, GA) hands, and he didn't disappoint as he ran it for 13 yards to the KSU nine yard line sealing the victory for Morehouse.

"We wanted to win the game upfront," said Freeman. "We needed a first down and they were out of timeouts and our offensive line was beating their defensive line so we decided to go for it. They opened a tremendous hole for Santo and he picked up the first down. I'm proud of those guys upfront, they propelled us to victory tonight."

The Thorobreds scored on their first two drives of the game as Jules St. Ge threw touchdown passes of four to Demetrius Anderson and 24 yards to Jordan Level giving KSU an early 14-0 first quarter lead.

The Maroon Tigers responded with an 18-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 8:41 capped by a seven yard touchdown run by Dunn cutting the Thorobred lead to 14-7.

After a muffed punt by Kentucky State gave the ball deep in KSU territory, sophomore kicker Fernando Sdelamora (Fairburn, GA) connected on a 36-yard field goal with 1:37 remaining before the half making the score 14-10.

Morehouse capitalized on a third quarter interception by junior transfer Kelvin Murray (Orlando, FL) which he returned 14-yards to the Thorobred one yard line allowing the Maroon Tigers to take their first lead of the ball game when Dunn ran it in from one yard out giving MHC a 16-14 lead.

The Maroon Tigers extended their lead to 23-14 when sophomore quarter back Michael Sims (Detroit, MI) connected with senior captain and tight end Ryan Edwards (Atlanta, GA) on an touchdown 15-yard strike.

The Thorobreds made the game interesting as Malik Saunders scored on a seven yard run with 4:32 remaining cutting the lead to 23-21.

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Dunn led Morehouse on the ground with 98 yards rushing and two touchdowns while junior wide receiver Trevor Gichaba finished with a game-high seven catches for 76 yards including a big 24 yard catch in the second half. Sims finished 17-of-24 for 164 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively senior captains Antonio Johnson (Birmingham, AL) and Treyvon Luckey (Shreveport, LA) each finished with five tackles a piece. Murray finished with three tackles and an interception.

Morehouse finished with more first downs 18-to-14, and more rushing yards 147-to-133 while both teams had 164 yards passing. MHC won the total yardage battle 311-to-297.

The Maroon Tigers take their undefeated record to Columbus, Ga. next weekend as they take on the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers in the 83rd Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic on Oct. 6 at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. Kick-Off is set for 2 p.m. ET.

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MAROON TIGERS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

OCEAN - vs - JUKEBOX - 2018

DALLAS, Texas -- The Biggest Showdown between two Super Powers! A Clash of The Titans between Texas Southern University "Ocean of Soul" vs "Human Jukebox" from Southern University. The event is happening on the 19th and 20th of October in Dallas Texas.

Morehouse Cross Country Dominates At Willie Laster Invitational

ALBANY, Georgia -- The Morehouse College cross country team dominated the field at the 2018 Willie Laster Cross Country Invitational on Saturday morning in Albany, Ga.

MHC won with 20 points, ahead of second place Tuskegee (72), Albany State (76) and Fort Valley State (94 in the five team field.

MEET RESULTS

The Maroon Tiger runners took six of the top eight spots led by senior Trey Simons (Sandy, Bermuda), who won with a time of 25:40.80. Junior Collins Kiplimo (Kenya) was second in a time of 27:29.77, followed by sophomore  Randy Carter (Baton Rouge, La.) in fourth (28:38.51) and junior Qaseem Wajd (Tampa, Fla) in fifth (30:06.26). Sophomores Dobbin Bookman (Newton, Mass.) finished seventh (30:08.30) and Devin Hawkins (Cincinnati, Ohio) finished in eighth (30:08.47).

Morehouse cross country returns to action next weekend Oct. 6 at the Robert Shumake HBCU Challenge in Cary, N.C.

For the most up-to-date information on MHC Athletics all year long, like Morehouse Athletics on Facebook, also follow @MaroonTigers on Twitter and @MorehouseAthletics on Instagram.

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MAROON TIGERS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATION

Benedict Tigers Take Down CSU Marauders, 24-14

XENIA, Ohio – The Benedict College Tigers took advantage of six Central State turnovers and won their third game in a row with a 24-14 victory over the Marauders on Saturday afternoon at Xenia High School's Doug Adams Stadium.

The Tigers intercepted Central State quarterback Trent Mays five times, with Robert Cummings and Traviontae Brown each picking off two throws each and Darryl Rolle picking off the other. Olajuwone Smith forced and recovered a fumble.

"I thought the secondary played well," Benedict head coach Mike White said. "We had a couple of slip ups on coverages that we didn't play well, but I thought the last couple of weeks we've played better. We actually should have had more (interceptions). I'm just glad they played better and glad the line played good. Coach (Demetrie) McCray (secondary coach) and coach (Ronnie) Baker (defensive coordinator) do a good job in getting us in what coverage we need to get in. The guys were on point all week in what we need to do against this team. I'm just glad with the execution overall."

Benedict improves to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the SIAC. Central State falls to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the SIAC.

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The Marauders completed 11-of-26 passes for 136 yards with one touchdown, coming on the game's opening drive, to go along with the five interceptions. The Tigers held the Marauders to 104 yards rushing on 23 carries and one score on the ground. The Benedict defense held Central State to just 49 offensive plays in the game, and the Tigers dominated the time of possession, 40:41 to 19:19.

Despite having the ball for 79 offensive plays, the Tigers had some trouble getting points on the scoreboard. Benedict missed three field goals, with two of those blocked, and didn't get on the board until 5:47 left in the first half on Rigoberto Tinoco's 33-yard field goal to make it 7-3 in favor of the Marauders.

Benedict blocked a Central State punt, with James Wilson recording the block and Elroy Maloyd recovering, to give the Tigers the ball at the Central State 19-yard line with 2:34 left in the half. Dominique Harris completed a 20-yard pass to Danye Washington to give Benedict a 10-7 lead at the half.

After a Cummings interception and 22-yard return in the third quarter, the Tigers took over at the CSU 18-yard line. Harris and Washington hooked up again, this time for a 15-yard touchdown for a 17-7 Benedict lead with 9:13 left in the third quarter.

Benedict put together its longest drive of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter, marching 65 yards on 13 plays. Harris capped off the drive by stretching the ball over the end zone on a two-yard quarterback keeper. The Tigers kept the drive alive with a couple of key third-down conversions. Trini Charlton picked up four yards on a third-and-three, while Harris completed an 11-yard pass to Drelon Freeman on third-and-seven. Tinoco's extra point made it 24-7 with 6:21 left in the game.

Central State answered quickly to try and stay in the game. The Marauders drove 76 yards on just four plays, getting a 32-yard pass and a 20-yard scoring run. Cummings had another potential interception called back due to a Benedict penalty.

The Maurders intercepted a Harris pass, Benedict's only turnover of the game, and were driving again when Cummings sealed the game with his second interception with 43 seconds left in the contest.

"I'm happy we won," White said. "We didn't play well, but I'm just glad we got out with the victory. We're still shooting ourselves in the foot. We had a lot of scoring opportunities and we could have had more points on the board in the first half. It's been a tough short week, but we'll get better."

Harris completed 16-of-32 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Raheem Jennings led the ground attack with 62 yards on 15 carries, while Charlton added 50 yards on 13 carries. Freeman caught six passes for 65 yards, while Washington had two catches, both for touchdowns, for 35 yards. Smith led the defense with six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and the forced fumble and fumble recovery. Maloyd also had six tackles, with three of those tackles for loss.

The Tigers return home for a non-conference game against Virginia University of Lynchburg. Kickoff from Charlie W. Johnson stadium is 2 p.m.

BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION