2013 HBCU Tip-Off Championship postponed

ATLANTA, Georgia  --  The 2013 HBCU Tip-Off Championship set to be held November 8-11 at Phillips Arena has been postponed.

"It is with regret, due to unforeseen circumstances we have to postpone the inaugural HBCU Tip-Off Championship scheduled for November 8-11, 2013 at Philips Arena," said Kevin Clayton, CEO. "In order to maintain the ability to deliver our program now and in the future it became necessary to postpone until 2014."

"We remain committed to building awareness and support for the HBCU community, its student athletes and athletic programs. We are extremely grateful to the City of Atlanta, Philips Arena, Georgia World Congress Center, our partners, sponsors, ticket purchasers, volunteers and alumni groups that share our vision."

Please continue to visit www.tsuball.com for the latest breaking news regarding Texas Southern University Men's Basketball.

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TSU Tigers Set School Record on Final Day of Fall Season

Kelly Merkel finished with a TSU low 78
Courtesy: Tennessee State Athletics

Nashville, Tennessee –- The Tennessee State women’s golf team closed out the fall portion of their season by recording the best round as a team at the Braun Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Evansville. The Tigers battled through the fog in the morning and rain in the afternoon to shoot a new school record, 326, at the Par-71, 6,012 yard Quail Crossing Golf Club in Boonville, Ind. The mark is nine strokes better than the previous record, set during the first round of the Murray State Drake Creek Invitational earlier this season.

 

Kelly Merkel (88-78=166) paced TSU on Tuesday with a 7-over, 78. Merkel hit six fairways and nine greens on her way to cutting 10 strokes off her first round score. The sophomore carded 11 pars on the day, including up-and-downs on 2, 11 and 16.

 

A day after registering a collegiate best in her young career, Natalie Spicer (82-80=162) duplicated the honor with a 9-over, 80. The new career best came as Spicer used up-and-downs on 6, 7, and 9 to save par and a birdie on the par-3, 8th.

 

Sarah Needleman (90-83=173) dropped seven strokes from her first round and shot a career low 83. Needleman recorded her previous low two weeks ago at the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate when she shot an 86 on day one. On the par-4, 15th, the sophomore executed an up-and-down by dropping a six-foot putt to save par. Needleman hit nine fairways, five greens and used 35 putts during the second round.

 

Amelia Dap (86-85=171) secured the final scoring round for the Tigers as she hit eight fairways and closed out the day with three consecutive pars. Dap used a great save on the par-3, 5th, as she found the sand, short of the green. The sophomore found her way out of the trap and put her close to save par.

 

Laura Bremer (88-88=176) shot her second consecutive 88 as she hit 10 fairways and found four greens in regulation, while knocking down one up-and-down. Bremer averaged less than two putts per hole during her non-scoring round.

 

The Tigers will return to action in the spring at the Murray State Invitational on March 3-4.

 

    Braun Intercollegiate-Final Results

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Coppin State athletics director steers athletes toward graduation

Ramsey was in Indianapolis, Indiana, last week for the NCAA Leadership Counsel meeting of which he is a committee member. During his stay, he met with the NCAA staff to conduct this interview.

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- When Derrick Ramsey became athletics director at Coppin State five years ago, the school’s Graduate Success Rate was 58 percent. Today, that number has grown to 75 percent, and Coppin State student-athletes average a 3.0 GPA.

This year alone, the rate climbed six percentage points—the biggest jump of Ramsey’s tenure.

“The thing I was up against at Coppin was I had to change the whole culture of the athletics department,” Ramsey said. “Prior to me coming there, the athletics department was a culture of eligibility, not graduation.”

Ramsey accomplished this shift through a holistic focus on academics that combines summer classes and classes over winter break with a fifth-year degree completion program and an innovative program that integrates campus faculty with the athletics department. In 2012 Coppin State was awarded an NCAA Accelerating Academic Success grant worth $900,000 over three years to assist with those initiatives.



The AASP grants are aimed at developing methods to help schools meet the requirements of the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program. One of those standards calls for increasing the graduation rates and academic success of student-athletes at Division I institutions outside the Football Bowl Subdivision. Schools eligible to apply for the program are in the bottom 10 percent of resources as determined by per capita institutional expenditures, athletics department funding and Pell Grant aid.

“Now with this grant we’re able to compete with anyone in the country,” Ramsey said. “We’ve never had a semester over the last five years when we’ve been below a 3.0 GPA average.  Now with these monies we’re going into a higher gear.”

That higher gear means dedicating even more resources toward an integration program that pays for faculty to travel with teams. The grant allows Ramsey to pay for travel expenses as well as enrichment programs that help faculty understand the value of intercollegiate athletics.

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Rattler Report: Overview of FAMU athletics

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Rattler Report: Overview of FAMU athletics: Doug Blackburn talks with Michael Smith, FAMU interim athletic director, about FAMU's athletic facilities in this week's Rattler Report.

CatEye Network' s Postgame Report B-CU Football vs South Carolina State.

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- CatEye Network' s Postgame Report B-CU Football vs South Carolina State. Featuring Terrence Gattling, Johnny Vickers C.J. Wilson, and Lericia Harris.

Banged-up SCSU Bulldogs not throwing in towel, Pough says

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- The “battle scars” are still very much fresh for South Carolina State two days after its 14-3 loss at Bethune-Cookman.

It’s a “Who’s Who” of Bulldogs dealing with a variety of injuries. While most – defensive ends Andrew Carter (ankle) and Malcolm Reed (back), wide receiver Tyler McDonald (thigh) and cornerbacks Darius Drummond (chest) and Mason Harris (leg) – are expected to play this Saturday at Savannah State, running backs Xavier Quick (shoulder) and Dondre-Lewis Freeman (knee) will remain on the sidelines, said head coach Buddy Pough Monday.

While S.C. State (5-3, 3-1) tends to its wounds, Pough said the team appears to have rebounded mentally from any lingering letdown from a loss that could deny it the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and a Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearance. While the odds of a conference title or even an at-large berth appear slim in Pough’s mind, he believes his team is not ready to “throw in the towel” on the rest of the season.

“I think we want to be ...

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Nuggets' magic number is 1 after beating Philander Smith

NEW ORLEANS -- Kerris Crier tied her career high of nine kills Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-21, 25-14, 25-16 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Philander Smith.

The Gold Nuggets (21-7) extended their school-record winning streak to 15 and reduced to one their magic number for winning a third consecutive regular-season championship. They can clinch the title with a victory against city rival Dillard in a 6 p.m. Wednesday match at the Convocation Center.

Crier, Jodi Hill and Claudia Haywood had three blocks apiece. Moira Kirk had seven kills and hit .417 in 12 attempts. Franziska Pirkl had 12 digs.

Zyra Wright had 13 kills, two aces, a block and eight digs for the Lady Panthers (9-22, 6-5), who have lost four in a row and six of their last seven.

Xavier rallied from a 13-9 deficit in the first set and clinched on Haywood's kill. Crier had two kills and two blocks, and Pirkl served two aces during a 10-0 run to start the second set.

Destiny Jackson's ace put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay at 11-10 in the final set, and she set up Emily Reuther for her first collegiate kill to end the match.

Xavier outhit Philander Smith .209 to .000 and had a 35-24 advantage in kills. The Lady Panthers hit minus-.320 in the second set.

The Gold Nuggets have won a school-record 12 consecutive home matches, eight this season. They have won 32 consecutive GCAC regular-season matches and 38 in a row overall against conference opponents.

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

Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats - Past Two Weeks

TSU's Spicer Shoots Career Low on Day One of Evansville Tournament

 

Photo courtesy of Tennessee State Athletics

 

NASHVILLE,

Tennessee -- Freshman Natalie Spicer carded a career best 82 during the first round of the Braun Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Evansville. Spicer guided the Tigers on a cool day at the Par-71, 6,012 yard Quail Crossing Golf Club in Boonville, Ind.

 

Spicer hit 11 fairways and 11 greens on her way to seven pars and a birdie as she finished at 11-over. The first-year just missed a hole-in-one on the par-3, 17th, as her tee shot stuck just outside of the cup. Spicer tapped in for her lone birdie. On the par-4, 6th, Spicer converted on an up-and-down to save par.

 

Amelia Dap finished four shots behind Spicer with a 15-over, 86. The redshirt-sophomore hit a 4-iron off the tee box at 11, 165 yards into the wind and landed inches from the flag setting up a tap in birdie. Dap continued solid play on the par-4, 4th, hitting the fairway and reaching the green in two. The Murfreesboro product two putted for par. Dap averaged less than two putts per hole on day one.

 

Laura Bremer and Kelly Merkel both entered the clubhouse with an 88. Bremer highlighted the round by sinking a 12-foot putt for birdie on the par-5, 3rd. The sophomore transfer finished with 12 fairways, six greens, 33 putts and an up-and-down on Monday.

 

Sarah Needleman shot a non-scoring 90.

 

The final round will begin with a shotgun start at 10:00am on Tuesday.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MVSU Delta Devils cross country repeats as SWAC champs

COURTESY MVSU ATHLETICS

CLINTON, Mississippi – The Mississippi Valley State men's cross country team captured the SWAC

It marked the fourth overall championship title for the Delta Devils, including their third in the last four years. MVSU's Danielle Douglas was tabbed Coach of the Year for the second straight year.

MVSU had three runners to finish in the top 10 totaling 66 points. Valley's Daniel Kibet won the individual crown in the men's 8k for a second consecutive year, crossing the finish line at 26:28.16. As a result, he earned the SWAC Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year. His teammate, Felix Kiprop, finished second with a time of 26:28.16.

Jose Serrano came in 6^th place with a time of 27:29.02 while Romello Nalepa captured the 15^th spot with a 27:57.94 finish.
Cross Country Championship Monday for the second straight year at the Watson Cross Country Course of Choctaw Trails.

Other Valley athletes include: Juan Perez (42^nd, 30:17.60), Victor Chesang (30:43.18) and Earl Winters (58^th, 37:49.17).

Results
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2013 All-SWAC Men's Cross Country - First Team
Name	Team
Daniel Kipet	Mississippi Valley State
Felix Kiprop	Mississippi Valley State
Sorone Batiste	Prairie View A&M
Brian Alvarado	Texas Southern
Brandon Coombs	Alabama State

2013 All-SWAC Men's Cross Country - Second Team
Name	Team
Jose Serrano	Mississippi Valley State
Trevor Gayten	Grambling State
John Watkins	Prairie View A&M
Samuel Rhodes	Jackson State
Deonte Pope	Grambling State

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Frosh Bell got starting QB nod after veteran Reid's injury

DURHAM, North Carolina — The shakeup under center that generated a weekend win for N.C. Central had less to do with Jordan Reid’s production as the starting signal caller and was more about his fitness to physically handle the job, NCCU interim coach Dwayne Foster said Monday afternoon.

“The decision actually came down to Jordan’s health,” Foster said. “Jordan’s been fighting through some injuries over the past couple of weeks, and we thought that a healthier quarterback in Malcolm Bell would give us the best chance to win.”

NCCU beat Savannah State 24-10 on Saturday, and Bell, a redshirt freshman who was making his first college start, passed for 174 yards and threw for a touchdown to go along with a rushing touchdown.


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Reid, a redshirt senior, had been the starter all season for NCCU (4-4, 2-2 MEAC).

Foster said Reid got hurt again during Thursday’s practice and was checked out by a doctor on Friday morning, keeping him from riding to Georgia with the team.

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The day after JSU’s 51-38 win over Prairie View

JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Jackson State is two wins away from an undefeated conference season. But it needs only one to clinch the Eastern Division and punch a ticket to Houston for the SWAC Championship game.

JSU outlasted Prairie View Saturday for the 51-38 victory, and moved 7-2, 7-0 SWAC. Its offense posted a season-high 555 yards, its defense held PVAM scoreless in the fourth and redshirt freshman Canard Brown looks like a promising punt returner for JSU.

As Rick Comegy said after the game, the win was a team effort, and that’s what Jackson State needs to be seeing at this point in the season.

The Tigers get another rest and return to action on Nov. 9 against Alabama A&M.

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At Grambling, a Proud Football Program at Risk

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — All week, the football team and the athletic department at Grambling tried to return to normal, even if normal as they knew it was chaotic and underfunded and conflicted.

On Wednesday, workers painted hash marks on the field at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium. Officials ran out of room for reporters in the press box. Police officers stood sentry at the football complex entrance, their squad cars parked inside the metal fence. Talk centered on lawsuits and fines for the forfeit; on mold and dilapidated weight-room floors; on what happens now, after Grambling announced to the world it was broke.
      

Players returned to practice, and this was significant because late last week, they did not practice, and last Saturday, they did not play. As a proud university rich in tradition sorted through the disarray of the past 10 days — the boycott, a campus rally, the suspension and reinstatement of two student journalists, the removal of a second football coach this season — two issues emerged as primary causes: the brutal financial strains confronting the nation’s historically black colleges and universities and the region’s public universities; and the common discord on college campuses between powerful football coaches and administrators who want to exert control.

 

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ASU Lady Hornets Three-Peat as SWAC Champs; Men Finish 2nd

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

CLINTON, Mississippi — The Alabama State women's cross country team won its third straight SWAC Championship, while the men finished second Monday at the league meet held at Mississippi College.

The Alabama State women's team easily outdistanced second-place Mississippi Valley State, which finished with 99 points.

The Lady Hornets were led by Paige Rankin, who finished second overall with a time of 18:20. ASU had five other top-10 finishes to include taking spots 3-5. Artrailia Lesane (18:27.05) placed third (18:27.05), Tatiana Etienne (19:06.55) placed fourth, Kim Wedderburn (19:06:98) placed fifth, Shantia Wilson's (19:37.91) seventh and Soyong Smith (19:56.87) ninth for Alabama State.

Jerrica Mahone (20:32.28), Santina Williams (20:33.45), and Markia Bartely (22:26.91) help wrap up the victory for the Lady Hornets.

The Lady Hornets ran a combined time of 1:34:38.67, averaging 18:55.74 per runner.

"Anytime you can win three championships in a row, it's special," said head coach Ritchie Beene, who again won SWAC Women's Head Coach of the Year honors. "As the saying goes, the third time is the charm, and the charm came because we had six runners finish in the top 10, which in my career has never happened before. We're going to enjoy this moment and then prepare to move on to the next phase of the season.


Rankin, LeSane, Etienne, and Wedderburn all received First-Team All-SWAC honors and Smith was named to the Second-Team. With the win, the Lady Hornets have now qualified for the NCAA South Region.  The regional championship will be held in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Nov.15^th.

Behind Alabama State and Mississippi Valley, were Jackson State (135 pts.), Grambling (141 pts.), Texas Southern (145 pts.), Southern (145 pts.), Prairie View (150 pts.), Alcorn State (154 pts.), Alabama A&M (181 pts.) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (205 pts.).

The men came into the championship looking to improve on their fifth-place finish from last season.  They were able to do that and more with a strong second-place finish.

The Hornets were led by Brandon Coombs who finished 5th, crossing the finish line in 27:27.28. Andrew Coicou (27:58.56) finished 16^th, Bryont Brown (28:01.29) finished 17^th and Tyree Newton (28:14.28) finished 19^th.

Coombs received First-Team All-SWAC honors for his top five finish.   Other finishers for the men were Dyrez Ribeiro (28:54.52), Teven Avant (29:33.06), Christian Jones (30:04.03), Carlos Flores (30:31.95) and and Waynemond Bruce (30:57.73).

Like the women, several of the men set personal records today in the event that helped lead ASU to their improvement from last season. The Hornets ran a combined time of 2:20:35.93 averaging 28:07.19 per runner.

"It was exciting to watch the men finish second overall," Beene said. "We knew coming into the

Alabama State which finished second overall needed only 15 points to catch overall winner Mississippi Valley which won the men's event with 66 points to ASU's 81.Prairie View (83 pts.) was third and Grambling (90 pts.) was fourth. Fifth-place finish was Jackson State (97 pts.), Texas Southern (119 pts.), Southern (155 pts.), Alcorn State (210 pts.) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (212 pts.)
championship we had the talent to finish in the top three and a shot at winning it. We will go back to the drawing board with this men's team, get back to recruiting, and fill in the gaps that we missed out on today."

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Ram Ramblings: WSSU didn't resemble championship-type team

SALISBURY, North Carolina – I’ve seen all but about two or three of the 47 games Connell Maynor has coached in his four seasons at Winston-Salem State and I was surprised at what happened earlier today in a 40-0 win over Livingstone.

For those who didn’t go to the game when they see the score they’ll probably think that it was just another ho-hum victory for the Rams.

It was not.

What I saw in the first half when the Rams lost a fumble on a punt return (Sidney Lawson) and two other fumbles on offense (wide receiver Chase Powell and quarterback Rudy Johnson) was a far cry from a team that hopes to win the national championship. In fact, what I saw in the first half was a team that wouldn’t even come close to winning a division title in the CIAA.

I knew that the Rams would probably...

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Benedict Tigers Edge Morehouse On Late Field Goal, 29-26



Benedict College Eduardo Hernandez kicks the game-winning field goal.

ATLANTA, Georgia – Eduardo Hernandez kicked a 22-yard field goal with 31 seconds left to lift the Benedict Tigers to a 29-26 victory over the Morehouse Maroon Tigers on Saturday, spoiling Morehouse's Homecoming.

The Tigers won for the second week in a row and improved to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the SIAC East. Morehouse fell to 6 overall and 0-3 in the SIAC East.

The winning field goal was a redemption of sorts for Hernandez. The sophomore kicker missed an extra point on Benedict's first touchdown, a quick-strike 72-yard pass from Brandon Thompson to Maurice Griffin on the Tigers' first offensive possession of the game. That point proved pivotal later when Morehouse's Hector Solis missed an extra point in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 19-19.

"When he missed that extra point, I was really disappointed in him," Benedict head coach James Woody said. "One thing he said was, 'OK, coach, I've got you.' I said, 'Eddie, this thing may come down to you, so be ready.' He came through in the clutch and I'm real, real proud of him."

The Tigers' defense held Morehouse to 68 yards rushing and 249 yards of total offense. Benedict registered four sacks and 10 tackles for loss in the game.

"Our defense, they bend but they don't break. They came up with some great opportunities on third-down situations," Woody said. "They got some big sacks in the second half. We kind of put a little pressure on them and I think that was the difference once we got some pressure on them."

For Benedict, Tavion Wright rushed for 126 yards, the first Benedict player to rush for more than 100 yards since Michael Adams had 115 yards against Miles in the final game of the 2010 season.

"He ran the ball very well. He had something to prove. He's been banged up a little bit this year. But that kid was runner-up for Mr. Football back in Ohio when he came out of high school. He really gave us a push in the running game and I'm happy he had a good game today."

Brandon Thompson, in his second game starting at quarterback, completed 16-of-26 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, but also had two interceptions.

Morehouse opened the game by taking the opening kickoff and driving to the Benedict 2-yard line, thanks to a 22-yard pickup on fourth-and-19 from the Benedict 32. But the Benedict defense held the Maroon Tigers out of the end on three rushing attempts, and Morehouse settled for a 21-yard field goal by Solis for a 3-0 lead.

On Benedict's first play from scrimmage, Thompson was supposed to pitch the ball to Harlon Samuels on a halfback pass, but kept the ball himself and sailed a bomb to a wide open Maurice Griffin running down the far sideline for a 72-yard scoring strike. Hernandez missed the extra point for a 6-3 Benedict lead.

Morehouse added a touchdown after a long drive to take a 10-6 lead. Benedict tacked on a 25-yard field goal by Hernandez early in the second quarter after the Tigers failed to score a touchdown on a first-and-goal from the 7, and the score remained 10-9 at the half.

A 35-yard pass helped move the Maroon Tigers to the Benedict 12-yard line on their opening drive of the second half. But the Benedict defense held them to a 32-yard field goal by Solis and Morehouse led 13-9 with 10:36 on the clock.

Benedict regained the lead on the next series. The Tigers drove 67 yards behind the running of Wright and a 32-yard pass from Thompson to Griffin. Then Thompson completed a 12-yard pass to Marcus Graham for the touchdown. Hernandez made the extra point to give the Tigers a 16-13 lead with 7:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Morehouse intercepted a Thompson pass at their own 4-yard line. The Maroon Tigers were pinned deep in their own territory, and Benedict's pressure nearly resulted in a safety. But Morehouse was able to punt the ball back to the Tigers, who took over in good field position. Benedict only moved the ball 15 yards, but that was enough for Hernandez to kick a 39-yard field goal and give Benedict a 19-13 lead with 2:05 left in the third.

The Maroon Tigers got a 50-yard punt return by Thomas Williams on their first possession of the fourth quarter, and capitalized on the good field position and Williams scored on a 3-yard run. Solis missed the extra point when it hit the right post. But a penalty on Benedict allowed Solis another attempt. This time, his extra point attempt missed to the left.

A fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave Morehouse the ball back. A 12-yard pass on third-and-7 gave the Maroon Tigers a first down at the Benedict 10. Two plays later, Williams ran it in from 9-yards out. Solis hit the extra point for a 26-19 Morehouse lead with 8:35 left in the game.

Benedict came right back. Rodney Hall returned the ensuing kickoff to near midfield, and Thompson connected with Samuels for a 32-yard pass. Wright scored on a 14-yard run and Hernandez's PAT tied the game at 26-26 with 6:55 on the clock.

Morehouse faced a fourth-and-six at midfield on the ensuing possession, but a fake punt resulted in just a four-yard rush by their punter, giving the ball back to the Tigers with 4:46 left to play.

"They had some great stops at the end. I'm very happy for the defense," Woody said.

Wright busted through the line for a 17-yard pickup, and then Thompson and Samuels connected again on third down for a 19-yard pass play to the Morehouse 15. From there, the Tigers kept the ball on the ground and worked the clock, setting Hernandez up with a short attempt and the winning points.

Samuels had seven catches for 104 yards. Griffin had four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.

Tyri Harvey and Charles Powell led the Benedict defense with eight tackles each. Brandon Beech had six tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

Benedict is back on the road next week to face Albany State.

BOX SCORE

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Fort Valley State cruises to homecoming win

FORT VALLEY, Georgia - At this rate, referees might have elbow and shoulder pain after officiating Fort Valley State football games.

As it is, the Wildcats are certainly inducing headaches on their own sidelines.

Despite an inability to go more than handful of plays against lesser competition much of the day without drawing a broad variety flags, Fort Valley State rolled to a 52-19 win Saturday over Concordia-Selma on homecoming at Wildcat Stadium.

FVSU improved to 3-5 in breaking a three-game losing streak while Concordia fell to 1-6.

The Wildcats have their third and final home game in six days when Morehouse visits in SIAC play. And officials for that game might need to loosening up their arms in pregame, certainly based on nearly every other FVSU outing all season.

FVSU crammed a game's worth of penalties in the first half alone, racking up 16 flags for 122 yards. The Wildcats entered the game averaging 14 flags for 129 yards, so they were above/below average in both categories by early in the third quarter.

BOX SCORE

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AAMU Coach Anthony Jones after Magic City Classic

Magic City Classic Battle of the Bands: AAMU vs. ASU

Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow after second-straight Magic City Classic victory

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama---Alabama State collected its sixth-straight win this season to improve to 6-2 overall an 6-1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with a 31-7 win against arch-rival Alabama A&M in the 72nd Annual State Farm Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola at historic Legion Field Saturday. 

The win gave the Hornets their second-straight victory in the Classic, following last year's 31-13 win and third in the past four years.
 

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Alabama State defeats rival Alabama A&M 31-7 in sloppily-played Magic City Classic

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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama---Alabama State didn't play its best game by any standard Saturday.

The Hornets were penalized 16 times for 136 yards, lost the time of possession battle, missed a field goal and had another blocked.

But Alabama A&M played much worse, committing three turnovers, including an interception and two lost fumbles, one of which occurred on the 1-yard line, and ASU rolled to a 31-7 victory in the 72nd Annual State Farm Magic City Classic presented by Coca-Cola at the historic Legion Field.

It was the Hornets sixth-straight win after starting the season 0-2 and their second consecutive in the Classic, following last year's 31-13 triumph. A&M still owns the overall series 36-32-3.

"We were real sloppy today," ASU head coach Reggie Barlow said. "Defensively, we were jumping offside. Offensively, we were sputtering there but we found a way a day to make some plays."

After a scoreless first quarter, which included a missed field goal by kicker Alex Louthan, the Hornets took a double-digit lead on a pair of scores in the second.

First quarterback Daniel Duhart, returning to action after missing the Hornets' 48-42 overtime win against Prairie View A&M two weeks ago, connected with wide receiver Jarrett Neely on a 15-yard score with 11:30 to play in the second. Then he hit DeMario Bell on a fade route in 1-on-1 coverage in the corner of the end zone with 10 seconds to play before break.

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TSU Drops Homecoming Game to EIU, 34-16

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Tennessee State football team dropped its first Ohio Valley Conference game of the season on Saturday night, falling to Eastern Illinois, 34-16, in front of a homecoming crowd of 22,157.

The Tigers were outgained 567 to 338 in total yardage and committed 13 penalties for 110 yards.

 

The offense was led by Ronald Butler who was 24-of-45 for 212 yards, two scores and zero interceptions. Lavatiae Kelly was Butler’s main target, setting new career highs with seven catches for 69 yards.

Antonio Harper paced the defense with seven stops (four solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

 

TSU moved the ball to the EIU 48-yard line to open the game, but was forced to punt after failing to convert a third-and-one. The Panthers took advantage on their turn by scoring a 61-yard passing touchdown from Jimmy Garoppolo to Keiondre Gober on their third offensive play.

 

The Big Blue offense rebounded on its next series with a 43-yard field goal by Jamin Godfrey. Tim Broughton set up the kick with runs of 27 and 11 yards. The field goal pulled TSU within four with eight minutes left in the first quarter.

 

Broughton finished the game with 93 yards on 16 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per touch.

 

After the quick strikes, neither side scored until the 11:08 mark of the second period. EIU’s Shepard Little took a delayed hand-off up the middle of the field for a 21-yard touchdown, making the score 14-3 with EIU on top.

 

Eastern Illinois struck again after a TSU three-and-out, marching 66 yards down the field in 2:18. Garoppolo found a wide-open Jeff LePak for the 34-yard scoring toss.

 

The Tigers had one more chance to put up some points before halftime as Butler completed five-of-nine passes for 53 yards on the Tigers’ final drive of the quarter. However, his last two attempts fell incomplete, and Godfrey’s 41-yard field goal attempt went wide right.

 

On the final play of the half, Garoppolo threw a Hail Mary that was caught by LePak at the one-yard line. LePak was brought down immediately by David Van Dyke, ending the last-ditch EIU effort and leaving the score 21-3 in favor of the Panthers.

The third quarter started with three-and-outs by both teams, but EIU found the end zone on its second possession of the half when Garoppolo hit Gober with a 29-yard streak. The toss put the Panthers up, 28-3, at the 11:30 mark.

 

Later in the period, TSU had a golden opportunity to score a touchdown at the EIU nine-yard line, but Butler mishandled the snap. EIU fell on the ball giving the Panthers the football with 2:47 left in the third quarter.

 

Eastern Illinois used short runs to drive to the TSU 43, but Bernell Brooks ended that possession with an interception at the Tiger 14-yard line.

 

Bernell’s second pick of the year kept TSU’s takeaway streak alive; the team has now forced a turnover in 22 straight contests.

 

This time, TSU found the end zone after Butler hit Weldon Garlington with an 11-yard pass-and-catch to make the score, 28-10. Butler had runs of six and 20 yards to key the drive.

 

The Panthers answered right back with a touchdown drive of their own. Little ran the ball six times for 38 yards on the series, but Garoppolo ended it with a 25-yard dart to LePak. The point after was no good, but EIU still claimed a commanding, 34-10, lead.

 

Garoppolo finished with 410 yards on 24-of-41 passing and four touchdowns.

 

Still, Tennessee State would not quit, as Butler threw passes of 17 and 25 yards before hitting Dantwaun O’Neal with a 25-yard touchdown. Godfrey could not add the point after, but the score cut the EIU lead to 18 with five minutes to go in the game.

 

The Tigers will try to regroup next Saturday when the squad travels to Eastern Kentucky for a noon kickoff.

 

    Final Box

 

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WSSU wakes up in time to beat Livingstone 40-0

SALISBURY, North Carolina — Coach Connell Maynor of Winston-Salem State was not in a good mood for somebody who just won a game 40-0.

Maynor’s Rams manhandled the Livingstone Blue Bears in front of nearly 4,000 on Saturday, but it was as ugly a win as they have had in the four seasons that Maynor has been around.

“ I’m disappointed,” Maynor said. “That was unacceptable the way we came out and played in the first half. And that’s my fault because I have to get these guys ready to perform in the first half — so I’ve got nobody to point the finger at but myself.”

WSSU won its seventh in a row to improve to 7-1 and 5-0 in the CIAA, but it wasn’t supposed to be that hard. The Blue Bears had other ideas.

The Rams had three turnovers in the first half and looked out of sorts on offense, but the aggressive WSSU defense bailed them out time and time again. The Blue Bears never got close to scoring, generating just 97 total yards for the game.

The Rams were up just 7-0 at halftime.

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JSU Remains Undefeated in SWAC Play with 51-38 win over PVAMU

SHREVEPORT, Louisiana – The Jackson State Tigers picked up a big 51-38 win over Prairie View A&M Saturday at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. The Tigers improved to a 7-0 conference record (7-2 overall) and PVAM falls to 5-4, 4-3 SWAC).

Tommy Gooden, Clayton Moore and Zach Pendleton led JSU to its sixth straight victory.  Gooden recorded a game-high 203 yards and a touchdown. Moore finished with 235 passing yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another 104 yards and a TD. Pendleton hauled in a game high eight passes for 130 yards and three TDs.

The game was tied 38-38 at the end of the third quarter. At the 12:14 mark Gooden capped a nine play, 55 yard drive with a three yard touchdown run. Ryan Deising’s point after kick gave JSU a 45-38 advantage. The Tigers put the game away at the 2:39 mark when Jarius Moore scored on a 10 yard run, capping a 10 play, 75 yard drive.

Prairie View A&M led after the first quarter (10-3). JSU’s first points of the game were scored on a 26-yard Deising field goal. The Tigers dominated the second quarter, scoring 21 points. Moore and Pendleton connected three times for touchdowns. At the 8:06 mark Pendleton scored on a 37 yard pass play. At the 5:23 mark he caught a 28 yard touchdown pass and snagged a 27-yard touchdown pass with 30 seconds left in the first half.

Ariane McCree led JSU’s defensive effort, totaling 12 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. Cameron Loeffler followed with nine tackles.  JSU finished the game with six sacks.

The Tigers will have an open date on Nov. 2 before traveling to Huntsville, Ala. to take on Alabama A&M in SWAC play.

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Langston Beats Oklahoma Baptist 53-7

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- Langston amassed nearly 600 yards of total offense en route to an easy 53-7 victory over Oklahoma Baptist. Mark Wright, Jr. engineered the attack, going 17-23 for 283 yards and a touchdown. He added a score on the ground, rushing for 66 yards, keeping two drives alive with his feet. Early penalties held Langston back in the first half, but the Lions were still able to put up 20 points. Then they exploded for 36 in the second half, including 19 4^th quarter points. A 73-yard Kievon Jackson run highlighted the final 15 minutes of the game.

12 players had carries for the Lions. Jackson and Wright led the ground game, followed by Kenrick Robertson and William Taylor, who both had touchdowns. Wright spread the ball around to eight different receivers. Bruce Thompson had the long catch on the day, going for 57 yards late in the 3^rd quarter to set up a short Robertson touchdown run. DeVon Bailey made his presence felt in the slot, catching four balls for 66 yards.



John Hunter led the team in tackles for the second week in a row. He had seven, including an assist on a tackle for loss. The defense created four turnovers with three interceptions and a fumble. Two of those interceptions were part of a sloppy 1^st quarter for both sides, but Langston got the better of the Bison in the end.

Langston is outscoring their NAIA opponents 128-32 this season. They are 3-0 and lead the Central States Football League. Up next: NCAA Division II Oklahoma Panhandle State in Goodwell. The Lions continue on the road with a key conference clash in Muskogee against Bacone on November 9^th. Langston ends the season at home against Wayland Baptist.  

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