THE GAME
Florida A&M University "Rattlers" vs. North Carolina Central University "Eagles"
THE KICKOFF
Saturday, September 29, 2018 – Kickoff at 4:00 p.m.
THE SITE
O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium (10,000 capacity / Mondoturf) - Durham, N.C.
THE RECORDS
Florida A&M (2-2 overall; 1-0 MEAC); N.C. Central (1-2 overall, 0-0 MEAC)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Audio: NCCU Sports Network "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (internet stream). Broadcast starts at 3:40 p.m. (Jonathan Duren, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, analyst).
Video/TV: ESPN3 (WatchESPN).
QUICK HITS
• NCCU has won the last three games against Florida A&M by a combined 14 points, needing scores in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory each time.
• Florida A&M leads the series with NCCU 6-4-1.
• Saturday will be just the sixth gridiron meeting between the NCCU Eagles and the FAMU Rattlers in the past 45 years.
• NCCU senior defensive lineman Darius Royster already has more tackles for loss than last season's team leaders (Roderick Harris and Antonio Brown with 8.5). Royster's 9.0 takedowns behind the line of scrimmage tops the FCS.
• Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 38 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three defensive scores last year and two this season.
• NCCU is under the direction of first-year head coach Granville Eastman, who accepted the interim role after Jerry Mack left to be the offensive coordinator at Rice.
• NCCU senior safety Davanta Reynolds is the Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team (Second Team) after recording six interceptions last year.
• NCCU received votes in the STATS FCS Top 25 preseason poll, after finishing last season with a 7-4 overall record.
• NCCU returns just nine starters (6 offense, 3 defense), but boasts nine members of the Preseason All-MEAC Team: First Team - DB Davanta Reynolds, RB Isaiah Totten, OL Nick Leverett, DL Kawuan Cox; Second Team - TE Josh McCoy, OL Andrew Dale, DL Randy Anyanwu; Third Team - WR Xavier McKoy, and DB De'Mario Evans.
ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL
NCCU won three consecutive MEAC championships from 2014-16, and represented the MEAC in the 2016 Celebration Bowl versus Grambling in the Georgia Dome.
NCCU Recent Records:
2017: 7-4 overall, 5-3 MEAC
2016: 9-3 overall, 8-0 MEAC – MEAC champions
2015: 8-3 overall, 7-1 MEAC – MEAC co-champions
2014: 7-5 overall, 6-2 MEAC – MEAC co-champions
THE SERIES
This will be the 12th meeting in the series between the NCCU Eagles and the FAMU Rattlers since the teams first played in 1939. FAMU leads the series against NCCU, 6-4-1. NCCU has won the last three match-ups with the Rattlers.
9/28/2017 - NCCU 21, FAMU 14 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
10/8/2016 - NCCU 17, FAMU 13 (Durham, N.C.)
10/10/2015 - NCCU 27, FAMU 24 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
11/10/2012 - FAMU 22, NCCU 21 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
11/12/2011 - FAMU 31, NCCU 10 (Durham, N.C.)
9/15/1973 - NCCU 9, FAMU 3 (Atlanta, Ga.)
12/7/1957 - FAMU 14, NCCU 0 (Miami, Fla. / Orange Blossom Classic)
9/22/1956 - FAMU 25, NCCU 0 (Durham, N.C.)
12/1/1951 - FAMU 67, NCCU 6 (Miami, Fla. / Orange Blossom Classic)
11/9/1940 - NCCU 7, FAMU 7 (Durham, N.C.)
11/11/1939 - FAMU 20, NCCU 7 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
THE LAST MEETING
(NCCU 21, FAMU 14 - Tallahassee, Fla. - Sept. 28, 2017) NCCU scored the only points in the second half on a 9-yard rushing touchdown by running back Isaiah Totten with just 2:02 left in the contest to give the Eagles a 21-14 road victory. NCCU collected 130 rushing yards in the game and held Florida A&M to only 73 yards on the ground. NCCU also had a total of 110 passing yards, while the Rattlers posted 185 yards through the air.
THE LAST MEETING IN DURHAM
(NCCU 17, FAMU 13 - Durham, N.C. - Oct. 8, 2016) With heavy rain and wind gusts from Hurricane Matthew limiting the offense of both teams most of the day, NCCU rallied for two lead-changing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to claim a 17-13 victory over Florida A&M inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.
LAST WEEK
Duke 55, NCCU 13 (Durham, N.C.) - NCCU was within one score of its ACC foe late in the second quarter, but Duke University pulled away from the Eagles after halftime for a 55-13 victory in the seventh edition of the Bull City Gridiron Classic.
FAMU 31, Savannah State 13 (Tallahassee, Fla.) - The Florida A&M Rattlers scored 28 points in the second half to stymie the resilient Tigers of Savannah State 31-13.
THE COACHES
NCCU: Granville Eastman (Saint Mary's, 1992) is in his first season as a college head coach. With 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to his credit, Eastman joined the NCCU staff in January 2014, serving as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and safeties coach until his promotion to interim head coach on Dec. 8, 2017. Prior to joining NCCU, Eastman spent nine seasons (2005-13) as the defensive coordinator at Austin Peay State University in Clarkesville, Tennessee. During his 11 total seasons at APSU, he coached defensive backs and linebackers, and also served as special teams coordinator (2003-04) and interim head coach (winter 2013). Eastman coached four seasons (1999-2002) at Tiffin University in Ohio, including the last three seasons as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, while working with defensive backs and defensive line during his tenure. A native of Toronto, Canada, Eastman secured his first coaching position at York University in his hometown, where he spent two seasons (1994-95) working with defensive backs. He then served as a defensive graduate assistant for three seasons (1996-98) at Arkansas State University, earning a master's degree in sociology in 1999. Eastman was a two-time all-city defensive back at Stephen Leacock High School in Toronto before attending Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he was a three-year letterman as a defensive back. Twice Saint Mary's played in national title games while he was there. Eastman earned his bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's University in 1992.
Florida A&M: Willie Simmons (Clemson, 2002) Simmons, who had a stellar collegiate football playing career that featured stints at Clemson University and The Citadel (S.C.), is in his first season at Florida A&M University after spending the last three seasons (2015-2017) as head football coach at Prairie View A&M University.
EAGLES TURN DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTS
Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 72 games, NCCU has scored 38 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including two this season, three in 2017, three in 2016, six in 2015, five in 2014, nine in 2013 and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on 14 punt returns, six kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, 11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
NINE NCCU EAGLES VOTED TO PRESEASON ALL-MEAC TEAMS
Nine NCCU Eagles were voted to the Preseason All-MEAC Football Teams. Earning All-MEAC First Team honors for NCCU are Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year senior defensive back Davanta Reynolds, sophomore running back Isaiah Totten, junior offensive lineman Nick Leverett, and junior defensive lineman Kawuan Cox. Three NCCU Eagles on the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team are senior tight end Josh McCoy, sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Dale, and senior defensive lineman Randy Anyanwu. Receiving Preseason All-MEAC Third Team honors are junior wide receiver Xavier McKoy and senior defensive back De'Mario Evans.
THREE NCCU EAGLES ON HBCU PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Three NCCU Eagles – senior safety Davanta Reynolds, sophomore running back Isaiah Totten and freshman running back Jamal Currie-Elliott - are among the 52 student-athletes from 25 different HBCUs to be named to the 2018 Watch List for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award, the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced Wednesday. The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College & University. The winner of the 2018 Black College Football Player of the Year Award will be honored with the Deacon Jones Trophy during the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which takes place on Feb. 16, 2019 in Atlanta. Four finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 29.
FOUR EAGLES ALREADY EARNED UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
Four NCCU student-athletes on this season's football team have already earned their undergraduate degrees: OL Nick Leverett, LB King Kiaku, DB Jamarcus Johnson, and WR Marvin Zanders (graduate transfer from Missouri).
ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL
North Carolina Central University is in its eighth season of full NCAA Division I (FCS) athletics competition as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles have won 13 conference championships as members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1953, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1980, 2005, 2006) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (1972, 1973, 2014, 2015, 2016), and have made three appearances in the NCAA playoffs (1988, 2005, 2006). The Eagles won back-to-back football conference championships and a Black College National Championship in their final two years in the Division II ranks (2005 and 2006) before starting the transition to Division I in 2007. During its storied gridiron tradition, NCCU has produced 140 all-conference selections (first team), 67 all-Americans, 41 NFL draft picks, 13 conference championships and two Black College National Championships (1954, 2006). Two Eagles have represented NCCU on the National Football League's grandest stage - the Super Bowl. The first NCCU Eagle to make a Super Bowl appearance was Richard Sligh, who was a reserve tackle with the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 14, 1968. Sligh, who holds the distinction as the tallest player in NFL history (7'0"), played at NCCU from 1962-64 and was later drafted by the Raiders in the 10th round of the 1967 NFL draft. On Jan. 24, 1982, former NCCU Eagle Louis Breeden was a starting cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI against the San Francisco 49ers. Earlier in the season (Nov. 8, 1981), Breeden intercepted a pass thrown by San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts and returned it a team-record 102 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he was selected as a First-Team All-Pro. He completed his 10-year NFL career with 33 interceptions for 558 return yards and two touchdowns. The first Eagle selected in the NFL Draft was Matt Boone, who was taken by the Giants with the eighth pick in the 18th round in 1956. The latest Eagle announced during the NFL Draft was Ryan Smith, who was chosen by the Buccaneers in the fourth round in 2016. NCCU's highest draft pick was Doug Wilkerson, who was selected in the first round with the 14th overall pick of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Oilers. The Eagles have also had three second-round NFL draft picks, including Robert Massey in 1989 by the Saints, Charles Smith in 1975 by the Broncos and Chuck Hinton in 1962 by the Browns. HBCU football pioneer John Brown, who represented NCCU (then North Carolina College) on the gridiron in the 1940s, was one of the first to play professional football out of a historically black college or university. Brown shares the honor with Ezzret Anderson of Kentucky State and Elmore Harris of Morgan State, who all began their professional football careers in 1947. Brown and Anderson were teammates on the Los Angeles Dons, while Harris was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. According to NCCU records, Brown was the first of the three to sign a professional football contract. He played center and linebacker with the Dons from 1947-49, before moving to the Canadian Football League.
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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