Young players making big contributions for winless DSU

DOVER, Delaware -- Kenny Carter can see the future.

He would like some victories in the present too, though.

Over the last several weeks, freshmen have delivered big contributions to the Delaware State University football team. Even with the younger players emerging, the Hornets are still searching for their first win of the season.

Last week it was freshman wide receiver Fatu Sua-Godinet who showed what he is capable of. Sua-Godinet caught his first career touchdown pass along with five receptions for 84 yards and je was named MEAC Freshman of the Week on Monday.

Delaware State was Sua-Godinet’s only scholarship offer. He wasn’t highly recruited out of Kamehameha High on the east side of the island of Hawaii.

“Not a lot of people from our level recruit that area and there’s a lot of really good players over there,” Coach Carter said.

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FAMU DE Price plays to fulfill last promise to father

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Elijah Price has plenty of motivation to shine on Florida A&M’s defensive line.

The junior defensive end started the season as a backup after starting in 10 of the Rattlers 11 games last season and had to battle to get back into the starting lineup. He’s a player that was looked at by Florida State while at Jacksonville Sandalwood, but suffered an ACL injury and only received an offer to play college football from FAMU.

Still, there’s one huge factor driving him to compete. He made a promise to his father Lavaell Price, who died when he was 16.

“I’ve always liked playing football,” Price said. “I’ve played throughout my whole life. But my dad passed away and I made a promise on his deathbed that I’d continue my career in football and see far how it goes. That’s the real big motivation.”

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ASU’s Clark promoted to Associate Head Baseball Coach

COACH DREW CLARK

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – When Jose Vazquez was chosen for the new head baseball coaching job at Alabama State University, it opened up other positions to be filled for the coaching staff.

Among those changes was prior assistant coach Drew Clark, who was named the new associate head coach.

The decision to hire Clark required no hesitation for Vazquez.

"Drew is a great recruiter and now he is going to get into a different role that I know he is going to succeed at," Vazquez said.

Clark will be entering his sixth season as an assistant coach and his first season as the Associate Head Coach for the Hornets.

Among Coach Clark's accolades include being named 2014 Assistant Coach Year, along with coaching several former players who have gone on to accomplish big things.

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Major test coming for improved Jackson State group

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State appears to have fixed a major weakness.

The Tigers’ defense ranked among the worst in the SWAC as recently as Week 3 after allowing 82 points over the team’s first two games, but the unit heads into Saturday’s 6 p.m. home game against Southern (2-2, 2-0 SWAC) among the best in the conference.

The Tigers (2-3, 2-1) lead the SWAC in yards allowed per rush (3.8) and rushing yards allowed per game (125.2) and are second in yards allowed per game (363.4). They also rank sixth in pass defense (238.2 yards per game) and fifth in scoring defense (34.4 points per game).

“I don’t care where you’re playing defense, whether it’s the SEC or the Big 12 or the SWAC: Stopping the run is of utmost importance,” defensive coordinator John Hendrick said. “If you stop the run, then you take away the play-action aspect of the football game and you make them play, like I say, left-handed.”

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Grambling makes debut in STATS FCS Top 25

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Even the first of two consecutive open dates couldn't stop the momentum behind Grambling's football program.

Grambling debuted at No. 25 in the latest STATS FCS Top 25 and moved up two spots to No. 23 in the latest FCS Coaches Poll announced Monday a week after the Tigers broke through at No. 25.

The Tigers (3-1) received 326 points to earn a spot in the STATS FCS Top 25. In the coaches poll, Grambling tallied 67 points to edge No. 24 Samford (64) and No. 25 New Hampshire (51), two schools that were new additions to the weekly poll.

Grambling is the highest-ranked Southwestern Athletic Conference program in the country and is second among HBCUs behind North Carolina A&T (No. 15 in STATS FCS and No. 17 in FCS Coaches Poll).

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ODU Announces 2019 Contest With Norfolk State

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Old Dominion University Football and Norfolk State will play each other to open the 2019 season, ODU Athletic Director Dr. Wood Selig announced on Monday. The all-Norfolk matchup is set for the opening of Old Dominion's renovated stadium in 2019.

“We are excited to renew our rivalry with Norfolk State. We have played good football games with them starting with the 2011 playoff game. Players on both teams have played with and against each other in high school and sometimes workout together in the summer,” ODU Head Coach Bobby Wilder said. “With this being the home opener in 2019 this will give the players and the fans a game to look forward to between two schools in the same area.”

The contest is scheduled to open the 2019 season on Aug. 31. The Monarchs are 3-0 all-time against Norfolk State. The two teams last played on Sept. 12, 2015, a game ODU won 24-10.

The Virginian-Pilot reported Monday that Foreman Field is expected to undergo a $55 million rebuild and increase to 22,130 seats. ODU has won three previous meetings, most recently 24-10 a year ago.

ODU, a former FCS program, plays in Conference USA. Norfolk State is a MEAC member.



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Jackson State 'looking forward' to Southern game

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Coach Tony Hughes wanted to strike the right balance during Jackson State’s bye week. He needed to back off enough to allow his players to recover from injuries and to provide a break while maintaining the sharpness needed as they prepare for the remainder of their schedule.

The Tigers (2-3, 2-1 SWAC) appear to have accomplished their goal as they get ready for Saturday’s 6 p.m. game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium against Southern (2-2, 2-0).

“The players seem refreshed, excited, looking forward to our next challenge,” Hughes said. “We had an excellent practice (Sunday afternoon), a high-spirited practice.”

The Tigers practiced just three days last week, Tuesday through Thursday, giving injured players such as defensive end/linebacker Javancy Jones an opportunity to rest. The team game planned for Southern but spent time working on its schemes and fundamentals.

Hughes believes the biggest beneficiaries were the program’s inexperienced members.

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Severe weather has impacted Bethune-Cookman season

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and replayed on ESPNU at 10:30 p.m. ET Saturday.


DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- There are bigger concerns for the winless Bethune-Cookman football team this week than stopping North Carolina A&T All-America running back Tarik Cohen.

Bethune-Cookman's campus remains closed until Wednesday with cleanup from Hurricane Matthew ongoing in hard-hit Daytona Beach, Florida. Classes are scheduled to resume Thursday.

The Wildcats' MEAC game against North Carolina A&T that was scheduled for Thursday night has been moved to 1 p.m. ET Saturday at Municipal Stadium.

N.C. A&T and Bethune-Cookman were part of a three-way share of the MEAC title last year, but they have had decidedly different seasons. N.C. A&T, ranked 15th, is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference, while Bethune-Cookman is 0-4 for the first time since 2009, including two MEAC losses.

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'This is a major deal' Southern to play Texas Southern in 2018-19 Texas State Fair Classic

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern University has reached an agreement with the city of Dallas and the Texas State Fair to play against Texas Southern in the Texas State Fair Classic for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

The Jaguars are slated to play in the third week of the state fair, which was already holding Grambling-Prairie View and Texas-Oklahoma football games in the Cotton Bowl as part of the three-week extravaganza.

“We think it will generate a lot of excitement for our fans, and we think it will create a lot of excitement for Dallas,” SU interim athletic director Roman Banks said. “For our fans, Dallas is a place that is fan-friendly. Travel is pretty easy with a major airport.

“This is a major deal to be selected to play in the Cotton Bowl. We are fortunate the state fair and the city of Dallas reached out to us.”

Banks said the agreement was finished last weekend, around the same time Grambling beat Prairie View 36-16 in front of more than 50,000 people at the Cotton Bowl.

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Legendary Southern coach Arnett 'Ace' Mumford honored in West Virginia hometown that almost forgot him

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia -- Arnett W. “Ace” Mumford, the iconic former Southern University football coach, was honored in his West Virginia hometown Sunday with a permanent placard placed at his birthplace.

The placard now sits at the corner of Latham and Sedgewick streets in Buckhannon, West Virginia where Mumford was born. A duplicate will be presented to Southern University, according to the Inter-Mountain newspaper, which serves rural West Virginia.



Mumford was born in Buckhannon, but moved away when he was 7 years old because he could not attend school in the predominantly white Buckhannon. He moved in with family roughly 90 miles away in Parkersburg, W.V., to receive an education.

Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace — a Buckhannon native — facilitated the honor, according to a report by ‘The Undefeated.’

“It’s a small town. I knew where he grew up. I knew where he would’ve played as a kid because it’s places I’ve been in,” Wallace said to The Undefeated. “Give him the recognition because it’s just so overdue.

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3 keys for Jackson State to finish the season well

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Discussing Jackson State’s chances of winning the SWAC’s Eastern division may be premature, but the Tigers exit their bye week with an opportunity to still accomplish that goal.

They lead their division by a half-game over Alcorn State, which figures to be their main competitor, though Alabama State still has a chance. The bye week allowed Jackson State to rest its injured players, and the Tigers have the momentum of two consecutive wins.

Here are three keys for the Tigers (2-3, 2-1 SWAC) to win their division and reach the SWAC championship game for the first time since 2013. Their stretch run begins with Saturday’s 6 p.m. game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium against Southern (2-2, 2-0).

The Tigers struggled to run the ball effectively over the first three weeks, a stretch in which they averaged just 2.6 yards per carry and scored a total of 53 points.

But the emergence of true freshman Jordan Johnson seems to have turned the offense around. The Tigers have rushed for 198 yards in each of the past two games (Johnson has accounted for 199 rushing yards in that span), scoring 48 points combined.



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North Carolina A&T Aggies Fall to Florida A&M Rattlers

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- North Carolina A&T fell 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-12) to Florida A&M in a battle for first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference southern division on Sunday at Moore Gymnasium. The Rattlers improved to 8-11 overall and 5-0 in conference while the Aggies dropped to 6-10 overall and 3-1 in the MEAC.

"It was a tough loss today. Florida A&M played us very well and forced us to play catch up all day," said head coach Hal Clifton. "We just gave away too many points. It's disappointing, but we still have a lot of season left and we can learn a lot from this match as we move forward."

Florida A&M's offense was effective throughout the match, recording a hitting percentage of.326. N.C. A&T, meanwhile, was not as efficient on the offensive end. The Aggies never finished a set hitting better than .100. Junior Samara Brown had nine kills with five attack errors for a .160 hitting percentage along with a solo block.

The Aggies picked up a 7-6 lead in Set 3 after an attack error by Nicole Abreu before the Rattlers went on a 13-0 run to take a 19-7 lead. The lead grew to 14 at 24-10 before kills by freshman Leila Haynesworth and Pitt brought the Aggies closer before an attack error by junior Jasmine Lindor ended the set and match.

The Rattlers momentum going into the third set really started in the second set. A block assist from fifth-year senior Te'Borah Hawkins-Hollingsworth and Pitt cut FAMU's lead to 15-12 and put the Aggies on a 4-0 run. With all the momentum seemingly on the Aggies side, the Rattlers scored the next three points to force an Aggies timeout. A service error and an attack error helped the Aggies get to within five at 19-14, but the Rattlers never made an error after that point and went on to win the set.

The Rattlers became the first MEAC team this season to secure more than 40 kills against the Aggies as they finished the match with 10. FAMU's serving also troubled the Aggies as the team finished with 10 service aces. Yvette Maria Garcia led the Rattlers with 14 kills. Nicole Abreau recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 13 digs.

Action continues for the Aggies on Wednesday, Oct. 12, as they travel to Norfolk State for a 6 p.m. matchup in Joseph Echols Hall. N.C. A&T beat the Spartans in three close sets.

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HBCU Football Judgment Day Scoreboard - Week 6

Sunday, Oct. 7, 2016

Winston-Salem State 15, Johnson C. Smith 14

Saint Augustine's 38, Livingstone 37  (2 O.T.)

Saturday, Oct. 6, 2016

OVC

Eastern Illinois 35, Tennessee State 34 

MEAC

North Carolina A&T 35, Norfolk State 0

Monmouth 59,  Howard 27

Hampton 27, Delaware State 17

North Carolina Central 17, Florida A&M 13

SWAC

Prairie View A&M 24, Alabama State 17 O.T.

Alcorn State 42, Alabama A&M 19

Montana 67, Mississippi Valley State 7

CIAA

Bowie State 21, Chowan 14

Virginia State 44, Elizabeth City State 38

Fayetteville State 7, Shaw 6

Virginia Union 39, Lincoln (Pa.) 6

SIAC

Clark Atlanta 27, Shorter 23

Tuskegee 28, Morehouse 19

Kentucky State 26, Fort Valley State 10

Miles 36, Central State 0 

Lane 19, Benedict 18 

OTHER HBCUs

Lock Haven 51, Cheyney 12

Notre Dame (OH) 48, West Virginia State 21

Saint Joseph's(IN) 27, Lincoln (MO) 17

Lyons College 35, Texas College 21

XULA tennis, track teams will conduct walk-on tryouts

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has scheduled walk-on tryouts for men's and women's teams in tennis and track and field for the 2016-17 academic year. All prospects must be enrolled at XULA in a minimum 12 hours for the fall 2016 semester.
     
The schedule of tryouts:

     •  Tennis:  Tuesday (Oct. 11) at 3 p.m. at XU Tennis Center. Contact: Alan Green,amgreen@xula.edu.
     •  Track and Field:  Monday, Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m. at the City Park practice track near Tad Gormley Stadium. Contact: Joseph Moses, jmoses@xula.edu.

XULA conducted tryouts for its other five teams in August.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Nuggets win at Philander, remain unbeaten in GCAC

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Xavier University of Louisiana survived a first-set deficit Saturday and earned a 25-21, 25-15, 25-22 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball victory against Philander Smith.
     
The Gold Nuggets (11-13, 8-0) won their fourth in a row overall and the ninth in their last 12 matches. In GCAC regular-season matches, XULA has won 15 straight and 67 of its last 68.
     
XULA hit .000 in its first 24 attacks to fall behind 16-11, then hit .387 thereafter and finished at .279, its third-highest percentage of the season.
     
Monet Fontaine had nine kills and hit .400 for XULA, and Juliana Tomasoni had eight kills, 11 digs and hit .333. Adili Rikondja and Sarah Pitts-Groce had five kills apiece and combined to hit .500. Kayla Jones had 10 digs.
     
Also assisting in the comeback was setter Tiffany Phillips, who entered the match when the Nuggets trailed 15-11 and produced 21 assists, two kills, two blocks and an ace. XULA served seven aces, two apiece by Cara Ford and Taylor Ducros. The Nuggets are 7-0 this season when Ford serves an ace.
     
Autumn Trimble had 20 kills and nine digs for Philander Smith (3-14, 0-8), which has dropped four straight and 11 of its last 12.
     
Tomasoni led XULA with five second-set kills and ended the match with a kill after the Lady Panthers rallied for a tie at 21. Rikondja's kill broke the tie and put the Nuggets ahead to stay.
     
The Nuggets will play city and GCAC rival Dillard at 6 p.m. Thursday in a Dig Pink Match for breast cancer awareness at XULA's Convocation Center. Dillard took sole possession of second place in the conference Saturday when it won in three at Tougaloo and SUNO lost in three at Talladega.
     
NOTES:  XULA has won every set against the GCAC, a program-best 24 in a row, since it dropped the first set in its opener at Tougaloo . . . The Gold Nuggets are 11-0 all-time against Philander Smith. They hit .329 in two meetings this season, 177 points higher than a year ago . . . XULA is averaging 18.59 digs per set, well above its school-record 17.01 from a year ago.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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SAU Football Edges Livingstone 38-37 In Two Overtimes

SALISBURY, North Carolina  -- D.J. Johnson (So./Richmond, VA) scored on a 10-yard run and Sean Smith (So./Valdosta, GA) made the critical extra point in double overtime as Saint Augustine's University slipped past Livingstone College 38-37 in the CIAA Southern Division football opener at Alumni Memorial Stadium.

With the win, the Falcons improved to 2-1 in the CIAA and 2-4 overall. More importantly, they are one of three teams with a 1-0 record in the Southern Division.

Johnson finished the day with three passing touchdowns and two rushing scores. He threw for 244 yards with no interceptions and led the Falcons in rushing with 87 yards on 19 carries.

His touchdown in the second overtime capped a two-play drive which tied the score at 37-37. With SAU starting at the Livingstone 25-yard line, Johnson found Lenwood Joyner (So./Miami, FL) for a 15-yard pass to the 10 before scoring on a quarterback draw. Smith calmly booted the extra point for the game-winner.

The Blue Bears (0-1 Southern Division, 0-3 CIAA, 1-5 overall) scored first in the second overtime on a one-yard run by Jarius Richardson but the extra point attempt was low.

Both teams kicked field goals in the first overtime. Smith kicked a 26-yarder to give the Falcons a brief lead. Tyler Keene of the Blue Bears sent the game into the second overtime with a 24-yard field goal.

Sam Boyd (Jr./Houston, TX) led the Falcons with three catches for 97 yards including an 80-yard touchdown reception. Dre Williams (So./Miami, FL) and Justin Shaw (Jr./Florence, SC) also caught touchdown passes for the Falcons.

Defensively, Chasz Cosby (Jr./Charlotte, NC) tallied nine tackles and a forced fumble which led to Johnson's one-yard run in the first quarter. Shaw, playing defense for the first time this season, added eight tackles and one interception to go along with his touchdown on offense.

Box Score

SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATON

Late TD gives Winston-Salem State a victory over J.C. Smith

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State aced its final – and biggest – test against J.C. Smith.

Kerrion Moore’s 1-yard plunge with 3 minutes, 17 seconds left pushed the Rams to a 15-14 victory against the Golden Bulls on Sunday in a CIAA game at McGirt Field, their 16th straight in the series. The deciding drive – 18 plays covering 85 yards – included three third-down conversions to keep the possession alive.

“I was very confident. I never lose confidence in the team,” said Winston-Salem State quarterback Rod Tinsley, an Olympic High graduate who completed 12 of 28 passes for 144 yards. “I knew we could do it if we put it together and that’s all we asked for.”

The Golden Bulls (1-5, 1-2) gave Winston-Salem State (4-2, 3-0) all they could handle. J.C. Smith overcame a 9-0 deficit with two long scoring passes by Harold Herbin, who connected with Rod Carter on a 63-yarder on the first play of the fourth quarter, followed by a 38-yard strike to Gabriel Yuille on the next possession. The defense, which limited the Rams to three Will Johnson field goals, couldn’t muster a stop down the stretch.

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Ram Ramblings: Blount nearly pulls off huge upset

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- It looked awful familiar to this veteran sportswriter on Sunday afternoon as I watched Winston-Salem State somehow beat Johnson C. Smith 15-14.

In one of the best views of any football-playing school in the CIAA with the Charlotte skyline in the background the old trench fighter, Kermit Blount, almost beat his alma mater.

As I watched the Golden Bulls stick around against the Rams it appeared to me that I’ve seen this before. Back when Blount was coaching the Rams for 16 years he often stayed in games despite having less talent than his opponents.

He was doing the same thing on Sunday only this time he was wearing the gold and blue of Johnson C. Smith. Blount is in his second season in Charlotte and he didn’t win 91 games and two CIAA titles at WSSU by accident.

Blount nearly pulled off what would have been the biggest upset in a long time in the CIAA.

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Miles Golden Bears Defense pitches Homecoming shutout

FAIRFIELD, Alabama -- Even after a tough loss last week against Albany State, the Golden Bears knew that the road to a second straight Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference would start in earnest with Saturday's Homecoming game against Central State.

With a crowd of more than 16,000 in attendance, Miles' opening statement in the race for the Western Division crown was definitive. The Golden Bears (3-2, 1-0) scored two early touchdowns, added a safety and goal line stand before halftime, then used another defensive touchdown to dismantle the Marauders 36-0 at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium. David Whipple threw for 193 yards and three touchdowns, Caleb Duncan and Austin Stephens each had interceptions in the second half and the Golden Bears defense held CSU (0-6, 0-2) to less than 200 yards total offense.

Whipple's touchdown passes went to three different receivers. Earnest Bell, Jr. (four catches, 44 yards) caught a 21-yard pass early in the first quarter and Trey Smith (five catches, 66 yards) hauled in a 29-yard pass late in the period for a 14-0 advantage. Jourdan Walker (two catches, 40 yards) took in a 19-yard scoring pass midway through the fourth quarter.

Miles led 17-0 early the second quarter after a 32-yard field goal by Nick Christiansen but two plays later in the quarter were even more definitive. CSU had trouble on its punt team all afternoon and having a kick partially blocked and a bad snap in the first quarter that led to 10 points, the Marauders had another snap sail over the head of punter Isaiah Smith in the second quarter. When he recovered the ball in the end zone, Stevie Woods was all over him for a safety - the team's second straight game with one, for a 19-0 advantage. Late in the quarter, CSU drove the field and had third-and-goal at the Miles 1. The Marauders never made it into the end zone, with Ashton McKenzie forcing a fumble to end the drive that snuffed Central State's best chance to score.

In the fourth quarter, Stephens, who had 11 tackles (eight solo), grabbed his first career interception and almost took it to the end zone but was tackled by the last man to beat, CSU's Darius Thomas. But Marauders quarterback Lavon Meeks was not as fortunate when Duncan jumped into the passing lane for his fourth interception this season and raced 35 yards for a touchdown, his second pick-6 of the season. The Golden Bears now have three interceptions for touchdowns this year and four defensive touchdowns overall.

Cedric Poole had eight tackles and three pass break ups and DeAnthony Philon had seven tackles for the Goldn Bears, who play at Kentucky State next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Box Score 



MILES COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Golden Tigers claim 81st Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic

COLUMBUS, Georgia -- Needing a spark after a sluggish first half, the eighth-ranked Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University turned to the passing game in the second half en route to a 28-19 victory Morehouse College in the 81st annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic at AJ McClung Stadium Saturday afternoon.

With two of the best rushing defenses in the country battling in the trenches Saturday afternoon, combing to give up just 68 yards on 64 carries, senior Kevin Lacey finished the day throwing for 300 yards on 18-of-29 passing with four touchdown passes. He was also named the offensive most valuable player in the game as voted on by the media members in attendance.

While Lacey was throwing the ball around the Morehouse defense, the Golden Tigers rushing game was in held in check with just 35 yards on 40 carries and was led by Kenny Gant with 27 yards on eight carries.

However, the Golden Tiger defense was not to be outdone on the day as they held Morehouse to just 33 yards on 24 carries running the football and just 176 total yards of offense. The Golden Tigers forced three turnovers and sacked Morehouse quarterback Monqavious Johnson four times on the afternoon.

Tuskegee (6-0, 4-0 SIAC, 1-0 SIAC West) was the only team to score in the first half as the teams struggled to move the ball against their opponent due to the defensive effort and the wind affecting the passing game. The Golden Tigers got on the scoreboard first with a 16-yard pass from Lacey to tight end Leo Gilbert with 8:10 remaining in the open half. The drive lasted eight plays and covered 75 yards, using 4:42 on the clock and the score stayed that way at halftime.



TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY SPORT INFORMATION

Fourth Quarter Rally Lifts NCCU Over FAMU, 17-13

DURHAM, North Carolina -- With heavy rain and wind gusts from Hurricane Matthew limiting the offense of both teams most of the day, North Carolina Central University rallied for two lead-changing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to claim a 17-13 victory over Florida A&M University inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday.

The win keeps NCCU (4-2, 3-0 MEAC) unbeaten in the MEAC and is the 11th consecutive victory over non-FBS opponents for the Eagles.



Florida A&M (1-5, 1-2 MEAC) held NCCU to just 10 yards of total offense in the first half, and used a safety by defensive end Calvin Darville and a 34-yard field goal by Colby Blanton to take a 5-3 advantage into the locker room at intermission.

Brandon McLaren's 33-yard field goal in the second quarter represented the lone points by the Eagles in the first half.

The second half, however was a different story. NCCU amassed 209 yards of total offense in the final 30 minutes of game action, including 118 yards in the decisive fourth quarter.

NCCU's first trip to the end zone came on a 42-yard pass play from quarterback Malcolm Bell to receiver LaVontis Smith, who finished with two receptions for 57 yards, at the 11:24 mark of the fourth quarter. McLaren's extra-point kick provided the Eagles with a 10-5 advantage, their first of the day.

On NCCU's next possession, a bouncing snap to the punter resulted in a loss of 15 yards and provided FAMU with excellent field position at the Eagles' 18-yard line. Two plays later, the visiting Rattlers regained the lead thanks to an 18-yard touchdown run by Devin Bowers. FAMU converted the two-point try for a 13-10 cushion with 6:11 on the clock.

Following a critical 28-yard kickoff return by Mike Jones, NCCU needed just four plays - two rushes for 13 yards by Ramone Simpson, a 19-yard scamper by Bell and a 25-yard blast to the end zone by Dorrel McClain - to score the game-winning touchdown with 4:54 left in the contest.

The outcome was then placed in the hands of the NCCU defense, which added two tackles for loss to its tally of 14 for the game, to dash FAMU's attempt for an upset.

A stellar defensive performance by NCCU resulted in seven Eagles with six or more tackles. Antonio Brown (1.5 TFL), Alden McClellon, LeGrande Harley (2.0 TFL), and Reggie Hunter (3.5 TFL) had eight stops each, while Frederick Henry-Ajudua (2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack), Ja'Quan Smith (0.5 TFL) and Josiah Dailey (1.0 TFL) contributed six takedowns apiece.

McClain finished with a game-high 86 rushing yards with a touchdown, while Bell rushed for 61 yards anf threw for 87 yards and a score on 5-of-8 passing.

Up next, NCCU hosts Savannah State for homecoming on Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

BOX SCORE

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PVAMU Football Comes From Behind To Post Homecoming OT Win

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- A pair of games in the new facility, a pair of thrilling come-from-behind wins for Prairie View A&M football in the new Panther Stadium.

QB Jalen Morton (Arlington,, Texas) came off the bench to lead three second-half scoring drives, and a stifling defense led the Panthers (4-2 overall, 4-1 SWAC) to a 24-17 homecoming overtime win over Alabama State (1-5, 1-4) Saturday afternoon.

"It's why we play the game," said Prairie View A&M head coach Willie Simmons. "I'm happy for these young men. I thought they grew up a lot today. It's a big win for this program for homecoming with a sold out crowd. I know everyone wanted to come out of here with a win. We get down early. Guys never quit."

Morton replaced an injured Trey Green in the second quarter. Trailing 17-7 at halftime, Morton, a redshirt freshman playing for the fifth time in six games this season, led the three critical scoring drives, none more important than the game-tying 79-yard drive.

Starting at the one-yard-line with 2:31 to play, Morton completed four passes for 67 yards and rushed for an additional 12 to move the Panthers into field goal range. Owen Hoolihan's (Oberon, NSW, Australia) 37-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining tied the score at 17-17.

In the extra period, Morton's nine-yard scramble on third and nine gained a critical first down. Caleb Broach's (Rockwall, Texas) touchdown after recovering his own fumble at the 1, gave Prairie View A&M its first lead of the game.

"Our confidence level as a team went up," said Morton. "We started coming together. We knew we weren't going to break. We knew that we were going to be stronger. We were going to be the team we need to be in the second half and fourth quarter…They were behind me and had my back the whole time. As soon as I got in, they were behind me the whole time. I want to thank my team for that."

Demarquo Lastrappe (Spring, Texas) posted his first career 100-yard receiving game, catching six passes for 102 yards. He caught two big passes for 37 yards on the game-tying drive.

"Everyone rallied around Jalen," Lastrappe said. "Even if it was a bad play, everyone was saying 'Keep going Jalen, keep pushing. He came through.

On the ensuing possession, a combined sack by DeVohn Reed (Houston, Texas) and Marquice O'Leary (Fontana, Calif.) on third down followed by the sack by Treveon Billings (Milwaukee, Wis.) on the final play of the game sent Panther Stadium into a frenzy of ecstatic fans, alumni and supporters.

The PVAMU defense held Alabama State to 68 total yards and five first downs after halftime.

"The confidence was very high," Lastrappe said. "We had great faith. We knew we were going to win this game. We knew the defense was going to play great. They came out in the second half and pitched a shutout. That was a great performance. Hats off to the defense."

The Panthers have a bye next week and return to action Saturday, Oct. 22 at Rice at 2:30 p.m.

"Jalen Morton came in and played a fantastic football game," Simmons said. "He got us out of some bad plays with his legs (11 rushes, 53 yards), and had a huge 79-yard drive late in the game to get us in field goal position. Owen Hoolihan knocked the field goal through to get us into overtime. We scored on the first drive (of overtime) and the defense stepped up, and kept them out of the end zone the whole second half. Great team win. I'm proud of the guys, and we get some much-needed time off this week."

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TSU Falls at Eastern Illinois, 35-34

BOX SCORE

CHARLESTON, Illinois -- Tennessee State suffered its first loss of the season, falling 35-34 at Eastern Illinois in Ohio Valley Conference action on Saturday night at O’Brien Field.

TSU falls to 4-1 overall (1-1 OVC), while Eastern Illinois runs its record to 4-2 (2-1 OVC).

Senior quarterback Ronald Butler passed for a career-high 303 yards with touchdown passes to Patrick Smith and Steven Newbold. Smith finished with seven receptions for 160 yards, while Newbold pulled down four passes for 121 yards. Defensively, Chris Collins registered 12 total tackles and his first interception of the season.

For the second consecutive game the Tigers found themselves down by double digits early in the first quarter. Eastern Illinois used a 66 yard kickoff return to the TSU 24 to setup a four play drive resulting in a nine-yard touchdown pass. EIU increased their lead to 14-0 on Devin Church’s first of three touchdowns on the evening.

Chris Rowland would jump start the Tigers with a 65 yard kickoff return, allowing the offense to start at the Panthers 30. TSU would stall after six plays, setting up a Lane Clark 37 yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-3.

The Tigers would get the offense going midway through the second quarter. Earl Harrison started the drive with a nine yard run before 15 yards was tacked on after an EIU personal foul. On the next play, Butler found Steven Newbold for a 28 yard pass play moving the Tigers to the six. Two plays later, Butler called his own number bring TSU back to within four, 14-10.

Trailing 21-10, the Tigers tried to score before half, but Butler was stripped of the ball giving EIU the ball at the TSU 35. On the next play, Ezra Robinson stepped in front of a Mitch Kimble pass and returned it into Panther territory with three second on the clock.

Clark would connect on a 57-yard field goal for the second consecutive week, but the play was whistled dead as the defense jumped offside causing the TSU linemen to move. Clark’s attempt from 52 yards was good sending the Tigers to the locker room trailing 21-13 at the break.

Butler and Smith teamed up on the second drive of the third quarter for a pair of big pass plays. The Tigers began the drive at their own 10 as the duo connected for 22 yards. Two plays later Smith hauled in a 47-yarder in traffic to get down to the EIU 19.

TSU would work itself inside the five allowing Earl Harrison to power in from three yards out to bring the Tigers to within one, 21-20. EIU would need less than two minutes to regain their eight point lead.

Down by a 28-20 margin, the Tigers scored back-to-back touchdowns and had a 34-28 lead with 10 minutes to play. Smith opened the scoring with a spectacular one armed reception as Butler hit the junior wide out in stride down the sideline for a 56 yard touchdown.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Newbold found an opening on the TSU sideline and out maneuvered his defender before diving into the end zone to secure the third touchdown of his freshman campaign.

EIU’s Devin Church scored his third touchdown of the game with 9:00 left in the fourth quarter to put the Panthers up for good at 35-34.

TSU is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 15, as they host Eastern Kentucky for Homecoming 2016 at Nissan Stadium.

GAME NOTES: Opening kickoff was at 6:04 p.m. … Captains for TSU were Ronald Butler, Lane Clark, Thomas Burton and Chris Collins… Weather at the time of the game was 64 degrees and clear… EIU won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff… TSU has scored 31 or more points in every game this season… Senior quarterback Ronald Butler recorded a career-high 303 passing yards… Junior wide receiver Patrick Smith has caught at least one touchdown in every game this season… Lane Clark connected on a 52-yard field goal at the end of the first half. It was the third longest in his career… TSU is now 8-12 in the all-time series versus Eastern Illinois… The Tigers have gone 2-8 in games at O’Brien Field.

TSU Linebacker Chris Collins“I think we played ok but we have a lot of work to do. I feel like we beat ourselves on a lot of play. That wasn’t our kind of football to let them score as much as they did. We have a lot of work to do and we need to get back to the drawing board.”
- On the play of the defense

“I think it’s humbling for us as a team. It shows us that we can be beat and that we have a lot of work to still put in. It’s going to be a test every week.”
- On what the team can take away from the game

TSU Wide Receiver Patrick Smith
“Us being down, it wasn’t anything that we’re not used to. We’ve been going through it all year. It just took us believing in each other to get back into the game. We just came up just short. We just have to go back to the drawing board, start fresh with EKU and try to go 1-0.”
- On the toughness to come back from an early deficit

“The run game was there, obviously. We made a few mistakes in the passing game that we can fix, but other than that, everything that we game planned was there. It’s just on us to capitalize.”

- On the play of the offense  

TSU Linebacker Antonio Justice“It being our first cold game, I feel like guys stepped up a lot. We could have folded because we aren’t used to the weather, but we stuck together. From defense to offense to special teams, everybody did their part. I feel like we need to come out faster and that’s all.”

- On the team’s performance

TSU Center Thomas Burton
“I thought we played pretty well. There’s always room for improvement, always stuff we can fix in the long run, but overall I thought we played pretty well.”
- On the play of the offensive line

“We had some fans, so we didn’t have to do it ourselves, but it was tough.”
- On playing in a tough environment.

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TSU's refinished basketball court ruined in rainstorm

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- When Tennessee State coach Dana Ford signed a contract extension after leading the Tigers to one of their best basketball seasons last year, athletics director Teresa Phillips gave him a raise and a promise to upgrade the facilities.

And sure enough, the Tigers have a new court in Gentry Center.

But it's not an upgrade.

Ford would much rather have the floor on which his team posted a 20-11 record last season. It had just been resurfaced and was in prime condition.

The refinished floor was ruined recently when lightning struck the roof at Gentry Center and created a large hole. It was during a storm, and rain continued pouring into the facility.

Assistant coach Pierre Jordan first discovered the mess.

CONTINUE READING

Alcorn’s Dominant Second Half Spoils AAMU’s Homecoming

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Trailing 16-14 at the half, the Alcorn State University football program outscored Alabama A&M 28-3 the rest of the way to ruin the Bulldogs homecoming, 42-19 Saturday at Louis Crews Stadium.

The Braves (2-3, 2-2 SWAC) wasted little time in the third quarter as they blocked an AAMU (1-5, 1-4 SWAC) punt on the opening series. On the very next play, junior quarterback Lenorris Footman connected with senior Collins Moore on a 32-yard pass to take the lead, and Alcorn never looked back from there.

Footman made his first start since the opening game of the season against Alabama State. He shined with five touchdowns including three rushing. Footman tallied 122 rushing yards including a 53-yard dash through the middle for a touchdown in the second quarter. He also ended with 132 yards through the air with a pair of touchdown passes.

Alcorn pounded AAMU on the ground for a season-high 287 rushing yards. Junior De'Lance Turner posted 81 rushing yards, while junior Arron Baker etched 60.

Senior Jaborian McKenzie grabbed seven passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, while Moore notched 50 yards and a score.

Defensively, the Braves were well balanced with junior Daniel Franklin and senior Darien Anderson wrapped-up eight tackles apiece. Sophomore LaShaun Ealey and senior Eric Foster each had interceptions, and freshman Solomon Muhammad forced a fumble that was recovered by junior Michael Brooks.

The Braves limited AAMU quarterback De'Angelo Balla to 14-for-30 throwing for 181 yards and a pair of interceptions. He was sacked three times by sophomore Trae Ferrell, junior Jayron Harness and Foster.

Alcorn improved to 2-0 against teams in the SWAC East Division. It defeated Alabama State 21-18 on Sept. 10.



PLAY-BY-PLAY SUMMARY
The Braves scored on their opening drive with a 16-yard touchdown carry through the left side by Baker. The run was setup after an 18-yard catch by Moore on a third-and-five, followed by a 25-yard quarterback-keeper by Footman.

AAMU's first possession resulted in an interception as Foster was able to read an overthrow and picked it off along the left sideline on a third-and-13.

Late in the first quarter, the Bulldogs threatened with a first-and-goal on the two-yard line. After a false pushed them back, they tried to run it through the middle but Muhammad stripped the ball loose and it was recovered by Brooks to spoil AAMU's opportunity.

On the ensuing Alcorn drive, Turner broke loose along the right side for a career-long 43-yard rush. The Braves got to the redzone after Footman got out of the pocket and fired an 18-yard pass to senior LaDarrien Davis. The Braves got to the three-yard line, but after a chop block pushed them back, they attempted a 26-yard field goal that sailed wide.

The Bulldogs took over midway through the second quarter and converted both a fourth-and-five and a fourth-and-10 to get to the redzone. On its 16th play of the drive, AAMU settled for a 35-yard field goal by Nick Carden to make it a 7-3 game.

A good kick-return by McKenzie set up the Braves on their own 47-yard line. On the first play, Footman dashed up the middle for a 53-yard touchdown as he dove for the endzone and stretched the ball across.

Late in the half, AAMU converted a 3rd-and-11 to keep its drive going which eventually led to a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Dorsey with 51 seconds left. The extra point went wide, but the Bulldogs got it back with 37 seconds after an interception on Alcorn's first play. AAMU took the lead on a 23-yard pass to Dorsey and went into the half ahead 16-14.

The Bulldogs were forced to punt on the opening series of the second half, but it was blocked by Turner. On the very next play, Footman threw a deep ball to Moore and it was caught in the endzone for 32 yards to quickly put Alcorn back on top, 21-16.

AAMU responded with a 14-play drive, but was sacked by Harness on third-and-goal from the five-yard line to bring out the field goal unit. Carden chipped in a 34-yarder to cut the deficit to 21-19 near the end of the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Braves put together a six-play drive, capped by a 20-yard touchdown reception by McKenzie to push the lead back up to 28-19. The series included a 15-yard sprint through the middle by Baker and a 21-yard screen to McKenzie before his touchdown.

After a stop by the Braves defensively, a shanked punt resulted in Alcorn taking over at the AAMU 26-yard line. Turner pounded through the middle to get the ball to the one-yard line after a 19-yard run, and Footman finished off the drive with a quarterback-option run.

Alcorn registered its second interception of the game late, this time by Ealey. The Braves cashed in on an eight-play drive, concluded by a four-yard rush by Footman to the left side. McKenzie accounted for 21 yards on the drive including a 10-yard run and a 11-yard catch.

BOX SCORE

SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
12:36 – 16-yard run by A. Baker (H. McCraney), 6-65-2:24, 7-0 Alcorn
2nd Quarter
6:11 – 35-yard field goal by N. Carden, 16-61-7:14, 7-3 Alcorn
5:51 – 53-yard run by L. Footman, 1-53-0:20, 14-3 Alcorn
0:54 – 26-yard pass from D. Balla to J. Dorsey (N. Carden XP missed), 6-82-1:45, 14-9 Alcorn
0:29 – 23-yard pass from D. Balla to J. Dorsey (N. Carden XP), 1-23-0:08, 16-14 AAMU
3rd Quarter
10:59 – 32-yard pass from L. Footman to C. Moore (H. McCraney XP), 1-32-0:07, 21-16 Alcorn
1:54 – 34-yard field goal by N. Carden, 14-53-9:05, 21-19 Alcorn
4th Quarter
12:46 – 20-yard pass from L. Footman to J. McKenzie (H. McCraney XP), 6-77-1:24, 28-19 Alcorn
8:10 – 1-yard run by L. Footman (H. McCraney XP), 4-26-2:05, 35-19 Alcorn
3:14 – 4-yard run by L. Footman (H. McCraney XP), 8-33-4:00, 42-19 Alcorn

NOTES
- Alcorn wrapped up its three-game road swing with its third consecutive win over the Bulldogs. The Braves won 44-10 last year and 41-14 on the road in 2014. The Braves have not lost at Alabama A&M since 2008.

- The Braves have now won six of their last seven SWAC road games dating back to last season when they finished 5-0 away from home in conference play.

- Alcorn entered the game ranked second in the SWAC in rushing offense with 179.2 yards per game. The Braves were way above that mark with 287 yards on the ground. It was the second-most rushing yards by any team in the SWAC this season as Grambling State ran for 296 yards against Prairie View A&M on Oct. 1, 2016.

- The offensive line did not allow a sack in the game. They've been sacked just three times on the entire season, the fewest in the SWAC.

- Franklin entered the contest ranked seventh in the league in tackles with 7.5 per outing, and upped it with eight Saturday.

- Turner's 43-yard run late in the first quarter increased his career-best from 25 yards set earlier this season at Grambling State.

- Footman's three touchdown runs were the second-most of his career after he ran-in four against Southern last season.

- Alcorn's captains were Brooks, Moore and junior Norlando Veals. The Braves won the toss and chose to receive.

Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"The key for us was just to stay focused. We talked about it the entire week. All we wanted to do was stay focused, execute and make plays. At half, I had to say some things as the head coach to get these guys to step up in the second half. They obviously had to play a better half and they did just that."

On what was working in the second half
"We were executing plays the way that we were supposed to. The offensive line stood its ground and the defense really came to life. That's the kind of half you see when everyone does what they are supposed to do."

On Lenorris Footman
"He did what we expected. He was smart with the football and made the right reads. Lenorris came in and did a phenomenal job at practice this week and it showed today."

On how excited he is for homecoming
"Well actually, I'm just excited to play a home game. It's been a while, having been on the road for three games. You kind of miss it – being at home rather than just practicing there. I'm excited and the kids are excited, but we all know it's not going to be an easy task. We have to come out and play. We will have to play even better than we did this week."

Quoting junior quarterback Lenorris Footman
On what was working for Alcorn in the second half
"Really we just came out and played. We were trying to play fast offensively and we were only worried about what we were doing as an offense rather than what they were doing on defense. We just had to play our game."

On what was said by the coaches at half
"They just wanted us to play and not let them hang around. All week we talked about what can happen when you let a team hang around and give them hope. We just wanted to come out strong in the second half and put them away."

On whether he felt 100 percent coming into the game
"Yeah I felt really comfortable. Anytime you have 10 guys around you like the guys I have it makes my job a lot easier."

On homecoming come up next week
"We're all really excited. Anytime you get to play on your home turf it's a blessing. We're excited to get back to Alcorn and start preparing for the next game."

UP NEXT
Alcorn returns home for homecoming Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. against Texas Southern. The Braves are going for their fifth straight victory over the Tigers after winning 65-13 last season, 40-25 in 2014, 20-13 in 2013 and 34-24 in 2012.

It marks the first of two consecutive home contests as Alcorn will host Southern at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. The Braves have a bye week Oct. 22.

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