Thriller has happy ending: NSU Spartans 1-0 in the MEAC

By VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, The Virginian-Pilot

Wow.

This time, Norfolk State found out what it’s like to be on the winning end of a thriller against Bethune-Cookman, stunning the Wildcats 38-31 on Saturday at Price Stadium.

In doing so, the Spartans produced arguably their biggest victory since moving up to Division I a decade ago.

“We’re 1-0 in the MEAC; that’s never happened,” said coach Pete Adrian, whose Spartans had lost all nine of their conference openers prior to Saturday. “Had we lost, it would have been, 'It’s the same old Norfolk State.’”

For even the most devout Spartans fan, ill-timed penalties and costly turnovers had to conjure up bad memories of past years, including the last two games against the Wildcats, which NSU lost by a total of three points.

This time, celebration replaced heartbreak with the Spartans rallying from 12 down in the second half to score 15 fourth-quarter points. That included a two-point conversion to tie the game, a Terrell Whitehead interception to save the game, and Daryl Jones’ fourth touchdown of the day to win the game on legs so hobbled, two teammates carried him off the field.

“There’s really no words for this,” Jones said after emerging from an ice bath in the training room.

Photo: Norfolk State’s Daryl Jones, right, fends off Bethune-Cookman’s Ben Ballard en route to one of his four touchdowns Saturday.

A 33-yard Bethune-Cookman field goal put the Wildcats on top 31-23 with 7:30 remaining, but the Spartans pulled even for the first time all afternoon on a seven-play, 53-yard drive. The highlight: a 45-yard completion from Casey Hansen to Dario Walker on third-and-16, NSU’s longest pass play of the season.

“I knew we had to take a shot deep,” said Hansen, who completed 12 of 24 passes for 153 yards. “I thought Dario had his man beat and I just went for it.”

Five plays later and aided by defensive pass interference, NSU scored with Jones bulldozing in from a yard out. The big back had been sidelined for all but one play of the drive, slowed by cramps in both legs on a humid afternoon in which the temperature soared close to 90 degrees.

“Daryl’s just a moose; he’s 5-10, 242 pounds, got that low center of gravity and as hard as he runs, he’s hard to tackle,” Adrian said.

“I knew my team needed me,” Jones said.

NSU (2-1, 1-0) also needed two more points for the tie. On the conversion, Hansen bailed out of Plan A, meant for Jones, who was covered in the flat. Instead, he found Jamar Johnson, whose catch knotted it at 31 with 3:49 left.

The Wildcats (2-2, 0-2) started on their own 22 on the ensuing kickoff, but Kempsville High graduate Whitehead picked off Jimmie Russell’s soft floater over the middle on the third play from scrimmage. Whitehead ran it all the way back, but a clipping call placed the ball on the 7 and allowed the Spartans to work the clock.

After R.J. Waters got the call on the first three plays, an exhausted-looking Jones trotted in to the delight of the 12,736 giddy fans with time ticking down. He needed 1 yard and got it, lifting NSU to its first lead of the afternoon with 36 seconds on the clock.

Though Jones looked too tired to celebrate – teammates Sherron Childress and Tommy Moore ran onto the field to carry him off – the Spartans couldn’t contain their glee.

“It’s been nine years since we’ve beaten Bethune-Cookman, so this is a huge win for us,” Hansen said. Actually, the Spartans’ last win over the Wildcats was 21-7 in 1997.

The Wildcats, who had squandered all their timeouts, had a final gasp when Corey Council returned the kickoff to the NSU 43. A 27-yard completion gave Bethune-Cookman a first down at the 19, but Russell didn’t have time to get another play off.

Bethune-Cookman played without rusher Justin Brannon for all but one play of the second half. The Wildcats’ starting B-back, who finished with 11 carries for 53 yards, is integral to his team’s “Wyattbone” offense, dubbed for coach Alvin Wyatt. Using crutches on the sidelines, Brannon favored his right knee, and Wyatt’s offense, which produced 163 rushing yards after one half, was limited to 63 in the second.

“That hurt us,” Wyatt said. “The other players we had weren’t experienced enough to get the job done.”

Speaking of hurt, Jones has five days to heal before NSU’s Thursday night meeting with North Carolina A&T. His expression still pained a half hour after the final whistle, he thought about it a moment when asked if this was the biggest win of his four years at NSU before answering, “It will be.”

Norfolk State hands B-CU second conference loss

By TRIS WYKES, Special to The News-Journal








Photo: B-CU quarterback Jimmie Russell (10) scrambles to avoid Norfolk State players Maguell Davis (41) and Marquez Davis (43) as teammate Joe Singleton (81) opens up a hole blocking Dustin Johnson (29) during Saturday's game in Norfolk.

NORFOLK, Va. -- Bethune-Cookman had subdued Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Norfolk State for years in football, but that domination ended Saturday with a 38-31 loss to the Spartans at Dick Price Stadium.

After having to settle for a field goal and a 31-23 lead with 7:30 remaining, Bethune-Cookman allowed Norfolk State to drive for a touchdown, intercept a pass and drive for the winning score with 36 seconds to play. Daryl Jones stumbled one yard into the end zone for his fourth rushing touchdown on the decisive play and finished with 118 yards despite severe leg cramps.

"We had our opportunities to win it and we didn't," said BC-U coach Alvin Wyatt, whose team dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in MEAC play. "When they had their opportunities to win, they did. These are the type of ball games you want to see. You just want to be on top when they finish.

"We just didn't get the job done today. We got beat."

The victory was Norfolk State's first over the Wildcats since 1997 when Spartans' third-year coach Pete Adrian was in his first year as a BC-U assistant. B-CU had won the teams' last nine meetings, including the last two by a total of three points.

"I said all week in practice this was going to be a tough game," said Wildcats quarterback Jimmie Russell, who ran for 126 yards and a touchdown, and completed 8 of 15 pass attempts for 86 yards and a touchdown. "Somebody has to win and unfortunately tonight it wasn't us."

Bethune-Cookman led 21-10 at halftime and was using its triple-option attack to rumble up and down the field almost at will. But an errant option pitch by Russell was returned 48 yards for a touchdown on the second half's first play, and BC-U running back Justin Brannon was lost for the game with a leg injury on the next play from scrimmage.

Even after Antwane Cox intercepted a Norfolk State pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown and a 27-16 lead three minutes later, it wasn't the Wildcats' night.

Jones, a bowling ball in cleats, ran four times on a subsequent 5-play drive, capping it with a one-yard dive for his second touchdown. The conversion kick pulled the Spartans within 28-23 with seven minutes left in the third quarter.

The visitors punted on their next two possessions and Norfolk State missed a field goal in between the two series. The Wildcats were handed a chance to put the game away when Spartans return man Rashad Howard fumbled the second of those punts and Cox recovered at Norfolk State's 39-yard line.

Facing third-and-5 on the Spartans' 12-yard line a few minutes later, Bethune-Cookman ran backup running back Brian Sumlar up the middle but he gained only a yard and Adam Ward came on to kick a field goal for a 31-23 advantage.

Norfolk State drove down the field, aided by a pass interference call on Cox. Jones came limping back into action, drawing an appreciative roar from an announced crowd of 12,736.

Jones bulled one yard for his third touchdown and reduced NSU's deficit to 31-29. The Spartans went for two points on the conversion, quarterback Casey Hansen rolling right and hitting Jamar Johnson with a pass in the end zone to tie the game.

On the ensuing drive, Bethune-Cookman turned the ball over three plays after taking the kickoff. A Russell pass was intercepted and returned for an apparent touchdown by free safety Terrell Whitehead, but a Spartans block below the waist instead gave Norfolk State possession at the Wildcats' 22-yard line with two minutes to play.

Three Waters runs moved the ball down to the 1-yard line and Jones again staggered onto the field. He took the handoff and several steps before collapsing across the goal line for the decisive points.

Take Five

Heads up

Bethune-Cookman quarterback Jimmie Russell was charged with a fumble when his option pitch bounced and landed in the hands of NSU's Terrell Whitehead on Saturday. Whitehead returned it 48 yards for a touchdown, but don't just blame Russell.

"We practice all the time where we come around the corner and he's supposed to stay within a certain distance of me," Russell said of running back Tony Fields. "I guess this time he decided to go block and he wasn't looking when I pitched. But that's what can happen when you run the triple option."

Missing you badly

Wildcats coach Alvin Wyatt said the loss of senior running back Justin Brannon to a leg injury on the second half's second play was a real blow.

"We had things we wanted to do but injuries slowed us up," Wyatt said. "We had some plays we were going to go to with (Brannon), but because we lost him, we didn't have the ammo for the running game. The other guys we had at that position weren't experienced guys, but we had to go with what we had."

Senior settles down

Norfolk State quarterback Casey Hansen, a former Colorado State player who transferred in to join the Spartans shortly before last season, was less prolific but also less errant Saturday than in his first meeting with B-CU last fall.

In that game, a 22-21 Wildcats victory, Hansen completed 13 of 30 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. He had three passes intercepted and finished the season with 10 touchdown passes and 16 passes picked off.

Questions & attitude

Was that really Michael Vick in attendance?

Yep. Vick and his younger brother Marcus, who both attended nearby Warwick High in Newport News and later suited up at Virginia Tech, were spotted walking along the bottom of the home stands early in the second half. Fans showed their support by cheering, waving and woofing.

What are the coaching connections between BC-U and Norfolk State?

Five NSU coaches trace their roots to Bethune-Cookman, including head coach Pete Adrian, who served two stints as the Wildcats' defensive coordinator before taking his current job in 2005. In addition, Kirk Mastromatteo, Jeff Parker and Mark DeBastiani left B-CU with Adrian and Curtis Williams played for the Wildcats while Adrian and the others coached there.

Did those connections make much difference to the Wildcats?

Not to quarterback Jimmie Russell, at least. The senior, who was on the B-CU roster when Adrian and Co. were still around, shook his head after the game.

"A loss hurts no matter who you're playing," Russell said. "This one doesn't hurt more because those people are over there."

Are the Spartans getting better?

Adrian's first two teams each went 4-7. Asked if Norfolk State appeared improved Saturday in comparison to the teams' two past meetings, Wyatt became animated.

"All these teams in this conference should beat Bethune-Cookman," he said. "Look at the facilities they've got here. When they let us beat them, they're not doing their job, none whatsoever. Every game, we should come in as the underdog."

Southern U. 41, Tennessee St. 34

BATON ROUGE, La.-- Bryant Lee passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns -- one for 48 yards -- as Southern overcame a 27-6 deficit to beat Tennessee State 41-34 Saturday night and remain undefeated.

Antonio Heffner, who finished with 316 yards passing and four touchdowns, got Tennessee State (2-2) off to a fast start with a 1-yard run for the game's first touchdown and a 61-yard pass to Brandon Belvin for the second with 9:13 left in the first quarter.

Bryant, who was 23-of-33 for Southern (4-0), hit RoShon Jacobs with a 13-yard scoring pass to make the score 13-6.

Tennessee State got the next two touchdowns, on a 49-yard run by Javarr Williams (14-107) and a 4-yard pass from Heffner, who was 13-of-26 with two interceptions, to Chris Johnson. Eric Benson made both kicks, for a 27-6 lead.

Then Darren Coates, who also had 115 yards and two touchdowns rushing, caught a 31-yard pass for his first score of the night. The first of his two 1-yard touchdowns made the halftime score 27-19.

Bryant hit Gerard Landry with a 6-yard pass and Coates got his third TD to put the Jaguars ahead 32-27 with 2:41 left in the third quarter. Heffner hit Ronald Evans with a 38-yard pass to put Tennessee State ahead again, 34-32 with 1:48 left.

Bryant hit Del Roberts with the 48-yard scoring pass to go ahead again, and Josh Duran had a 31-yard field goal to end the scoring.

ATTENDANCE: 15,371

S. Carolina St. 20, Winston-Salem 7

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Cleveland McCoy threw for 204 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown strike, to lead South Carolina State to a 20-7 win against Winston Salem State on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs (2-2) racked up 493 total yards, including 162 yards rushing from William Ford on 27 carries and 83 yards from Travil Jamison, including a TD run.

The Rams (2-2) were led by Monte Purvis who went 12-for-19 for 87 yards including an 8-yarder to Bryant Bayne for Winston-Salem's only score.

After McCoy's scoring pass to Terrance Smith early in the first, South Carolina State added two Stephan Grantham field goals to go up 13-0 with 8:59 left in the third.

The Rams' score came with 2:43 left in the third and the Bulldogs wrapped up scoring on Travil Jamison's 1-yard TD run with 1:07 left in the game.

ATTENDANCE: 8,222

Southern Illinois crushes Arkansas-Pine Bluff 58-3

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University had 586 yards of total offense and set a school-record 36 first downs in a 58-3 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday at McAndrew Stadium.

The Salukis (4-0) scored 30 unanswered points in the first half in route to their fourth straight win.

The only score of the game for the Golden Lions (1-3) came when John Heflin made a 38 yard field goal in the third quarter; he had two other field goal attempts blocked.

SIU quarterback Nick Hill was 18-for-24 for 244 yards passing and two touchdowns, while wide receiver Phil Goforth had 74 yards receiving and a touchdown. Running back John Randle had a touchdown and gained 113 yards on the ground.

SIU, which gained 314 yards rushing and 273 yards passing as a team on Saturday, have now outscored their opponents 117-17 in two games at home. The Salukis defeated Quincy 59-14 in their first home game on Aug. 30.

Both the Salukis and Golden Lions are in the Football Championship Subdivision _ the former Division I-AA.

Attendance: 11,316

Jackson St. 50, MVSU 16

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Jimmy Oliver passed for one touchdown and ran for another as Jackson State routed Mississippi Valley State 50-16 on Saturday.

Jackson State (2-2, 2-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) beat its instate rival for the 13th straight time.

MVSU (1-3, 1-3) was winning 13-6 midway through the second quarter before Oliver connected with Rodney Gray on a 10-yard touchdown pass that tied the score 13-13.

Oliver, who also passed for 262 yards in the game, scored on a short run with 37 seconds left in the first half, putting Jackson State ahead for good.

MVSU, which lost its third straight game, could manage only 75 yards of offense in the second half after controlling most of the first half.

Ronald Brewer, who rushed for 115 yards, scored MVSU's only touchdown with a short dash late in the first quarter.

Jackson State finished with 473 yards of offense.

ATTENDANCE: 11,798

Norfolk St. 38, Bethune-Cookman 31

NORFOLK, VA -- Daryl Jones ran for 4 touchdowns, and scored from a yard out with 36 seconds remaining to give Norfolk State a 38-31 win over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday.

The Spartans (2-1, 1-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) were trailing 31-23 when Jones scored on a 1-yard run with 3:32 left to play and Casey Hansen's two-point conversion pass to Jamar Johnson tied the game.

Terrell Whitehead intercepted a pass from Jimmie Russell and returned it 36 yards to the Bethune-Cookman 7 and four plays later, Jones scored from the 1 with 36 seconds to play.

Russell threw for one touchdown and ran for 100 yards and another score for the Wildcats (2-2, 0-2), but his lone interception of the day cost his team dearly.

Jones, who ran for 118 yards on 21 carries, also scored on runs of 32 and 2. Whitehead also scored on a 48-yard fumble recovery.

Hansen was 12-for-24 for 153 yards and one interception.

ATTENDANCE: 12,736

E. Michigan 38, Howard 15

YPSILANTI, Michigan -- Andy Schmitt threw for 214 yards and four touchdowns Saturday, leading Eastern Michigan to a 38-15 victory over Howard.

Schmitt connected with Ken Bohnet, Tyrone Burke and Dwayne Priest as Eastern Michigan (2-2) built a 31-0 lead. The sophomore threw for his final touchdown with 35 seconds remaining, hitting Travis Lewis on a 10-yard pass.

Howard (1-3) was hurt by four turnovers and failed to reach the end zone until Brian Johnson hit Jarahn Williams with an 11-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Howard added its second TD with 6:19 remaining when Johnson connected with Michael Harper for a 27-yard pass. Johnson led the Bison offense with 167 yards passing and 136 yards rushing. Howard tallied 434 yards in total offense to the Eagles' 329.

Eastern led 17-0 at halftime. Pierre Walker scored on a 7-yard run on the Eagles' first possession, Zach Johnson kicked a 22-yard field goal with 6:22 left in the second quarter and Schmitt threw a 24-yard scoring pass to Priest two minutes later.

Howard twice drove deep into Eastern Michigan territory during the first half, but failed to score. One of the drives ended when Johnson fumbled on the Eagles' 9-yard line. Johnson then threw an interception at the Eastern Michigan 7 early in the second quarter before again being picked off in the final minute of the second quarter.

Attendance: 10,141

Up Close and Personable -- Extraordinary Musicians, The Incomparable FAMU Marching 100

Too much leads to not enough for Hampton U

David Squires, Daily Press

HAMPTON - When league foe Morgan State scored on its opening possession of the second half Thursday night to tie Hampton University, the Pirates' night of Hip-Hop and hash marks was brewing into a perfect storm.

Lackluster attendance at the home-opening football game for the three-time defending conference champion Pirates.

Lackluster attendance at the concert across the parking lot at the HU Convocation Center, featuring Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, USDA and Eve.

An uninspired performance on the football field by the Pirates, who jumped to a 17-0 lead, then found themselves in a 17-all tie and eventually overtime ď before winning 24-17.

A slight drizzle at kickoff and for part of the first quarter didn't help.

Was this promotions genius, bad planning or related to an interesting conspiracy theory regarding the separation of town U from towns' folk?

As it turns out, it might merely have been the unintended confluence of a couple of rescheduled events -- with HU officials hoping to make the best of the situation.

The game was scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, but when it became a televised game, it was moved to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, according to HU athletic director Lonza Hardy.

The concert, hosted by local promoter Fred Wills, originally was scheduled for July 20, but was rescheduled to Thursday night at 8:30, according to HU Convocation Center marketing director Jewel Baker.

Attendance at the game was announced at 5,360, and Hardy said he expected some students would attend both events.

Hardy anticipated that some of the concert's main acts would not perform until after the game.

In fact, Rick Ross and Young Jeezy were said to have attended the game in the first half.

Hardy also said that he expected attendance to build from Thursday's game, with the next home games featuring perhaps HU's toughest foes of the year: Delaware State on Sept. 29, and South Carolina State for homecoming on Oct. 20.

Meanwhile, Baker, at the concert venue Thursday, was expecting "3,500 to 4,500" at the Convocation Center.

Hardly anyone was in line for the opening of the doors at 7:30 p.m.

Foot traffic began to pick up around 8:45.

"We're expecting to have a good concert," Baker said. "We're expecting a good crowd. We're expecting to have a good time."

No, this was not an attempt by the private HU to become more welcoming of the larger community. Some believe it was just the opposite.

"I feel like they didn't want too many students and other people in the same place at the same time," said Cecil Chaniel, 25, who lives in Hampton. "So they had the game for students and football players at the same time as the concert."

Chaniel, who plays for the Virginia Crusaders, a Hampton Roads-based semipro football team, says he was torn between going to the game and the concert.

He picked the concert because he is a native of Cordele, Ga., and "Jeezy is from Atlanta, so I had to support him."

"If they had this (concert) on Friday, it would have sold out," Chaniel said. "So they're taking away money from the artists who've come to perform."

To add another damper to the evening, Eve came on the video screen at about 11:35 p.m. and announced that because of personal issues she could not perform. The crowd, not surprisingly, was not pleased.

But the main course, Jeezy, hadn't performed yet. And the night's other highlight came moments before Eve's announcement, when Pirates quarterback T.J. Mitchell hit Justin Brown for the game-winning score.

Alabama A&M striving for top

By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times

Grambling history, present give 'Dogs worthy goal

GRAMBLING, La. - When Anthony Jones was named the football coach at Alabama A&M six years ago, he wanted his program to emulate the program that Eddie Robinson had built at Grambling.

The Tigers, who have won more Southwestern Athletic Conference championships than any team in league history, have long been the measuring stick among black college programs.

Under Jones, the Bulldogs have been the league's best team the last five years. A&M has appeared in the SWAC Championship Game three times in that span and finally won it last season by beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Despite the success, Jones and A&M have struggled against Grambling. Jones is 2-5 against the Tigers, several of the losses being blowouts - with two of them coming in the SWAC Championship Game. Over the past four years, the teams have split four meetings.

"When I first came here, that was the program I wanted my program to aspire to be," Jones said. "We're close, but we're not there yet."

Jones will try to get his program a little closer tonight when No. 23 A&M visits Grambling at Robinson Stadium. The Bulldogs are 3-0 overall and 1-0 in league play. The Tigers are 1-1 and 1-0. Kickoff is at 6 and the game will be televised on a tape-delayed basis on ESPNU at 9.

Some are calling tonight's game a preview of the SWAC Championship Game. Jones disagrees.

"It's still early," he said. "Anything can happen. We're playing well, they're playing well. But the season is still young."

A&M has easily disposed of its first three opponents, having outscored Tennessee State, Clark Atlanta and Mississippi Valley State by a combined score of 135-47. Meanwhile, Grambling whipped Alcorn State 31-10 before falling at Pittsburgh 34-10.

After watching the film, Jones seems sold on the Tigers.

"This will be our toughest test to date," he said. "This is a good football team. They can beat you in all three phases of the game. We feel the same way.

"If everybody shows up to play, it's going to be a hell of a football game."

Jones said the outcome will be decided on three things: turnovers, big plays and special teams.

"Turnovers are always a premium," he said. "When you start turning the ball over, you shorten the field for the opposing offense and you give them opportunities to score. That changes the complexion of the game.

"We have been a big-play offense. They have been a big-play offense in the past and they still have some of those people on their team. Big plays are always going to be a big deal. Special teams will be a key factor. Who's going to have field position due to special teams and who's going to get points due to special teams?"

Tonight's game is Grambling's home opener. It is also the Tigers' first home game since Robinson died earlier this year. Those factors haven't been lost on Jones.

"It's going to be a tough situation for us to go into," he said. "I'm sure the crowd is going to be loud and supportive, but we'll be ready."

Grambling coach Rod Broadway expects nothing less.

"This will be a great challenge for us," he said. "We're looking forward to playing this game. It will give us an indication of what we can accomplish in this conference."

Today's games in the SWAC

Huntsville Times

Today's games

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-2) at No. 7 Southern Illinois (3-0); McAndrew Stadium, Carbondale, Ill., 1:30 p.m.

The Golden Lions, who played in the SWAC Championship Game last season, have been the most disappointing team in the league. QB Chris Wallace, the preseason SWAC Player of the Year, did not play in Saturday's 12-10 loss to Alabama State and was pulled a week earlier against Alcorn State. RB Martell Mallett and Mickey Dean, considered the best tandem in the league, have combined for just 179 yards and one TD behind a rebuilt OL that has allowed 17 sacks. Defensively, UAPB has been terrific, allowing a SWAC-best 9.5 ppg.

SIU is averaging almost 46 points and 440 ypg. The Salukis whipped UAPB 48-16 a year ago.

Prediction: Southern Illinois 30, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 10


Jackson State (1-2, 1-0 SWAC) at Mississippi Valley State (1-2, 1-2); Rice-Totten Stadium, Itta Bena, Miss., 4 p.m.

The Tigers got in the win column last week by beating Texas Southern. JSU QB Jimmy Oliver appears to have settled in after splitting time with Trae Rutland during the Tigers' first two games. Defensively, JSU has been dominating, allowing just 16.7 points and 202.7 ypg.

The Delta Devils have been outscored 68-20 since their 016-9 season-opening win over UAPB, including 50-7 in the second half. MVSU is averaging just 12 points and 199.7 ypg in total offense, while allowing 25.7 points and 407.3 ypg.

Prediction: Jackson State 24, Mississippi Valley 14


Tennessee State (2-1) at Southern (3-0); Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La., 6 p.m.

Southern is 3-0 for the first time since 2003.

The Jaguars, led by Darren Coates, Brian Threat and Kendrick Smith, are averaging 199.3 yards per game on the ground and 391.7 yards in total offense.

Defensively, the Jaguars are allowing only 11.7 ppg and 265.7 ypg.

TSU has won two straight by a total of four points since being pounded 49-23 by Alabama A&M in its opener.

Tigers QB Antonio Heffner is averaging more than 200 yards passing. RB Javerris Williams has 317 yards rushing.

Prediction: Southern 28, Tennessee State 24

No. 23 Alabama A&M (3-0, 1-0) at Grambling (1-1, 1-0); Robinson Stadium, Grambling, La, 6 p.m.; tape-delay at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.

A&M is averaging 45 points and 519 yards per game and has been particularly dominant in the second half, having scored 35 points in the second half in wins over Tennessee State and Mississippi Valley State. QB Kelcy Luke has 10 TD passes after having 16 all of last season. RB Ulysses Banks has 342 yards rushing and 3 TDs.

GSU has had a week off since losing 34-10 at Pittsburgh. The Tigers, under new coach Rod Broadway, are averaging 20.5 ppg and 359 ypg. QB Brandon Landers has thrown for 458 yards and 5 TDs. Defensively, GSU is allowing 22 ppg and 288 ypg.

Prediction: Alabama A&M 28, Grambling 24


Alcorn State (0-3, 0-2) at Alabama State (3-0, 2-0); Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Reggie Barlow has the Hornets off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2004. ASU, picked to finish last in the Eastern Division, has done it with a strong running game and a stout defense. RB Jay Peck leads the league in rushing with 349 yards and two TDs. The Hornets' defense is allowing only 13 ppg and 237 ypg.

This is Johnny Thomas' worst team at Alcorn State. The Braves are averaging a paltry 4.3 ppg, which is the lowest in the country, and 228.7 ypg. Injuries have hampered QBs Chris Walker and Tony Hobson, and the Braves' running game has been ineffective. ASU's lone bright spot has been WR/KR Nate Hughes, who leads the league in all-purpose yards, averaging 188.7 ypg.

Prediction: Alabama State 28, Alcorn State 3


Texas Southern (0-3) at UTEP (1-2); Sun Bowl, El Paso Texas, 7:05 p.m..

The Tigers have been abysmal under coach Steve Wilson, who is 4-32 in his fourth season. TSU has struggled offensively, averaging just 10.3 ppg, while allowing 27.7 ppg.

UTEP, led by former Alabama coach Mike Price, is coming off of a 29-24 loss to New Mexico State. The Miners are averaging 21.7 ppg and 323.7 ypg, while giving up 26.7 ppg and 497 ypg.

Prediction: UTEP 31, Texas Southern 7


Last week: 5-0

Season: 12-6

Reggie Benson

UAPB vs. Southern Illinois

By Robert Crow, the southern

Salukis eye 4-0 start

CARBONDALE - The numbers seem to say it all.

A 3-0 record for No. 6 Southern Illinois, compared to 1-2 for Arkansas-Pine Bluff. SIU has scored 137 points, the Golden Lions 40. Last year, the Salukis pulled away in the second half and cruised to a 48-16 win at Pine Bluff.

And then, there's two - as in, the number of games until the Salukis host Youngstown State. And with today's game against UAPB and next week's contest at Indiana State as those two games, it seems like the Salukis may not receive a serious challenge before that key matchup with YSU.

But SIU is trying not to think that way. Otherwise, today's game may become more of a challenge than the Salukis hope for.

"It's kind of tough, but you can't let that happen," SIU quarterback Nick Hill said. "That's when people sneak up on you. Pine Bluff is a team that can do that to you."

The Golden Lions nearly did that last year, putting a brief scare into the Salukis. UAPB took a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter, and were within five points early in the third quarter, before the Salukis scored the game's final 27 points.

Whether the Golden Lions will be able to put another scare into the Salukis, however, remains to be seen.

UAPB's defense has been superb for much of this season, allowing just 10.3 points per game. But no offense the Golden Lions have faced has been as explosive as the Salukis'.

Hill is playing better than at any point during his two-year career as a starter. He should also get a boost from the probable return of tailback John Randle, who missed last week's game with a high ankle sprain. Randle is the anchor in a deep, explosive backfield, one that has seen six different running backs score touchdowns this year.

"All of our backs that we've got right now, we can all do damage," said running back Lucien Walker, who caught a touchdown last week. "We've got a lot of utility and versatility in our backs."

But much like in the Salukis' 44-10 win over Southern Utah last weekend, today could give SIU's defense another chance to shine.


The Salukis have forced turnovers at an incredible rate this season, averaging four takeaways a game. If the Salukis can force one turnover today, they'll match the number of turnovers they had all of last season.

"If we can continue on that pace, we're going to win a lot of football games," SIU coach Jerry Kill said. "?I've got to give credit to our coaches and players. They've been talking about it, they've been preaching it, they've been teaching it, and it seems like the players listen to what you emphasize."

Kill said he believes the Salukis are significantly better in certain phases than at the same point last year. But there's still plenty of work to do, and the Salukis expect to see even more improvement this week.

With Gateway Football Conference play starting next week, and a potentially huge game against Youngstown looming the week after that, that improvement could be necessary.

"It's a big week, because we've got to get better," Kill said. "We've got to get better every week, and we feel like we have so far. We played better at Southern Utah, but we still have a long, long way to go to be the kind of team we want to be."

MVSU Delta Devils try new approach

By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger

Mississippi Valley State sophomore quarterback Paul Roberts sits on a bench after practice and takes off his helmet. Underneath is a haircut that is interesting to say the least - it's a mohawk with Roberts No. 1 shaved into the side of his head.

Look across the field and there's junior tight end Abner Brown, who also has the same strange homemade mohawk. His is complete with a spiderweb shaved into the side.

Roberts admits they both look ridiculous. He's still not quite sure what possessed them to do it.

"It seemed like a pretty good idea at the time - something to get us going for this week," Roberts said. "Coach (Willie Totten) has been treating this like a normal game. But we all sense a little something different this week."

Such is the feeling at MVSU, where the Delta Devils have tried a little bit of everything over the years to break a 12-game losing streak against rival Jackson State.

MVSU hosts Jackson State at 4 p.m. today at Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena.

There's a certain amount of goofiness attached to Roberts' and Abner's mohawks, but Totten also said he appreciates the two players because it represents the loose demeanor of the team.

Instead of last year's veteran roster, the Delta Devils have a large swath of freshmen and sophomores on this team. That just might work to MVSU's advantage.

"It's impossible to walk around campus and not understand how important this game is," Totten said. "But at the same time, this is a pretty calm group. Some of the guys are so young, I'm not sure if they understand the magnitude. But that might be good, because they won't be pressing."

Freshman Ronald Brewer, who rushed for 146 yards last week against Alabama A&M, admitted he was stunned at how psyched everyone was for today's game.

"It's actually a lot of fun, but it's been pretty crazy," Brewer said. "Everywhere you go, people are talking about it. I'm not sure what I expected, but I know it's been bigger than I thought it would be."

Last year, Jackson State beat MVSU 29-24 when the Delta Devils had arguably their most talented team since the mid-1980s. Loaded with veterans, Totten hyped the game because he figured his team had the talent to finally pull off a win.

And early on, it appeared he was correct. MVSU jumped out to a 10-0 lead and beat Jackson State in almost every offensive statistic. But by the end of the night, it was the same old frustration and result.

This year, he's keeping the big game more low-key with his players. And who knows? Maybe something like a couple of mohawks will be the missing ingredient.

"There's always been some sort of jinx surrounding this game," Totten said. "For some reason Jackson State has had our number lately. Who can say what will turn the tide in our favor? We've just got to be opportunistic when we get our chances."

TSU season receives kick-start

by MIKE ORGAN, The Tennessean

TENNESSEE STATE (2-1) AT SOUTHERN (3-0)
Where: A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.
Time: 6 p.m.
Radio: 560-AM
Last meeting: Southern 19, TSU 18 (1996)
Key matchup: TSU QB Antonio Heffner vs. Southern DE Vincent Lands. Heffner, a dual threat, has thrown for 638 yards and three touchdowns and run for 123 yards and a touchdown. Lands was the Southwest Athletic Conference defensive player of the week after making eight tackles, including three sacks, in Saturday's 12-2 win over Prairie View A&M.

Field goals key Tigers' two wins

Tennessee State has produced some outstanding football players at a number of different positions with one exception — kicker.

Of the 115 former Tigers who have gone on to the NFL, every position has been represented except kicker. That is what makes Eric Benson, a junior kicker, so peculiar.

Benson's boots have led TSU (2-1) to both of its wins this season and he could play a key role again tonight when the Tigers play at Southern (3-0) in Baton Rouge, La.

"Right now, I don't know that anybody in the country is kicking better than Benson,'' TSU Coach James Webster said. "I don't want to jinx the guy, but he's kicking real well. He's kicking kickoffs real well, he's kicking field goals and extra points real well."

In fact, Benson is a perfect 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts.

Game winners

Benson's 35-yarder in the rain with no time left lifted the Tigers to a 16-13 win over Jackson State on Sept. 8. And his career-long 43-yarder at Austin Peay on Saturday with nine seconds remaining, sent the game into overtime. Benson then kicked an extra point, giving TSU a 33-32 win.

He was named the Ohio Valley Conference specialist of the week, making him the first kicker from TSU to receive the honor since 1999.

Benson's performance so far has been what he assured Webster he was capable of after a mediocre season last year, when he was plagued by back problems.

"When he came to camp he came with confidence,'' Webster said. "He said, 'Coach, I'm ready this year.' He had a so-so year last year. His back was hurting him but he toughed it out."

Benson spent the summer at home in Rowlett, Texas, working more intensely on his kicking than ever before.

It helped him to handle the pressure that has come with the kicks he's attempted in TSU's two wins.

No longer a head case

"I've not always been reliable in those situations,'' Benson said. "Coaches here have always called me a head case, especially when I was younger. I think I've grown up and matured and haven't let things bother me as much."

Benson said Webster and special teams coach Canute Curtis teased him in the past about not being able to handle the stress that comes with being put in such a pivotal position. But they've had nothing but praise for him this year.

"They're backing off now and it feels good to know I have overcome that,'' Benson said.

Benson is one of just seven kickers in the Football Championship Subdivision — and the only one in the OVC — who has attempted at least four field goals and made every one.

"I know that from 45 yards and in I can hit, and if I had to, I can hit from 50 and in,'' he said.

It is comforting for TSU's offensive players to know that if a drive stalls in the opponent's territory that they still are likely to get three points.

"It's great knowing your hard work is going to pay off,'' quarterback Antonio Heffner said. "It makes you that much more determined to get the offense in field position so that Benson will have the opportunity to make a kick."

Howard at Eastern Michigan

BY JEFF ARNOLD, Ann Arbor News

It's EMU's turn for a I-AA foe
Eagles say they aren't taking Howard lightly

Carey Bailey understands the inspiration that many of his I-AA coaching brethren may draw from a certain season-opening victory by Appalachian State.

But the first-year Howard University head coach isn't buying it.

While Bailey can appreciate the aftershocks the Mountaineers' 34-32 win over then No. 5-ranked Michigan left among lower-division programs like his, he won't allow his team to think it has anything to do with its preparations for today's road test at Eastern Michigan.

"To us, this is just the next game on our schedule,'' Bailey said earlier this week. "I try and not get into the whole I-AA versus I-A thing. This is just another game for us to try and go out and execute. It doesn't matter who we're playing. We have to do that if we hope to win.''

Eastern Michigan (1-2) represents the lone I-A opponent for the Bisons (0-2), who are coming off a 30-17 loss at Florida A&M.

Howard, which posted a 6-6 record last season while competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, traveled to Rutgers in 2006, filling out a schedule comprised with the likes of Coppin State, Delaware State and North Carolina A&T.

And despite the differences in Eastern Michigan's weekly level of competition, coach Jeff Genyk refuses to consider Howard anything less than another challenge the Eagles have to contend with.

After all, Eastern's last I-AA test resulted in a 31-28 home loss to Eastern Illinois in 2005.

And with I-AA programs more than holding their own this season between Appalachian State's win at Michigan Stadium, Southern Illinois' victory over Northern Illinois and The Citadel remaining close with Wisconsin for three quarters, Genyk knows Howard will bring a competitive mentality into today's game.

Not to mention a spread

offense that possesses the ability to put points on the board and that will test Eastern's young secondary.

"You have to prepare very well for these games,'' Genyk said. "These teams are generally feeling (how other I-AA teams have fared) and realize that, 'Hey, we've got 63 scholarships, Eastern Michigan's got 85 - so what? Let's go steal one.' ''

When: 3:30 p.m.

Where: Rynearson Stadium, Ypsilanti, Mich.

Records: Bison 0-2; Eagles 1-2.

Still Stinging: After staying close with Hampton in the season opener, the Bison gave a dispirited performance last week at Florida A&M. Howard surrendered more than 300 rushing yards in the 30-17 loss, 222 of them by freshman tailback Philip Sylvester. Brian Johnson completed 12 of 16 passes for 126 yards for the Bison, five of them to Jarahn Williams, including both touchdowns. Endor Cooper led Howard with 13 tackles, including 3 1/2 for losses.

Breaking Ground: This the first time the schools have met, and the Bison will be the first MEAC team to play in Rynearson Stadium.

NCCU-N.C. A&T will meet as I-AA foes for the first time

Today's game live on Internet streaming broadcast at 6:30 p.m. at: http://www.jarvistv.com/NCCU .


By MIKE POTTER, The HERALD-SUN

First-year N.C. Central head football coach Mose Rison said earlier this week he didn't want to be a part of history.

But he and his 3-1 Eagles can't help it.

When they put their three-game winning streak on the line tonight at 6:30 p.m. against historic arch-rival N.C. A&T (0-3) at Greensboro's Aggie Stadium, it will be the Eagles' first game as a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) against another team from the FCS.

That will be some good history the Eagles, and perhaps for both schools.

What Rison doesn't want to do is be part of breaking the Aggies' 19-game losing streak, currently the longest among FCS teams.

Although it wasn't likely to happen at any rate, he doesn't want the Eagles to be taking the Aggies lightly.

"They will be the best football team we have played this season," said Rison, whose team has played four NCAA Division II teams so far. "We just have to make sure our guys don't get caught up in the hype."

Aggies coach Lee Fobbs said his team desperately wants to end the losing streak, no matter what team turns out to be N.C. A&T's unfortunate victim.

"It's tough on the coaches, but it's tougher on the kids," Fobbs said. "I'm really proud of our guys. But they dropped their heads after they played so hard last week [in a 59-14 loss to Hampton].

"The staff and our kids have learned that the only way we can get this thing turned around is to get our chins up and get ready to practice hard every day. The important thing is that the kids love to play football."

Fobbs, who is looking for his first win with the program in his second season, said he knows all about how big tonight's game is for both schools.

"It's real important because it's the next game on our schedule," Fobbs said. "I know the rivalry dates back quite a few years. It's great for our area, and it's a game the fans really want to see. It's college football at its best. It's a big-time ball game in a lot of ways."

Indeed it is an ancient rivalry, going all the way back to a 13-13 tie at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in 1924. N.C. A&T leads the series 45-28-5.

Since 1945, the game has been contested every year except 1993 and last season. Both times, N.C. A&T administrators were trying to get away from playing a game against a Division II team.

The teams have split their last four meetings, all at N.C. State's Carter-Finley Stadium. And three of them were worth double the price of admission. In 2002, the Eagles recovered from a 27-0 deficit after the first quarter to win 33-30 in overtime, the second largest comeback in Division II history. After the Aggies rolled 25-0 in 2003, they won 16-15 the next year on Carlos Davalos' 50-yard field goal. It was almost déjà vu in 2005, but the Aggies missed their last-second field-goal attempt and NCCU survived 23-22.

The Aggies' leading rusher is junior tailback and Northern High alumnus Michael Ferguson. Ferguson is averaging 114.3 yards per game, but is still looking for his first touchdown of the season.

N.C. A&T's junior right tackle Juan Williams is a Durham native who played at Garner High. Also on the Aggies' roster are Corey Hairston, a junior wide receiver out of Hillside; and sophomore defensive end Woodrow Scrivens and freshman linebacker Jamal Wardlaw from Riverside. The Eagles have no players from Greensboro.

NOTES -- The Aggies won 48-0 the last time the teams met in Greensboro back in 1991. NCCU's most recent win in Greensboro was a 38-19 romp in 1987, in the final game for legendary Eagles quarterback Earl "Air" Harvey. …NCCU has no new injuries after kicker Brandon Gilbert and running back Jeff Toliver were declared out for the season. …A&T's injury list includes running backs Demerick Chancellor (shoulder, out) and Reginald James (shoulder, out), strong safety Brandon Jackson (knee, out), defensive back Brandon Long (knee, questionable), quarterback Herb Miller (knee, questionable), cornerback Simeon Platt (ankle, questionable), linebacker Robert Russell (back, probable) and defensive lineman Tyre Glasper (elbow, probable).

KEYS TO THE GAME

Can the Eagles move the ball consistently?

That question may be answered early in the game. The Eagles have been sleepily effective ever since the final period of their season-opening loss to Albany State. Tim Shankle's triple-digit rushing total last week was a very good sign, and quarterback Stadford Brown has been able to handle going for the little play instead of the big one. Middle linebacker Andre Thornton and defensive back Marques Ruffin are A&T's big weapons.

Will NCCU's defense continue to dominate?

There aren't many teams in the country that would turn down Eagles cornerback Craig Amos, and Derrick Ray has been a big-play guy at linebacker. But the Aggies' players were recruited to play Division I-AA football while the Eagles' veteran standouts were recruited at the Division II level. N.C. A&T running back and Northern High alumnus Michael Ferguson is hungry for the end zone.

What about the intangibles of the rivalry?

"Throw out the records" and all the other clichés fit. This is one of the most bitter rivalries in college sports. For over a generation, a win over N.C. A&T could make the Eagles' season. But now the shoe is on the other foot with the Eagles up and the Aggies down. If the Eagles don't play well early, their rivals' 19-game losing streak could be in jeopardy.

The Pick

N.C. Central 26, N.C. A&T 14

NCCU Eagles Marching Band

NCAT: Misery loves company

NCCU vs. NCAT game broadcast available on Internet streaming live video at 6:30 p.m. at: http://www.jarvistv.com/NCCU/.

By Rob Daniels, Greensboro News and Record

Misery loves company and the N.C. A&T Aggies have plenty when it comes to college football losing streaks.

When you have lost 19 consecutive football games, as the N.C. A&T Aggies have, it's easy to think you're alone in misery. Particularly when you know your streak is the longest of the 236 teams in the college game's top two divisions.

But NCAA football is a large beast that encompasses 629 schools, from the giants of Ohio State and Texas and -- it has been alleged -- Notre Dame all the way to Huntingdon College of Montgomery, Ala., at which 96 of the 371 men enrolled this year are on the football team.

So fear not. There are other depositories of distress -- even if they're in the relative anonymity of Divisions II and III. A&T is but one of a half-dozen teams with 18 or more consecutive losses entering this weekend's play. They're not even the most downtrodden of Aggies.

Collectively, the Sliding Six-Pack has lost 117 consecutive games by an average score of 42-10. Only eight of the games in question have been decided by fewer than 10 points; 25 have been by 50 or worse.

In ascending -- or is that descending? -- order, here are the teams most desperate to win this week.

18: HIRAM COLLEGE

Div. Streak PF PA Avg.

III 18 189 782 10-43

The Terriers of Hiram, Ohio, could have it worse. They haven't won since Oct. 1, 2005, and they managed only a touchdown in that one. Their 7-2 victory over Earlham came in the middle of a stretch in which they failed to score more than seven points in seven games. By the time they got the hang of the offense, it didn't matter. When they scored 38 vs. Kenyon, they gave up 41.

The Division III school of 900, situated 41 miles east of Cleveland, is renowned for its poetry review, which has been published since 1966. Perhaps the Terriers should avert their eyes from the most recent issue, which includes Shaun Hand's "The End of the World."

But then again, the schedule might be kind to them. Today's opponent, Manchester College of North Manchester, Ind., just broke its own 10-game losing streak with a victory over -- you got it -- Earlham.

Location: Hiram, Ohio

Famous alum: James A. Garfield, 20th president of the United States

Cool fact: Guarantees students that their tuition won't increase

19: N.C. A&T

Div. Streak PF PA Avg.

I-AA 19 213 744 11-39

The Aggies face N.C. Central (3-1) at 6:30 p.m. today, seeking to avoid becoming the fifth team in the 30-year history of I-AA football to drop 20 games in a row. For now, the list is confined to Prairie View A&M (80), Columbia (44), St. Francis of Pennsylvania (30) and Canisius (24). The Aggies' streak is tied for the longest in MEAC history with Delaware State's run of futility in 1997-99.

Coach Lee Fobbs, whose administration was preceded by considerable player attrition after George Small's dismissal in late 2005, has twice lost his starting quarterback to knee injuries, but he has not soured on his bunch. Understandably, Fobbs is tiring of questions about how he'll keep his players motivated as the defeats mount.

"Everybody asks me that every week," he said after Saturday's 59-14 loss to Hampton, the three-time MEAC champion. "These guys love playing football. (Victory) is going to come for us. We've got the right guys out there. They bust their tails every day in practice. You haven't seen these guys quit. They work their fannies off every day."

Location: Greensboro

Famous alum: Jesse Jackson, civil-rights leader

Cool fact: Four freshmen initiated sit-in movement, Feb. 1, 1960

19: OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE STATE

Div. Streak PF PA Avg.

II 19 149 1009 8-53

Also known as the Aggies, Oklahoma Panhandle has struggled more than A&T's Aggies. Of their 19 straight defeats, six have come by 60 or more points. That includes an ignominious run in 2005 in which the Division II team lost to Nebraska-Omaha 71-0, Pittsburg State 70-0 and Texas State 75-7. The coach of that team, Ryan Held, saw more points scored against his players in those three games than in any of his four full seasons as a Nebraska linebacker.

Their closest brush with victory during this streak was a 28-24 loss to Bacone College of Muskogee, Okla., on Oct. 16, 2006. The Warriors, who entered the game 0-5, won while being outgained by 145 yards in total offense.

Maybe today's the day. The Aggies' foe, the Blue Jays of Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., are 0-2.

Location: Goodwell, Okla.

Famous alum: Billy Bob Thornton, actor

Cool fact: Is closer to Juarez, Mexico, than it is to portions of its own state

20: BECKER COLLEGE

Div. Streak PF PA Avg.

II 20 301 845 15-42

A Division II school, Becker is winless in its football history, which began in 2005. The school began playing the sport for the same reason football is started on many campuses: It's considered a means of boosting male enrollment. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the school was straight out of a 1960s bubble-gum pop song -- two girls for every boy -- in 2005-06.

The campus is not without an athletics heritage, however. Just outside the Weller Academic Center, there's a marker commemorating the spot of the first perfect game in what is now called major league baseball. John Lee Richmond of the Worcester team known as the Worcesters, Ruby Legs or Brown Stockings, according to different accounts, beat Cleveland 1-0 on June 12, 1880.

Maybe the vibes haven't translated to the football team just yet, and that might be because Becker is actually made up of two campuses, one in Worcester, Mass., and another in Leicester, six miles away. The Hawks athletics department operates in Leicester; Richmond's feat occurred in Worcester.

They go to Newton, Mass., today to play Mount Ida (1-2).

Location: Leicester, Mass.

Famous alum: Colleen Barrett, president, Southwest Airlines

Cool fact: John Hancock signed the school's charter in 1784

20: LEWIS & CLARK

Div. Streak PF PA Avg.

III 20 178 742 9-37

Not even a brush with death can stop the Pioneers of Portland, Ore., from trying to break their streak.

After the fourth game of the 2005 season, a 55-24 setback to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps of Claremont, Calif., the Division III Pioneers had lost their past nine games by an average score of 53-12. Citing a lack of healthy linemen and the resulting threat to the safety of the remaining players, the season was halted.

Shortly thereafter, the school's president convened an 18-member study group to determine the program's feasibility on a campus of 2,641 students.

"As a whole, the inventory taken of Lewis & Clark students has shown a sincere desire for football on campus," the report said. "While LC may currently attract independently minded students, it appears as if the students themselves, while independent, still want and need opportunities to be brought back together on campus."

A competitive renaissance isn't necessarily imminent -- the Pioneers lost to the Sagehens of Pomona College 36-6 last week -- but the team does get a break this weekend before returning to action at the University of Chicago next week.

Location: Portland, Ore.

Famous alum: Monica Lewinsky, White House intern

Cool fact: Declines to participate in U.S. News college rankings system

21: ST. ANSELM

Div. Streak PF PA Avg.

II 21 196 846 9-40

Art has unintentionally imitated life at St. Anselm, a Division II school in Manchester, N.H. In November, the college will host a local youth play titled "Miss Nolan Has a Field Day." It's about an elementary school football team trying to break a 12-game losing streak.

As for the Hawks, they're coming off a 71-21 loss at the hands of Assumption, and they play today at Pace University of Pleasantville, N.Y. But they haven't lost the support of their community. The student activities board has a director of spirit, and home games remain popular.

"It's usually a good time," said Maura Leahy, a junior political science major from Wakefield, Mass. "Unfortunately, (the Hawks) usually lose a bit of steam in the third quarter. We'd like to have a winning football team, but we take what we have."

Location: Manchester, N.H.

Famous alum: Mark Sullivan, director, U.S. Secret Service

Cool fact: Host of presidential debates in 2008

The long road trip continues for WSSU Rams

By John Dell, Winston Salem Journal

Since starting its climb to the Football Championship Subdivision two years ago, Winston-Salem State has held its own against teams from the MEAC - with one exception.

S.C. State pummeled WSSU 35-6 at Bowman Gray Stadium last season. It was the most decisive loss to a MEAC team since the Rams left Division II.

WSSU will get a chance to redeem itself when it plays S.C. State at 6 p.m. today at Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg.

Coach Kermit Blount of the Rams says he doesn’t consider last year’s loss to S.C. State a blowout because the game was close at halftime. Two turnovers by the Rams in the second half opened the door for the Bulldogs.

The Rams, who won’t be eligible for the MEAC championship until 2010, are 2-1 overall this season and 2-0 against MEAC teams after last week’s 19-17 win against Morgan State.

“I’m not surprised about the performance,” Blount said of the win against Morgan State. “I knew we had a good group of young men, and it does feel good to be where we are record-wise, but at the same time, it is a very long season.”

Today’s game will be WSSU’s third in a stretch of six straight road games, but Blount says he doesn’t mind being away from home and that playing on the road gets his team’s attention.

“On the road we can control our team a little better,” he said. “It’s more regimented, and I think that’s a plus.”

S.C. State is 1-2 and coming off a 38-3 loss to No. 17 South Carolina. The other loss also was to a team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, 34-3 to Air Force in a season-opener. S.C. State’s win was a MEAC victory at Bethune-Cookman.

Coach Buddy Pough’s Bulldogs will be making their home debut.

“We have been from the Rocky Mountains down to the Atlantic Ocean already this season, and we get a chance to finally come back to Orangeburg to the friendly confines of Bulldog Stadium in front of our home fans,” said Pough, who is in his sixth season at S.C. State and has a 41-19 record.

After two games against FBS teams (formerly Division I-A), it might appear as if things would be easier for the Bulldogs today. Pough doesn’t see it that way.

“We would like to come back and play someone really easy, but you don’t see that with Winston-Salem State,” Pough said. “They are playing really well on defense and offense this year. Last year, they were more defensive with the ability to score a point or two, but this year, it’s going to be a different story and a tough football game for us.”

The Rams lost running back Brandon McRae to a broken wrist last week, and Jed Bines suffered a high-ankle sprain. Bines has missed practice all week and is listed as probable.

Rod Fluellen, who has moved back to tailback where he was a reserve last season, will start in place of Bines. There’s a chance freshman Nic Cooper could play, but Blount is hoping to redshirt him this season. As a precaution, however, Cooper will be in uniform for tonight’s game.

“It’s still a day-to-day thing with Jed,” Blount said Thursday. “We’ll have to wait and see (today) if Jed can go.”

Last week, WSSU’s defense allowed Morgan State’s Chad Simpson to rush for 221 yards on 41 carries. This week, the Rams will have to try to stop Will Ford, a sophomore who gained 117 yards on 17 carries against South Carolina.

Defensive coordinator Mike Ketchum says that stopping the run is always important.

“They had a heck of a running back at Morgan State, and now we’ll see another good one at South Carolina State,” Ketchum said. “So there’s no letup in this league.”

Quarterback Cleveland McCoy leads the S.C. State offense. He’s a fifth-year senior and three-year starter, and he has passed for more than 3,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 in his career.

Blount was an assistant at S.C. State for four seasons before coming to WSSU in 1993, and he knows that playing in Orangeburg isn’t easy.

“This is a different kind of group of players that we are going to play this weekend as they are very good and very physical, most definitely one of the best teams in the MEAC,” Blount said. “Certainly we will have to be on the top of our game to win.”

Blount called last week’s win a good measuring stick of how far his program has come. Another win against one of the top teams in the MEAC would be another step forward.

“The thing that we want to do is not so much about the wins and losses,” Blount said, “it’s more about being competitive and building a Division I football program.”

SCSU's Marching 101 to play NFL halftime

Photo: S.C. State band members Shion Randolph, center, and Darryl Broome, right, perform Sunday during the 2007 Palmetto Invitational Band Classic in Charleston.

VIDEO: http://www.thestate.com/colleges/story/174132-a173840-t19.html

The South Carolina State Marching 101 band played Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia a week ago. On Sunday, the band goes pro.

To the NFL that is.

The NFL Atlanta Falcons will host the Carolina Panthers for their 2007 home opener at the Georgia Dome. The Marching 101 will perform during halftime.

The game begins at 4:15 p.m. and will air on the FOX network.

The Marching 101 could return to perform in the Georgia Dome in January 2008 if selected to participate in the annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. Vote for the SC State Marching 101's inclusion as one of the nation's Top 10 Historically Black College and University bands at www.hondabattleofthebands.com. Voting concludes on Friday, Nov. 2, at 12 a.m. EST.

S.C. STATE Marching 101 Band
Director: Eddie Ellis
Members: 320
Drum majors: Michael “The Rock” Williams, Quinton “The GQ Model” Turner, Shane “The Professor” Walcott, LaTrondrick “The Rookie” Hunter, Tariq “Pretty Boy” Miller, Jonathan “Oh My God” Whitfield, Fernandez “The Kid” Brown
Style: High step, also known as “chair step” or “ankle-knee”
Claim to fame: They memorize all their sheet music

S.C. State band director Eddie Ellis has directed high school and college bands since 1975.

He joined the Marching 101 three years ago after working as a band director at Morris Brown College. You might remember the Morris Brown band from the 2002 movie “Drumline,” a film Ellis believes brought attention to marching band culture.

“It’s an art form. That movie has had a tremendous impact on the entire band world — regardless of style.”

And style is what makes the Marching 101 unique, Ellis said. This season, the S.C. State band will play mostly hip-hop and rhythm and blues, “but we may go back and do some ’70’s stuff. We try to do something everyone would enjoy.”

“Up for the Dogs,” the S.C. State fight song, and selections from James Brown, Earth, Wind and Fire, and the hit “Bartender” by hip-hop and R&B artist T-Pain are on their list.

Shane “The Professor” Walcott, a senior criminal justice major at S.C. State, is one of seven drum majors. He says the Marching 101 will bring a distinctive, up tempo and aggressive style to every performance. "We’re gonna do what we do best. It’s going to be an exciting show.”

Charles seizes opportunity with SU Jaguars

By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter

Tennessee State at Southern
WHEN: 6 p.m. today.
WHERE: A.W. Mumford Stadium (25,500).
TV: Tape-delay (3:30 p.m. Sunday, CST).
RADIO: KQXL-FM, 106.5.
RECORDS: Southern 3-0, Tennesee State 2-1.
LAST MEETING: Southern 19, Tennesee State 18, 1996.
SERIES: SU leads, 23-10-2.


The attrition to Southern University’s defensive line — losing five players for a variety of reasons in the offseason — didn’t change the way junior tackle Dwayne Charles was going to go about his business.

“I seized the moment,” Charles said. “It was my time to get out there and work hard to earn a spot. I didn’t want it just given to me. I didn’t want anybody saying anything. I wanted to earn everything I got.”

Charles had already spent the 2005 season away from any football field because he was a nonqualifier. And he was a backup with just 12 tackles in four games last season. So, really, if the other guy didn’t want it anymore, that had nothing to do with Charles, because he sure did.

Charles, who already has 13 tackles in three games, will try to continue to get better as Southern (3-0) hosts Tennessee State (2-1) at 6 p.m. today in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

“He fought to get in the position he is, and he’s taken advantage,” defensive coordinator Terrence Graves said. “He committed himself to the weight room in the winter, spring and summer. He’s like night and day from last fall to this fall.”

This is the way his father and mother raised him: You do things for yourself.

His father, Darrell, was a defensive end and tight end who had starred at St. Martinville High School and went on to Oklahoma University, which finished third in the nation in 1979 and won the ’80 Orange Bowl. After a knee injury derailed his football career, Darrell Charles returned to south Louisiana, married Ellena and started a family.

“I have those two to thank for everything,” Charles said.

From Darrell, who works offshore — 14 days on, 14 off — Dwayne learned this, “He never pushed me, even though I was always a big kid (and everyone knew Darrell as a football star). I was proud of him. He never forced me to play football. He told me, ‘Whatever I do, give it all I’ve got, and that will be my decision.’”

From Ellena, who is a custodian at a middle school, Dwayne learned this, “My mom always told me, ‘Never quit. Always go hard, you never know who’s watching. Leave it all out on the field.’”

Charles, who has an older sister and a younger brother, was always a big kid. He said he wasn’t comfortable following his dad’s path at St. Martinville.

Instead, Charles created his own at Lafayette High where three-sport athlete (football, basketball and track, where he was a top discus thrower). A team captain of both the football and track teams. A Class 5A All-State first-team selection at linebacker. A three-year starter playing offensive line, defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker — with 88 tackles as a senior.

That’s why being a nonqualifier in 2005 and, thus, unable to play or even practice, was so hard and maybe made him work a little harder.

“I was just so happy my first year (playing last season),” Charles said. “I just wanted to be eligible, so I could contribute. I’d never had to sit out a year before. Just sitting out that year really got me focused. With my parents supporting me and coaches pushing me, I maintained the grades.”

Charles faced what most nonqualifiers face that first season: trying to get acclimated to the college game, both physically and mentally, while trying to get used to playing after a year away from football.

Graves said Charles had to get stronger and he had to get bigger at the same time. Charles was 250 pounds when he arrived as a true freshman and was up to 280 last season. Graves had recruited Charles to play on the defensive line, and the increase in size made going to tackle the natural choice.

“I never thought Dwayne would ever play linebacker, because in high school Dwayne was 250-to-255 pounds, but he was so athletic that they played him at middle linebacker,” Graves said. “So what you do is you recruit those type of guys and add 20-to-25 pounds and now you have a very athletic defensive lineman.”

Charles’ game, as that of many nonqualifers often does, zoomed in the spring. He had settled into one position. The time off the bench and being at practice and in the film room gave him a good feel. And the weight room made him stronger.

Making a difference, Charles said, was “getting in the weight room, conditioning, trying to get better every day, giving it all I’ve got for the defense, the team.”

Coaches took notice. A buzz developed.

“The kid who really played well in the spring was Charles. He really came on,” head coach Pete Richardson said.

This preseason camp, with tackles Alston Smith and Isaiah Thomas not returning for different reasons, Charles and veteran tackle Joseph Selders (14 tackles) started to develop a chemistry inside. That progress has continued.

“He’s a joy to have around in the program,” Graves said. “He and Joe Selders really work well together, push one another. He’s a natural leader by action.”

Charles, a business management major, said he’s planning on earning a fourth season of eligibility, getting back the season he lost.

“He’s a mature individual,” Richardson said. “He likes to play. He likes to play football.”

Southern University Human Jukebox Band

B-CU to see some familiar faces at NSU

By BRENT WORONOFF, Daytona Beach News Journal

The way Bobbie Williams remembers it, one day three Bethune-Cookman assistant football coaches were on campus, the next day they weren't.

It happened shortly after the 2004 season when B-CU defensive coordinator Pete Adrian was named head coach at Norfolk State and he took three other assistants -- Kirk Mastromatteo, Mark DeBastiani and Jeff Parker -- with him.

"One day they were here, the next day they were gone," said Williams, B-CU's All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference free safety. "They did what they had to do. We were fine without them."

When the Wildcats face the Spartans at Norfolk State today, Williams said it will be just another conference game. But the numbers say otherwise. Since Adrian has been at Norfolk, the two teams have played two dramatic nailbiters that were decided by a total of three points.

And Williams saved the victory for the 'Cats both times. In 2005, he pushed Brandon Books out of bounds as the Norfolk quarterback tried to run in a two-point conversion that would tie the score in the fourth overtime. Williams' stop gave B-CU a 63-61 marathon victory.

Last year, Williams intercepted Casey Hansen's pass with 1:45 left to clinch the Wildcats' 22-21 triumph. It was Williams' third pick of the day.

"It's just a coincidence that every time we've played them I've had one of my best games," Williams said.

Photo: BCU All-American Safety Bobbie Williams

B-CU quarterback Jimmie Russell has also had two straight outstanding games against the Spartans, but unlike Williams, he doesn't see Norfolk State as just "a regular opponent."

"This one has added incentive because of the circumstances involved," Russell said.

Two years ago, B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt refused to shake hands with Adrian after the game. The following offseason, the two head coaches, who had worked together for eight years, smoothed over their differences.

"These guys are my best friends," Wyatt said this week of his three former assistants. "We've been through a lot of wars together, and we understand each other."

That familiarity is one of the reasons the past two games have been so closely contested, the coaches say.

"Just as they know how we think, we know how they think," Adrian said.

"We kind of know what the other is going to do," Wyatt agreed.

In such a game, Wyatt said, the difference usually comes down to a turnover or a crucial special teams play.

But the focus is on offensive and defensive playmakers, such as Williams and Russell and Norfolk State quarterback Hansen and linebacker Maguell Davis. And while the coaching staffs know each other so well, when it comes to familiarity in personnel, the edge goes to the Spartans.

For example, when Adrian watches Russell on film, he sees the same quarterback he saw every day on the practice field three years ago.

"He's the kind of guy you might stop eight plays in a row, but on the ninth play he might be standing in the end zone," Adrian said. "The kid is a great competitor, and he's always been a great competitor."

Playing with a knee brace last week to protect a strained medial collateral ligament, Russell rushed for three touchdowns and accounted for 177 yards of total offense as the Wildcats trounced Savannah State 45-13.

Photo: BCU QB Jimmie Russell

This week the stakes are higher as the Wildcats try to halt a four-game MEAC losing streak that began last season, and the Spartans try to take a step forward after finishing 4-7 the past two years.

B-CU (2-1) at Norfolk State (1-1)

KICKOFF: 4 p.m.
RADIO: WELE (1380 AM)
va2WHERE: Dick Price Stadium, Norfolk, Va.
KICKOFF: 4 p.m.
RADIO: 1380-AM
RECORDS: Bethune-Cookman 2-1, 0-1 MEAC; Norfolk St. 1-1, 0-0
SERIES: B-CU leads 12-5

PLAYMAKERS: B-CU -- QB Jimmie Russell, Sr., has six of the Wildcats' seven rushing touchdowns and has accumulated 508 yards of total offense; WR Joe Singleton, Jr., has six catches for 126 yards (21 ypc); FS Bobbie Williams, Sr., leads the 'Cats with 25 tackles and has one interception. LB/DE Josh Balloon, Sr., has five tackles for losses. Norfolk State -- QB Casey Hansen, Sr., has passed for 353 yards with two interceptions and no TDs; RB Daryl Jones, Sr., has rushed for 163 yards and two TDs; LB Maguell Davis, Sr., has two tackles for losses and an interception.

ETC: This is Norfolk State's first game against a Division I-AA team. The Spartans beat Division II Virginia State 33-7 in Week 1 and were overwhelmed by nationally-ranked Division I-A Rutgers 59-0 last week. B-CU has won nine straight over Norfolk, but the past two by just a combined three points.

DID YOU KNOW: This is the second time this season that B-CU is playing a MEAC opponent that had played against a Division I-A squad the previous week.The 'Cats met South Carolina State the week after the Bulldogs played at Air Force and are now playing Norfolk the week after the Spartans played at Rutgers.

BCU Marching Wildcats

Photo Gallery: FAMU smashes Howard Bison

FAMU Marching 100

QUICK SLANTS: Alabama A&M at Grambling State

Photo: GSU DB DeMichael Dizer #29 versus Pittsburgh Panthers

By Nick Deriso, The Monroe News Star

NOT FLASHY, BUT SOLID

First-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway’s style isn’t flashy. In fact, it’s sometimes almost boring.

A sample: “Don’t try to make plays that are not in your area,” Broadway told the team this week. “Take care of your responsibility.”

But that kind of solid, foundation-building approach is finding a home in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, despite the lingering reputation of flamboyant character/coaches like Marino Casem, Archie Cooley and Melvin Spears.

After all, it could be argued that both participants in the most recent SWAC title games (Alabama A&M’s Anthony Jones and Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Mo Forte) were proponents of this assignment-oriented approach — as are recent championship coaches like Charlie Coe and Pete Richardson.

DON’T MISS IT
When Grambling plays Alabama A&M this Saturday, it will be one of just three home games in 2007, the second consecutive season that’s happened.

Over the past 25 seasons at Robinson Stadium, GSU has held as few as three home games on 10 other occasions.

But it’s not the shortest home slate ever.

Under former coach Doug Williams in 2001, the Tigers played just two games in Grambling — going 2-0 over Alabama A&M and Texas Southern.

GSU then played four home contests in 2002-05.

Still, playing so few times in front of the locals puts additional pressure on the team to perform well, something first-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway is well aware of.

“I’ve heard so much about the atmosphere here,” Broadway said. “I’m excited for our fans and our football team. Hopefully, we can go out and represent the university and the athletic department well.”

Grambling has posted undefeated home records nine times (1983, ’89, ’91, ’93-94, 2000-02, and ’05) since “The Rob” opened in September 1983. Its only winless campaign at the stadium was in 2004.

ENEMY LINES: A&M
Alabama A&M, coming off its first-ever SWAC championship in 2006, returns 13 starters — including dual-threat quarterback Kelcy Luke.

That led preseason league voters to predict a return to the title match, which has also featured A&M in 2000, ’02 and ’05. Each previous time, however, the Bulldogs fell to this week’s foe, Grambling.

“We’ve got some demons to face,” said A&M coach Anthony Jones. “We’ve got to get ourselves ready to face a good football team on the road. (First-year Grambling coach Rod) Broadway has them playing well in all three phases of the game.”

Always a defensive-minded squad, A&M has emerged as a scoring threat in 2006 — averaging a league-leading 45 points a game so far in wins over Tennessee State, Clark-Atlanta and Mississippi Valley.

That’s helped the Bulldogs open a season at 3-0 for the first time since 1966, according to the SWAC.

“They’re the conference champions, and have played in a number of championship games,” Broadway said. “You don’t play in that many conference championship games without doing a good job. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

Freshman Ulysses Banks has run for 314 yards in the past two games alone, while the underappreciated Luke — still largely unknown, despite leading A&M to consecutive nine-win seasons — is throwing for 293 yards a game.

“He’s a leader, and he’s proven to be a winner,” Jones said of Luke. “I’m blessed to have him on our team.”

Grambling holds a 12-4 lead in a series that dates back to 1941. A&M recorded a shutout in that first meeting; Grambling held the Bulldogs scoreless the last time this league game was held at Robinson Stadium, in 2005. There were 44 years between the second and third games of this series, held in 1945 and then ’89. A&M has been an annual opponent since it joined the SWAC in 1998.

“We’re excited to play the conference champions,” Broadway said. “You can never underestimate the heart of a champion. That means they will not give up, and they’ll be there until the last whistle. That’s where we have to get our guys.”

SWAC ATTACK
VIEW FROM SOUTHERN
Once again, Southern had its troubles with Prairie View — though the Jaguars were able to avoid the overtime upset that defined their 2006 season.

The defense overcame a series of offensive mishaps, including as many as six dropped passes, to win 12-2.
“I don’t know if it’s what they did or what we did to ourselves,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said.

Photo: Texas Southern vs. JSU was played in monsoon.

OFF THE SNIDE
Jackson State has finally gotten its first win of the season, besting Texas Southern 28-7 in a rain-soaked contest.

JSU finished 2006 on a 1-4 slide, then opened this year 0-2.

“We needed a win bad,” said coach Rick Comegy. “We haven’t had one in a while. Hopefully that will lead us back to the hopes and dreams we had for the season.”