Commentary: ASU learning how to finish

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Finish.

Brian Jenkins had grown accustomed to seeing his Bethune-Cookman teams do that time and time again in winning 46 games in five seasons. So watching Alabama State self-destruct in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 24-14 loss to Tennessee State in Nashville, Tennessee, left him shaking his head in disappointment.

“I was used to teams finishing,” Jenkins said. “We just didn’t do that. I was used to a team staying in the moment and this is new to all these guys.”

They say teams improve the most from Game 1 to Game 2. If that holds true here, ASU should handle the fourth quarter far better Saturday against Alcorn State than it did in its season opener.

Even if they do, the Hornets (0-1) could still wind up falling to the Braves (0-1) before what should be a near capacity crowd at the 26,500-seat ASU Stadium.

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A&T Aggies’ speed to be tested by Tar Heels

GREENSBORO — Just how far has A&T’s football program come in the four-plus years since Rod Broadway was hired to resurrect it?

The game against North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday is an opportunity to find out.

But is the opportunity coming a year too late?

A&T is a program on the rise. Just look at the records. The Aggies were 1-10 the year before Broadway arrived. They were 9-3 and shared the MEAC title last year, and they were a couple of bad breaks away from 11-1.

The Aggies have been building, and building, and building. And this year — for the first time in a long time — they’re rebuilding, forced to replace more than just a couple of talented seniors lost from the previous season.

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Samford Football Puts In Good Day Of Work For FAMU

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama —The Samford football team practiced for about two hours in shells Tuesday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.

The Bulldogs are continuing to prepare for Saturday's home game with Florida A&M. Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said he thought his team put in a good day of work for the Rattlers.

"I thought we had a good day," Hatcher said. "We had to alter our plan a little bit because we expected some bad weather to come in towards the end of practice, but it never showed up, thankfully and we were able to get the full day in. We lost a little focus at the end, but overall it was a pretty good Tuesday."

Samford enters Saturday's game with a record of 1-0 after earning a 45-16 win over Central Arkansas last Thursday. Florida A&M is currently 0-1 after falling at South Florida by a score of 51-3 last Saturday.



In the win for Samford, several newcomers earned playing time, including freshman wide receiver Kelvin McKnight, who caught six passes for 157 yard and a touchdown. Hatcher praised the work of several of the newcomers who saw action during the contest.

"I thought the bright lights didn't get to them," Hatcher said of the newcomers. "They made plays when they were asked to make plays. I thought they had good pep about themselves and I expect them to do nothing but get better."

Samford will practice again Wednesday afternoon. The workout is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.

Samford hosts Florida A&M Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Seibert Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the game locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.

COURTESY SAMFORD UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

Texas State vs. Prairie View: Wednesday Update

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The second edition of the Willie Simmons show recaps his first-ever win as a head coach over TSU in the Labor Day Classic on Sept. 5, 2015 in addition to a preview of this week's opponent in Texas State.



Preparing for the Panthers

SAN MARCOS, Texas -- The Bobcats are preparing for their home opener against Prairie View A&M, the team's second week of the season. Coach Franchione has said that a team's biggest improvement typically comes between weeks 1 and 2 and is hoping this year is no different.

"Today was a good day," Franchione said. "We worked at it hard. Yesterday was a tough day, the first Tuesday after a game being in full pads. I was pleased with today. They worked with a purpose to get better and that's the key. They have to take it on their shoulders and do it."

Knowing Your Competition
Sophomore receiver Demun Mercer is from La Marque, Texas, which is just 50 miles away from Houston. Mercer knows a number of the players on the team and can tell just how much the Panthers have improved from the last meeting in 2013.

"I know those guys pretty well," Mercer said. "One of those guys I played with is a receiver, and I know a guy in their secondary and a couple running backs. Some of the guys I haven't played since high school so I'm really looking forward to playing them. I can say by watching the Texas Southern game last week that they have improved since we last played them."

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION & TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

AAMU Bulldogs to learn from loss to Cincinnati

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Chances are, Alabama A&M won't be playing a school the caliber of the University of Cincinnati this season.

But, following Saturday's 52-10 win by Cincinnati, the Bulldogs will be taking a lot from the defeat.

"This team (Cincinnati) was picked to win the (American Athletic) conference … so we can't be ashamed about today's effort," said Alabama A&M head coach James Spady.

The Bulldogs and Cincinnati were tied at the end of the first quarter, thanks to a 12-yard touchdown pass from De'Angelo Ballard to Tevin McKenzie with 5:55 left in the quarter.



But, the Bearcats erupted for 28 points in the second quarter to take command of the game.

"In the first quarter, there was a lot at stake," Spady said. "Once again, Cincinnati is a great football team Coach (Tommy) Tuberville has a group of coaches who are probably some of the best."

The game was the first in the newly renovated Nippert Stadium and it was delayed by about an hour and a half by storms that rolled through Cincinnati.

Byran Brower was the workhouse of the A&M offense, carrying the ball 19 of the team's 37 rushing attempts for 62 yards. The Bulldogs had 98 yards rushing.

Ballard had 8 carries for 23 yards and was 7 of 20 passing for 87 yards and one interception. Tight end Jonathan Dorsey was his primary target with four catches for 62 yards.

The Bulldogs had 246 yards in total offense on the night.

Cesar Ramon-Diaz kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3:21 left to wrap up the scoring.

Despite the score, Spady said he was confident as the team prepares for its Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule starting Sept. 19 at Prairie View A&M.

"I feel pretty good about our chances going forward and we will continue to compete and learn from this football game," he said.

COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Former ASU Hornets Start 2015 Season on NFL Rosters

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Two former members of the Alabama State University football team will be on opening day rosters when the National Football League (NFL) opens its regular season this weekend.

Former quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will enter his 10th NFL season this year and his fourth with the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted in the 2006 draft by the Minnesota Vikings where he spent six years of his career.

Jackson and the Seahawks begin their season Sunday, Sept. 13 with a road game at St. Louis. The kickoff has been scheduled for noon.

Two-time all SWAC running back Isaiah Crowell will continue his career with the Cleveland Browns. The second-year pro made the Browns last season as an undrafted free agent and worked his way into the starting lineup.

The Browns will also start the 2015 season on the road when they face the New York Jets Sunday at noon.



COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

2015 Florida Blue Florida Classic Tickets Officially On Sale

The nation's largest HBCU rivalry between the Florida A&M University Rattlers and the
Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats returns for the 36th year on November 21 in Orlando.

ORLBilled as the nation's largest HBCU sports event, the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats meet the Florida A&M University Rattlers on Saturday, November 21 at the Orlando Citrus Bowl with a 2:30pm kickoff. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN Classic, and tickets are available at Ticketmaster and FloridaClassic.org.
ANDO, Florida -- The countdown officially begins! The Florida Classic Consortium has publicly opened up ticket sales for the 2015 Florida Blue Florida Classic with tickets starting at $15.

 

“The Florida Blue Florida Classic is always exciting for both universities because of the funds it raises for our scholarship programs and the significant impact it adds to the Central Florida economy,” shares Milton Overton, FAMU Athletic Director. “It’s more than just a game and is part of our multi-layered approach to partner with the community."

 

In addition to the football game, the weekend lineup of events begins on Friday, November 20 and includes the Florida Consortium Kickoff Luncheon presented by Florida Blue, the Career Expo and Job Fair, and the Florida Blue Battle of the Bands. Game day activities include the pre-game FanFare with activities for the entire family and the McDonald’s Halftime Show featuring the Marching 100 and the Marching Wildcats. FAMU and B-CU will meet for the 70th time and the 36th in the Florida Classic.

 

“We continue to enhance the game experience to drive value for our fans and position the game to be bigger and better each year,” shares Lynn Thompson, B-CU Athletic Director. “Last year’s game was a thriller with the Wildcats winning in overtime and making that a four game winning streak, and this year’s game will be significant because both teams are playing under the leadership of two new head coaches – Coach Alex Wood with the Rattlers and Coach Terry Sims with the Wildcats.”

 

The 2014 game was the first played in the new Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium and featured a better fan experience with larger, more comfortable seats with chair backs, an additional six inches of legroom in the lower bowl, multiple club suites and lounges, better concessions, new team facilities, and video displays on each upper deck.

 

Tickets are on sale now for the game and weekend events and can be purchased online at FloridaClassic.org. Tickets start at $15 with indoor club tickets at $123 per ticket.

Savannah State Releases Women's Basketball 2015-16 Schedule

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State University women's basketball team announces the 2015-16 schedule Wednesday, which consist of three teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season.

SSU starts off the season with an exhibition game against crosstown rival Armstrong State in the "Battle in the Marsh" on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in Tiger Arena. Last season, the Lady Tigers defeated ASU 96-84 in Tiger Arena.

For the fourth year in a row, the Lady Tigers open the season against Columbia College in Tiger Arena on Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. In the previous three matchups, SSU has defeated CC, including a 106-60 win last season. Overall, the Lady Tigers have won their last 11 openers.

The Lady Tigers host Auburn on Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. Last season, SSU fell to AU 62-56 on the road. The last time SSU hosted an SEC team was last season, when Florida traveled to Savannah and the Lady Tigers won 68-58.

"Auburn's a game that stands out on the schedule, for several reasons," head coach Cedric Baker said. "One, they're an SEC team, two, we played them close last year and three, how often do we see an SEC team come to Savannah and play a school of our size."

Savannah State enters its road schedule with two SEC matchups against Florida on Nov. 24 and Mississippi State on Nov. 29, who made the NCAA Tournament last season. Last season, the Tigers defeated UF 68-58 at Tiger Arena.

"We have a rematch with Florida," Baker said. "That's going to be exciting. We were able to come with a win in that battle last year. We are looking forward to our trip to Gainesville and then of course we will take a trip down to Mississippi State. Mississippi State is a competitive team. They've made their mark in the SEC Tournament last season."

The Lady Tigers host its final home game of 2015 with a game against in-state rival of Georgia Southern on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. This will be the first time the two teams have played against each other since 2004-05.

"We're excited about getting Georgia Southern back on the schedule and also excited about getting to play them at home," Baker said. "The last time we played them and we defeated them here in Savannah in an overtime win. We shot the lights out of the ball that night. But we are excited about Georgia Southern, 45 minutes up the road. We are excited to reestablish this rivalry."

The next six games are on the road for SSU, starting with Alabama State on Dec. 5, followed by Rutgers, who made the NCAA Tournament last season, on Dec. 13. The Lady Tigers then travel to Jacksonville, Ala., to face Jacksonville State on Dec. 15 and to Oklahoma State on Dec. 27, who made the NCAA Tournament last season.

"We've got to go up to Rutgers University," Baker said. "Vivian Stringer is an icon when it comes to women's basketball. It's an opportunity to expand our brand in that area, which always helps with recruiting. The better kids want to play the better teams. So, we want to send a message that you are going to play at a Division I school, but also you are going to play at a high level and on a big stage. We'll go out to a further distance to Oklahoma State and then we'll get into our conference schedule."

SSU plays its first conference game against Florida A&M on Dec. 31 in Tallahassee, Fla., then travels for a nonconference game against Jacksonville University on Jan. 2 before hosting the next five games. Last season, the Tigers went 2-0 against FAMU, but fell to Jacksonville 45-41 at Tiger Arena.

"Our first conference game will be against FAMU and they have been, out of the MEAC schools, one of the established rivalries we have," Baker said. "That's a game that we look forward on our schedule, a game that we really want to win and we see them twice a year."

The five-game homestand starts with Allen University on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m., followed by N.C. A&T State on Jan. 9 at 4 p.m., the first MEAC home game of the season. The Lady Tigers won 95-47 against Allen last season and went 2-1 against A&T.

N.C. Central travels to Savannah on Jan. 11 at 4 p.m., followed by Maryland Eastern Shore on Jan. 16 at 4 p.m. and concludes the homestand with Delaware State on Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. Savannah State went 1-1 against UMES, including a win in the MEAC championship game; 2-0 against NCCU and 1-0 against DSU last season.

Then the Lady Tigers next four games are on the road, starting with a trip to Hampton on Jan. 23 and Norfolk State on Jan. 25. The final two games on the roadstand is N.C. A&T State on Jan. 30 and Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 2. SSU won the only matchup between Hampton and Norfolk State, but fell to Bethune-Cookman in the only matchup last season.

The Lady Tigers return home with two games against Morgan State on Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. and Coppin State on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. before returning back on the road for two games against South Carolina State on Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. and Howard on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. Savannah State went 2-0 against CSU and SCSU last season and won the only matchup against MSU and HU.

South Carolina State travels to Savannah on Feb. 27 at 4 p.m., while the Tigers travel to Durham, N.C., for a game against N.C. Central on Feb. 29 at 6 p.m. The Lady Tigers host the final game of the season against Florida A&M on March 3 at 6 p.m.

The MEAC Championship is from March 7-12 at Norfolk, Va., which the Tigers will be defending their title. Last season, the Lady Tigers defeated Coppin State, 66-52, N.C. A&T State, 62-59, and Maryland Eastern Shore, 65-47, to capture its first MEAC championship.

"We'll get a lot of attention going into the conference," Baker said. "There's probably a star by Savannah State on everybody's board that they definitely want to compete and give their team confidence by knocking off the defending champions. We are going to get everybody's best each and every night."
 
SSU Women's Basketball 2015-16 Schedule

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Tuskegee, Albany State meet in SIAC title game rematch

PHENIX CITY, ALABAMA -- It will be a rematch of last year's SIAC championship game — and perhaps a preview of this year's title matchup — when Tuskegee plays Albany State at 4 p.m. Saturday in Phenix City.

The Golden Tigers captured the 2014 SIAC championship with a 47-41 victory over Albany State, and the two teams are the favorites to win their divisions again this year, according to a preseason poll of the league's head coaches.



"We beat them twice last year, so they definitely feel like they owe us one," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater, whose team also defeated the Golden Rams in the regular season last year 20-12 in the inaugural White Water Classic.

CONTINUE READING

Grambling ready now that ‘playing fields are even’

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling’s season opener at California turned out to be exactly what it seemed on paper — a mutually beneficial agreement where both parties head home with something in their pocket.

In Grambling’s case, a $600,000 paycheck for a 73-14 drubbing, and in Cal’s case, an easy win to open the season in front of its home fans.

Such is the life of a program like Grambling, or any other Southwestern Athletic Conference or even HBCUs for that matter. With that out of the way, Grambling can now play more competitive football when it welcomes Bethune-Cookman to Eddie Robinson on Saturday for the Tigers’ home opener.

“Absolutely. Now the playing fields are even. You’re playing another team that has 63 scholarships,” Grambling wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph said Monday.

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Recruiting Trail: Floridian Jamari Jiles makes commitment to NCCU

DELTONA, Florida -- Deltona senior Jamari M. Jiles made some news last week when he committed to North Carolina Central.

Jiles (6-1, 240) said he chose the school over UMass and Idaho.

“When I took my visit up there, it just felt like home,” Jiles said. “They showed me a lot of love, and, ever since they offered me, they were the school that was on me the most heavy.”

Jiles, who can also play linebacker, said he expects to transition to defensive end at the next level.

And, while he was excited to commit, he said there is one school that could make him reconsider a bit — Central’s MEAC foe, Bethune-Cookman.

Jiles said he has heard from Cookman, and, if the Wildcats offer he will take a look at the school.

He also has offers from Texas-San Antonio, Tennessee Martin, Tennessee State and Coastal Carolina.

CONTINUE READING

Dallas Cowboys sign former MEAC players Joe Thomas, SCSU and Ayodeji Olatoye, NCA&T to Practice Squad

DALLAS, Texas -- The Cowboys added cornerback Ayodeji Olatoye on Wednesday to fill their entire practice squad roster. Olatoye was an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina A&T State University (by way of Colorado) last year. He spent time with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs since. Possessing a good body frame at 6-1, 195 pounds, Olatoye recorded eight total tackles and had one pass defended as a member of the Chiefs this preseason.

Thomas was an undrafted rookie out South Carolina State that spent last season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad. During his final year at SCS, the young inside linebacker was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 115 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and one interception. He recorded eight tackles and a sack in four preseason games with the Packers this year.




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This Week in the Sun Belt

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- After a week where the league went 2-9, with both wins over FCS teams, everyone in the league is in action again this week…including the first conference game of the season. Six schools (including the Cajuns) have their home openers this week. Three schools are on the road playing Power Five schools. And one is at home against an SEC team. Beside what’s going on at Cajun Field on Saturday, here what’s happening.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT TEXAS STATE—Saturday, 6pm, ESPN3–The Panthers opened with a SWAC win over Texas Southern last week and that’s a good start for PVAMU. They’ll have a much tougher time against the Bobcats in the TXST home opener. Dennis Franchione’s club is very happy not to be playing Florida State again. The running game was abysmal for the Bobcats a week ago. That has to get better, and this week it should.



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ASU Hornets quickly getting ready for Alcorn State

MON TGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State has played its first game under head coach Brian Jenkins, but doesn’t have much time to dissect Sunday’s 24-14 loss to Tennessee State.

ASU (0-1) turned the ball over four times in its last five possessions as the Hornets let a 14-3 halftime lead slip away.

During Monday’s SWAC coaches teleconference, Jenkins said he was proud of his team but not satisfied with the loss.

“We made some mistakes and turned the ball over,” Jenkins said. “When you do that against a great team like Tennessee State, you’ll come out on the losing end every time. I don’t like to lose.”

Jenkins said the main thing he learned from Sunday’s game is that he has a group of players that won’t make excuses.



CONTINUE READING

Freshman QB to lead SCSU Bulldogs against top-ranked Coastal

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- There’s nothing quite like a football team making history.

The South Carolina State football team has the chance to do that twice in the span of one week.

The Bulldogs took a season-opening 35-7 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday in front of a nationwide audience on ESPN and ESPNNews.

This Saturday, head coach Buddy Pough and the Bulldogs have the opportunity to beat the No. 1-ranked team in FCS (Football Championship Series) rankings when they play host to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers from Conway.

To top it all off, with the MEAC conference opener with Florida A&M University set for Thursday night, Sept. 17, at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium, the SCSU squad has the chance to win three games in a span of just 12 days.

Coastal Carolina didn’t enter the first week of the season atop the FCS poll. But once the four teams ranked above them took season-opening losses, the Chants leapfrogged to the top spot. CCU is coming off a hard-fought win, 38-35, at Furman University in Greenville.

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JSU Tigers need to keep third down manageable

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Third down is a money down in the game of football.

On offense, conversions sustain drives. On defense, a stop gets the unit off the field and gives the ball back to the offense.

Against Middle Tennessee State, Jackson State’s offense and defense came up broke on those money downs, which is something it’ll need to improve upon against Tennessee State on Saturday.



The Tigers converted on just 29 percent of its third downs in 2014, which ranked 109th of 121 FCS teams. For reference, Alcorn State led the SWAC and was 19th in the FCS with a 44 percent conversion rate.

JSU’s percentage dipped below its 2014 numbers against the Blue Raiders. The Tigers picked up just four conversions on 16 third downs, good for 25 percent.

One of the reasons the Tigers struggled on ,,,

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SCSU Coach Pough's weekly press conference

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough on playing true Freshman in the season opener and how they match up against their next opponent, Coastal Carolina.

The N.C. A&T Aggie- N.C.Tar Heel dilemma

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Conventional wisdom says Carolina ought to have its way in its first-ever football matchup with N.C. A&T in Chapel Hill Saturday night.

The Tar Heels play at a higher level of competition (which goes by the eminently un-catchy label, the Football Bowl Subdivision).

A&T plays a rung below that, in the also awkwardly named Football Championship Subdivision (who comes up with this stuff?).

The Tar Heels should be well-motivated coming off a season-opening loss against South Carolina in a game they should have won if not for boneheaded coaching. (Is South Carolina starting to get better than North Carolina at everything these days?)

I have a split allegiance: A&T is a hometown school where ...

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N.C. A&T, Tuskegee Open 2015 Season Atop HSRN Polls

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HARTLEY, Delaware – Following a full schedule of games spanning September 3 – 6, the 2014 Conaway Cup Runners Up have taken the top spots in the first week of the Division I FCS and Division II/NAIA HSRN Football Polls.

In the Division I FCS poll, the Aggies of North Carolina A&T begin the season ranked #1 following a season opening 61-7 victory over former CIAA rival Shaw University.  A&T just edged MEAC-SWAC Challenge victor S.C. State by three points. Alcorn State, Tennessee State and North Carolina Central round out the FCS top five.

In Division II, Tuskegee topped a group that includes five teams that didn’t make the final top ten last year.  The Golden Tigers shut out Clark Atlanta, 26-0, to begin their season at home in the friendly confines of Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium.  Four CIAA teams, Virginia Union, Virginia State, Livingstone and Winston-Salem State) complete the top five which includes Division II and NAIA competitors.

  

Division I FCS

 

School (First Place Votes)                Record      Pts     Last Yr

1     North Carolina A&T Aggies (5)         1-0          105         2

2     South Carolina State (4)                   1-0          102         5

3     Alcorn State Braves (3) `                 0-1         93         1

4     Tennessee State Tigers                   1-0          77         10

5     North Carolina Central Eagles (1)   1-0          71         8

6T  Prairie View A&M Panthers              1-0          43         NR

6T  Hampton Pirates                              1-0          43         NR

8     Southern Jaguars                             0-1          41          4

9    Bethune Cookman Wildcats             0-1          35          3

10  Alabama State Hornets                     0-1          25          9

 

Division II/NAIA

 

School (First Place Votes)                  Record      Pts         Last Yr

1 Tuskegee Golden Tigers (7)                1-0          113             2

2 Virginia Union Panthers                       1-0         64             NR

3 Virginia State Trojans (1)                      0-1         57             NR

4 Livingstone Blue Bears (1)                   1-0          62             NR

5T Bowie State Bulldogs (1)                    1-0         53             8

5T Winston-Salem State Rams (1)          0-1         53             3

5T Elizabeth City State Vikings (1)          0-0         53           NR

8 Albany State Golden Rams                  0-1          40             4

9 Morehouse Maroon Tigers                   1-0          44             10

10T Lane Dragons                                   1-0          15             NR

10T Chowan Hawks                                 1-0          15             NR

About HSRN:

HSRN (Heritage Sports Radio Network) is the national leader in live radio broadcasts of mid-major athletics. HSRN combines innovative programming and production with a vast broadcast network. The SiriusXM platform avails partners of HSRN exposure on the world's largest radio broadcaster as measured by revenue and exposure to 28.3 million subscribers. In addition to SiriusXM, HSRN is available on terrestrial radio affiliates, smartphones and other connected devices as well as online at HSRN.com.  

By Eric Moore
HERITAGE Sports Radio Network, LLC



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Dig this: Harris repeats as GCAC Defender of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — For the second consecutive week, Xavier University of Louisiana's Darian Harris is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Defender of the Week in women's volleyball.
    
Harris, a senior from Gretna, La., and a graduate of McGehee School, had 78 digs and averaged 4.59 digs per set during four matches at the Mariner Invitational at Brunswick, Ga. Harris had 30 digs, one less than her career high, in a five-set victory Saturday against Bryan. Against Martin Methodist earlier that day, she served the final six points of a 7-0 run to close the second set and ended with an ace.
    
It's the second straight year that Harris is the back-row leader of Xavier's defense. Harris has a team-best 146 digs through nine matches, and Xavier ranks 19th in the NAIA and No. 1 in the GCAC through Monday with 17.52 digs per set.
    
Xavier (5-4, 1-0 GCAC) will play Edward Waters at 6 p.m. EDT Friday in a GCAC match at Jacksonville, Fla. The Gold Nuggets' next home match will start at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 19 against the GCAC's Tougaloo.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
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2015 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Battle of the Bands: UAPB M4 vs. SCSU Marching 101

Pace, August are GCAC's weekly XC winners

NEW ORLEANS — Brianna Pace and Christopher August, fastest finishers for Xavier University of Louisiana at Friday's Southern Miss Invitational cross country meet, are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week for Aug. 31-Sept. 6.
    
Pace, a freshman from Junction City, Kan., and a graduate of Junction City High School, received the GCAC honor for the first time. August, a junior from Spring, Texas, and a graduate of Klein Collins High School, earned the award for the second consecutive week and the second time in his career.
    
Pace ran 5,000 meters in 21 minutes, 58 seconds to place 11th out of 28 women. She led the Gold Nuggets to a second-place finish in team scoring. Xavier, an NAIA school, finished ahead of NCAA Division I member Louisiana-Monroe, which placed fourth.
    
August scored his second consecutive top-10 finish and the eighth of his career. He ran the 5K in 17:15 to place seventh out of 21 men.
    
Xavier will compete Saturday morning in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La., a suburb of New Orleans. The women's 5K will start at 7:50, and the men's 5K will start at 8:25. It will Xavier's third meet of the season.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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XU Nuggets open GCAC with home sweep of Talladega

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NEW ORLEANS — Taylor Reuther's 10 kills and 11 digs and Kayla Jones' 11 third-set digs carried Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-15, 25-14, 25-21 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball victory against Talladega at the Convocation Center.
 
It was the GCAC opener for both teams. The Gold Nuggets (5-4) have won 60 in a row against GCAC opponents, 49 in the regular season.
    
Reuther, a three-time first-team All-GCAC player, produced her second consecutive double-double and third of the season. Jones produced all her digs after replacing Darian Harris as libero to begin the final set. It was the first time this season that Jones reached double figures.
    
Claudia Haywood had six kills and a season-high five blocks for Xavier, and CeCe Williams had five kills, two blocks and a career-high five assists.
    
Carla Novaes, who shared GCAC Preseason Player of the Year honors with Haywood, had nine kills, nine digs and two blocks for Talladega (0-6). Gabrielle Bailey served two aces.
    
Xavier seized first-set momentum with a 9-2 run which gave it a 14-8 lead. The Gold Nuggets closed the second set with a 10-4 run and closed the match with a 13-4 run after trailing 17-12 in the third. A Talladega attack error put Xavier ahead to stay, 21-20, in the third.
    
Xavier hit a season-high .240 — .269 in the final two sets — and limited the Lady Tornadoes to minus-.054 hitting. The Gold Nuggets had advantages of 37-18 in kills, 46-32 in digs and 6-3 in blocks.
    
Xavier will play GCAC opponent Edward Waters at 6 p.m. EDT Friday in Jacksonville, Fla. The next XU home match will start at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 19 against the GCAC's Tougaloo.
    
NOTES  Xavier is 9-0 all-time against Talladega. They'll meet again Oct. 17 at Talladega, Ala. . . . The Gold Nuggets have won 59 in a row and 65 of their last 67 matches against HBCUs . . . It was the first time that the Gold Nuggets played on Labor Day.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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MEAC Announces Weekly Football Honors

NORFOLK, Virginia – Hampton’s Twarn Mixson was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced today.  South Carolina State’s Javon Hargrave was named Defensive Player of the Week.

N.C. Central’s Nigel Macauley earned Rookie of the Week honors while teammate Clevonne Davis was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Week. North Carolina A&T State’s Caleb Gabriel and Howard’s John Fleck were selected as Co-Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively.

Mixson (WR, 5-10, 166, r-Jr., Charlotte, N.C.) recorded seven receptions for 135 yards with four touchdowns in the Pirates’ 35-20 win over Kentucky State.  He tied a school single-game record with four touchdowns in the home opener.

Hargrave (DL, 6-2, 300, Sr., Salisbury, N.C.) collected seven tackles, with six solo, against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. He tallied 4.5 tackles for a loss of 16 yards and 2.5 sacks, along with two quarterback hurries, and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in the 11^th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney.

Macauley (PK, 5-11, 195, Fr., Fayetteville, N.C.) accounted for 16 points with three field goals, including a long of 44 yards, in his first collegiate game against Saint Augustine’s.  He also booted seven extra point attempts to help the team to a 72-0 victory.

Davis (OG, 6-2, 305, Sr, Miramar, Fla.) graded out at 99-percent of his blocking assignments, with seven pancake blocks, and without allowing a sack or committing a penalty in the Eagles’ home opening win over Saint Augustine’s. His efforts helped pave the way for the Eagles to amass 447 yards of total offense and 72 points for the victory.

Fleck (P/PK, 6-2, 205, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind.) averaged 45.5 yards on eight punts, including an 83-yard effort that set a new school record, against Appalachian State.  He also had a 50 yarder, with two inside the Appalachian State 20-yard line.

Gabriel (KOR, 5-9, 165, So., Raleigh, N.C.) returned a kickoff 92 yards, in the second half, for his first career kickoff return touchdown in the win over Shaw.
 
Other Top Performers

Darius Banks (HAM) finished the game with 80 return yards, on three attempts, against Kentucky State.

Colby Blanton (FAMU) posted 395 yards on ten punt attempts (39.5 avg.) with a long of 51 yards against South Florida.  He also scored FAMU’s only points, his first collegiate points, on a 21-yard field goal.

Quinn Billerman (NCCU) threw three touchdowns and accounted for 11 yards of total offense in the Eagles’ home opening win over Saint Augustine’s.

Akil Blount (FAMU) collected 11 tackles, five solo, with one for a loss of 13 yards and one breakup.

Reggie Hunter (NCCU) posted a team-high seven tackles, six solo, with 2.5 for a loss of three yards against Saint Augustine’s.

Malik Golson (DSU) caught seven passes for 74 yards, with a long of 27, against Liberty.

Mike Jones (NCCU) broke a 46-year old school single-game record with 145 punt return yards on five attempts, including a long return of 48 yards, against Saint Augustine’s.

Denzel Keyes (NCAT) caught a career-high six receptions for 119 yards with two touchdowns in the Aggies’ victory over Shaw.

Brandon Parker (NCAT) received a 92-percent grade on assignments, with two pancake blocks, as he led the Aggies’ offensive line that piled up 413 yards of total offense in a win over Shaw.

Gabriel Sherrod (DSU) blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt and collected 3.5 tackles for a loss of 15 yards against Liberty.  He recorded seven tackles, with five solo, in the season opener.

DeAndre Sangster (NSU) had a career-high 101 receiving yards on six catches with one touchdown against Rutgers.

Keevon Thompson (NCAT) rushed for 84 yards on 15 carries in the season opening win over Shaw.

Michael Young (HAM) graded out at 95-percent of his assignments and tallied three pancake blocks as he aided the Pirates rack up 400 yards of total offense against Kentucky State.

Caleb York (SCSU) finished with 11-of-20 for 123 yards passing and rushed for 20 yards on four carries with one touchdown against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.



COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

Southern, Valley start quick turnaround

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Neither Southern nor Mississippi Valley State has a moment to waste as they prepare for their Southwestern Athletic Conference opener Thursday night in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

Both teams spent Sunday breaking down film of their lopsided season-opening losses a day earlier — the Jaguars lost at Louisiana Tech 62-15, and the Delta Devils lost at New Mexico 66-0 — before plunging back into practice Monday.

“Thank goodness for Labor Day,” Valley coach Ricky Comegy said Monday during the weekly SWAC coaches teleconference. “Since we don’t have classes today, we’re going to get as much done as we can.”

Comegy was a few minutes late for his turn on the conference call. He said he lost track of time during a staff meeting as the Devils accelerated their preparation. Under the circumstances, he could be forgiven for mistakenly referring to Southern’s opening opponent as Georgia Tech.



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