Grambling State plays Arkansas-Pine Bluff Saturday in important SWAC game

Grambling, Louisiana -- Suddenly, Grambling State University is back in business in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Well, almost.

"We've won our last two games, but this season is far from over and there's no need to start bringing out the black and gold pom-pons and start cheering," said Tigers' Head Coach Doug Williams. "There's still a whole lot of work to be done and it all starts Saturday."

Grambling (3-4, 2-3) will have an important 2:30 p.m. test against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-3, 3-2) at the Golden Lions' Stadium.

It will mark the Tigers' first road appearance in nearly a month after having dealt with an open date and then back-to-back home games, the latest being last week's 30-24 overtime victory against Mississippi Valley. Saturday's game looms significant in the SWAC chase. UAPB is in second place and GSU third for the Western Division.

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FAMU football tops MEAC in nine categories

Tallahassee, Florida -- Getting to its bye week has been quite a rollercoaster ride for Florida A&M. But even as they sit in a third-place tie, the Rattlers have plenty to feel good about — at least through this weekend's MEAC games.

The Rattlers amazingly are leading the league in nine of 33 statistical categories. Topping the achievement is the team's 19 interceptions, which is the best in the national in all levels of college football.

FAMU also has the conference's best scoring offense, kicker off coverage, PAT success, third-down conversions, time of possession, red zone offense, red zone defense and sacks.

"I take my hat off to the coaches," head coach Joe Taylor said Thursday, as he read the list. "We have been adjusting as we go and that's why you see us playing better."

Safety Anthony Shutt agreed that the stats that the Rattlers are racking up is the result of the chemistry between players on both sides of the ball.



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This week in Georgia HBCU Football

Macon, Georgia -- The SIAC race has come down to the end. Albany State controls their own destiny. The Rams can represent the SIAC East with wins vs. Benedict and FVSU in the final 2 games. Morehouse is in good position if they win the 2 remaining games and Albany State loses one of the 2 remaining games.

Morehouse Tigers - As you all know the Maroon Tigers have been my pick since the beginning. The Tigers won on homecoming in a come from behind win 37-31 last saturday vs. Benedict. RB David Carter turned in 111 yards and the game winning touchdown. The Maroon Tigers are in the mix, but are in a peculiar position as they no longer control their own destiny. Morehouse is such a quality team that I still believe even if they don't get into the conference championship game a Division II playoff game is in store. A worst Morehouse is looking at a Pioneer Bowl bid, and they have had a very good season.

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Fort Valley State vs. Stillman College - 2011 Pregame Battle

Ram Ramblings: Basketball in October, say it ain't so

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- It’s hard to believe that in the middle of football season I went to go see a basketball game tonight at the Gaines Center. But that’s the nature of college athletics these days with plenty of over lapping. The reason I went to the Gaines Center was to see the new-look WSSU men’s team.

The men played in a Red-White scrimmage which will be their only tune-up before the opener on Nov. 13 at home against Talladega College.

I don’t know what I expected to see but my first impression is the Rams are a lot smaller than in years past. Last season they had four players who were 6-8 or taller and that included the 6-9 Paul Davis and the 6-10 Corey Morris.

The experienced Rams of last season went 19-8 and won the Southern Division but lost in their first round of the CIAA Tournament and the first round of the NCAA playoffs is a distant memory.

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For seniors on NSU Spartans, it's do or die

NORFOLK, Virginia -- All Norfolk State had to do to win a championship in 2007 was win its final MEAC game. Despite needing to win their final three games this season, the Spartans feel even closer to their first MEAC title this time around.

The Spartans should be favored in all three and face championship expectations for the first time since the program moved to the FCS level in 1997. "This has to be it," senior linebacker Corwin Hammond said. "It has to be the year."



In 2007, the Spartans went on the road to play Delaware State in a winner-take-all conference game. The Spartans surprised Delaware State, then ranked No. 10 in the country, by taking a lead before blowing the game in the fourth quarter.

This time, North Carolina A&T is the toughest team on NSU's schedule, but the Spartans have home-field advantage. Afterward come road contests with MEAC creampuff Savannah State and Morgan State, which has a 3-1 MEAC record against suspect competition.

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Final Eight HBCU Bands Chosen for 10th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands

TORRANCE, California -- The nation’s marching band fans have spoken, and have chosen eight marching bands at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the 2012 Honda Battle of the Bands. Now marking 10 years of celebrating the heritage, showmanship and scholarship of HBCU bands, the Honda Battle of the Bands will bring “The Homecoming” to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the Invitational Showcase, Saturday, January 28, 2012.



Following are the HBCU marching bands that will earn a $20,000 grant for their music education programs and an all-expenses-paid bus trip to the 2012 Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase:

Albany State University “Marching Rams Show Band” (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
Bethune Cookman University “Marching Wildcats” (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Jackson State University “Sonic Boom of the South” (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Prairie View A&M University “Marching Storm” (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
South Carolina State University “Marching 101” (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Tennessee State University “Aristocrat of Bands” (Independent)
Virginia State University “Marching Trojan Explosion” (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)
Winston-Salem State University “Red Sea of Sound” (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)



For the eight winning bands, the journey to the Invitational Showcase involved months of practice and training, all in preparation for their Georgia Dome performances, where each band will have 12 dazzling minutes to showcase the musical excellence, distinctive style and superior showmanship that earned them a place in the 2012 Invitational Showcase. The Showcase bands are chosen via online voting, with votes by fans, students and alumni accounting for one-third of the selection criteria, and band directors and school presidents accounting for the balance of the selection process.

This year’s event theme, “The Homecoming,” reflects on the 10th anniversary of the Honda Battle of the Bands and calls for all HBCU marching band alumni, current HBCU students and the many fans of the event to meet in Atlanta for this special anniversary showcase event. The homecoming theme also highlights the importance of marching band culture to black college homecoming celebrations.



“We are excited to be celebrating 10 years of the Honda Battle of the Bands as we continue to support the music education programs of our nation’s HBCUs,” said Marc Burt, senior manager, Office of Inclusion and Diversity for American Honda. “We hope that Black college marching band fans and alumni will attend this year’s Invitational Showcase as we anticipate a great community turnout and even greater performances by the top eight HBCU marching bands.”

The Honda Battle of the Bands website is the sole online destination and clearing house for all HBOB information, updates, polling status, photos and video footage, and is a one-stop resource for all questions about the program. Fans are encouraged to also follow Honda Battle of the Bands on Twitter (@the_honda) and to become a fan of the Facebook page (Honda Battle of the Bands) where they can share memories, photos and engage in trivia, and get updates on the 2012 program. For more information about the Honda Battle of the Bands, please visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

Best foot forward: Dedicated FVSU's King takes his spot among the top punters in Division II

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- The scene would have made for a unique picture. Stadium lights still on, family and friends mingling as players emerged from the locker room, the stadium all but empty except for workers. And there was the shot: a punter and his ball.

The punter was Marquette King, a lone figure on the football field, except for a bag of footballs. The game was over, but King’s work – no matter how well he had done his job earlier – wasn’t. There would be King, while teammates dispersed, punting into the night air. That scene has played itself out with regularity since King went from Rutland to Fort Valley State, after some games and after scores of practices.


FVSU Punter Marquette King punts a 76 yard punt against Clark Atlanta.

“He’s definitely one of the most obsessive guys I’ve had,” said Haskel Buff, Fort Valley State’s special teams coach and defensive coordinator. “He takes an unbelievable amount of pride in his job and doing it well.” It’s paying off.

King is fifth nationally in Division II with a 43.8-yard punting average, which leads the SIAC. That figure would rank 26th among all Division I punters.



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SIAC West on line when Stillman meets rival Miles

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama | Trying to bounce back from its worst loss of the season, the Stillman College football team remains in contention for a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference division title.

“If I win, I win the West,” said Teddy Keaton, Stillman's first-year head coach. “If Miles wins, they win the West. This game is bigger than it's ever been. It's the first time that both of these schools have got a chance to play for the SIAC championship. That's huge for both programs. They're both under new leadership. I have great respect for coach (Reginald) Ruffin and the job he's done with his team up there. It's going to be a battle. They have some weapons. They've been playing really good football over the course of the last three or four weeks.

"We've got a lot of kids on our team from Birmingham. They have a lot of kids on their team from Tuscaloosa. So there's a lot of rivalry, a lot of bragging rights that goes into it.”


Last Week: Stillman Tigers took an ole fashion beatdown at FVSU Homecoming.

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Transit authority: Johnson C. Smith basketball adding speed for up tempo attack

Charlotte, North Carolina -- Expect fewer one-man fast breaks from Johnson C. Smith basketball this season. The Golden Bulls were pedestrian last season despite having All-America guard Trevin Parks as one of Division II’s best transition players. The goal this year is to get everyone up to play at a quicker pace.

“This team right now is built around him,” JCSU coach Steve Joyner said. “He had to carry us a number of occasions last year and he has that type of ability, but we’re hoping some of the other young players, especially those freshmen who’ve turned into sophomores, will be able to take more of a leadership role in terms of what we need to do offensively, defensively, rebounding – the whole nine yards.”

“We are a transition team that’s going to get out on the break, but we’re disciplined to the point that if we have to slow the game down and manage the clock we can do that,” said Parks, who averaged 21.3 points and 4.4 assists per game last season en route to earning the CIAA player of the year award. “As a point guard, it starts with me managing the clock and I think I’ll do a good job putting everybody in their correct spot on the court and milking the clock if we have to slow it down.”



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WSSU Notebook: Team returns to full strength for Shaw

Winston Salem, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State will be at full strength for the first time in weeks when it plays Shaw on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Several players who have been held out of recent games with injuries will be available, coach Connell Maynor said. Included in that group are wide receivers Jamal Williams and Patrick Terry, defensive lineman Barry Tripp and linebacker Khendra Reid.

“We are pretty healthy, and I don’t think we’ll have to hold anybody out…,” Maynor said. “We’ve got guys with bumps and bruises, but that’s expected at this point in the season.”

Maynor said that trainers Rob Woodall and Ian Mushinski have done excellent work keeping the Rams healthy.

“They both know that we want guys back to near 100 percent because we’ve got enough depth,” Maynor said. “And the players understand we want them healthy, because it’s a long season.”

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Rams can't afford to overlook Bears

Winston-Salem State, coming off lopsided wins against Livingstone and Edward Waters, will try to remain unbeaten Saturday when it plays Shaw, last season's CIAA champion. The ninth-ranked Rams (8-0) have been steamrolling CIAA opponents and already have clinched a berth in the CIAA championship game, but Saturday's home game is important for many reasons.

To continue their drive to the Division II playoffs, the Rams must keep winning. Shaw, 2-6 and out of contention, could be viewing this as its championship game this season. Kickoff is set for 1:30 at Bowman Gray Stadium.

"It's going to be four quarters of pure football," coach Connell Maynor of WSSU said. "They are the defending champions, and there is no quit in the Shaw players because they've proven it over the years."

The Bears have won four of the last seven CIAA titles, and Maynor said they're better than their record. "The coaching staff over there didn't just wake up and forget how to coach," Maynor said.

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Texas Southern sets 2012 schedule at new stadium

Houston, Texas -- Texas Southern football will begin play in the new TSU/Dynamo Stadium in 2012 with at least six home games, the SWAC university announced Wednesday.

The 22,000-seat stadium is scheduled to open in May. The Tigers' first home game will be Sept. 15 against Jackson State.

TSU's other SWAC home games will be against Alabama A&M (Sept. 22), Grambling State (Oct. 27), Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Homecoming Day (Nov. 3) and Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 17). The Tigers also will host Sam Houston State from the Southland Conference (Sept. 29).

TSU will open the 2012 season against SWAC rival Prairie View A&M on Sept. 1 in the Labor Day Classic. A site has not been determined, but the TSU/Dynamo Stadium is an option.



View: TSU/Dynamo Stadium LIVE Webcam

TEXAS SOUTHERN 2012 TENTATIVE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME
Sept 1 * @ Prairie View Prairie View, TX (Labor Day Classic) TBA
Sept 8 @North Texas State Denton, TX TBA
Sept 15 *Jackson State TSU/Dynamo Stadium TBA
Sept 22 *Alabama A&M TSU/Dynamo Stadium TBA
Sept 29 * Sam Houston State TSU/Dynamo Stadium TBA
Oct 6 *@ Alabama State Montgomery, AL TBA
Oct 13 *@ Southern Baton Rouge TBA
Oct 20 OPEN
Oct 27 *Grambling TSU/Dynamo Stadium TBA
Nov 3 *Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Homecoming) TSU/Dynamo Stadium TBA
Nov 10 *@ Alcorn Alcorn, MS TBA
Nov 17 *Mississippi Valley TSU/Dynamo Stadium TBA
Nov 24 OPEN
Dec 8 SWAC Championship Game TBA TBA



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This Magic City Classic is the biggest yet

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- There's big, and there's bigger. Then, there's the Magic City Classic.
Particularly the one coming up Saturday afternoon at Birmingham's Legion Field.

"Opportunities like this," Alabama A&M football coach Anthony Jones said earlier this week, "are rare."

Oh, there's the usual pomp surrounding the annual football game/fashion show/band battle - not necessarily in that order, of course - but the circumstance is even more intriguing in this, the 70th edition of the event.



Alabama State is 6-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. A&M is 4-1. Alabama State is ranked No. 1 in the latest Sheridan Broadcasting Network poll. A&M is No. 5.

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Men's Basketball Team preview: Florida A&M Rattlers

Tallahassee, Florida -- Clemon Johnson was around during the days when Florida A&M was a perennial powerhouse in the SIAC. As a senior, he helped the Rattlers reach the Division II tournament for the final time in 1978.

Hired as the program's new coach this May, Johnson sees no reason his alma mater cannot recapture the glory days of old.

"We expect to win the conference. There's nothing else," Johnson said. "We're definitely going to reach for the sky. I just want them to have the faith in me coaching them."

Johnson carries quite a basketball resume into his first Division I coaching job. As a player with the Rattlers, he set team records for rebounds in a game (25), a season (412) and a career (1,494). All three marks remain intact. Johnson also ranks among the top 20 in career scoring at A&M, with 1,381 total points.



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Xavier does it one more time in NAIA coaches polls

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana received one point in both of the NAIA Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 polls for the third straight week. But a bigger national stage awaits the Gold Nuggets and Gold Rush next month.

On Saturday the Nuggets and the Rush won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference team championships and the GCAC's automatic bids to the NAIA National Championships on Nov. 19 at Vancouver, Wash. It was the sixth straight year that both XU teams won the GCAC titles and the third time in four years that both qualified for nationals.

"We won't race again until nationals," seventh-year coach Joseph Moses said. "We can use the break. It'll give us enough time to rest and heal and prepare for nationals."

There will be one more poll before the national meet — it will be announced Nov. 6 — followed by a postseason poll Nov. 23.

NAIA Men's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank Team Points Last 1 Oklahoma Christian (21) 591 1 2 Shorter 567 2 3 The Master's 533 3 4 Southern Oregon 527 4 5 Shawnee State 513 7 6 Friends 512 5 7 Lewis-Clark State 485 6 8 Cal State San Marcos 454 8 9 Aquinas 417 12 10 Oklahoma Baptist 407 17 11 College of Idaho 393 9 12 Bryan 376 13 13 Concordia (Ore.) 353 11 14 Westmont 348 14 15 St. Francis (Ill.) 327 15 16 Southwestern (Kan.) 311 19 17 Wayland Baptist 294 10 18 Olivet Nazarene 276 18 19 Concordia (Neb.) 265 16 20 Eastern Oregon 237 20 21 Biola 216 21 22 British Columbia 175 22 23 Siena Heights 166 23 24 SCAD Savannah 151 25 25 Morningside 134 24 Others receiving votes: Cornerstone 74, Cumberlands 65, Graceland 43, Milligan 41, Vanguard 38, Great Falls 34, Huntington(Ind.) 32, Rocky Mountain 16, Dordt 13,Berea 12, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 12, Baker 8,Point Loma Nazarene 4, Xavier 1, Goshen 1,Carroll (Mont.) 1, Dakota State 1, LubbockChristian 1. NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank Team Points Last 1 Azusa Pacific (18) 649 1 2 Cal State San Marcos (5) 636 2 3 British Columbia 592 3 4 College of Idaho 583 4 5 Friends 573 5 6 Olivet Nazarene 567 6 7 Northwest Christian 523 7 8 Biola 507 8 9 Concordia (Ore.) 475 9 10 Carroll (Mont.) 470 10 11 Morningside 450 11 12 Westmont 407 16 13 The Master's 370 12 14 Lewis-Clark State 361 14 15 Concordia (Neb.) 358 tie-19 16 Shawnee State 338 RV 17 Indiana Wesleyan 324 18 18 Aquinas 291 24 19 Roberts Wesleyan 257 21 20 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 238 15 21 Saint Xavier 221 13 22 Southern Oregon 219 tie-19 23 Dordt 189 23 24 Taylor 188 17 25 Milligan 132 25 Others receiving votes: Rocky Mountain 106, Eastern Oregon 101, Viterbo 84, Spring Arbor 61, Point Loma Nazarene 50, Wayland Baptist 25, Northwestern (Iowa) 24, Trinity Christian 19, Texas Wesleyan 11, Cornerstone 6, Huntington (Ind.) 3, Shorter 3, Xavier 1, Park 1, Cumberlands 1, Vanguard 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS