Offensive line clears way for SSU running game

By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News

"The Hoggies," Savannah State's starting offensive linemen, went hog wild on Saturday.

Right tackle Derrick Dorsey, right guard Algernon Wright, center Kenny Andrew, left guard Justin Norton, left tackle Rashad Jackson and tight end Joshua Marshall pushed Johnson C. Smith's defensive line all over the field in SSU's 24-10 victory.

Six players, led by freshman tailback Antwan Edwards, combined for 328 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 53 carries against the NCAA Division II school from Charlotte, N.C. It was SSU's most yards rushing since the Tigers ran for 330 yards at Fort Valley State in 1999.

Edwards, who made his first start at tailback, ran for a game-high 103 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown, on 14 carries. The 5-foot-9 177-pound Miami native became the first SSU running back to run for over 100 yards since Chad Cone gained 169 yards against Morehouse last October.

"Our offensive line worked hard this week and it showed in the game," Edwards said.
"The Hoggies," whose largest player, Wright, is 6-foot-2, 432 pounds, redeemed themselves after a 47-7 season-opening loss at Morgan State in which SSU ran for only 29 yards without a touchdown on 32 carries.

Photo: Savannah State running back Justin Babb (20) hits a wall of Johnson C. Smith University defenders during Saturday's game at Memorial Stadium.

Saturday, SSU's offensive line created running lanes that resulted in touchdown drives of 77, 94 and 52 yards, and netted a field goal on a 30-yard drive. "The Hoggies" also did not allow a sack.

"My hat goes off to our offensive line," SSU second-year coach Theo Lemon said. "Those guys did a great job of blocking and sustaining."

SSU (1-1) primarily was a passing team under former coach Richard Basil. Lemon's offensive philosophy is based on the running game.

It has taken time, including last season's 2-9 campaign, for SSU's running attack to develop. But Saturday, the running game that Lemon vowed "will come" made its much-anticipated debut.

SSU's ball-carriers, most of them members of Lemon's first full recruiting class this season, bulled their way to the most yards rushing during the Lemon era. The previous high was 204 yards rushing in a 24-20 victory over Division II Morehouse last season.

"We wanted to run the ball. That was the game plan: to control the clock," said Jackson, a 6-4, 317-pound senior from Jacksonville, Fla. "We probably only ran about seven plays. We tried more plays against Morgan State, but we realized what our limitations were.

"Today, we had different backs for different situations. We have our power backs and we have our speedy backs. When they run for a lot of yards it's a good feeling. It makes us know we're making holes and they're capitalizing on what we make.
"This is big for the school, the city and also for us."

SSU quarterback JaCorey Kilcrease raved about "The Hoggies" and their ability to spring the Tigers' stable of running backs.

"Our offensive line, those boys went out and executed," he said. "Without them we can't do anything."

Opinion: BCU pitches game away

By KEN WILLIS, Daytona News Journal

Opinion: MY TWO CENTS

In baseball, a wild pitch can lead to big trouble. In football, it can be death.

Two wild pitches double the chances.

And when it happens, there's no lonelier person on earth than the quarterback. No one unluckier, no one sicker.

"When I pitch it, most of the time I don't see the ball," Bethune-Cookman quarterback Jimmie Russell said. "I pitched it, then I looked. And I was like, 'Awwww.' That's when your stomach goes in your throat."

When the option play is working well, it's a beautiful piece of choreography. But when it's not, there's no uglier clunker. In better years -- with Pa'tel Troutman and Allen Suber at the controls -- the Wildcat offense was worth the price of admission.

Not Saturday, when a whole afternoon of erratic play included two ill-advised option pitches by Russell -- one in the first quarter and another in the third -- led to S.C. State touchdowns.

"One or two plays can make the difference in a game," Russell said. "It just wasn't a good game on my behalf."

On the opposing sideline, senior quarterback Cleveland McCoy knew exactly what Russell was going through. The Bulldogs' option game looked well-oiled for much of Saturday afternoon, but he's been on the bad side of that fine line and knows how bad it can turn when mistakes are made.

"It's tough. It rattles the quarterback a lot," said McCoy, whose offense gained 271 rushing yards Saturday. "Couple of fumbles, and once he makes several bad decisions . . . "

That's the way it goes with an option team. Blocking assignments can be missed left and right (and they were, by the way), but when the prescribed offense includes just that -- options -- the quarterback is expected to find a way. Therefore, right or wrong, Russell was doing the admirable thing by falling on his sword.

MISTAKES ALL AROUND

It wasn't for lack of effort that B-CU managed just 247 offensive yards. It was simply a lack of rhythm, which eventually became a lack of confidence. And once an option team loses control, it's like a pilot trying to recover from a spiral. Very, very tough.

"It's easy to get the confidence back when the offense isn't running smoothly," Russell said. "But when you're the person messing up, it's hard to get your confidence back. I didn't play a good game. I didn't play a good game at all."

If the offense could've found any footing at all, the Wildcats might've found a way to win, because S.C. State spent a good part of the day stepping on rakes -- 11 penalties for 155 yards, three field goals blocked, a fumble after a pass completion that was returned to the S.C. State 12.

"We won the football game, but I tell you, we were a stumblin', bumblin' bunch," Bulldogs head coach Buddy Pough said. "We just did so many silly things to not score points -- blocked field goals, off-sides. Ugly things."

When both sides watch the game film, there'll be plenty of flinching all around. This wasn't two teams at midseason form. For B-CU, the Wildcats will be able to count the ways things went bad. Up in Orangeburg, S.C., the Bulldogs will exhale and be reminded that victory is a great salve.

The Bulldogs go to Columbia next weekend for a play-for-pay date with big-league South Carolina, and while they don't go in with all their oars in the water, things could be worse.

"I feel better about next week because we don't go in there 0-2," Pough said. "We had this game sandwiched between Air Force and South Carolina. I was really worried about us coming down here and either not playing well because we didn't pay enough attention to these people, or we'd just come down here and get beat.

"Last year, you gotta remember how badly this team beat us. I'm happy with the fact that we won the football game. It at least puts us in a good enough frame of mind that we can go into Columbia and be excited about going."

BCU mistakes doom Wildcats' cause

Photo: South Carolina State's Travil Jamison dives through Bethune-Cookman University defenders for a first quarter score during Saturday's game.

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- All Jimmie Russell could do was take the blame and look ahead to better games to come.

"I didn't have a good game at all," Bethune-Cookman's senior quarterback said Saturday. "I wish I could have one or two plays back, but I don't have a magic wand."

Just a few plays would have made the difference for the Wildcats, who lost a mistake-filled 23-14 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contest to South Carolina State at Municipal Stadium.

Two bad pitches led to South Carolina State touchdowns. B-CU (1-1, 0-1 MEAC) also came away with just three points off two third-quarter drives inside the Bulldogs 10-yard line.

Photo: BCU quarterback Jimmie Russell pitches the ball out to his running back.

"We've got to go back to the drawing board and hash some things out on offense as well as special teams," said B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt.

Wyatt and S.C. State coach Buddy Pough were pleased with their defenses, but both teams self-destructed on offense and special teams. The Wildcats' mistakes were costlier.

But Russell said it was nobody's fault but his own that his errant option pitch intended for Corey Council in the first quarter landed on the ground and was scooped up by S.C. State's LaQuinn Ellerbe, who ran the ball back 21 yards to the B-CU 3.

Another option toss -- this one too high for Phillip Kirkland to handle on the first drive of the second half -- was recovered by the Bulldogs' Rafael Bush at the Wildcats 32.

Both plays led to Bulldog touchdowns.

"Our defense played great," said Pough, whose team held the Wildcats to 172 yards. "I thought our defense put them out of sync."

Travil Jamison scored on a 3-yard run to give S.C. State (1-1, 1-0) a 10-3 lead after the first fumble. And Cleveland McCoy's 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Spencer Miller followed Bush's recovery to push the visitors' advantage to 17-3.

But Council followed that score with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that charged up the crowd of 9,147 and renewed the Wildcats' confidence and make it 17-10.

"We've been coming close to breaking one," Council said. "We finally got all of our blocks. We said that we were just one man away. We finally got that man."

The Wildcats, who had rallied from a 14-0 deficit to defeat the Bulldogs 45-21 last year, seemed to be on the verge of another comeback. After Council's score, free safety Bobbie Williams forced a fumble by S.C. state receiver Octavius Darby, and cornerback Antonio Cox ran the ball back fumble 52 yards to the Bulldogs 12.

A penalty against S.C. State for interfering with the officials pushed the ball to the 6, but a sack, a Russell run for no gain and an incomplete pass forced the 'Cats to attempt a field goal. Lucas Esquivel's 27-yard try went wide right.

B-CU drove to the Bulldogs 9 on its next possession. This time Esquivel converted a 27-yarder to pull the Wildcats within 17-13.

Photo: South Carolina State quarterback Cleveland McCoy leaves the pocket and maneuvers over Bethune-Cookman's Cedric Mason.

TAKE FIVE

Big Foot

Bethune-Cookman punter Justin Keable, a DeLand High graduate, averaged 47 yards on three punts, including a long of 58 to South Carolina State's 10, on Saturday. Keable also had a 42-yard boot that was downed on the Bulldogs' 3-yard line.

This Kicker Can Hit

After B-CU's Corey Council ran back a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, S.C. State's William Ford was on his way to matching Council's feat on the Wildcats' ensuing kickoff. Ford scurried 38 yards past would-be tacklers to the Bulldogs' 44, where the last man wearing a maroon jersey in front of him -- kicker Adam Ward -- brought him down.

Block Party

B-CU middle linebacker Brendan Odom saved seven points and then three points on the same drive. With S.C. State driving at B-CU's 11-yard line late in the second quarter, the sophomore broke up a pass intended for Octavius Darby in the end zone. After a penalty pushed the Bulldogs back, Odom blocked a 40-yard field-goal attempt by Stephen Grantham. It was one of three field goals the Wildcats blocked or tipped.

Cousins Lead The Way

B-CU's Ronnie McCullough (hamstring) was not expected to play Saturday, but the senior linebacker wound up leading the Wildcats in tackles with 11. McCullough's cousin, Josh Balloon, was tied for second on the team with eight tackles. Odom also had eight tackles.

Brothers Make Noise

B-CU sophomore transfer Antwane Cox earned a starting cornerback spot coming into the season. But it was his twin brother, Antonio Cox, who had a big play Saturday. Antonio returned a Bulldog fumble 52 yards to S.C. State's 12-yard line in the third quarter. The Wildcats could not take advantage of the play, however, as they missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt. Each of the Cox brothers had three tackles in the game.

-- Brent Woronoff

QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE

Couldn't that third-quarter penalty against South Carolina State have been better described simply as unsportsmanlike conduct?

Could be, but when you give the referee a microphone, you never know what you're gonna get. It happened after Bethune-Cookman's Antonio Cox recovered a fumble following a pass to S.C. State's Darris Jackson. The S.C. State bench wanted the play ruled an incomplete pass, and coaches on the Bulldogs' sideline got up close and personal with the nearest official. The penalty was described as "Interfering with the official's ability to do his job."

Where'd South Carolina get that extra fan support behind the bench?

Probably a hardware store. The Bulldogs own six high-powered, oscillating fans, complete with misters, and in the early part of the season particularly, they take them everywhere to help beat the heat. It's the first time a visiting team has added that big-league touch to the sidelines at Municipal Stadium.

What's up with S.C. State's early-season schedule?

It took many, many years, but the Bulldogs finally employed the time-honored method for a smaller school to puts its athletic program into the black financially. They opened last week at Air Force, and next week they make the short road-trip from Orangeburg to Columbia to play South Carolina -- it's S.C. State's first two ventures into college football's upper division. Combined, the two games will gross the Bulldog program just under a half-million dollars.

Doesn't Appalachian State's monumental win at Michigan last week give hope to all underdogs like S.C. State?

You'd think, but S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough laughed when asked if he'd draw such inspiration when his team plays the Gamecocks next weekend. "Noooo," he said. "The difference is, Appalachian is a helluva lot better than South Carolina State."

-- Ken Willis

Towson escapes Morgan State

Scott's interception for 68 yards helps set up winning score for Tigers

By Ken Murray, Baltimore Sun

A local rivalry known for bizarre plays and crazy finishes played to its reputation yesterday. Towson University, which usually wins these affairs, beat Morgan State again, but barely.

The Tigers waded through high-snap misadventures, a two-interception game from quarterback Sean Schaefer, and a depleting run of cramps before escaping Hughes Stadium with a 28-21 victory.

Just when Morgan State had seemingly wrestled control of the game away from the Tigers with a dazzling 56-yard touchdown run by Chad Simpson and a gift safety, the Tigers took it right back.

Photo: Morgan State University RB Chad Simpson

Towson safety Kenny Scott stepped in front of Morgan's Roderick Wolfe to make the play of the game, a fourth-quarter interception he returned 68 yards to the Bears' 2.

On the next play, Schaefer waited in the pocket for tight end John Godlasky - Towson almost never throws to its tight ends - to clear in the back of the end zone and lobbed a 2-yard touchdown pass that broke Morgan's back.

"They ran a lot of pick routes, and I had to do a good job of fighting over the picks and make the play," Scott, a team co-captain, said of his game-changing play. "Coach was saying all week long we've got to make a play when we get the chance."

After getting shredded for 245 rushing yards, 195 by Simpson, coach Gordy Combs reached for a bottom line that has Towson off to a 2-0 start.

"We stopped them when we had to," Combs said. "That's the big thing. I'm not going to get overly concerned about how much yardage we gave up."

The Tigers were resilient on defense and methodical on offense. Schaefer more than offset his two interceptions with four touchdown passes to four different receivers.

But when Austin Weibley sent a shotgun snap over Schaefer's head into the end zone for a safety less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Morgan had come back from a 14-3 deficit to tie the game at 21.

When quarterback Mario Melton sprung Simpson for a 16-yard gain on Morgan's ensuing possession with a knockdown block, the Bears (1-1) looked like they would take over the game.

They chewed up 36 more yards on the ground before Melton, on second-and-one, tossed an option pitch high and behind Devan James, who was filling in for a cramping Simpson.

James took a 6-yard loss on the play. On third-and-seven, Melton threw his costly interception.

"The play call was an inside slant because we knew they were coming with a blitz off the edge," Morgan coach Donald Hill-Eley said. "But rather than the quarterback throwing to his hot read, which was the slant that was wide open, he decided to throw the ball outside to Wolfe. ... It ended up costing us.

"But that one play doesn't make the game. We left about 24 points on the field."

The stadium's new FieldTurf was littered with squandered opportunities for Morgan.

Bears kicker Johnathan Skeete had two blocked field goals. Wolfe, who later made a sensational 44-yard catch, had a touchdown pass knocked from his hands in the end zone by Ollie Thomas. And a long pass to wide-out Edwin Baptiste was ruled incomplete in the end zone because he did not have control.

Simpson powered Morgan's second-half comeback with 110 yards on just 10 carries before going off with cramps. "I was cramping up the whole game," he said.

Towson's depth was a factor as Combs went deep into his bench.

"We were able to play 15, 16, 17 defensive players, 10 offensive linemen, all three tailbacks, a host of receivers and all three tight ends," he said.

When starting center Nick Bradway broke his right hand, he was replaced by Weibley and the Tigers were forced to pull back on offense. Without Rasheed McClaude (cramps), tailback Nick Williams pounded for 91 yards.

HU notes: Pope enjoys a block party

By David Driver, Correspondent Daily Press

WASHINGTON - Hampton cornerback Sam Pope blocked a field goal attempt by John Mendoza in the second quarter.

"There was a lot of pressure from the interior, and that broke me free. No one touched me," Pope said.

Pope also made a catch in the end zone for a near interception, but he was ruled out of bounds in the first half.

"It was a pick," said senior defensive end Kendall Langford.

CONNECTIONS

Howard played its first game under new coach Carey Bailey, a former defensive line coach at the University of Minnesota. He also made stops at Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Middle Tennessee State, Louisiana Lafayette and VMI.

Hampton coach Taylor, in his 16th season, was a Howard assistant in 1982 and the Bison head coach in 1983. Former Redskins defensive back Barry Wilburn is in his first season as a defensive secondary coach for Howard. He played for the Redskins from 1985-91, and was an All-Pro in 1987 when he led the league in interceptions.

HEAT IS ON

Hampton senior Qutrell Payton was taken to a local hospital for dehydration during the second quarter, according to coach Joe Taylor.

EXTRA POINTS

On a clear, dry day, players from both teams slipped several times on Howard's artificial grass field. ... Hampton has now won 11 openers in a row in the conference. ...Jahmal Blanchard of Hampton averaged 53 yards on five punts.

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Attendance for the game was 7,035.

HU continues dominance of Howard

T.J. Mitchell throws three late touchdowns to lead the Pirates to their 11th straight win in the MEAC series.

By David Driver, Correspondent Daily Press

WASHINGTON - For more than three quarters on a humid Saturday afternoon, Hampton quarterback T.J. Mitchell completed passes all over the field.

He had little to show for his effort.

The only touchdown at that point for the Pirates came on a run by Kevin Beverly in the first quarter.

But on third-and-15 late in the third quarter, a screen pass in the left flat from Mitchell to Van Morgan went 38 yards for a touchdown to give Hampton a seven-point lead.

That was the first of three touchdown passes in a matter of minutes for Mitchell, lifting the Pirates to a 31-24 win over Howard in the opener for both MEAC teams.

Hampton, ranked 11th in the Sports Network I-AA poll, beat Howard 46-7 last year en route to a record of 10-2 and a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs.

Hampton has won the last 11 games between the two teams, but this was one was not easy.

"It was just great execution," Hampton coach Joe Taylor said of the screen to Morgan.

"It was a very big play. When you get a strong rush, that is when you want to call that play."

"It was good play-calling," said Morgan, who broke several tackles on the score that put Hampton ahead to stay with 11 minutes and 36 seconds left.

The Hampton defense then forced Howard to punt, and the Pirates' offense took over with about nine minutes left.

On the second play Mitchell connected on a completion on the right sideline to Kevin Teel, who broke a tackle and went down the sidelines for a 78-yard touchdown as Hampton took a 24-10 lead with 8:14 remaining in the game.

Mitchell's third scoring pass later in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach, as Jeremy Gilchrist scored from 21 yards with 3:29 left to make it 31-17.

Mitchell completed 13 of 27 passes in the first three quarters, including six to Gilchrist.

Mitchell ended up 19 of 36 for 310 yards and no interceptions.

"I just have to stay positive. I wasn't frustrated," Mitchell said. "Players make plays."

Beverly, from nearby New Carrollton, Md., gave the Pirates the lead with a 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

The senior, who began his college career at Kent State, played his final game at Howard on Saturday.

Taylor said Beverly was not at 100 percent due to the heat.

"It was fun. You get to play in front of family," Beverly said. "But we came up here for a reason."

After the teams traded field goals, the Bison tied the score with nine seconds left in the third quarter on a pass from Brian Johnson to Jarahn Williams. The PAT by John Mendoza made the score 10-10.

Hampton got the ball back and went 62 yards on eight plays, with the screen play in the left flat giving the Pirates the lead for good on a day the temperature hovered around 90 degrees.

"It was certainly a very warm day. The team that was in the best condition would have an edge," said Taylor.

The coach credited the team's diet the week before the game as a key.

Despite the win, the Pirates feel they have plenty to work on before next Saturday's game at North Carolina A&T.

Howard had 161 rusing yards and 244 passing yards.

Howard was successful on six of its first 14 plays on third down.

"We as a defensive unit need to improve, and not let them have big plays on third down," said senior defensive end Kendall Langford, the preseason player of the year in the MEAC.

Against a Longtime Nemesis, Missed Opportunities Hurt Bison

Photo: Howard University Head Football Coach Carey Bailey

Hampton University 31, Howard University 24

By Matthew Stanmyre, Special to The Washington Post

Howard's football players, sweaty and battered, sat in clumps inside the school's musty auxiliary gymnasium yesterday as sun poured in through the windows above. It had been nearly 40 minutes since the Bison lost to Hampton, 31-24, at Greene Stadium, but first-year coach Carey Bailey wasn't ready to dismiss the game.

"I had a lot of things that were fresh in my mind," Bailey said.

Bailey and the Bison had plenty to mull. There was the missed tackle early in the fourth quarter that allowed the Pirates to take the lead for good. A few minutes later, another blown tackle enabled the Pirates to expand their lead with a 78-yard scoring pass. Even after Howard battled back to get within a touchdown, a missed assignment on the ensuing onside kick helped Hampton escape with its 11th straight victory against the Bison, a streak dating from 1996.

"We had four or five critical errors that took place that we have to eliminate," said Bailey, who made his head coaching debut in what was both teams' season opener. "It's not so much to have an error, but when it's a critical error, that's when it usually costs you points."

Howard learned the familiar lesson Saturday against Hampton, the three-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion. When Bailey took over in February and reviewed game film from the 2006 season, he concluded that the Bison -- though usually competitive -- were often undone by untimely errors, a trend he sought to alleviate in preseason camp.

That continued yesterday. The Bison gained 405 yards of total offense in pushing the defending conference champion to its limit, but couldn't close the deal.

"They're going to be a good football team," said Hampton Coach Joe Taylor, who has won 192 games in 25 years. "There's no question that it's a team that knows what it's trying to get done, and that's a sign of good coaching."

Howard tied the score at 10 with nine seconds left in the third quarter, when quarterback Brian Johnson found wideout Jarahn Williams for a one-yard touchdown pass. But the Bison unraveled on Hampton's next two possessions -- they blew an assignment on a screen pass that went for a score, and then missed a tackle that led to a touchdown that put Hampton ahead 24-10 with 8:14 left.

Howard stayed close, getting within 31-24 with 1:45 left on a touchdown pass from Johnson to Arlandus Hood, but the error on the ensuing onside kick foiled the Bison's upset bid.

Johnson was 21 of 37 for 244 yards and two touchdowns, and Hampton's T.J. Mitchell, a West Virginia transfer, was 19 of 36 for 310 yards and three scores.

"We played hard, but we didn't always play smart," said Bailey, who was the defensive line coach at Minnesota last season. "We'll go back and try and fix some things."

14,327 at Bragg Memorial Stadium see Rattlers fall to Hornets in MEAC matchup

Photo: DSU blocks FAMU's Westley Taylor punt.

Delaware State's special teams hand FAMU its 4th consecutive 0-2 start.

Tim Linafelt, Special to the Orlando Sentinel

TALLAHASSEE - Florida A&M couldn't find a spark to ignite its offense, but junior quarterback Vashon Winton was Delaware State's, which handed the Rattlers a 20-7 loss Saturday in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

Winton threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Hornets to their third consecutive victory against FAMU.

The loss also was the Rattlers' fourth consecutive 0-2 start.

After a scoreless first quarter, Delaware State's Alimayo Wilder blocked a punt to set up the Hornets on FAMU's 1-yard line. A play later, Winton found receiver Shaheer McBride in the end zone to give DSU a 7-0 lead.

"The real difference in the game was on special teams," FAMU Coach Rubin Carter said. "The blocked punt setting up Delaware State for a key first score -- those types of things have to be avoided in games."

FAMU responded later in the second quarter with its only score of the game: a 5-yard pass from Albert Chester to Taj Jenkins with 1 minute, 17 seconds remaining in the half.

It appeared the Rattlers would go into halftime with a tied score, but Delaware State quickly moved down the field, and Peter Gaertner's 34-yard field goal with 1 second remaining gave the Hornets a 10-7 lead.

DSU (2-0, 1-0 MEAC) opened the third quarter with a five-play, 49-yard drive, capped off by Winton's second touchdown pass of the night, a 19-yard strike to William Griggs. Another field goal by Gaertner, this one a 36-yarder, stretched the lead to 20-7.

"We just have to learn how to put together two halves of football," Carter said. "Defensively, we can't allow them to get the momentum back so quickly."

FAMU quarterback Chester was 19-of-34 for 172 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Running back Philip Sylvester led FAMU rushers with 39 yards on 11 carries.

The Rattlers, who host Howard next week, will look to avoid its first 0-3 start under Carter.

"We have to avoid that at all costs," Carter said. "We have to win the next ballgame, and our players understand that. That's the expectation, that's the standard."

DSU Wilder's blocked punt sparks Hornets over FAMU

Photo: Florida A&M quarterback Albert Chester II is dragged down for a sack by Delaware State's Keola Asuega in the first half Saturday night. Photo by Tallahassee Democrat/MIKE EWEN

By KRISTIAN POPE, The News Journal

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- There's a motto among Delaware State's football team that, essentially, says every player has one play just for himself.

No matter the game, no matter the circumstances, there's one play where anyone can become a star.

On a typically warm Saturday night in Florida, Alimayo Wilder got his chance to shine.

Wilder's second-quarter punt block served as a catalyst for the Hornets in their 20-7 victory over Florida A&M in their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener before 14,327 at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

For the second straight game, the Hornets started slowly. Quarterback Vashon Winton's passes weren't always on the mark and the team's running game became anemic behind Chris Strother, who started for the first time for an injured Kareem Jones.

Winton warmed up to complete 17-of-25 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Shaheer McBride caught five passes for 57 yards, tying the school record for career catches (160). Strother gained 35 yards on 11 carries and caught six passes for 73 yards. Peter Gaertner kicked field goals of 34 and 36 yards.

It started, however, with Wilder's game-changing play.

Courtesy of Wilder, a senior defensive lineman from Baltimore, the sound of a frenzied crowd decked out in obligatory orange and green turned into near silence for the game's duration.

"It's all about striving for excellence. That's what each play is about," Wilder said.

Delaware State recovered the blocked punt at the Rattlers 1-yard line, quickly scored its first touchdown and rode the momentum to its second straight victory and an unprecedented third in a row against FAMU.

"There's nothing like the death sound of a blocked punt," Hornets coach Al Lavan said.

The victory over FAMU (0-2, 0-1 MEAC) gives the Hornets (2-0, 1-0) an early boost in the race for the league championship. The Rattlers, picked fourth in the preseason, believed they were good enough to compete for the title.

The game-changing play came when FAMU's Wesley Taylor punted from his own 24-yard line. Before he could get his leg on the ball, Wilder zoomed in. The ball bounced backward, and DSU's Ryan Robinson grabbed it at the 1.

DSU's TD came when Winton found McBride on an 11-yard slant pattern.

"We really needed a big play, and he made the big play," Winton said of Wilder.

FAMU quarterback Albert Chester II, slowed by an ailing throwing arm, located Taj Jenkines in the back corner of the end zone for a 5-yard TD with 1:17 left to tie it 7-7.

But the Hornets responded by marching 57 yards on nine plays to set up Gaertner's 34-yard field goal for a 10-7 edge.

Winton threw another TD pass in the third quarter, a 19-yarder to William Griggs, that put DSU up 17-7 with 2:18 remaining.

"Everyone has a play," Lavan said. "Alimayo made one and so did Griggs. That's what you'll see from our team, different guys in different positions that give you a chance to win the game."


QUICK HITS
Strother's start

Chris Strother was uncertain he'd play at all earlier in the week. He certainly didn't expect to start Saturday night in his home state.

But just a week following running back Kareem Jones' 171-yard debut in the season opener, it was Strother's name that was called. And he helped Delaware State to a 20-7 victory at Florida A&M.

Jones, a junior transfer from Syracuse, was limited in the game by coach Al Lavan because of a strained knee suffered in last week's victory over Coastal Carolina.

Strother, a native of Miami who attended NCAA Division I-A Central Florida one season before transferring to DSU before the 2006 season, caught six passes for 73 yards. He rushed 11 times for 35 yards.

It felt good to Strother, whose family watched, including his 3-year-old son, Chris Strother Jr.

"I just wanted to do the best I could," he said. "It's not about me or Kareem. It's bigger than all that. This was a team thing."

Tasty Tallahassee

It's not all crazy around Florida A&M football in Tallahassee.

The festivities around Bragg Memorial Stadium might be among the coolest in college football. Especially if you like Southern food.

From turkey legs with lemon pepper to fish sandwiches and red velvet cake, Perry Street across from the stadium is filled vendors selling amazing food.

This and that

DSU will host FAMU next season for first time since 2002. In 2004, FAMU left the MEAC and tried to move to NCAA Division I-A. Last year, DSU and FAMU played at Detroit. ... Shaheer McBride tied Albert Horsey (1997-2000) as DSU's all-time leader in receptions with 160.

Final: Prairie View 22, North Carolina A&T 7

LOS ANGELES, CA - Val Ford returned two blocked punts for touchdowns in the first half and led Prairie View A&M to a 22-7 victory over North Carolina A&T in the the 2nd annual Angel City Classic Saturday afternoon at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

North Carolina A&T has now lost 18 consecutive games dating back to October 2005.

Three times in the second quarter the Panthers' (2-0, 0-0) defensive back and special teamer Riante Jones blocked three kicks that sparked Prairie View and led to two touchdowns. Early in the quarter Jones blocked Eric Houston's punt near the Aggies' 20-yard line. Ford picked up the loose ball and raced 18 yards into the end zone giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead.

The Aggies (0-2, 0-0) countered with a drive down to the Prairie View A&M nine-yard line but Jones blocked Lee Woodson's 27-yard field goal attempt, foiling the North Carolina A&T scoring threat.

With 2:03 remaining in the second quarter, Jones broke through the middle of the Aggies' front line for a third time and blocked Houston's punt for the second time in the game. This time Ford caught the ball in full stride and returned it three yards for a TD increasing the Panthers' lead to 13-0 The Aggies' offense moved the ball in the first-half but came up empty.

North Carolina A&T gained 182 yards in total offense and held the ball for over 20 minutes in the opening half, but was unable to score. In the second half the offense sputtered.

Late in the third quarter, QB Chris Gibson scored on a nine-yard TD run upping the Panthers' lead to 20-0. North Carolina A&T got on the board on a fourth quarter 32-yard TD pass from Shelton Morgan to Giorgio Lowrance.

Gibson completed 16 passes for 145 yards for the Panthers.

Anthony Weeden caught six passes and Joe Townsend and Shaun Stephens each had five catches for Prairie View. Michael Ferguson led the Aggies with 181 yards rushing on 22 carries.

Saturday's game was the first time the two teams have played each other.

Prairie View A&M holds the NCAA record of 80 straight losses between 1989 -- 1998.

Final: Delaware State 20, Florida A&M University 7

Photo: FAMU QB Albert Chester II

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Vashon Winton threw two touchdown passes to lead Delaware State to a 20-7 win over Florida A&M Saturday.

Delaware State (2-0, 1-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) led 10-7 at halftime and scored 10 points in the third quarter to take control of the game. Winton hit William Griggs with a 19-yard scoring pass on the first drive of the second half.

Albert Chester completed 19 of 34 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown for Florida A&M (0-2, 0-1 MEAC).

Delaware State took a 7-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the second quarter, when Winton threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Shaheer McBride. The touchdown came after Delaware State's Alimayo Wilder blocked a punt by Florida A&M's Wesley Taylor.

Florida A&M scored its only points on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Chester to Taj Jenkines with 1:17 left in the second quarter. The score capped a 40-yard drive that began after the Rattlers' Curtis Holcomb intercepted a Winton pass.

Delaware State, which has beaten Florida A&M three consecutive times, scored its other points on two field goals by Peter Gaertner. The Hornets' Chris Strother caught six passes for 73 yards and also rushed for 35 yards.

Final: Southern U. 23, MVSU 6

CHICAGO - Bryant Lee threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns to lead Southern to a 23-6 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday in the Chicago Football Classic at Soldier Field.

Lee, a red shirt sophomore, connected with three different receivers as the Jaguars (2-0, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) built a 14-6 halftime lead.

Southern scored first early in the second quarter on a 54-yard toss from Lee to Gerard Landry. Later in the period, Lee found Kendrick Smith in the end zone with a 12-yard pass.

Mississippi Valley (1-1) got on the board on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Paul Roberts to Clarence Cotton with six seconds left in the half. The point-after by Jamie Whitworth was wide right.

"We really showed a lot of character coming back in the second half," said Jaguar head coach Pete Richardson, who admitted he feared the game's momentum had shifted to Mississippi Valley with their score late in the first half. "We were able to come back and shut them down."

Southern scored again midway in the third quarter on a 20 yard strike from Lee to Smith. The point-after kick by Josh Doran was blocked. Doran later connected on a 30-yard field goal.

Brian Threat led the rushing for Southern with 106 yards on 11 carries. Del Roberts was the leading receiver for the Jaguars, catching seven of Lee's passes for 74 yards.

"We really couldn't get anything going offensively when we needed to," said Delta Devils coach Willie Totten. "However, give them credit. They played a great game and were able to hold off our offense."

Southern's defense held Mississippi Valley to 162 yards and 11 first downs. Roberts accounted for 121 yards of the Delta Devils offense, completing 17 of 31 passes.

Final: Towson 28, Morgan State University 21

BALTIMORE-- Sean Schaefer threw for four touchdowns to lead Towson to a 28-21 victory over Morgan State on Saturday.

Towson was outgained 375-314 by Morgan State, but a fourth-quarter interception by safety Kenny Scott set up the winning touchdown.

Scott returned the interception 68 yards to the Bears' 2. Schaefer found tight end John Godlasky for the game-winning touchdown in the back of the end zone on the next play with 9:53 left in the fourth quarter.

Morgan State's Mario Melton hit Robert Surratt from 9 yards out with five seconds left in the half to make the score 14-10 at the half.

Chad Simpson raced 56-yards down the sideline to draw Morgan State within two.

The ensuing two-point conversion failed, but a bad snap to Schaefer on the next possession resulted in a safety that tied the game at 21-21.

1 2 3 4 T
TOW (2-0) 7 7 7 7 28
MORG (1-1) 0 10 3 8 21
Final

Final: South Carolina State 24, Bethune-Cookman 13

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.-- Cleveland McCoy passed for two touchdowns, propelling South Carolina State to a 24-13 win over Bethune-Cookman Saturday.

SCSU took the early lead (1-0) in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings, while Bethune-Cookman fell to 0-1 in the league and 1-1 overall.

McCoy threw an 11-yard strike to Spencer Miller early in the third quarter and a 49-yarder to Oliver Young in the fourth quarter. McCoy completed 10 of 18 passes for 88 yards and rushed seven times for 66 yards, as did teammate Travil Jamison.

The Bulldogs jumped to 10-0 midway through the first quarter. Stephen Grantham nailed a 35-yard field goal at 12:28 for the initial score.

Bethune-Cookman's Jimmie Russell pitched errantly toward Corey Council on an option play at the 26-yard line, with SCSU's LaQuinn Ellerbe grabbing the ball and racing 23 yards before being stopped at the 3-yard line.

Jamison then plunged across the goal line. Grantham's extra-point kick at 7:32 made it 10-0.

Bethune-Cookman's 83-yard, 17-play drive produced a 24-yard field goal by Lucas Esquivel at 4:24 of the second quarter.

Another Russell pitch, recovered by SCSU's Bailey Brinson at 31-yard line, led to McCoy's first TD toss and a 17-3 lead.

Council's 98-yard kickoff return and Esquivel's 27-yard field goal -- both in the third quarter -- cut the Bulldog advantage to 17-13.

Then came McCoy's second TD toss, which sealed the victory.


Team Stat Comparison

1st Downs 14 16
3rd down efficiency 2-12 4-13
4th down efficiency 0-0 1-3
Total Yards 359 247
Passing 88 130
Comp-Att 10-18 11-19
Yards per pass 4.9 6.8
Rushing 271 117
Rushing Attempts 40 43
Yards per rush 6.8 2.7
Penalties 11-155 8-70
Turnovers 1 2
Fumbles lost 1 2
Interceptions thrown 0 0
Possession 29:51 27:45

Individual Leaders
South Carolina State Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
McCoy 10/18 88 2 0
Bethune-Cookman Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
Souvera... 6/7 73 0 0
Russell 5/12 57 0 0

South Carolina State Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
McCoy 7 66 0 30
Jamison 6 66 1 57
Bethune-Cookman Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
Russell 17 57 0 20
Council 6 27 0 19

South Carolina State Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
Young 1 49 1 49
Dubose 2 13 0 9
Bethune-Cookman Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
Singlet... 3 46 0 29
Kirklan... 3 39 0 15


Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCSU BCC
FG 12:28 Stephen Grantham 35 yard field goal GOOD.
Drive info: 6 plays, 36 yds in 2:20 3 0
TD 7:32 Travil Jamison rush over left tackle for 3 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Stephen Grantham extra point GOOD.
Drive info: 1 plays, 3 yds in 0:11 10 0
SECOND QUARTER SCSU BCC
FG 4:17 Lucas Esquivel 24 yard field goal GOOD.
Drive info: 17 plays, 73 yds in 7:33 10 3
THIRD QUARTER SCSU BCC
TD 12:00 Cleveland McCoy slant pass complete to Spencer Miller for 11 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Stephen Grantham extra point GOOD.
Drive info: 4 plays, 32 yds in 2:14 17 3
TD 11:47 Stephen Grantham kickoff for 68 yards returned by Corey Council for 98 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
Drive info: 4 plays, 32 yds in 2:14 17 10
-- 11:47 Lucas Esquivel extra point GOOD.
Drive info: 1 plays, 98 yds in 0:00 17 10
FG 2:12 Lucas Esquivel 27 yard field goal GOOD.
Drive info: 7 plays, 40 yds in 3:01 17 13
FOURTH QUARTER SCSU BCC
TD 12:24 Cleveland McCoy middle pass complete to Oliver Young for 49 yards for a TOUCHDOWN. Stephen Grantham extra point GOOD.
Drive info: 2 plays, 56 yds in 1:01 24 13

Final: Pittsburgh 34, Grambling State 10

Photo: Grambling State cornerback DeMichael Dizer (29) breaks up a pass in the end zone.

PITTSBURGH-- LeSean McCoy ran for three touchdowns on his first four carries in the first quarter and Kevan Smith threw for 202 yards and a score in his first career start, helping Pittsburgh quickly open a 21-point lead during a 34-10 victory over Grambling State on Saturday.

Smith became the second Pitt quarterback to win his initial start in as many weeks, throwing a 50-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Byham in the second quarter and connecting with Oderick Turner on a 61-yard completion in the third quarter that led to a Conor Lee field goal.

Smith, a redshirt freshman, replaced Bill Stull, who was lost for at least a month with a torn ligament in his right thumb during a season-opening 27-3 victory over Eastern Michigan. Smith (15-of-22, 1 interception) had thrown only four passes in his career, all of them last week, before beating out freshman Pat Bostick in practice to make the start.

McCoy, one of Pitt's most promising running back recruits since Curtis Martin, ran for 107 yards on 19 carries and scored Pitt's first three touchdowns in his second college game.

McCoy, a freshman from Harrisburg, Pa., was one of the nation's most recruited running backs two years ago until breaking his right ankle and badly tearing a ligament in the fourth game of his high school senior season.

The extension rehabilitation required after that injury led McCoy to spend last season at a prep school before he signed with Pitt (2-0), after many schools that recruited him backed off because of the injury. He is off to a promising start at Pitt, with 175 yards in his first two games.

The last Pitt freshman to run for at least 100 yards was LaRod Stephens-Howling with 105 yards against Syracuse in 2005. Stephens-Howling was Pitt's starter last week and gained 67 yards but, with McCoy running so well, got the ball only three times against Grambling (1-1).

Grambling's speed was a worry to Pitt -- the Tigers were coming off a 31-10 victory over Alcorn State in coach Rod Broadway's debut -- but that didn't prove a factor. A blocked punt and an interception led to two of McCoy's touchdown runs and a 21-0 Pitt lead with 11 minutes gone.

The Tigers also hurt themselves with 108 yards of penalties. They also failed to score three times after moving the ball inside the Pitt 10 during the second half.

McCoy didn't have problems with Heinz Field's notoriously slippery grass or a steady rain that lasted until just before halftime. He ran for 25 yards on his first carry before gaining 17 yards on a swing pass from McCoy. McCoy later scored from the 5.

After Pitt's Brian Kaiser blocked Tim Manuel's punt, McCoy scored on Pitt's next play from the 7 with slightly less than six minutes left in the first quarter. McCoy scored again, on a 13-yard run, less than two minutes later after Eric Thatcher intercepted Brandon Landers' pass. Landers was 19-of-40 for 155 yards and three interceptions.


Photo: Grambling State quarterback Brandon Landers, left, tries to get away from Pittsburgh defensive lineman Greg Romeus.

Despite getting into the end zone whenever he got close in the first quarter, McCoy didn't get the ball on any of Pitt's three plays after a Mike Phillips interception at the Grambling 4 late in the second half. Pitt settled for Lee's 20-yard field goal.

Pittsburgh 34, Grambling St. 10
Team Stat Comparison
(Left-Pitt, Right-GSU)

1st Downs 17 14
Total Yards 239 321
Passing 155 202
Rushing 84 119
Penalties 14-108 10-91
3rd Down Conversions 0-0 0-0
4th Down Conversions 0-0 0-0
Turnovers 3 3
Possession 29:56 30:04

Individual Leaders
Grambling State Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
B. Landers 19/40 155 1 3
Pittsburgh Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
K. Smith 15/22 202 1 1

Grambling State Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
C. Walker 12 54 0 --
Pittsburgh Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
L. McCoy 19 107 3 --

Grambling State Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
C. Edwards 5 59 1 --
Pittsburgh Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
O. Turner 4 74 0 --

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER Score
TD 08:18 Lesean Mccoy 5 Yd Run (Conor Lee Kick) 7-0
TD 05:47 Lesean Mccoy 7 Yd Run (Conor Lee Kick) 14-0
TD 03:59 Lesean Mccoy 13 Yd Run (Conor Lee Kick) 21-0
TD 01:15 Clyde Edwards 29 Yd Pass From Brandon Landers (Tim Manuel Kick) 21-7
SECOND QUARTER Score
FG 06:41 Tim Manuel 35 Yd 21-10
TD 03:38 Nate Byham 50 Yd Pass From Kevan Smith (Conor Lee Kick) 28-10
FG 00:58 Conor Lee 20 Yd 31-10
THIRD QUARTER Score
FG 00:34 Conor Lee 27 Yd 34-10

Final: Hampton University 31, Howard University 24

WASHINGTON--T.J. Mitchell passed for 310 yards and three touchdowns to lead Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference three-time defending champion Hampton to a 31-24 victory over Howard in their season opener Saturday.

Mitchell completed 19 of 36 passes with no interceptions. Kevin Teel had four receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Jeremy Gilchrist added 93 yards and a touchdown on eight catches for Hampton (1-0, 1-0).

Brian Johnson completed 21 of 37 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns for Howard (0-1, 0-1). He also ran for 79 yards on 14 carries. Jarahn Williams, who missed last season because of injury, had nine receptions for 101 yards in Howard coach Carey Bailey's debut.

With the score tied at 10, Hampton scored twice in a span of 3:22 early in the fourth quarter to take control.

Mitchell completed a screen pass to Van Morgan, who scampered 33 yards for a touchdown and a 17-10 lead with 11:36 remaining.

On the Pirates' next possession, Mitchell connected with Teel, who broke two tackles near midfield on a 78-yard touchdown reception for a 24-10 lead.

Karlos Whittaker, who rushed for 71 yards on 20 carries, scored on a 10-yard touchdown run that pulled Howard to 24-17 with 6:24 left.

Gilchrist's 21-yard touchdown reception from Mitchell gave the Pirates a 31-17 lead with 3:29 left.

Hampton 31, Howard 24
Team Stat Comparison

1st Downs 19 21
Total Yards 405 405
Passing 310 244
Rushing 95 161
Penalties 10-59 7-45
3rd Down Conversions 0-0 0-0
4th Down Conversions 0-0 0-0
Turnovers 1 0
Possession 26:27 33:33

Individual Leaders
Hampton Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
T. Mitchell 19/36 310 3 0
Howard Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
B. Johnson 21/37 244 2 0

Hampton Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
K. Beverly 11 39 1 --
Howard Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
B. Johnson 14 79 0 --

Hampton Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
J. Gilchrist 8 93 1 --
Howard Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
J. Williams 9 101 1 --


Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER Score
TD 09:09 Kevin Beverly 7 Yd Run (Carlo Turavani Kick) 7-0
FG 01:18 John Mendoza 23 Yd 7-3
SECOND QUARTER Score
FG 05:13 Carlo Turavani 20 Yd 10-3
THIRD QUARTER Score
TD 00:09 Jarahn Williams 1 Yd Pass From Brian Johnson (John Mendoza Kick) 10-10
FOURTH QUARTER Score
TD 11:36 Van Morgan 38 Yd Pass From Tj Mitchell (Carlo Turavani Kick) 17-10
TD 08:14 Kevin Teel 78 Yd Pass From Tj Mitchell (Carlo Turavani Kick) 24-10
TD 06:24 Karlos Whittaker 10 Yd Run (John Mendoza Kick) 24-17
TD 03:29 Jeremy Gilchrist 19 Yd Pass From Tj Mitchell (Carlo Turavani Kick) 31-17
TD 01:45 Arlandus Hood 16 Yd Pass From Brian Johnson (John Mendoza Kick) 31-24

MEAC/SWAC week two updates

MEAC Scoreboard - Week 2- Sept. 8, 2007

Towson (2-0) 28 Final
@ Morgan State (1-1) 21
4:00 PM ET
Hughes Stadium , Baltimore , MD

Hampton (1-0) 31
@Howard (0-1) 24 Final
1:00 PM ET
Green Stadium, Washington, DC
Internet Live TV: http://www.broadcasturban.net/player/hubison/player.htm

NOTE: NEXT WEEK's FAMU vs. HOWARD GAME IN TALLAHASSEE WILL BE BROADCAST ON THE HOWARD INTERNET ADDRESS ABOVE (FREE TO VIEWERS).

South Carolina State (1-1) 24
@ Bethune Cookman (1-1) 13 Final
4:00 PM ET
Municipal Stadium , Daytona Beach , FL

Delaware State (2-0) 20
@ Florida A&M (0-2) 7 Final
6:00 PM ET
Bragg Memorial Stadium , Tallahassee , FL

Norfolk State (1-0) -Idle

North Carolina A&T (0-2) 7 Final
@ Prairie View A&M (2-0) 22
Angel City Classic
5:30 PM ET
Los Angeles Coliseum , Los Angeles , CA

Winston Salem (1-1) 21
@ Coastal Carolina (1-1) 28 Final
7:00 PM ET
Brooks Stadium , Conway , SC


SWAC Scoreboard - Week 2

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-1) 21
@ Alcorn State (0-2) 3 Final
Sept 6th
ESPNU live

Southern University (1-0) 23
@Mississippi Valley 3 Final
Chicago Football Classic
5:00 PM ET
Soldier Field , Chicago , IL

Grambling State (1-0) 10 Final
@ Pittsburgh (1-0) 34
12:00 PM ET
Heinz Field , Pittsburgh , PA
ESPN 360

North Carolina A&T (0-2) 7
@ Prairie View A&M (2-0) 22 Final
Angel City Classic
5:30 PM ET
Los Angeles Coliseum , Los Angeles , CA

Jackson State (0-2) 13
@ Tennessee State (1-1) 16 Final
Southern Heritage Classic
7:00 PM ET
Liberty Bowl , Memphis , TN
TV: FNS

Clark Atlanta 10
@ Alabama A&M (2-0, 0-0 home) 41 Final
7:30 p.m.

Alabama State (2-0) 21
@ Texas Southern (0-2) 10 Final
8:00 PM ET

Division I Independent - Scoreboard Week 2

St. Augustine 0
@North Carolina Central (1-1) 6 Final
6:00 PM ET

Johnson C. Smith 10
@ Savannah State (1-1) 24 Final

Prairie View A&M vs. North Carolina A&T

Prairie View A&M vs. North Carolina A&T

When/where: 4:30 p.m. Saturday; Los Angeles Coliseum.

Records: Prairie View A&M 1-0; North Carolina A&T 0-1.

Radio: 91.3 FM.

Series record: First meeting between the two schools.

What's at stake: A win in the Angel City Classic would give the Panthers only their second 2-0 start since 1964.

Prairie View update: The Panthers allowed 463 yards but got five sacks and forced four turnovers in a 34-14 win over Texas Southern. The special teams added a blocked field goal and solid efforts from P Pedro Ventura and SWAC special-teams player of the week K Brady Faggard.

Panthers to watch: QB Chris Gibson accounted for 226 yards of offense in the win over TSU. LB Zach East was named SWAC defensive player of the week after recording 13 tackles and a sack.

North Carolina A&T at a glance: The Aggies, who play in the Mideastern Athletic Conference, had just 216 yards and four turnovers in a lackluster 28-7 loss at Winston-Salem State. Lee Fobbs has yet to win in 12 games as Aggies coach. The Aggies have a 17-game losing streak.

Aggies to watch: RB Michael Ferguson had 64 yards rushing last week. Sophomore QB Herbert Miller threw for A&T's only score and is a productive runner.

Alabama State at Texas Southern

Alabama State at Texas Southern

When/where: 7 p.m. Saturday; Alexander Durley Stadium.

Records: Alabama State 1-0; Texas Southern 0-1.

TV/radio: None; 90.9 FM.

Series record: Alabama State leads 11-9-2.

Last meeting: Texas Southern won 10-9 on Sept. 9, 2006.

What's at stake: Texas Southern can't afford to fall into an 0-2 hole in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, especially with road trips to Jackson State and Alabama A&M in the next three weeks.

Alabama State update: New head coach Reggie Barlow won his debut (24-19 over Jacksonville State), mainly on the arm of QB Chris Mitchell, who came off the bench to complete 10 of 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns.

Hornets to watch: RB Jay Peck is productive as a runner and receiver. DT Clyde Holloway came off the bench and had three tackles for losses, including a pair of sacks and a forced fumble against Jacksonville State.

Texas Southern update: The Tigers had 463 yards of offense but fell to Prairie View 34-14 due in part to five turnovers and failing to score on four chances inside the red zone.

Tigers to watch: QB Tino Edgecombe set a school record with 31 completions against Prairie View. SS Lamar Herron had a team-high 10 tackles.

NCCU Eagles look to end St. Aug's string of success in Durham

By MIKE POTTER, The Herald-Sun

Coming off a shutout victory last week, N.C. Central is hoping to build momentum for a fourth straight winning football season. But to stay on the right track, the Eagles are going to need to end a jinx today.

Today at 6 p.m. at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, the Eagles (1-1) take on former CIAA rival St. Augustine's (0-1), which opened last week at home with a 22-9 loss to Mars Hill.

The Eagles, in their first season in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) should be solid favorites against the Division II Falcons except for one thing: They haven't beaten St. Aug's at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium since 1964.

Of course that has a lot to do with St. Aug's nearly 40 years without football until Coach Mike Costa began the revival in 2002. But the Eagles haven't beaten Costa in Durham yet.

Two seasons ago, the Falcons won 22-8 on homecoming day to ruin what otherwise would have been a perfect season. That was NCCU's last regular-season loss at home.

Rison, who is in his first season as NCCU head coach, was offensive coordinator last season when the Eagles held on to win 27-18 in Raleigh.

"Because of where we are and the fact that we're defending [Black College] national champions, if they beat North Carolina Central in our stadium, it would do a lot for their program," Rison said.


And aside from the rivalry, Rison said he has a lot of respect for Costa's program, especially the Falcons' defense.

"I have concerns about their whole defensive front," Rison said. "They're big, physical, they run well and they're veteran players. It may be the best defensive front we'll see all year. We need to find a way to slow down their pass rush."

Costa said he'd like to see the series continue regardless of any success NCCU has in the higher division.

"It's definitely a game we want to play," Costa said. "North Carolina Central was in the CIAA for a long time, and we still consider them part of the CIAA family. Both schools are right here in the Triangle and a lot of the kids know each other. I think the game is good for both programs."

Costa said one of his main concerns is the play of NCCU's sophomore quarterback Stadford Brown, who was a Black College All-American last season and is 12-2 as a starter.

"He can make a lot of plays," Costa said. "We're going to have to get pressure on him.

"We're going to have to avoid turnovers and do a good job in the kicking game."

NOTES -- The Falcons had 220 yards total offense against Mars Hill. Junior Brandon Franklin completed 11 of 32 passes for 132 yards with three interceptions and rushed for 38 yards in the game, while Tim Lovick caught five passes for 81 yards and returned two kickoffs for 43 yards. ... The Eagles lead the series 25-2-1. ... NCCU has three starters from Raleigh. Senior linebackers Derrick and Eric Ray and offensive tackle Azu Alaribe are Millbrook High graduates. ... Eagles kicker Brandon Gilbert, who is the school's all-time leading scorer and has hit 83 straight extra points, is listed as questionable, as is starting running back Jeff Toliver. ... The Eagles have won 13 straight games against CIAA teams.

Wannstedt holds off naming starting QB

BY DALE GRDNIC, For The Patriot-News

PITTSBURGH - It's not called Division I-AA anymore, but Grambling State University --from the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision -- won't be taken lightly by Pitt in its game at noon today at Heinz Field.

The Panthers, 1-0 after beating Eastern Michigan last week, can't afford to look past Grambling because they'll have a freshman as the starting quarterback.

Either redshirt freshman Kevan Smith or freshman Pat Bostick will replace injured junior Bill Stull (thumb surgery).

"They've both done a good job," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. "They really have. I think we've tried to make it as difficult on them as possible, but I think it's important not to try to fool them. But you want to try to pressure them and give them some different looks.

"If you're going to face a freshman, you want to try to force them into making some bad plays. So, that's been our approach as far as our preparation has gone this week. And we've gone through each situation with each kid, and both of them have done a good job."

Wannstedt has noted that he will not name a starter until game time.

"But I'd like to see both of them play, to be quite honest with you," Wannstedt said. "Whether that will happen or not, who knows? But they've both prepared well, and we've pretty much split it down the middle from a rep standpoint in practice.

"And that's not ideal. You'd really like the starter to get about 70 percent of the work, and your backup 30. But under these circumstances, I think this is the best thing for the kids and the best thing for our team. And I'm happy with how it's gone so far."

Wannstedt added that he was cautiously optimistic that either Smith or Bostick would perform up to their capability just because others on the Pitt team have done that this season.

Pitt's quarterback, Wannstedt said, will face a 4-3 defense that pressures an offense.

Junior linebacker John Carter is Grambling's defensive leader, while senior tackles Jason Banks and Donald Williams also provide a push from up front.

When the Tigers run the ball they primarily use just one back, as Frank Warren ran for 143 yards on 30 carries and added four catches.

Grambling quarterback Brandon Landers completed 19 of 36 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns in a in a 31-10 win against Alcorn State last week.

Wideout Reginald Jackson had six catches for 198 yards and two scores with a 69-yarder for one of them.

Clyde Edwards had three catches and the other two touchdown receptions.

"Grambling's receivers are very fast and quick, and very athletic," fifth-year senior cornerback Kennard Cox said.

"In their division, they have a lot of good athletes and a great quarterback. I think they're a little better team than Eastern Michigan with better athletes, even for a Division I-AA team. [But] I respect everybody I play, and we won't look past them." NOTES: Wannstedt said that every player is healthy and ready to play except redshirt sophomore TE John Pelusi, who banged up his shoulder last week against EMU, and he is listed as "day-to-day." However, he did not practice all week and isn't likely to play. ... Sophomore CB Aaron Berry is healthy now, but he will not start. Redshirt freshman Ricky Gary will start his second straight game. Berry is likely to play, though, when extra DBs are used.

Pough worries S.C. State might overlook Bethune-Cookman

By JEFFREY COLLINS

South Carolina State's Buddy Pough called last year's loss to Bethune-Cookman the worst defeat he has had in his more than five years as coach.

So his Bulldogs (0-1) will be ready for this weekend's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener with the Wildcats (1-0), right?

Maybe not, with game sandwiched between two big-time teams in Air Force and South Carolina. "We put it between those two Division I games. It makes it even harder to get prepared for those guys. We better be thinking about Bethune," Pough said.

In other game Saturday involving South Carolina's smaller colleges, Coastal Carolina hosts Winston-Salem State.

In Daytona Beach, Fla., South Carolina State wants to start this MEAC season a little better than the last one. Bethune-Cookman beat the Bulldogs 45-21 in the 2006 opener, snapping a two-game losing streak in the series. Pough called it the worst loss he has ever had.

But Pough still worries about getting his team motivated. The Bulldogs lost to Air Force 34-3 in the first game South Carolina State has ever played against a team from the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A. An even bigger game against a Football Bowl Subdivision team looms next week when the Bulldogs play South Carolina.

"All of our intentions need to be directed to Bethune," Pough said.

The Wildcats opened their season with a 31-17 win over Jacksonville, running for 283 yards. Bethune-Cookman threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns in last year's win against South Carolina State.

In Conway, Coastal Carolina (0-1) again finds itself trying to bounce back from a disappointing loss to open the season when the Chanticleers face Winston-Salem State (1-0).

Last year, Coastal Carolina bounced back from a first game loss to earn its first playoff bid ever. This season, Bennett worries his team may be too young.

"If I'm Winston, I'm going, 'That's not the same Coastal Carolina team. Heck, Delaware State beat 'em — we can beat 'em,' " Bennett said.

The Chanticleers lost by a field goal in last season's opener against Elon, then won nine of their next 10. And in Coastal Carolina's brief five-year history, it has never opened a season with two losses.

The Rams are in the process of moving into the Football Championship Series, where they will play in the MEAC.

Savannah State seeks to avenge last season's loss to JCSU

By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News

Savannah State's football team will play its first three home games, including today's 1 p.m. home opener against Johnson C. Smith, at Memorial Stadium because T.A. Wright Stadium is being renovated.

But the renovations don't stop there. SSU second-year coach Theo Lemon has spent this week's practices shuffling his roster and searching for playmakers after the Tigers' 47-7 loss at Morgan State last Thursday.

The most notable change for today's annual Joe Turner Classic is at running back, where freshman Antwan Edwards of Miami has replaced junior Reginald May of Macon as SSU's starting tailback.

"We're waiting for a guy who just makes that position his," Lemon said.

"We've got a stable right now. We're looking for a guy who just goes in there and really makes it happen. Right now, Antwan Edwards is the guy. It's his (job), and we'll see what happens at the end of this game."

Edwards ran for 13 yards on nine carries against MSU. May gained 8 yards on eight carries. Both performances were lackluster, along with senior fullback Jamie Beard's team-high 18 yards rushing on six carries.

SSU (0-1) ran for 29 yards without a touchdown on 32 carries compared to MSU's 233 yards and four touchdowns on 41 carries.

"There are no excuses about (last) Thursday night," Lemon said.
But there is plenty of blame to go around. As Lemon told his team earlier this week, "If you want to blame someone, look in the mirror."

The Tigers were 1-for-13 (8 percent) on third-down conversions against MSU.
SSU gained 15 yards of total offense in the first half, and 140 yards of total offense in the game, compared to the Bears' 345 yards of total offense in the game.

Too many penalties in opener
SSU starting quarterback JaCorey Kilcrease, a sophomore, was 9-for-19 passing for 111 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted once.

Backup quarterback Greg McCrary, a freshman, was 0-for-4 passing. He was intercepted twice.

"Our confidence right now is in JaCorey," Lemon said. "We don't have any qualms or any hesitation if we have to play McCrary. But right now, looking at the tape, JaCorey probably played the most, and he played the best."

SSU was penalized 10 times for minus-115 yards. It was better than MSU's 13 penalties for minus-149 yards, but it is unacceptable to Lemon.

"We had too many mistakes," Lemon said. "We had too many guys that were doing a lot of bone-headed things. And I hate to use that phrase, but that's all (the mistakes) are. When you beat yourself it hurts the whole team. Whether it's holding or jumping off-sides or flagrant fouls, we have to settle down and just play Tiger football."
Division II JCSU (1-0) beat NAIA school Edward Waters, 24-0, on Aug. 25.

Last season, JCSU beat SSU 27-6 during the Golden Bulls' Homecoming. The Tigers own a 3-1 series lead.

"We need this win," said SSU strong safety Antwan Allen, a sophomore from Miami who made a team-high 10 tackles last Thursday.
Golden Bulls third-year coach Daryl McNeill coached SSU to its last winning season, 7-4, in 1998. His assistants, Steven Aycock and Jonathan Kelly, played for him at SSU.

JCSU quarterback Carl Richardson was 9-for-21 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown against Edward Waters. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior was intercepted twice. The Golden Bulls managed 62 yards rushing without a touchdown.
"I think (JCSU) will try to run the ball first," Allen said. "But when they see that they don't have success at running the ball then they will go to the air."

WSSU will start long run on road

By John Dell, Winston Salem Journal

Winston-Salem State will make its first road trip of the season today, ending up about 15 miles from the South Carolina coast, but won’t have a day at the beach.

WSSU - 1-0 after whipping rival N.C. A&T 28-7 - will play Coastal Carolina at 7 p.m. in Conway, S.C., in the first of six straight road games.

Coach Kermit Blount is trying to get the Rams to 2-0 for the first time since 2000, and he said he didn’t change much in practice this week.

“One of the things that we told the team after the game was that we have to play two times better going to Coastal Carolina than we did last week at Bowman Gray,” Blount said. “I think that our kids have bought into our commitment to be the best that we can possibly be when we play, and we’re looking forward to the challenge this weekend.”

Coach David Bennett of Coastal Carolina has some experience against WSSU. The teams met last season (Coastal won 31-12), and Bennett coached against WSSU twice when he was at Catawba. He also has seen film of WSSU’s game last week.

“That backfield with (Jed) Bines and (Monte) Purvis is very tough,” said Bennett, who is 3-0 all-time against Blount. “They have played together since they were at Parkland ... so we know that’s something we have to be ready for.”

Coastal Carolina’s big weapon on offense is wide receiver Jerome Simpson. At 6-3, he can go get the ball (123 career catches, 34 touchdowns), and devising a way to stop him will be a big challenge for defensive coordinator Mike Ketchum.

“I think the thing that we’ve got to do better this year is make plays in the secondary,” Blount said. “We hadn’t had the opportunity to make them thus far. We just didn’t make those plays last year, and we’re going to have to put pressure on the quarterback.”

One reason WSSU was so efficient against A&T was the steady play of the offensive line, which didn’t allow a sack. WSSU also had no turnovers.

Offensive lineman Bennie Barbour said: “I think we just came together as far as the offense. We had been working all week about not giving up any sacks, and we did that. We want to try and keep that promise to Monte this week also.”

Barbour said that WSSU will have to play better than it did last week to beat Coastal, which went 9-3 last season and made the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) playoffs.

“I think what it’s going to take is we are going to have to play twice as hard this week as we played last week,” Barbour said. “Our coach has been talking about it all week. Coastal is a pretty good team, but I think we can beat them.”

Blount said that having two top running backs in Bines and Brandon McRae (85 yards rushing last week) has created healthy competition in practice.

“The key scenario is having all five guys up front play well and they played better last week,” Blount said. “But they can also get better, and we’ll need that to have an effective running game.”

The changes in the Rams’ offense from last season include more wide-receiver sets and a slot back (usually Rod Fluellen). Purvis completed nine passes to seven different receivers against A&T.

The ability to spread out the offense a little more should make the Rams’ running game more effective.

“This is a pretty hard-working group,” Blount said. “They understand they want to get better. We are going to have to play solid and not turn the football over.”

After beating the Aggies, the Rams face the possibility of a letdown, but Bines says that won’t happen.

“We talked about not having a letdown,” Bines said. “It’s another big game for us. We want to treat it like it is the A&T game. It’s not going to be as emotional as the A&T game was, but we want to go out there and get a win.”

SWAC’S puzzle yet to be solve

By Mike Marzelli, Pine Bluff Commercial

LORMAN, Miss. — Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s unorthodox victory over Alcorn State Thursday night was just another indication that the Southwestern Athletic Conference is still a week-to-week league.

Much like in 2006, when all five teams in the Eastern Division finished within one game of each other and the traditional powers in the Western Division surprisingly fell off the pace, the SWAC appears to be defined by parity and an unpredictable nature again this season. Case-in-point: the defending West champion Lions, the highest scoring team in the league last season, pulling the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and using its defense to grind out a victory over the Braves.

Alcorn coach Dr. Johnny Thomas might say that the start of the season is merely a feeling-out period for each team as the league gauges who its powers will be. The Braves have started poorly in nearly every one of Thomas’ seasons, including a 1-4 start last season, but have never finished under .500 during his tenure.

Last season it was UAPB that limped out of the gates 1-3 before ripping off seven straight wins. Jackson State also turned things around from a fourth-place finish the year before to a division title run that finished just one game short of Alabama A&M.

What that means is that the SWAC season may not have started in earnest yet, but each week is now another piece to each team’s puzzle as they try to piece together the clearest picture they can of the weeks to come.

The games for Week Two:

Grambling State (1-0 1-0 SWAC) at Pittsburgh (1-0)

Appalachian State has made believers out of every small school in the country following its victory at Michigan, but for the majority of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) schools, that does not mean that they are ready to go out and grab their own piece of the Top 25.

Grambling looked like the Tigers of old in last week’s trouncing of Alcorn, then again the Braves didn’t look all that powerful against UAPB. Even if Grambling is heading back to glory under new coach Ron Broadway, there will be no glory against a Big East opponent on this night. The Tigers have no chance to win this game but they will at least leave Heinz Field with one victory for the SWAC, as the Pitt Marching Band has no idea what type of beating it is about to take. Pittsburgh 43, Grambling 14

Southern University (1-0) vs. Mississippi Valley State (1-0 1-0 SWAC) at Chicago

The Delta Devils have won two consecutive Chicago Classics, with both wins coming over UAPB. Meanwhile Southern brought the MEAC-SWAC Challenge home to the SWAC for the first time ever by beating Florida A&M last week. When combined, the two teams have played close games in five straight years, with three of those being decided by a touchdown or less.

Here’s where the questions begin to arise. Does Southern’s performance last week mean that the mighty Jaguars are back after two straight down years? Is Valley’s sluggish victory over UAPB an indication that the Devils will struggle this season or was it just the first step on the way up this season?

The former sounds good. Jags coach Pete Richardson is too proud to let his job fizzle away without a fight. Southern 30, Valley 16.

Prairie View A&M (1-0 1-0 SWAC) vs. North Carolina A&T (1-0) at Los Angeles

Traditionally a SWAC doormat, the Panthers have actually become quite formidable under Henry Frazier over the past few seasons. They are a physical, hard-nosed running team that excels on defense and in special teams. While they still struggle mightily to throw the ball, they don’t roll over for anyone, especially rival Texas Southern. PVU defeated the Tigers 34-14 in last week’s Labor Day Classic.

Nevertheless, that preceding paragraph was fairly meaningless when you consider the fact that North Carolina A&T hasn’t won a game since 2005. If Prairie View fancies itself as anything other than the Panther teams that lost an NCAA record 80 consecutive games in the 1990’s, it has no business whatsoever losing to the Aggies. Prairie View 31, North Carolina A&T 6.

Jackson State (0-1) vs. Tennessee State (0-1) at Memphis

Jackson State fell to Division II Delta State in last week’s opener and word out of the Mississippi capital is that the Tigers’ faithful, who just two weeks ago were overflowing with enthusiasm about coach Rick Comegy’s second campaign, have already begun to spit fire.

Last year this contest was decided when Tennessee State missed a game-tying extra point, picked up what had been a bad snap and tossed a stunning two-point conversion pass to win the game by a point. If that, or anything like it, happens to JSU again, Jackson may implode into the Earth. Jackson State 33, Tennessee State 24.

Alabama A&M (1-0) at Clark-Atlanta (0-2)

The Bulldogs scored 49 points in their season opener. Clark has averaged 10 points a game in two previous contests this season. Even the wild and crazy SWAC can’t get its hands on this one. Alabama A&M 49, Clark 10.

Alabama State (1-0) vs. Texas Southern (0-1 0-1 SWAC)

One of the great mysteries of this season is what will come out of Montgomery.

‘Bama State has a strong nucleus, led by tailback Jay Peck, and the early returns on new coach Reggie Barlow have been positive. What the Hornets need to do now is show what they can do, which shouldn’t be hindered in the slightest by the lowly Tigers. Alabama State 24, Texas Southern 9.