South Carolina State Roll With Victory Over Hampton 33-15

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Sophomore running back Labron Morris rushed for a game-high 134 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns to lead South Carolina State to a, 33-15, victory over Hampton Saturday (Nov. 11th) at Oliver. Dawson Stadium/Willie Jeffries Field.

South Carolina State held "Senior/Military Appreciation/Band Day" and made the most of the fans in attendance, honoring fifteen (15) Bulldogs who played their final home game in front or crowd of 9,000.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Dewann Ford, Jr. had a solid day throwing finishing 13-of-27 for 180 yards and a touchdown, while Walk-on special team performer Colin Washington had a solid day returning kickoff and punts finishing with 125 All-purpose yards in the win.

"It's a little different feeling, getting a victory. I'm so happy we finally came out and won a football game, said head coach Buddy Pough. "I'm excited about it, and happy for our players.

Pough noted, "We are finally able to run the football, that was the difference and we also mixed some passes in. It was great that we got a win for our seniors who were playing their final game on this field."

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 16-0 lead with a safety at the 9:08 mark in the first quarter. Morris got on the board early with back-to-back touchdown runs of 3-yards and 1-yard. Senior kicker Tyler Scandrett push the lead to 19-0 on a 26-yard field goal to close out the first half.

Sophomore wide receiver De'Montrez Burroughs 4-yard touchdown catch from Ford move the Bulldogs head 26-0 at the 6:46 mark in the third quarter. Hampton got on the board with a 15-yard pass catch from Delmon Williams with 4:28 remaining in the quarter.

Yahkee Johnson pulled the Pirates within two scores on a 9-yard punch with 2:15 left in game. A two-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Travon Thomas with 0:18 seconds sealed the victory and snapped a three-game losing skid for the Bulldogs.

Redshirt sophomore Tra'Quan Dubose led the way for the receiving corps with five catches for 79-yards. The defense was led by redshirt senior All-American linebacker Darius Leonard with 8 tackles and two (2) sacks, while Dayshawn Taylor added six (6).

South Carolina State will close out the 2017 campaign on next Saturday (Nov. 18) on the road against Savannah State in the final game of the seasons. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

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SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers Edge SEMO on Senior Day, 23-20

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- In the final home game of the season, Tennessee State earned a 23-20 victory over Southeast Missouri on Saturday afternoon in Hale Stadium.

Vincent Sellers blocked a punt with under five minutes to play to set up the game winning scoring drive. Lane Clark connected on his third field goal of the day, a 44 yarder, with just over two minutes on the clock to propel the Tigers to their sixth win of the season.

Sellers secured the win as he broke up a pass on a fourth down attempt, giving TSU the ball back with a minute left in the contest.

Michael Hughes went for 196 passing yards, hitting Steven Newbold for five passes totalling 153 yards on the day. Mahlon Medley caught a 28-yard touchdown pass, while senior fullback Terence Harris had the first touch of his career, resulting in a nine-yard Tiger touchdown.

TSU's nationally-ranked defense allowed only 83 passing yards from the Redhawks, improving upon its 156.0 season average. LaQuarius Cook and Chris Collins tied for a team-high nine tackles.

Game 10: Tennessee State 23, Southeast Missouri 20
Records: TSU (6-4, 2-4), SEMO (2-8, 2-5)
Venue: William J. Hale Stadium
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 58
Attendance: 8,693

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

TOTALS

• TSU held Southeast Missouri to three first downs in the first half; nine in the contest
• The Tigers outgained the Redhawks, 343-231
• The defense held their opponents to 29 yards under its average
• TSU came in ranked sixth in the nation in Total defense (259.9 yards/game)
• The Big Blue allowed 83 yards through the air
• The offense averaged 21.8 yards per completion
• TSU won the Time of Possession battle, 35:27-24:33

INDIVIDUAL

• Steven Newbold led all receivers with 153 yards on five receptions
• The sophomore wide out caught four passes of over 30 yards (36, 33, 38, 35)
• Michael Hughes finished 9-of-14 for 196 yards and two touchdowns with one interception
• Mahlon Medley caught his third touchdown against Southeast Missouri (caught two in 2016)
• Lane Clark connected on field goals of 37, 44 and 45 yards
• Clark had a 42-yard attempt blocked in the third quarter
• The senior kicker recorded 11 points versus SEMO, which ties for seventh most in a game by a Tiger kicker
• Clark scored 12 points a week ago (sixth best in TSI history) against Virginia University Lynchburg
• Jason Morrow blocked an extra point in the first quarter, the third of the season for the senior
• Morrow came in ranked sixth in the country in blocked kicks
• Sabree Curtis led TSU with 72 yards on nine carries, averaging 8.0 yards/carry
• Chris Rowland averaged 7.8 yards per carry with six rushes for 47 yards
• LaQuarius Cook and Chris Collins led the team with nine tackles
• Collins and Justin North each recorded 2.0 tackles for loss
• North recorded a sack and forced a fumble, which Blair Edwards would recover
• Edwards later forced a fumble
• Vincent Sellers finished with five tackles and two pass breakups, including one on the final defensive play of the game
• Terrell Bonds notched the ninth interception of his career, moving him into the TSU Top 10 list
• Bonds is tied for eighth with Deon Giddens (2002-03), Roger Holmes (1985-87) and Steven Godbolt III (2011-13)
• Collins moved to eighth all-time at TSU in tackles (254), past Simon Shanks (1989-90) with 246
• With four punts today, Austin Rowley now has 134 in his career
• The junior moves past Thomas Headen (1979-82) who finished his career with 131 stops

FIRST QUARTER

• The Tigers opened their first drive of the game with a 36 yard pass play from Michael Hughes to Steven Newbold
• TSU settled for a Lane Clark 37 yard field goal
• The defense would force a fumble on the next play, as Justin North sacked Jesse Hosket allowing Blair Edwards to recover the ball
• The offensive drive stalled forcing a 45 yard field goal by Clark
• The Tigers took a 6-0 advantage with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter
• After a defensive stop by the Tigers, the SEMO defense stepped up with a 21 yard interception for a touchdown by Devin Alexander
• Jason Morrow blocked his third kick of the year to keep the score at 6-6
• TSU outgained the Redhawks in the first stanza, 69-34

SECOND QUARTER

• SEMO threatened to begin the second with consecutive runs by Marquis Terry of 26 and 12 yards, respectively
• The Big Blue stepped up to force a turnover on downs to end the threat at the TSU 40
• The defense came through with their second turnover of the game as Terrell Bonds record his ninth career interception
• Starting at their own eight, the offense responded with Chris Rowland gaining 25 yards on two carries
• Hughes teamed with Newbold again, this time for 33 yards to move to the SEMO 29
• Two plays later, Hughes found Mahlon Medley all alone for a 28 yard touchdown pass for a 13-6 lead
• The Tigers outgained the Redhawks, 98-74, and held a 167-108 yard advantage at the break

THIRD QUARTER

• The Tigers opened the second half with a drive lasting over six minutes which reached the Redhawks seven
• Hughes used his legs to get the drive started with an 18 yard run
• Four consecutive runs moved the Tigers into SEMO territory
• Newbold caught a Hughes pass and avoided his defender and sprinted down the right sideline before being brought down at the seven
• Penalties hindered the Tigers drive forcing a 42 yard field goal attempt by Clark
• Justin Swift blocked the attempt for the Redhawks
• SEMO took over at the Tigers 37 and needed just nine plays to even the score at 13-13 with 2:46 to play in the third
• Hosket found Kristian Wilkerson for the nine yard scoring play
• The Tigers outgained SEMO 121-42 in the third

FOURTH QUARTER

• Sabree Curtis put together runs of 19 and 14 yards to move into SEMO territory heading into the final period
• Newbold recorded his third reception for over 30 yards, a 35 yard pass from Hughes, to enter the red zone
• Two plays later, Hughes rolled right and found Terence Harris for a nine yards touchdown to take a 20-13 lead
• SEMO responded with a kickoff return to midfield
• The Redhawks used the Hosket to Wilkerson connection to even the score seven plays later to even the score at 20-20
• Freshman safety Vincent Sellers continued his stellar season by blocking a SEMO punt and recovering the ball at the Redhawks 31 with 4:28 to play
• Clark converted his third field goal of the day with a 44-yarder with 2:07 on the clock
• The defense stopped the Redhawks on a fourth down attempt as Sellers broke up a Hosket pass

GAME NOTES

• TSU won the coin toss and chose to defer to the second half
• Captains for TSU Lane Clark, Ebo Ogundeko, Chris Collins and Patrick Smith
• Seven seniors served as secondary captains
• Weather at kickoff was 58 degrees and Mostly Cloudy
• The Tigers lead the series with the Redhawks 14-11
• TSU is 9-2 versus SEMO in Nashville
• Tennessee State is 6-0 this season when scoring first
• The Tigers forced two turnovers on the day
• The Big Blue entered the game ranked 34th in the nation
• Senior kicker Lane Clark surpassed Charles Anthony to place fifth in all-time career points with 254 after kicking for 11 today
• Terence Harris scored his first touchdown of his career during his final game at home
• The pass play was the first reception for the senior fullback in his four year career; Harris also has no rush attempts during his career

WHAT’S NEXT: Tennessee State will travel to Jacksonville, Ala. for the final game of the season. The Ohio Valley Conference contest versus Jacksonville State will be played on Thursday, Nov. 16.

QUOTES
Head Coach Rod Reed-On the game
“We talked in pre-game about the things we needed to do to be successful, and the main thing was to protect the football, dominate on our kicking game and dominate on both sides of the lines of scrimmage – win at the offense line, win at the defensive line and win at the line of scrimmage. Out guys came out and did that. We played hard. With the exception of a few big plays we gave up defensively, we did extremely well. Newbold gave us a shot when we needed it, giving us a good field position to make plays. L. Cook makes the checks in the secondary. SEMO does a lot in the secondary with motions and shifts and we did a good job defensively. Coach Fisher had a great game plan for this team, as did Coach Parker.”

Senior Kick Lane Clark-On the game
“It was intense. It came all the way down to the end. Both sides of the ball played hard and special teams was a big part of the game today.”

-On moving into No. 5 in all-time career points
“Points don’t mean that much. It feels good, but when it comes down to it, I’m going to be ready regardless.”

-On short week preparation
“Same thing as every week – I’m starting to feel stronger. Protection has been doing really well. Each day we’re going to work special teams like we always do, hopefully I’ll be kicking a lot of PATs instead of field goals.”

Sophomore Quarterback Michael Hughes
-On the offense
“It started off a little rough. I threw a pick six, but eventually we bounced back and put up some more points on the scoreboard. We came out the win.”

-On pass options
“Today was actually Steven Newbold. I think they were trying to double-team Pat because of what he’s produced in the past, but they left Steve 1-on-1 on the backside a lot, so I went to him and made big plays.”

Senior Linebacker Chris Collins -On how he wants to finish out the season
“I think Jacksonville State is top five in the nation, so a ‘W’ there… I would be satisfied. It’ll be a huge win for us.”

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

HBCU Football Judgment Day Scoreboard, Week 11

SATURDAY, November 11, 2017

SIAC CHAMPIONSHIP 
Tuskegee 13, Fort Valley State 6

CIAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Virginia State 42, Fayetteville State 19 

OVC
Tennessee State 23, Southeast Missouri State 20

SWAC 
Prairie View A&M 35, Arkansas Pine Bluff 12
Jackson State 10, Alabama A&M 7
Grambling State 24, Alabama State 7
Alcorn State 59, Mississippi Valley State 0
Southern 33 Texas Southern 7 

MEAC
North Carolina A&T State 36, Savannah State 17 
Howard 28, Norfolk State 24
South Carolina State 33, Hampton 15
Delaware State 33, Morgan State 30
Bethune-Cookman 13, North Carolina Central 10

GLVC
Southwest Baptist 52, Lincoln (MO) 7 

CSFL
Lyon 41, Texas College 3
Langston 31, Wayland Baptist 19

PSAC
Edinboro 63, Cheyney 0

MOUNTAIN EAST
West Virginia State 45. West Virginia Wesleyan 28

MID-SOUTH
Faulkner 49, Edward Waters 3

Hail Mary McLeod Bethune! B-CU Wins 13-10 On Final Play at NCCU

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Larry Brihm Jr. and Keavon Mitchell connected on a 48-yard "Hail Mary" as time expired as Bethune-Cookman pulled off an improbable 13-10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over North Carolina Central Saturday at O'Kelly–Riddick Stadium.

The Wildcats (6-4 overall, 5-2 conference) win their third straight game and clinched their second winning season in three years under Head Coach Terry Sims. North Carolina Central (7-3,5-2) was eliminated from the conference championship contention.

For the second straight time in Durham, the two teams battled to a standstill only to see it end in a heart stopping finish – Bethune-Cookman won here in 2015 by blocking a blocked field goal on the final play.

Chauncey Caldwell's 4-yard pass to Xavier McCoy with 16 seconds remaining gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead, capping off a 61-yard march that included a fourth down pass interference call on Bethune-Cookman that kept the drive alive.

However, a 15-yard celebration penalty put the Eagle kickoff 15 yards back. Mitchell's return over midfield set up his and Brihm's heroics two plays later.

The Wildcats broke open a scoreless tie on Akevious Williams' one-yard dive on fourth down with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter.

Jamauri Laguerre set up the score when he recovered a fumbled Eagle punt return on the NCCU 28. Michael Jones' 20 yard run gave the Wildcats first and goal.

The Eagles got on the board with a 22-yard Aedan Johnson field goal with 13:19 to play. A penalty kept that drive alive, also, and gave the home team first and goal, but two stuffs on running plays and a Sam Marc pass break-up forced North Carolina Central to settle for three.

The Wildcat defense denied North Carolina Central on two first-half scoring opportunities, one ending with an Elliott Miller interception while the Eagles blocked a Uriel Hernandez field goal attempt to keep it a scoreless tie at halftime.

Kennedy Ndukwe had 11 tackles to pace the Wildcat defense.

Brihm was 5 of 13 for 90 yards, with 59 of those going to Mitchell on two catches. Jones was B-CU's leading rusher with 36 yards.

The Wildcats face archrival Florida A&M next week in the Florida Classic in Orlando.

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BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alcorn Braves Shutout Delta Devils 59-0 to Win Fourth Consecutive SWAC East Division Title

LORMAN, Mississippi – Clinching its fourth straight SWAC East Division crown, the Alcorn State University football program blanked Mississippi Valley State 59-0 Saturday on Senior Day at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.

The Braves (7-3, 5-1 SWAC) become the first team in the history of the league to play in four consecutive SWAC Championship games.

Alcorn outgained MVSU (2-8, 1-5 SWAC) 746-215 in total yards. The 746 for the Braves was 10 shy of the school record of 756 set in 1994 against Grambling State.

The Braves also outrushed the Delta Devils 424-to-negative 11.

Sophomore quarterback Noah Johnson threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns. All three of his touchdown passes were caught by senior Norlando Veals who ended with a career-high 253 receiving yards.

Senior running back De'Lance Turner registered 171 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. Junior P.J. Simmons, the reigning SWAC Newcomer of the Week winner, posted 97 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Braves intercepted three passes and forced a fumble. Interceptions were made by senior Jalen Thomas, junior Leishaun Ealey and sophomore Allen Bruce. Senior Michael Brooks wrapped up a team-high seven tackles.

MVSU was led by Dewayne Betts who threw for 158 yards off the bench. Delorean Parker stood out defensively with 11 tackles and 2.0 tackles for a loss.

Alcorn scored on its second possession of the game. After an 11-yard rush by Turner, Johnson scrambled up the middle for 37 yards and a touchdown. It was a quick 28-second drive to put the Braves up 7-0. Alcorn had good field position after a short 22-yard punt by the Delta Devils on the previous possession.

On Alcorn's next possession, the Braves faced on 3rd and 15 deep in their own territory when Johnson aired it out and Veals made a leaping grab for a gain of 52 yards. Another first down catch by Veals of 11 yards moved the ball to the MVSU 16. The Braves capped the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Veals in the right corner to make it a 14-0 game near the end of the first quarter.

Alcorn's defense backed the Delta Devils up the entire second quarter. It was highlighted by a big sack by junior Trae Ferrell, and strong coverage by Bruce on a pair of deep passes.

The strong defense paid dividends for the Braves as the offense started with good field position at the MVSU 45 late in the second quarter. Alcorn cashed in with a 36-yard touchdown by Turner through the left to increase the edge to 21-0 with 2:44 left.

On the ensuing Delta Devils possession, senior Ramonte Bell was in on a pair of sacks which forced the Delta Devils punt again. Johnson connected with senior Jalen Walker for a gain of 21 to put Alcorn in the red zone. A completion to Veals placed the ball at the MVSU 2 with 44 seconds left and setup first-and-goal. Turner capped it off with a two-yard run to the left as the Braves led 28-0 at the break.

The Braves got the ball to start the third quarter and were backed up after three holding penalties. On 2nd and 32, Johnson got outside the pocket on the right and found Veals streaking down the sideline for a 62-yard touchdown reception. Alcorn led 35-0 with 12:08 remaining in the third.

Johnson used his legs on Alcorn's next drive. He broke off a 34-yarder to the left, followed by a 33-yarder up the middle for the touchdown. It increased the edge to 42-0 with 9:42 to go in the third.

The Delta Devils were trying to get it going offensively midway through the third, but a drive into Alcorn territory came to an end after junior Isiah Thomas forced a fumble after a completed pass, and senior Christian Brown recovered at the Alcorn 33.

The Braves took advantage of the turnover with a 66-yard touchdown pass to Veals to make it a 49-0 score with 5:33 left in the third.

Alcorn added on in the third quarter with a 27-yard touchdown run by Simmons to the left. The Braves led 56-0 at the 3:37 mark.

The Delta Devils attempted to air it out early in the fourth quarter, but Ealey jumped in front of a deep pass and grabbed an interception at the MVSU 40. The turnover resulted in three points for the Braves as sophomore Corey McCullough knocked in a 22-yard field goal. It was the only field goal attempt of the game for McCullough is the reigning FCS National and SWAC Special Teams Player of the Week honoree.

MVSU had one last chance to get on the board as it moved into the red zone with under two minutes left, but an interception by Jalen Thomas in the end zone ended the threat.

Alcorn will wrap-up the regular season next Saturday when it travels to Jackson State for a 2 p.m. game. The Braves are seeking their third straight win over the Tigers.

NOTES
- Alcorn recorded its 11th consecutive victory over a SWAC East Division opponent.

- The Braves defeated the Delta Devils for the fifth consecutive year. Alcorn has now won nine straight meetings at home against MVSU dating back to 1999. The Braves have a combined score of 120-7 against MVSU over the last two seasons as Alcorn won 61-7 last year. The Braves improved to 44-15-1 all-time against the Delta Devils.

- Alcorn will carry-over a four-game home winning-streak into next season. The Braves went 5-1 at home this year and are 74-52 all-time at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium which wrapped-up its 26th season (first year was 1992).

- The Braves posted their first shutout since 2013 when they beat Grambling State 48-0. It was Alcorn's largest shutout win since 2003 when it defeated Prairie View A&M 66-0.

- Turner now needs 108 more rushing yards to break the single-season school record of 1,286 set by Rodney Thomas in 1998. He rushed for two touchdowns for the third time this season.

- Veals etched career-highs of 253 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. His previous best was 196 receiving yards against MVSU last year. The school record for receiving yards in a game is 316 set by Marcus Hinton in 1994. The school record for receiving touchdowns in a game is four set by Donald Ray Ross in 1994.

- Freshman wide receiver Andre Martin became the 16th different student-athlete to catch a pass this season for the Braves. He hauled in a 13-yarder in the fourth quarter.

- Alcorn's captains were Turner and senior Lenorris Footman. The Braves won the toss and deferred to the second half.

Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"These guys came out and fought very hard. I'd like to give much credit to Valley and their group. We didn't execute as well in the first half as we did in the second half. We just had to get ourselves together coming out in the second."

On almost breaking the school's total yardage record
"I usually don't even look at the stats until about Sunday night. Knowing the stats now, it would have been great to get those 10 yards. The victory was just good for us today. It was phenomenal how we played football. I can't say enough about the players and this staff."

On the fourth consecutive SWAC Championship appearance
"Coming into the summer it's always exciting, especially knowing you just fell short of one SWAC Championship the year before. The goal was already set for us, win the division and get back to Houston. I just told the guys though, we have a stop to make in Jackson on our way to Houston. These guys deserve all the credit in the world."

On the penalties
"Well, we scored 59 points. We had 17 penalties for 140 yards. I wonder what would have happened if they would have thrown 16? We might have scored 70. You can't take that aggression away from those guys. A flag can be thrown every play; it's just how you look at it."

On the offensive line
"It's hard to beat them. Coach [Ryan] Stanchek does great with those guys. Have you ever seen synchronized swimming? That's the way those guys work. When I go into their individual group everyday that's how those guys work. It's unbelievable."

Quoting sophomore quarterback Noah Johnson
On getting the start
"It's a confidence builder. I felt like I didn't play as well as I could have played last week. It's a big win coming into this last stretch of the season. I told Footman I got your back no matter what. He's been there for me the whole time. These seniors believe in me. I love those guys."

On the fourth consecutive SWAC Championship appearance
"It's unbelievable. We're a powerhouse team now. I don't want to really say we're like Alabama but we are. We're the powerhouse of the SWAC and I feel like we are the best team in the SWAC. We're going to show it in these last few weeks."

On Norlando Veals
"If I got the ball out earlier he probably would have broken the school record. This receiving core has so much faith in me. They just tell me to throw the ball up really. They say put it up anywhere in the vicinity and they're going to catch it. That's what I love about this receiving core. When we run they block their butts off. They never complain. It's really easy on me."

Quoting senior wide receiver Norlando Veals
On how he had such a big day
"Preparation, that's all it is. I know my capability. I just went out there and played that's all."

On the fourth consecutive SWAC Championship appearance
"It's a great feeling to go back to Houston. This time when we go we're going to finish. Though first, this Jackson State game means something to me, because I live in Brookhaven. My father lives in Jackson. I even have a couple of old teammates that play there and my step dad played for Jackson. It means a lot but we just take it as the next game."

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Jaguars defense roars, shuts down Texas Southern

HOUSTON, Texas — Two minutes before halftime, with his team trailing by 10, Texas Southern quarterback Elijah Odom dropped back to pass.

He never saw Southern defensive end Aaron Tiller coming.

Tiller stripped the ball from Odom and recovered the fumble at the TSU 36-yard line. The turnover led to a Southern field goal and kept TSU scoreless at halftime.

While the SU offense has put up its share of numbers this season, on Saturday night at BBVA Compass Stadium it was the Jaguars defense that made a statement in a 33-7 win over Texas Southern.

“We were pretty dominant today,” Southern coach Dawson Odums said. “Defensively we kept them off the board, and I’m pleased because that is how you win football games.

“You saw a good football team take advantage of a bad football team’s miscues.”

SU had as many sacks (three) as TSU completed passes.

CONTINUE READING

Southern turns in no-nonsense performance in 33-7 win against TSU, setting up another big Bayou Classic

HOUSTON, Texas -- The celebration, if you could call it that, was muted as the game clock ticked down to zeroes on Southern's 33-7 win against Texas Southern.

"I thought we came in with the right mindset to take care of business," said Jaguars coach Dawson Odums. "We understood what was at stake."

It was the sixth consecutive win for Southern (7-3, 5-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference), and it also set up yet another Bayou Classic clash with a trip to the SWAC title game on the line against Grambling, which remained undefeated in league play Saturday with a 24-7 win against Alabama State.

Odums was quick to remind anyone within earshot of where his team was before this win streak, back in September, when the Jaguars blew a 24-10 first-half lead to Alcorn State and dropped to 1-3 and 0-1 in SWAC play.

"Everybody wrote us off, but that's OK; good thing we don't have to cash their checks," Odums said. "We know ours don't bounce."

Saturday's victory wasn’t flawless or flashy. It was a no-nonsense win, a businesslike performance that allowed a few pieces of flair for the enjoyment of the large mass of blue and gold that made the trip.



CONTINUE READING

Howard Bison Take Down NSU Spartans In Final Seconds

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Trailing, 24-21, Coach Mike London and the Howard University Football team started its final drive on their own 11-yard line.

First play, freshman Caylin Newton connected with sophomore Jequez Ezzard for a 41-yard pass and moved into Spartans' territory. After three plays, the Bison faced a 4th-and-8 situtation where Newton's throw was deflected into the hands of sophomore Kyle Anthony for 16 yards, enough to keep the drive alive.

Then, Newton put HU into the red zone after a 16-yard run. After a costly holding penalty, Newton scrambled for 15 yards and was forced out-of-bounds at NSU's 5-yard line. Next, senior Anthony Philyaw picked up a fresh set of downs with a three-yard run. Two plays later, Newton rolled to his right and stretched across the goal line for the game-winning touchdown with five ticks remaining.



Howard (7-3, 6-1 MEAC) earned its fifth consecutive win after compiling 476 total offense yards, including 317 on the ground.

On this day, several Bison were recognized for their dedication and hard work on and off the field. Philyaw was among those seniors playing their final contest at Greene Stadium.

The California native put on a show, rushing for 193 yards on 20 carries while scoring two touchdowns in the victory.

HU struck first with a 7-yard touchdown from Philyaw, 7-0.

Norfolk State responded with a five play, 65-yard drive, capped off by a 19-yard pass from Juwan Carter to Demetreus Ferebee, 7-7.

NSU answered again and took the lead after one, thanks to a 5-yard run from Aaron Savage, 14-7.

Norfolk State put together a 6:39 drive, which resulted in a 2-yard run by Carter, 21-7.

Howard battled back with a long drive of their own, going nine plays for 73 yards, including a 3-yard TD run from Philyaw, 21-14.

With more than enough time, the Spartans capitalized before halftime with a 37-yard field goal by Josh Nardone, 24-14.

After a scoreless third, HU endured another long drive resulting in a 3-yard touchdown from graduate Dezmond Wortham. The drive started from Howard's 10-yard line and took 4:03.

BOX SCORE

Ezzard continues his solid play down the stretch, grabbing seven balls for 113 yards.

Defensively, the Bison held NSU scoreless after intermission. Senior Devin Rollins registered a team-high seven solo tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. Freshman Bryan Cook recorded three tackles and two INTs in the win.

For Norfolk State (3-7, 3-4 MEAC), Savage rushed for 112 yards on 23 touches with a touchdown. Defensively, Anthony Smith posted a game-high 12.5 tackles (11 solo), including two tackles for loss, and an interception.

Howard concludes the regular season at rival Hampton. The Battle of the Real HU continues Saturday at Armstrong Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grambling State Tigers grind out SWAC win over Hornets

MONTGOMERY, Alabama | The Grambling State University football team was held to just four first downs in the first half, but the Tigers were able to grind out a 24-7 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory over Alabama State on Saturday afternoon at ASU Stadium.

"Alabama State is a good football team and they played extremely well," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs said. "We couldn't get much going offensively early, but that happens when playing one of the best defenses in the conference. Now we get some time to rest some players and focus on the Bayou Classic and a showdown with an excellent Southern team."

The Grambling State offense couldn't get much going early in the first half and the defense was able to hold Alabama State to just a pair of field goal attempts. However, the Hornets walked away with no points after a pair of blocks by Marchael Jackson and De'Aumante Johnson.

Despite not getting much going offensively, the Tigers were able to get into the red zone, courtesy of a 23-yard interception return to set up Grambling State at the Hornets 1-yard line. Just one play later, Martez Carter punched in the touchdown from one-yard out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 3:43 remaining in the opening quarter.

Grambling State (9-1 overall, 6-0 SWAC) forced Alabama State to punt the football with 1:43 remaining in the first half and the Tigers went to work with the two-minute drill. Despite two straight incomplete passes, Devante Kincade connected with Jordan Jones for 35 yards to set up shop at the Hornets' 19. After picked up a first down with his legs, Kincade hit Calif Samon for a 7-yard touchdown strike to give the Tigers a 14-0 advantage with 35 seconds left in the half.

After an Alabama State punt backed Grambling State to its own 18 and on the very next play, Carter broke free for a 59-yard run to set up shop at the Hornets' 23. But the Tigers' drive stalled out, but Grambling State got a 41-yard field goal by Marc Orozco to extend the advantage to 17-0 with 8:40 remaining in the third.

Grambling State put the game away midway through the fourth quarter as the Tigers marched 92 yards in 13 plays as Kincade tossed his second touchdown pass, a 44-yard strike to Devohn Lindsey to extend the advantage to 24-0 with 7:14 left.

The Hornets (3-6, 3-3) quickly answered as Alabama State went 77 yards in five plays as Darryl Pearson, Jr., connected with Ezra Gray for a 10-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-7 with 5:09 remaining.

Turning Point
With the Tigers offense not getting much going, it was the defense that led to the first score.

Alabama State began the drive on its own 24, but Darryl Pearson, Jr.'s pass was picked off by De'Andre Hogues and returned 23 yards to the Hornets' 1-yard line. With the offense taking the field, Martez Carter rushed straight up the middle and into the endzone to give Grambling State a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

The Tigers didn't look back in the 24-7 victory.

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Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State was held to a season-low four first downs in the first half.
· The Tigers registered 93 yards on 28 plays in the opening half, including 70 of those yards through the air.
· Alabama State recorded 87 total yards of offense in the first half and five first downs.
· Devante Kincade was 17-of-27 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
· Devante Kincade rushed 18 times for 24 yards.
· Martez Carter tallied 85 yards on 14 carries, including a 59-yard carry in the third quarter.
· Calif Samon caught four passes for 39 yards.
· Martez Carter finished with four receptions for 32 yards.
· Marc Orozco was 1-for-1 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra point attempts.
· De'Arius Christmas registered eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss.
· Percy Cargo, Jr., tallied six tackles, including five solo stops.
· Darryl Pearson, Jr., was 7-of-18 passing, with one interception, for 95 yards.
· Ezra Gray rushed 11 times for 43 yards.
· Willis White caught four passes for 73 yards.
· Kurron Ramsey finished with seven tackles, while Joshua Hill and Malik Bridgers added six.
· The Tigers finished with 321 total yards of offense on 67 plays.
· The Hornets garnered 217 total yards in 54 plays.
· Grambling State held Alabama State to 95 yards passing.
· The Tigers were 9-of-19 in third-down conversions.
· Grambling State was penalized two times for 10 yards.

News & Notes
· Alabama State attempted two field goals in the first quarter and walked away with zero points as the Tigers blocked both attempts.
· Grambling State came into the game ranked No. 11 in the FCS Coaches Preseason Poll and No. 13 in the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, No. 1 in the SBN Sports Network Black College Football Poll and No. 2 in the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Poll.
· Grambling State wore its white jerseys with gold pants on Saturday and improved to 4-1 when wearing those jerseys during the Broderick Fobbs era.
· Broderick Fobbs improved to 3-1 all-time against Alabama State.
· Grambling State improved to 27-13 all-time against Alabama State.
· The Tigers have won nine straight after losing to Tulane to begin the season.
· Grambling State remains one-game up over rival Southern in the SWAC West Division standings
· The winner of the 44th Annual Bayou Classic on Nov. 25 will advance to the 2017 SWAC Championship game in Houston, Texas.
· Alcorn State clinched a spot in the SWAC Championship after a victory over Alabama A&M on Saturday.
· Saturday's game was broadcasted live on the SWAC Digital Network.

Up Next
Grambling State takes a week off for preparation for the 44th Annual Bayou Classic against Southern on Nov. 25. The Tigers and Jaguars have been on a collision course this season and the winner of that game will advance to the 2017 SWAC Championship on
Dec. 2 in Houston, Texas.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathetics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

Virginia State Trojans Secure Victory Over Pitt-Johnstown

INDIANA, Pennsylvania  –  The Virginia State University men's basketball team opened the 2017-2018 season with 79-75 victory against the University of Pittsburg-Johnstown on Friday evening in the opening game of the IRMC / Hilton Garden Inn Classic hosted by Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Senior Richard Granberry (Chester, Pa.) secured his first double-double of the season, leading the Trojans with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Granberry shot 6-of-9 from the field. Junior Brandon Holley (Richmond, Va.) contributed 15 total points. Followed by Walter Williams (12), Waymond Wright (11) and Trey Brown (10) who all scored in double digits for Virginia State. Granberry was the game's leading rebounder with 10 recoveries. Senior Waymond Wright and junior Walter Williams dished out a game-high five assists each.

Virginia State held a 10-2 advantage after one quarter of action and pushed their lead to 16-4 at the five-minute media timeout of the second quarter.

Both teams shot well in the opening half, with Pitt-Johnstown making 15-of-28 from the floor (53.6 percent) and Virginia State securing 16-of-29 shots from the floor (55.2 percent) to take a 42-38 advantage at halftime.

The University of Pittsburg-Johnstown continued to rally in the second half to tie the game 63-63 with 6:32 left in the game. VSU continued to take things one play at a time as Trey Brown secured a three pointer to give VSU a 66-63 lead. Virginia State continued to extend their lead by adding five points to give the Trojans a 74-70 advantage with 3:03 left in the game. The Mountain Cats continued to make plays tying the game again 74-74 with 2:04 left on the clock. A three pointer by Walter Williams contributed the 77-75 lead held by the Trojans, followed by two free throw shots by Walter Williams to give the Trojans a 79-75 victory. The Mountain Cats were led by Levi Mausa and Drew Mangesto who both contributed 18 points respectively.

The University of Pittsburg-Johnstown finished the contest shooting 44.8 percent from the field (26-of-58) which included 12-of-29 behind the arc. Pitt-Johnstown did shoot well at the charity stripe, hitting 11-of-13 (84.6 percent).

Virginia State ended the contest shooting 55.8 percent from the field (29-of-52), knocked down 14-of-20 three pointers (70 percent) and out-rebounded their opponent 37-18.

The Trojans will return to action on Saturday evening against host Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU men's basketball, please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Not This Time! WVSU Jackets Make Big Plays at Key Times to Wrap Up Winning Season

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia -- This one was not slipping away.

A week after watching victory slip through their grasp in the final minutes the members of the WVSU football collectively said "Not this time" Saturday afternoon in winning 45-28 at West Virginia Wesleyan.

The defense made big plays when they were needed most and the offense not only put points on the board early but provided the knockout punch when it had the chance.

"We challenged them Thursday," WVSU Head Coach John Pennington said. "Is this going to be the typical 'old' state and blow it or the 'new' state."

It all added up to the Yellow Jackets finishing with a 5-5 conference record and overall mark of 6-5, the program's first winning season since 2008 and only the third since 1992.

The elephant in the room was not only addressed but sent packing.

The victory and final record means a group of 15 outgoing seniors finished the job of turning around a program that was in bad shape when they arrived, six of them five years ago.

"That was what was really special about today," Pennington said. "We treated it like a championship game."

WVSU won just six football games after that 7-3 finish in 2008 until this year's senior group first took the field as freshmen. That includes an 0-11 mark in 2013, when the six fifth-year seniors were watching as redshirts.

This group finishes with 16 wins highlighted now by a winning season.

"We wanted to be the most improved team and today we are teh most improved team in the (Mountain East Conference)," Pennington said. "It's a great feeling and great validation for our seniors."

Saturday the Yellow Jackets took little time in showing they meant business. They scored on their first two possessions, marching 65 and 59 yards respectively, to take a 14-0 lead.

The lead was 24-14 at halftime.

Still, Pennington thought the Jackets could do better.

"We went in at halftime and I was as mad as have ever been at the team," said Pennington. "Then we had a couple of seniors step up and talk."

WVSU never let the Bobcats catch up but the hosts did pull to within three at 24-21 after scoring when they took the second half kickoff and went 90-yards in just five plays.

Wesleyan forced the Yellow Jackets to punt on their next possession and it looked like momentum might be swinging in the Bobcats' direction.

But this week the WVSU defense stepped up and made a play when it was badly needed.

Junior defensive back Moises Valcarcel knocked the ball out of the Wesleyan ball carrier's grasp and freshman Henry Forson made the recovery at the Wesleyan 44.

"That turned the whole momentum," Pennington said.

The Yellow Jackets needed just six plays to get the ball into the endzone with senior Matt Kinnick hitting freshman Calil Wilkins from 19-yards out to finish the drive and widen the margin to 31-21.

The WVSU defense came up with another tremendous effort on the ensuing Bobcat possession.

Wesleyan took the kickoff and marched 82 yards to the WVSU 1-yard line but the Yellow Jackets stopped three straight running attempts forcing the Bobcats to attempt a field goal.

Valcarcel and sophomore Kyle Alexander broke through the blockers and blocked the kick with Alexander falling on the ball in the endzone for a touchback.

After the squads traded punts the Yellow Jackets put together another scoring drive, this one going for 78-yards in 10 plays with Kinnick hitting senior Quinton Gray from 2-yards out to run the score to 38-21.

Wesleyan continued to fight though grinding out 30 yard on 11 plays to the WVSU 30 before the Jacket defensive unit put together three big plays in a row.

First Malik Treadwell sacked the Bobcat quarterback for an 8-yard loss then Robert Branch sacked him for a seven yard loss to force a fourth down and 25 to go attempt.

Valcarcel stepped in front of the pass at the Jackets 25 and returned it all the way to the Wesleyan 45.

"Moises had the worst first half of his career," Pennington said. "I jumped on him at halftime and he said he would change and he did, he came out and got three turnovers."

The Bobcats made one last run at getting back into the game with a quick strike for a 48-yard score to pull within 38-28 with 4:16 to play after the Yellow Jackets failed to pick up a first down on a fame punt.

WVSU fell on the Wesleyan onside kick attempt at the Bobcats 44-yard line.

Instead of being content to just try and run some time off of the clock with running plays the Yellow Jackets came out in full attack mode.

Kinnick hit Jamal Brown for 10 yard on the first play and then ran for a couple.

After faking a quick handoff Kinnick then hit A.J. Barrette out of play action streaking down the left side. Barrette hauled the ball in around the 20 and sprinted to the flag to push the margin to the final 45-28 and seal the victory.

"We were all in, we weren't going to hang back and let things happen," Pennington said. "We were going to take our shots and keep our fate in our hands."

Valcarcel picked off his second pas of the day on teh Bobcats' next possession and the Jackets ran out the final 2:16.

Kinnick hit 21-of-29 passes for 269 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

Freshman Dylan Lucas had another big day in his second start carrying the ball 13 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. Red-shirt freshman Calil Wilkins returned after missing three weeks with and ankle injury and picked up 93 yards on 15 carries and catching two passes for 29.

Sophomore Jamal Brown had six catches for 95 yards, Barrette five for 82 and Gray five for 49.

Valcarcel finished with 13 solo tackles and forced two fumbles which he also recovered and had two interceptions.

WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Morehouse Tigers Sink Rollins Tars in South Region Crossover

WINTER PARK, Florida – Balanced scoring and superior rebounding lifted Morehouse to a second straight win, as the Maroon Tigers downed the Rollins College Tars, 85-82.

Except for a one-point deficit near the end of the first half, Morehouse led all the way, but never by more than 10 points. The Tars made several runs in both halves, only to fall short when the Tigers tightened the defensive screws and forced 17 turnovers.

Four Maroon Tigers put up double figures and Morehouse out-rebounded the host Tars, 40-31.

As he did in yesterday's win over Florida Tech, Tyrius Walker set the scoring tone for Morehouse. Walker, the SIAC preseason selection, scored nine points in each half for a team-high 18 points. He also posted a game-high nine assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Jordan Wallace had a hot hand, hitting 4 of 7 three-pointers and three free throws, for 15 points, to go with four assists and three rebounds.

Team co-captain Martravious Little led Morehouse in rebounding, with seven boards, and added 12 points.

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Newcomer James Walker hit 4 of 7 shots for 10 points and hauled in five rebounds.

Omar Alston and Keyshaun Jacobs chipped in eight points each.

The second straight win, to open the season, helped the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association to a clean sweep over the Sunshine State Conference. In the South Region Crossover, hosted by Rollins College, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta won all four games.

Morehouse will travel to Raleigh, NC, Friday, for a similar crossover against the CIAA.

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Akil Douglas Scores 35 to Lead CAU Over Florida Tech

WINTER GARDEN, Florida -- Akil Douglas hit 15-of-18 shots for 35 points to lead the Clark Atlanta University men's basketball team to a 90-69 win over Florida Tech Saturday in the South Regional Crossover Tournament in Winter Garden, Fla.

The Panthers led from beginning to end after jumping out to a 14-0 lead over the game's first five minutes. CAU led by as many 24 points while holding Florida Tech to just 23 first-half points. Panthers head coach Darrell Walker had wanted his team to clamp down on defense after giving up 64 points in the first half to Rollins Friday afternoon. CAU held Florida Tech to just 28 percent shooting in the first half.

Offensively, Douglas missed only one basket – going 8-of-9 – for 20 points in the first half.

The second half was much like the first as CAU wouldn't let Florida Tech climb back into the game.

Douglas had eight rebounds to go with his 35-point performance. He hit three of four 3-point attempts. Center Damien Davis had 21 points and three rebounds. Most of Davis' damage came at the free throw line where he hit 13-of-15 shots from the stripe. Austin Donaldson had eight points while Anthony Williams finished with seven points, six rebounds and four assists.

The Panthers, now 2-0, return to campus for their home opener Wednesday at 8 p.m. when they host Young Harris College in L.S. Epps Gymnasium.

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

No. 8 Langston denies Pioneers in season finale

PLAINVIEW, Texas -- Wayland Baptist made a game of it, but in the end the No. 8 Langston Lions won out, claiming a 38-19 Central States Football League victory over the Pioneers on Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium.

While Langston (10-0, 8-0 CSFL) completed its first perfect regular season since 1973 and looks forward to hosting its first playoff game in the 100-plus year history of the Oklahoma school, the Pioneers (4-6, 4-4) came up just short of finishing with a break-even record as Wayland closed out its sixth season on the gridiron.

The Pioneers obviously came to play, owning a 6-3 lead late into the second quarter after senior kicker Daniel Martinez booted field goals of 24 and 56 yards to tie his own school record.

But Langston stole the momentum with two touchdowns – on passes from Jaylen Lowe to Cedric Jackson – in the final 2:46 of the first half. After the pair hooked up for a 27-yard score, Langston made the Pioneers pay for an interception with an 18-yard hookup that made it 17-6 at the break.

The teams traded possessions to start the third period before the Lions put together a long drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown run by Tim Whitfield for a 24-6 lead midway through the third.

The Pioneers immediately responded when Mitchell Parsley lofted a 38-yard scoring pass to Ben Owen to get Wayland to within 11 points, 24-13.

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Defense dominates, Tuskegee wins 2017 SIAC Football Championship

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- Hoderick Lowe ran for 1444 yards earning Most Valuable Player honors and the Tuskegee University football team won its 31st Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football Championship Saturday afternoon defeating Fort Valley State at Wildcat Stadium 13-6. The victory gives head coach Willie Slater his seventh conference title since 2006.

The Golden Tigers held FVSU to only 183 yards of total offense, two scoreless quarters and pair of field goals in the second and fourth quarters only. Playing in the conference championship game for the first time since 2014, the stingy TU defense also only allowed 28 yards passing.

On Tuskegee's second possession of the game, Lowe scored on a six yard touchdown run that capped off a nine play 46 yard drive. After holding the Wildcats to a scoreless first quarter, Juan Serna connected on a 33-yard field goal for FVSU making the score 7-3 just before halftime.

Both quarterbacks had troubles in the defensive struggle with TU quarterback Jamarcus Ezell completing 3-of-9 first half passes for only 32 yards while Fort Valley's Jarman Slade was only 3-of-8 for 19 yards. Ezell did however finish with 69 yards on the ground with a nine carry effort. Punter Dalton Hall averaged 39.2 yards per punt with his longest coming on a 48 yarder. Two of his five punts landed inside the 20n yard line.

With 7:44 left to play in the fourth quarter, Lowe found the end zone for the second time of the afternoon on a two yard run putting the golden Tigers ahead 13-3

With 3:30 left to play Juan brought FVSU to within a touchdown after making a 36 yard field goal, his second of the day. The Wildcats would end up with its final possession with 2:12 remaining, only to go four and out totaling a negative two yards.

Osband Thompson finished with a game high 14 tackles while Kevin Dawson earned a career high 12 tackles. Jonah McCutcheon and Davoris Thomas both finished with eight stops each.

Tuskegee will await its fate for a potential postseason berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs next week.

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Gray a bright spot for ASU in loss to Grambling

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- ASU didn’t have many highlights in Saturday’s 24-7 home loss to Grambling State, but fans would be hard pressed to find one better than Ezra Gray.

The sophomore running back had a 64-yard game-opening kickoff return and caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass for the Hornets (3-6, 3-3 SWAC).

“It was nice to be able to make plays, but a loss is a loss, so I definitely don’t feel good about that,” Gray said.

Gray’s game-opening kickoff return was the longest this season for ASU, though it — obviously — didn’t lead to points.

He fielded the ball at the 2 and started up the middle of the field. Gray broke outside and eventually went out of bounds at the Grambling 34-yard line.

“I just saw everybody doing their job, blocking the guy they were coached to block,” Gray said. “I was blessed enough to hit the seam and hit it and get it.”

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Jackson State picks up second win with 10-7 victory over Alabama A&M

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Jackson State picked up its second win of the season with a thrilling 10-7 win over Alabama A&M Saturday afternoon in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Tigers (2-8) and Bulldogs (3-7) played to a 0-0 tie in the first half, but A&M got on the board with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Aqueel Glass to Kalias Robertson with 7:14 left in the third quarter.

Jackson State responded with a nine-play, 46-yard drive capped with a two-yard scoring run by Jordan Johnson.



The Tigers got the ball back with 2:42 left on the clock and drove 66 yards to set up Christian Jacquemin's 26-yard game-winning field goal.

JSU struggled again in the passing game but rushed for 153 yards on offense. Terrell Kennedy led the way with eight carries for 62 yards.

JSU starting quarterback Jordan Williams completed 8 of 13 passes for 90 yards and one interception. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Johnson, who started taking direct snaps and finished with 20 carries for 57 yards.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Claim Another MEAC Title, Defeat SSU

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- When the wacky football action of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference ended on Saturday, the craziness brought about clarity when it comes to the MEAC representative for the Celebration Bowl.

The North Carolina A&T Aggies took care of their affairs. The Aggies got 127 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 27 carries from junior Marquell Cartwright to earn a 36-17 win over Savannah State at Aggie Stadium. During the game, Cartwright went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season, giving the Aggies seven 1,000-yard rushers in the last eight seasons.

“It feels great to be able to reach a point that a lot of people try to reach but most don’t get there,” said Cartwright about his career season. “It feels great, but I really don’t care about it much. I want to win at the end of the day.”



Junior quarterback Lamar Raynard, Cartwright’s high school teammate at High Point Andrews, was 17-for-22 for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Along the way he broke Alan Hooker’s 32-year old single-season record for touchdown passes. Raynard has 25 TD passes on the season, eclipsing Hooker’s old mark of 24. Hooker also said goodbye to his 32-year old record for most completions in a season (169). Raynard has 175 completions on the season heading into next week’s regular-season finale.

Raynard was not finished removing Hooker’s name from the record books, however. Raynard broke the single-season school record for touchdowns responsible for. Hooker’s old mark stood at 26 (24 passing, two rushing). Raynard is responsible for 28 (25 passing, three rushing) N.C. A&T touchdowns this season. Raynard now owns single-season marks in passing, total offense and three marks mentioned earlier.

Aside from making history, the Aggies brought sanity to the MEAC race in what was an insane day. N.C. A&T (10-0, 7-0 MEAC) clinched at least a share of the MEAC title, giving the Aggies three MEAC titles in the past four seasons. North Carolina Central (7-3, 5-2 MEAC) lost in the final seconds at home to Bethune-Cookman to remove themselves from Celebration Bowl consideration.

Meanwhile, Howard (7-3, 6-1 MEAC) won in the final seconds at home over Norfolk State to keep themselves in contention, but barely. Howard can still clinch a share of the MEAC title next week with a win over Hampton and a N.C. A&T loss to NCCU. But the tiebreaker scenario is not in the Bison’s favor for a trip to Atlanta and a chance to play in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In case of a two-way tie where the two teams did not play one another, the Sagarin rating, which measures strength of schedule, serves as the tiebreaker. N.C. A&T came into Saturday’s game with a 149 ranking, while Howard came in at 208. Howard’s opponent next week, Hampton, came in slightly lower at 224. A win over Hampton would likely not do enough for the Bison even if the Aggies lost to NCCU, which entered Saturday’s play with a 202 rating.

There is a good chance none of that will take away from N.C. A&T’s game against heated rival NCCU next week at Aggie Stadium (1 p.m.). For starters, the Aggies want their first outright title in 14 years, and it is not missed on the Aggies that the Eagles have defeated them three straight seasons.

“We’re going to enjoy this, and then we’re going to get ready for next week,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway speaking on the win over SSU. “Hopefully, we are going to play a little bit better than we did last year. I don’t know if sharing a championship is actually what we want. But let’s take the championship out of it. It is a rivalry game, and it’s Central. We’ve got to get ready to play regardless of the situation.”

The Tigers (2-8, 2-5 MEAC) tried to make the Aggies’ path to another MEAC title difficult. Freshman quarterback D’Vonn Gibbons finished with 93 yards rushing and a touchdown on 19 carries, while also throwing for 137 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Gibbons’ 2-yard touchdown set up by his 60-yard completion to Paris Baker got the Tigers to within 19-10 with 11:39 remaining in the third quarter.

But on SSU’s next drive, Gibbons’ tipped pass landed in the grasp of senior rover Jeremy Taylor for an interception. Taylor, who had a pick-6 last week at Norfolk State, returned Gibbons’ INT 22 yards to the SSU 9-yard line. Three plays later Cartwright was in for a 1-yard touchdown. N.C. A&T’s defense turned stingy from there. SSU’s next two drives went for a combined minus-16 yards.

N.C. A&T utilized the good field position given by its defense to start the fourth quarter in SSU territory. It led to a 32-yard field goal by freshman Noel Ruiz to give the Aggies a 29-10 lead. The Aggies capped their scoring an 18-yard touchdown pass from Raynard to sophomore Elijah Bell. Bell led the receiving corps with five catches for 77 yards. His TD reception tied the school’s single-season touchdown receptions record at 10. Bell is tied with Craig Thompson and former teammate Denzel Keyes.

“I think our guys earned the right to get to 10 wins,” said Broadway. “I don’t think we played as well as we can play, but being 10-0 is special so we’ll take the win and try to grow from it and get better.”

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION