The Game Will Be Broadcast On ESPN3 at 3 PM EST
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The 2018 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Championship is no stranger to these two historic programs. On November 10, Albany State Golden Rams and Miles College Golden Bears will take the field to face off at a chance to claim the championship title.
Forty-two days after Albany State’s 30-24 win over Miles in front of their home crowd, the Golden Rams will have to prove themselves as they travel to Sloan-Alumni Stadium to face the Golden Bears on their turf. This time, the stakes are higher. An SIAC title will be on the line when the Rams and Bears clash on Nov. 10 in Fairfield.
Both teams clinched their respective halves of the conference with commanding performances this past weekend. The Golden Bears earned their second straight win over their rival opponent, Tuskegee, after Golden Bears scored on a 27-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds remaining then forced four incomplete passes for a 31-27 victory in front of a capacity Senior Day crowd at Sloan-Alumni Stadium. Albany State completed its sweep of the SIAC Eastern Division after defeating rival Fort Valley State University, 40-6, in the 29th Annual Fountain City Classic.
This matchup marks the eighth annual SIAC Championship game and the fourth time that these two historic programs will face off for the conference title. Since their first appearance in 2011, the Golden Bears holds the title for the most appearances in the Western Division (4), followed by Tuskegee (3) and Kentucky State (1) since the game was introduced in 2010. In 2011, 2013, and 2015, Miles has taken the field in hopes of a conference title and has had to face Albany State in each contest. The 2018 matchup will be no different.
WILL MILES COMEBACKS CONTINUE?
Last year, Tuskegee spoiled Miles chances at an opportunity for a Division II playoff berth after coming up short in a 50-20 loss. This year was different. Miles erased a 17-point deficit, the team's largest comeback win since climbing from a 21-point hole against Fort Valley State in the 2016 Labor Day Golden Classic. The biggest play came as Miles was facing a 3rd-and-19 from its 36. There, Smith (241 yards passing) hit Tyree for 22 yards to move the chains. Four plays later, the two made touchdown magic for the ninth time this season to give the Golden Bears the lead for good.
After a slow start to the season, the Golden Bears made a comeback after winning four of their five final games of the season securing their spot in the championship game. The turnaround came during homecoming as Miles picked up their first win over Central State, 41-20. From there, the momentum continued as they followed up defeating Kentucky State before a close fall to lane, 15-14. That did not stop the Golden Bears. The final two games were full of late game magic as the Bears picked up close victories over Clark Atlanta and Tuskegee.
Head coach Reginald Ruffin continues to lead one of the most successful eras in Miles College football history. He enters his eighth season at the helm of the Golden Bears, with two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships as well as an additional SIAC Championship game appearance. Over seven seasons, Ruffin has won 60 percent of his games, going 45-30 overall.
CAN ALBANY STATE’S STREAK LIVE ON?
After a three-game loss at the beginning of the season, Albany State finally found their groove in game four in a conference win over Lane, 14-7, as the Golden Rams forced three incomplete passes before Jalen Bush and Roman Victor sacked Reynolds on fourth-and-10 to secure the win with a minute to play. From there, the Golden Rams have been riding a seven game winning streak as the Golden Bears are looking for revenge in the conference matchup.
The championship game is no stranger to Albany State as they have participated six years straight with the exception of last year after coming in third in the Eastern Division. The Golden Rams’ 7-3 record most closely resembles their 2014 season as they went 7-3 and rode a six-game winning streak before coming up short in the championship to Tuskegee. Under the leadership of Gabe Giardina, this year might be different.
Coach Giardina came to Albany State in 2017 after the most successful four year run in the history of Charleston Southern University football. As the offensive Coordinator at Charleston Southern, he was a part of a staff that amassed 35 wins, two Big South Conference championships and two FCS playoff bids over a four year span. The Bucs also gained national prominence by playing in the FCS Kickoff Classic against North Dakota State on ESPN and advanced to the third round of the playoffs vs Jacksonville State which was featured on ESPN2 in 2015.
In only his second year as head coach, he has led the Golden Rams to yet another championship matchup.
SIAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
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