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Showing posts with label NCAA Division II Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCAA Division II Football. Show all posts
Emotions overcame Lane College football coach Derrick Burroughs after the Dragons lost to Stillman College 26-25 on the final play Saturday. "I don't know, I don't know," Burroughs, with his hands on top of his head said. "What to say, I don't know." The last second loss mirrored Lane's 30-23 overtime loss to Benedict College, October 10.
Burroughs and Lane were stunned as Stillman came away with the win after Damien Ford took a lateral from Samuel Barry on a Hail Mary pass play that covered 65 yards. "I had just said a prayer on the sidelines," Ford said. "And (God) pulled us through."
Lane defensive back Jerell Alexander looked as if he had picked off Stillman quarterback Demarco Starks' desperation pass at the Lane 20, but fate found Stillman (1-7, 1-6) and heartbreak found Lane (0-8, 0-7).
Frankfort, KY - One yard and a missed extra point. Combined, those two things cost the Kentucky State football team a victory on Saturday against Fort Valley State. The Thorobreds lost 14-12 despite a rally in the final minute that gave them a chance to tie with no time left on the clock.
Trailing 14-6 with 1:05 left in the game, KSU recovered a fumble on the FVSU 45-yard line. After stalling on the first three downs, KSU got new life with a pass interference call on a fourth down Hail Mary pass. Taking over at the 11-yard line, quarterback Martez James (who took over for Jerrell Noland) flipped a pass out to Jamaree Gordon in the right flat. Gordon spun around and shed two tackles before making a final dive at the pylon.
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Fort Valley State head coach Donald Pittman said Kentucky State was scary. Defensive coordinator Haskel Buff expected the Thorobreds to give the Wildcats a test. FVSU almost failed it.
The Wildcats gave up a touchdown on the game’s final play, but the defense came through with the stop on the two-point conversion as FVSU avoided the upset and nipped Kentucky State 14-12 on Saturday afternoon. FVSU improved to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the SIAC, while Kentucky State fell to 3-6 and 2-5.
No. 21-ranked Winston-Salem State has plenty of glitz and glamour on offense, but it can also grind it out on defense. The Rams, thanks to their defense’s best game of the season, shut down UNC Pembroke 21-7 in front of a homecoming crowd of around 18,000 at Bowman Gray Stadium.
With the victory, the Rams (8-1) improved their chances for a Division II playoff berth and along the way proved that their defense can also win games.
“To finish my last home game of my career with an interception and to get a win is great,” said senior defensive back Marvin Bohannon, a former star at North Forsyth. “Pembroke’s a great team and their defense is ranked nationally and that let us know we can play with the best.”
WINSTON-SALEM – Kameron Smith threw for 207 yards and two first half touchdowns, and then used his legs to add the final score of the game in the second half, to help lead the 21st-ranked Winston-Salem State Rams to a rousing 21-7 Homecoming victory over visiting UNCP on Saturday afternoon at Bowman-Gray Stadium.
The Rams (8-1) amassed more than 350 yards of total offense, including 248 in the first half alone, to take a 14-7 lead into the locker rooms, and then capitalized on a turnover on the opening drive of the second half to put the game away. Despite being limited to just 106 yards of total offense in the opening half, UNCP (5-3) had its chances to post a second half comeback, but fumbled away its opening possession of the third quarter and turned the ball over on downs on three of its final four possessions of the game.
Kameron Smith completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts with an interception to open up holes for the ground game which got 108 yards on 19 carries from Nicholas Cooper. Jahuann Butler contributed three catches for 84 yards and both first half touchdowns for the Rams as well.
Rashon Kennedy ran for a team-best 55 yards for the Braves, who also got 30 rushing yards and their lone touchdown from Keith Gore. St. Anthony Lloyd matched a school record with eight catches for the second-straight game and paced the air game with 62 receiving yards. Quarterbacks Cory Smith (13-of-24) and Garrett Sutphen (9-of-19) each tallied 92 passing yards, but both threw interceptions in the opening stanza as well.
"We had our opportunities in the second half to make this a good game, and we let them slip away," said UNCP head coach Pete Shinnick. "Winston-Salem State did a good job of executing what they wanted to do. We made a couple of mistakes and gave up a couple of long balls but, other than that, I thought our defense played very well. We got going late offensively, but didn't get any points. The name of the game is to score points and we didn't score enough."
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Albany State scored a touchdown with 18 seconds to play Saturday for a come-from-behind 13-12 win over Morehouse.
The Golden Rams’ Ronnie Childs caught a 6-yard pass from Stanley Jennings in the corner of the end zone to keep Albany State undefeated. Morehouse players -- and fans who were congregated just off the field -- protested loudly that Childs’ foot was out of bounds on the catch. A scuffed foot mark on the end line was Morehouse’s claim as evidence. The back official saw it and called the head referee over to see the mark, but the head referee was having none of that. The play stood.
“It hurts really bad,” Morehouse coach Rich Freeman said. “I thought we were one first down away from getting the win, and we took a...
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Morehouse junior Lewis Eichelberger wowed the audience attending the Dedicatory Performance in the Emma and Joe Adams Concert Hall in the new Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College. Lewis was accompanied by professor Dr. Jefferson Ethridge on piano. Director Spike Lee took film classes from young Eichelberger's father, Dr. Herb Eichelberger, a professor at Clark Atlanta University.
My heart goes out to the players at Lane College. After 19 straight losses, you would think the Dragons (0-8, 0-7 SIAC) could hold onto a lead to beat the equally bad Stillman College Tigers (1-7, 1-6). No Sir! The Dragons allowed Coach L.C. Coles Tigers to come from behind scoring 9 points in the 4th quarter to squeak past Lane 26-25 on the final play of the game.
For Lane College first year Coach Derrick Burroughs, who was the defensive backs coach at Stillman in 2007, its another bad pill to swallow. With SIAC powers Fort Valley State and Tuskegee remaining on the Dragons schedule, it looks like an 0-10 season for Lane. It was pure joy for L.C. Cole who coached at Lane with his brother, Johnnie Cole (Texas Southern) a few years ago.
Does anyone have any ideal why Livingstone is not competitive? Fayetteville State romped 59-6 on the Blue Bears like they were playing their own "pit team." And Saint Paul's Tigers offense finally showed up scoring 28 points on Virginia Union, but the Panthers offense was 11 points better for a 39-28 VUU win. Enough with the pretenders....
Now to the contenders... Hampton botched a late field goal attempt in the 4th quarter to hand S.C. State a gift 10-7 homecoming win. Bethune Cookman conducted another coaching clinic, this time at North Carolina Central, and walked away with a 23-10 win to move to 7-0, 4-0 MEAC on the season.
Florida A&M is no cupcake and Norfolk State's homecoming party got squashed by the Rattlers 17-13. The Rattlers remain in contention for the MEAC championship with a 3-1 record, tied with S.C. State. Coach Joe Taylor is not looking ahead, but we are. Up next are Morgan State (homecoming), at North Carolina A&T, Hampton and the November 20, Florida Classic with league leading Bethune-Cookman.
Better get your tickets now for the Florida Classic. This B-CU/FAMU clash will be a sellout with 74,000 partying fans at the somewhat refurbished (new field turf) Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. But it won't mean a thing, if the Rattlers don't stop Morgan State next week. Taylor says, one game at a time, but the Rattlers offense has looked anemic since week 3 of the season.
FAMU's defense and special teams play is consistently good enough to help the Rattlers run the table and stay in title contention. It appears that the Rattlers are beginning to believe in their slogan -- " Don't take no for an answer!"
If the B-CU Wildcats continue to steamroll the conference, they will make the greatest one season turn-around in recent FCS memory. The 'Cats finished last season at 5-6 under former Coach Alvin Wyatt, and have a chance to go undefeated in their first season under Coach Brian Jenkins with the Speedway O spread offense.
What can you say about Grambling State other than they own the SWAC and the MVSU Delta Devils. The G-Men(6-1, 6-0 SWAC) won 35-14 without breaking a sweat.
Defense rules! Just ask Jackson State Tigers No. 1 ranked offense. Coach Johnnie Cole's Texas Southern Tigers defense proved again why they are the No. 1 ranked defense in the SWAC -- holding the "Air Raid" offense to -6 yards rushing, 5 sacks and holding the FCS leading passer, Casey Therriault in check.
TSU has two tune-up games next with Mississippi Valley and Southern before the November 11, Thursday night Clash of the Titans with Grambling State for the SWAC West Division title. This home game will be televised by ESPN Classic and ESPN3.com to the nation.
What more can you say about the No. 8 ranked Albany State Golden Rams other than their quarterback is backing up the talk. Junior quarterback Stanley Jennings, 2-times SIAC Offensive Player of the Week, guaranteed that the Golden Rams would not lose the remainder of the season.
It took a superman effort, but ASU scored a touchdown in the final18 seconds of the game on an 84 yard drive. The Golden Rams keep the promise alive with the come from behind 13-12 win to spoil Morehouse homecoming. Jennings was responsible for 92 yards rushing and 202 yard passing, to move ASU record to 8-0, 7-0 SIAC. No. 18 ranked Morehouse drops to 6-2, 5-2 SIAC.
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SIAC Fort Valley State 14, Kentucky State 12 Albany State 13, Morehouse 12 Tuskegee 37, Clark Atlanta 10 Stillman 26, Lane 25 Benedict 20, Miles 14 MEAC South Carolina State 10, Hampton 7 Bethune Cookman 23, North Carolina Central 10 Florida A&M 17, Norfolk State 13 North Carolina A&T 52, Howard 32 Morgan State 34, Delaware State Alabama State 24, Savannah State 0
SWAC Arkansas Pine Bluff 39, Alcorn State 35 (Thurs.) Texas Southern 21, Jackson State 18 Alabama State 24, Savannah State 0 Grambling State 35, Mississippi Valley 14 Prairie View A&M 30, Southern 16
CIAA Bowie State 20, Elizabeth City State University 12 Winston Salem State 21, North Carolina - Pembroke 7 Shaw 35, Chowan 14 Saint Augustine's 34, Johnson C. Smith 24 Virginia State 42, Lincoln (Pa.) 0 Fayetteville State 59, Livingstone 6 Virginia Union 39, Saint Paul's 28
OVC Tennessee Tech 21, Tennessee State 10
OTHERS Peru State 41, Lincoln (Mo.) 33 North Greenville 42, Edward Waters 0 Glenville State 42, West Virginia State 27 Shippensburg 50, Cheyney
Committee favors starting in 2012; president, board still must approve.
A feasibility committee will recommend that LeMoyne-Owen College field a football team starting in 2012.
The recommendation, based on expectations that football will drive up enrollment, will be made to president Johnnie B. Watson -- who seems inclined to approve it and send it to the Board of Trustees for the final OK. Watson said Wednesday afternoon that he had not received the recommendation. But he said he would support a plan, if fiscally sound, that would return football to the school, which last fielded a team in 1951.
"I think any college president would love to have a football team because of all the people that it brings to the campus," Watson said. "The primary question I would raise is how are we going to fund it? How are we going to sustain the funding of it?
GAME OF THE WEEK: ELIZABETH CITY STATE AT BOWIE STATE: The winner of this contest has won the Division four of the past five seasons. This season, however, both teams trail Virginia State after prior losses to the Trojans. Consequently, BSU and ECSU must take care of their business and wish for a Virginia State stumble. The question for the Vikings is....
FORT VALLEY, GA — The MUFLY tour is done for Fort Valley State. The Wildcats have made up for last year — aka MUFLY — by avenging 2009’s conference losses with consecutive wins over Benedict, Clark Atlanta and Tuskegee.
Now, for two weeks, the mantra might as well be TCOB — as in take care of business. And that starts with Saturday’s long road trip to Kentucky State. FVSU is 6-1 overall and 5-1 in conference action, sharing second with Morehouse, both a game behind unbeaten (7-0, 6-0) Albany State. The Wildcats will be keeping their ears open to in-game scoring updates at Alumni Stadium, since Morehouse hosts Albany State with the same 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday.
Saturday afternoon will be a day of lasts for Kentucky State senior linebacker Derrick Addai. Last game at Alumni Stadium, last day to excite Thorobred nation with a jarring tackle or interception, last pre-game fight with nerves in the KSU locker room. But in spite of all the lasts, it’s the first that may stand out the most.
Football was an unexpected path for the 22-year-old defensive standout. Derrick never played the game until his senior year at Sharptown High School in Houston, Texas. By his second season with the Breds he had become the team leader in tackles. This year he is leading the entire SIAC in the category.
Derrick’s a conference standout, no doubt; one that should get a shot to play on Sundays. Maybe that’s not as surprising considering his cheering section for Saturday’s 1 p.m. Senior Day game against Fort Valley State, which will include his older sister Josephine and older brother Joseph.
Fear not, ASU fans: Tickets are still for sale for this weekend's SIAC clash between Morehouse and Albany State in Atlanta.
ALBANY, GA — Let’s clear something up. The rumors are not true no tickets for the SIAC showdown between the undefeated No. 8 nationally ranked Albany State University Rams and the No. 19 Morehouse College Maroon Tigers, set for Saturday are still available, according to Morehouse College athletic administrators Wednesday.
“The game is not sold out,” Morehouse Athletic Director Andre Pattillo told the ASU sports information office. “We will have enough tickets available for sale at the gate for Albany State fans.”
ALBANY, GA - One of the biggest games in Division II football takes place Saturday when 8th ranked Albany State heads to Atlanta to face 19th ranked Morehouse. This game will also play a big role in determining the SIAC champion.
The unbeaten Golden Rams lead Morehouse and Fort Valley State by a game in the conference standings. Morehouse is having one of its best seasons in eighty years. The Maroon Tigers are led by the conference's top rusher in David Carter. Albany State has the best defense in the SIAC at stopping the run.
Winston-Salem State could be playing a future conference opponent Saturday when UNC Pembroke visits Bowman Gray Stadium.
UNC Pembroke officials, including Athletics Director Dan Kenney, continue to explore options about joining a conference for football. UNCP fields teams in 16 sports, and 14 play in the Peach Belt Conference. The football and wrestling teams compete as Division II independents. Kenney said that he and Commissioner Leon Kerry of the CIAA have had several conversations.
Winston-Salem State will have a chance Saturday to do something it has done only once this season — defeat a team with a winning record.
UNC Pembroke (5-2) will visit Bowman Gray Stadium for a 1:30 kickoff. WSSU is ranked 21st in the Division II coaches poll. UNCP is currently unranked but was as high as No. 14 in September.
The Rams are 7-1, with their only loss to St. Augustine’s (4-1 when it played WSSU, now 6-1 and ranked 24th). The seven wins came against teams that were a combined 3-14 when they played the Rams and are now a combined 10-39.
Despite a plethora of offensive errors, Bulldogs find way to finish.
The Bowie State University Bulldogs (4-4 overall, 4-1 CIAA) had to grind out a valuable homecoming victory against conference opponent Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (1-6 overall, 0-4 CIAA), 24-18. The victory came despite several turnovers on offense and not having a lead until early in the fourth quarter.
This game was not for the feint of heart. For all the ambiance of a homecoming game, it was a very scrappy affair marred with turnovers galore for both teams, but in the end Bowie State was able to make more big plays.
The Kentucky State football team entered Saturday’s game against Clark Atlanta with the hope that it could score a win for its fans on Homecoming. Four quarters later, KSU coach Wayne Dickens walked off the field thinking things couldn’t have gone much worse for his team. The Thorobreds lost to the Panthers 19-7 under a mountain of fumbles, missed tackles, penalties and blown assignments.
“We took turns today making every conceivable mistake you can make in a football game,” Dickens said. “And it cost us.” Mistakes plagued KSU from its first drive, which ended when junior quarterback Jerrel Noland lost 17 yards on a mishandled snap and the Thorobreds couldn’t recover the yardage.
Lane College head coach Derrick Burroughs didn't mince words after the Dragons lost their homecoming game, 20-6, to Miles College at Lane Field on Saturday.
The bottom line ... we are not very good, but it won't always be like that," Burroughs said. "Today, I saw what I had heard before I took the job, that (Lane football) was very undisciplined, and I would rather go 0-10 with guys who want to be here."
Leading 7-0 at intermission, Miles put together back-to-back scoring drives to open the second half giving the Golden Bears a 20-0 lead, using 10 plays total to drive 47 and 36 yards, respectively.
RALEIGH - Fayetteville State coach Kenny Phillips leaned against a wall outside his team's locker room late Saturday and broke into a chuckle. He didn't know what else to do. The explanation behind the Broncos' 34-27 road loss to Shaw was far too simple.
"Oh, what a feeling," Phillips said. "You've got to make plays. We talk about it all the time. When opportunities are there for you to make a big play, you have to make that play." Shaw won Saturday's CIAA tussle because its top wide receiver, Julius Gregory, made two highlight reel touchdown catches in the second half.
Raleigh, NC – Shaw built a lead in the first quarter, but could never distance itself from a determined Fayetteville State squad as they held on for a 34-27 win. The win moves Shaw to 5-2 on the season, 4-0 in the CIAA. Fayetteville State drops to 2-5, 1-3 in the CIAA.
“Any time these two teams play, you know it’s going to be a high tempo game,” said Shaw Head Coach Darrell Asberry. “Our team is playing good football, and while it took our offense a little time to click, we stuck to the game plan and it came out in our favor.”
Shaw’s Kevin Atkins threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Raymond Williams rushed for two touchdowns, but it was Julius Gregory (right) who proved to be the offensive star for the Bears. Gregory caught both of Atkins’ TD tosses, giving him seven on the season, and 18 in his Shaw career, new Shaw records in each instance.
A new powerhouse has emerged in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. This is a good thing!
Bethune-Cookman has beaten South Carolina State, breaking the Bulldogs string of 21 consecutive conference wins. The Wildcats in their 14-0 shutout Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg also broke the Bulldogs 13 game home winning streak.
With the win, the Wildcats are tied with the Hampton Pirates for the conference lead with a 4-0 record. B-CU is scheduled to play the Pirates on November 6 in Hampton. The Bulldogs drop into a second place tie with Florida A&M with a 2-1 conference mark.
The Bulldogs have little time to recover as Hampton is scheduled for Saturday at Dawson Stadium in an ESPNU nationally televised cable game. Both the Bulldogs and Rattlers will need some help from the other MEAC teams, if they expect to overtake the Wildcats for the championship.
The Wildcats (6-0/4-0 MEAC) will play at North Carolina Central in Durham next Saturday in a non-conference game. The Eagles (2-4) fell to the upstart Georgia State Panthers 20-17 in overtime at the Georgia Dome.
Who ARE Those Guys on the B-CU Coaching Staff?
For starters, 39 year old first year head coach Brian Jenkins has never served as a head football coach at any level -- not even Pop Warner, junior high or high school. Jenkins was a career Division I position coach, serving 15 years at a number of schools as either wide receivers, running back or special teams coach at: Rutgers (2009), Louisiana-Lafayette (2002-08), NFL Europe - Frankfort Galaxy (2001), Bowling Green (2000), Eastern Illinois (1995-1999) and Western Kentucky (1994).
Coach Jenkins played wide receiver and running back at the University of Cincinnati and earned an associate’s degree in Education and bachelor’s degree in social work in 1993.
Jenkins is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and played football at Dillard High School under a renowned high school football coach, the late Otis Gray. Jenkins played on the 1986 and 1989 Dillard High School State Championship teams with NFL running back Lorenzo White. For you football historians, Gray is the father of former Florida A&M University and Jacksonville Jaguars star quarterback Quinn Gray Sr., who also played for his father at Dillard High School.
Nothing in Jenkins vitae shed any light to his instant success with B-CU other than the assembly of a great coach staff with great teaching skills, and superb chemistry with the players.
Offensive Coordinator Mark Orlando's Speedway O scheme has the Wildcats ready to play every game while their opponents look totally confused and unprepared for the no-huddle offense. His scheme is very similar to the legendary "Gulf Coast Offense" ran by former FAMU Coach Billy Joe during the 1990's on his way to several FCS playoffs berths.
Orlando won the 1981 Division I-AA National Championship as FAMU's offensive coordinator during six seasons with the Rattlers; five SWAC Championships and three HBCU National Championships during his tenure at Southern University under former Jaguars head coach Pete Richardson.
The jury is still out on Coach Jenkins, but we can confirm he is a great recruiter of Florida talent, a tremendous leader and exceptional facilitator of proven coaching talent. That in itself is a major plus up for MEAC Football -- that now has a four- headed monster in the Wildcats, Pirates, Bulldogs and Rattlers, battling for the MEAC Football Championship and FCS playoff berth.
Surprise of the Week:Jackson State quarterback Casey Therriault throwing a 28 yard TD with two seconds left in the game for a 49-45 Tiger victory over Southern. Therriault has passed for 2,087 yards and 20 touchdowns in six games. He has only 3 interceptions on the year and has rushed for 3 TDs.
Grambling State has hitched its wagon to senior running back Frank Warren who recorded his second 200 yard rushing game of the season. The Tigers' (5-1, 5-0 SWAC) earned a 38-28 win, as Warren rushed for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns on 29 carries, and caught a 9 yard pass for a 5th touchdown.
ASU true-freshman quarterback Brandon Bridge accounted for 445 yards of offense for the Alcorn State Braves. Bridge passed for 4 touchdowns and 404 yards but had 2 INT.
GSU's Warren is the second leading rusher in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Now, the rest of the story...
MEAC #23 Bethune Cookman 14, #9 South Carolina State 0 Florida A&M 31, Savannah State 0 Hampton 7, Norfolk State 6 Delaware State 31, North Carolina A&T 26 Georgia State 20, North Carolina Central 17 (O.T.)
SWAC Grambling State 38, Alcorn State 28 Prairie View A&M 45, Lincoln (Mo.) 12 Arkansas Pine Bluff 21, Alabama A&M 14 Jackson State 49, Southern 45
OVC Jacksonville State 24, Tennessee State 0
SIAC Fort Valley State 26, Tuskegee 0 Morehouse 38, Stillman 34 Miles 20, Lane 6 Albany State 27, Benedict 10 Clark Atlanta 19, Kentucky State 7
CIAA Bowie State 24, Lincoln (Pa.) 18 Chowan 31, Saint Paul's 20 Virginia Union 44, Johnson C. Smith 21 Shaw 34, Fayetteville State 27 Winston Salem State 58, Livingstone 0 Virginia State 15, Elizabeth City State 10 (Thursday)
Others Panhandle State 23, Texas College 14 West Chester 48, Cheyney 34 West Liberty State 48, West Virginia State 26
Virginia Union University's Cheston Hickman completed 10 of 18 passes for 175 yards and Tarian Donaldson and Jerell Washington rushed for two touchdowns apiece as VUU beat Johnson C. Smith 44-21 at Hovey Field. The win sent 7,650 fans home happy who took part in the 2003 Homecoming game.
Washington rushed for 91 yards on 12 carries and Donaldson had 69 yards on 15 carries. Joseph Jean-Pierre had seven receptions for 135 yards.
The Panthers (2-5) blocked two Golden Bull punts, and both resulted in touchdowns for VUU. In the first quarter, VUU's Damon Ramsey blocked a punt and Derek Parker recovered. Three plays later, VUU scored their first touchdown on a one-yard run by quarterback Ares McGlone-English.
TUSCALOOSA | Turnovers kept Stillman College in the game, but it was a costly turnover made by the Tigers’ offense that put the game out of reach and helped Morehouse College to a 38-24 win Saturday.
With just under four minutes left, Stillman got the ball back trailing by a touchdown. Quarterback Desmond Holloway fumbled the snap, and Olajawaun Gooch picked it up for Morehouse and ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown.
“That’s the nature of our football team,” Morehouse head coach Rich Freeman said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who are very capable of making big plays, explosive plays.”
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior Stanley Jennings knows such a comment will end up on a bulletin board somewhere in Atlanta or Fort Valley. But the confident quarterback said it anyway after leading Albany State to a 27-10 victory at Benedict College on Saturday.
“We’re not losing,” Jennings said of the first-place Rams’ upcoming games against Morehouse and Fort Valley, the two teams chasing them in the SIAC standings. “You can quote that: We aren’t losing.”
Jennings had cause for such optimism. Against Benedict, he watched the Albany State defense play most of the first quarter in its territory but give up no points. The offense produced another big play: a 90-yard scoring strike from Jennings to Ronnie Childs early in the second quarter for the game’s first score.
Two SIAC heavyweights did battle in the Valley Saturday. Fort Valley State and Tuskegee rolled in at 5-1, tied for 2nd in the conference behind undefeated Albany State.
The Wildcats scored on their opening drive, thanks to a six-yard TD run from Tony Reid to make it 6-0. In the second quarter Aaron Courtney punched it in, followed by a failed two-point conversion to make it a 12-0 game. FVSU QB Eugene Smith connected with Demario Barber before halftime to make it 19-0.
FORT VALLEY, GA – Back in August, there was talk about the old Fort Valley State “blue death” defense. That was talk. The live 2010 version showed up against Tuskegee. When FVSU’s offense actually let Tuskegee have the ball, FVSU’s defense made it pay.
Tuskegee was held to only 92 yards in total offense and blanked for the first time since 2003 as the Wildcats were dominant on both sides of the ball in pounding the 16th-ranked Golden Tigers 26-0 on Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium. FVSU improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in SIAC play on senior night while Tuskegee fell to 5-2 and 4-2.
For No. 16 Tuskegee (5-1, 4-1 SIAC), its brutal stretch of confer ence games concludes with Fort Valley State (5-1, 4-1). After a home throttling at the hands of conference- leading Albany State, the Golden Tigers have rebounded well with wins over FCS opponent Texas Southern and SIAC foes Miles and previously undefeated Morehouse.
The primary reason has been the play of Tuskegee's defense, which ranks seventh in Division II in total defense and first in passing yards allowed. Fort Valley State's defense, however, has been nearly as sturdy.
FORT VALLEY, GA — Donald Pittman looked like a man who needed a few administrative assistants, immediately. Two different phones rang, and his office was filled with boxes of blue T-shirts with his team’s midseason motto: Making Up For Last Year.
Fort Valley State’s head coach needed to order more small T-shirts, and it appeared they wouldn’t be delivered in time for Thursday night’s pep rally. And that wasn’t making him happy.
Then the conversation returned to Saturday night’s opponent, and Pittman’s attention immediately returned to football. “Seven long years,” he said. “It’s about time for that to change.”
Emotions overcame Lane College football coach Derrick Burroughs after the Dragons lost to Stillman College 26-25 on the final play Saturday. "I don't know, I don't know," Burroughs, with his hands on top of his head said. "What to say, I don't know." The last second loss mirrored Lane's 30-23 overtime loss to Benedict College, October 10.
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