Florida A&M 34, Winston Salem State 10

Rattlers run wild: A&M's Vann scores twice on punt returns of 95 ...

Winston-Salem State had no answer for return specialist LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M last night at Bowman Gray Stadium. Vann, one of the fastest players in the MEAC, scored on two long punt returns as the Rattlers won 34-10 in front of 6,313. On the bright side for the Rams (0-2) was their offense, which came to life a little bit, much to the delight of Coach Kermit Blount.

"I think the tempo was a little better," Blount said of an offense that generated 218 yards. "But those two punt returns really got us. But overall we improved and got better, but the score didn't indicate that." Vann scored on a 95-yard punt return that stunned the Rams in the second quarter. It was bad enough that Vann, 5-9 and 185 pounds, went the 95 yards, but he did so without being touched. He added an 80-yard punt return in the third quarter, which made the score 21-3 and put the Rattlers (2-0) in control.

» PHOTOS: WSSU vs. FAMU - 09-10-09

Vann strikes twice to lead the Rattlers

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As for wins and losses, beating Winston-Salem State didn't do anything for the Florida A&M football team in the MEAC standings. But Thursday's 34-10 victory at Gray Stadium gave a national television audience a pretty good peek at what the Rattlers could become this season — not to mention a breathtaking view of one of the nation's most accomplished return specialists.

While the FAMU offense looked out of sorts at times Thursday night, defensive back LeRoy Vann scored twice on punt returns — of 95 and 80 yards — to highlight the night. FAMU can now take the victory over the Rams, a provisional MEAC team, into a week of preparation for Howard University in another Thursday night game that will mean a whole lot more. Vann set a school record for most returns for touchdowns with his second in the third quarter at a time when FAMU needed it. The Rattlers were held to 147 yards in the first half.

Battle would have been ready ... if

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston-Salem State University coach Kermit Blount said a lot of things would have been different when his team faced FAMU on Thursday night. He promised that if freshman Brandon Williams had to play at quarterback he'd do better than he did in a season-opening loss to North Carolina A&T State. We saw it — at least through the first three quarters. Up to that point, he threw for 111 yards. That's 20 more yards than the Rams had in total offense in their first game.

Another promise was that the defense would be much tougher and productive against FAMU. Right again. The Rattlers had 194 yards through three quarters — two yards fewer than quarterback Curtis Pulley had rushing alone last weekend. Thanks to kick returner LeRoy Vann the Rattlers went into the fourth with a 16-point lead. Blount had talked about finding ways to stop Vann, too. He didn't find solutions Thursday night as Vann had a record night.

MEAC Football Standings
CONFERENCE OVERALL
Florida A&M 1-0 - 2-0
Hampton 0-0 - 1-0
Norfolk State 0-0 - 1-0
North Carolina A&T 0-0 - 1-0
South Carolina State 0-0 - 1-0
Howard 0-0 - 0-0
Morgan State 0-0 - 0-0
Bethune-Cookman 0-0 - 0-1
Delaware State 0-1 - 0-1

2009 Conference Leaders
PASSING ATT COMP YDS TD
C. Pulley, Florida A&M 40 29 349 3
A. Glaud, Delaware St 32 17 188 1
D. Legree, Hampton 18 10 140 1

RUSHING CAR YDS AVG TD
C. Pulley, Florida A&M 25 230 9.2 1
E. Rocker, Florida A&M 20 94 4.7 0
C. Fears, NC A&T 10 78 7.8 1

RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD
I. West, Florida A&M 10 163 16.3 1
K. Elliott, Florida A&M 9 95 10.6 1
D. Jackson, Delaware St 7 67 9.6 0

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Date changed for SU-Texas Southern football game

Southern’s football schedule has changed again. Texas Southern, in accepting a proposal from ESPNU, has moved its home game against the Jaguars to Dec. 5 — one week after the Bayou Classic and one week before the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game. The TSU game was originally scheduled for Oct. 10. Southern will have a bye that week instead.

The decision to move the game was made solely by TSU, Athletic Director Charles McClelland said.

“We got inquiries to move the game, and we were able to put it on national television,” McClelland said. “And there was financial benefit to both universities.” McClelland said both schools will receive a payout of more than $100,000, but declined to give an exact figure.

According to SU records, this would be the first time the Jaguars played a conference game between the Bayou Classic and the SWAC Championship Game, which began in 1999. In fact, this will be the Jaguars’ first regular-season game after the Bayou Classic since 1979, when they finished with back-to-back wins against Grambling and Alabama State. “I’m not pleased with it,” SU coach Pete Richardson said of the change. “I was informed that it would probably happen a few days ago. It could have an impact on the conference championship.

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ESPNU to air SWAC football games

Coach Rod Broadway Grambling Tigers has two ESPNU or ESPN2 HD dates--Sept. 6 vs. SCSU and Nov. 12 vs. Texas Southern.

The Southwestern Athletic Conference will have four football games aired live on Thursday nights on ESPNU during the fall. Alcorn State will kick off the schedule with a road game at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Oct. 1. The game time has not been set.

Prairie View A&M at Southern will be featured Oct. 22 with kickoff yet to be determined.Texas Southern will travel to defending conference and black college national champion Grambling State on Nov. 12. Start time is lotted for 8 p.m.The 86th Turkey Day Classic between Alabama State and Tuskegee will shown Nov. 26 at 3 p.m.


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Southern finalizes Thursday night football game

Coach Pete Richardson and the SU Jaguars will have lighter out-of- conference schedule in '09 facing Division II Central State (OH), Tennessee State and UL-L. The Jags are currently seeking a D-II or FCS D-I opponent for an Oct. 17 home date.

Jaguars to face Prairie View on Oct. 22

As expected, Thursday night football is coming to Southern. SU Athletic Director Greg LaFleur and coach Pete Richardson confirmed Tuesday that the Jaguars’ home game against Prairie View will happen on a Thursday — at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 in A.W. Mumford Stadium before a national television audience on ESPNU. SU’s move to Thursday night is a result of the television deal between the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the ESPN family of networks.The SWAC had three Thursday night ESPNU games in 2008: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alcorn State on Sept. 18; Mississippi Valley State at Alabama State on Sept. 25; and Grambling at Texas Southern on Nov. 20.

Southern hosted Florida A&M on Oct. 18 on ESPNU. This, however, will be SU’s first Thursday night home game. “You never like to play on a Thursday night, especially with our fan base,” Richardson said. “But it was our turn to play, and we’ll play. It’ll be a little bit of a different experience, playing on a short week. You just hope you don’t come out with too many injuries the game before that.” Of course, at this point, Richardson doesn’t yet know whom he’ll play the week before the Prairie View game. SWAC teams will play seven conference games next season, leaving schools to fill out their schedules with four nonconfrence opponents (teams within the Football Championship Subdivision will play 11 games in 2009).

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Florida A&M at DSU game preview

Where: Alumni Stadium, Dover (Capacity: 7,000)
When: 7:30 tonight
TV/radio: ESPNU/1450AM
Records: DSU (0-0- 0-0) Florida A&M (1-0,0-0)

Prediction: DSU 27, Florida A&M 17.

Scouting the Hornets

DSU enters the season in defense of its first league championship since 1991. In 2007, the Hornets were undefeated in the MEAC and qualified for the program's first NCAA playoffs. They own a three-game win streak over the Rattlers. Thirteen starters return from a team that set a school record for victories in a season (10). DSU's only losses were to Division I-A Kent State and Delaware in the first round of the I-AA playoffs. With DSU trying new tweaks on offense, it will again rely on the consistency of its defense and special teams. Returning linebackers Josh Pope and Jackie Watkins combined for 14 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks a year ago. DSU added Syracuse transfers Donta Herrod and Quinton Brown in the defensive backfield, two players who should provide leadership.

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Forget the local press predictions, look for the FAMU Rattlers defense to steamroll the Hornets offense and find a way to win!

HU wins nationally televised softball game during sweep

In softball Wednesday, Hampton University swept host Norfolk State 5-4 and 10-7 on a day in which Game 1 was televised nationally on ESPNU.

Game 1 winner Amanda Black pitched a complete game and went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI for HU (28-15), which scored the winning run on a throwing error in the sixth inning. HU's Angela Balser was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

In Game 2, HU had several offensive contributors and overcame a 5-2 deficit with a five-run fifth. Poquoson's Evelyn Garcia was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI, Britta Davis was 2-for-4 with three runs and three RBI, and Tiffa Brents was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI.

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