MEAC power Morgan State -- No Cupcake for Majors

Morgan State stuns Arkansas, ends Razorbacks' 45-game home win streak

First win over SEC team in MSU school history.



Having come up nine points short against 20th-ranked Louisville Sunday night, Morgan State's Reggie Holmes was determined to redeem himself against Arkansas Tuesday and did so in a spectacular way. Holmes hit two free throws with 6.3 seconds left and held his breath as Rotnei Clark's 3-pointer clanged off iron before celebrating a wild 97-94 upset of the Razorbacks. The victory before 7,500 fans snapped Arkansas' 45-game home win streak at Bud Walton Arena against non-conference opponents, the second longest in the nation. Holmes finished the game with 34 points. In Sunday's 90-81 loss to Louisville, Holmes scored only nine points before he, Kevin Thompson, DeWayne Jackson and Rodney Stokes all fouled out.

"I'm proud of my guys, it was a hard fought victory," MSU head coach Todd Bozeman told the Morgan State sports information office. "I thought in the first half we fouled a lot, and we just came off a game where a team shot 41 free throws against us. It looked as though we were going in that direction, but they shot 45 and we ended up shooting 41." Indeed, the Bears hit 34 of 41 free throws, while the Razorbacks (2-2) made 35 of their 45 attempts. Joe Davis came off the bench to score 18 points for the Bears (4-1), while Thompson had a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.






















Morgan State Bears upend Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, AR — Morgan State's Bears aren't just better than Arkansas comparing scores with Louisville. They are just better than Arkansas. They proved it head to head Tuesday night, beating the Razorbacks 97-94 at Walton Arena. Rotnei Clarke, hitting threes with 14.5 and 6.5 seconds left to keep the Hogs in it, air-balled his last desperate try at a tying trey as time expired. That enabled the two free throws Reggie Holmes sank at 6.3 seconds to give the Bears their final victory margin. It was the last thing Holmes did to achieve victory but hardly the first. Holmes scored a game-high 34 points including 4 of 4 free throws in the final 13 seconds. Morgan State, which had lost 90-81 to Louisville in Louisville compared to Arkansas' 96-66 loss to Louisville in neutral site St. Louis, advances to 4-1. The Razorbacks fall to 2-2

Louisville basketball downs Morgan State 90-81

With eight freshmen or sophomores on the roster, University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino doesn't expect huge strides from game to game. “Baby steps,” Pitino said on Sunday. The Cardinals took a few more of those baby steps, using better shot selection and some timely defense to beat Morgan State 90-81 for a second win in less than 24 hours before 18,942 fans in Freedom Hall. U of L led by 16 points and was really never threatened. “We're learning and getting better,” Pitino said. “This was a better performance tonight in terms of what we tried to accomplish. We did a nice job.”

The Bears (3-1), who made the NCAA Tournament last season, made just 29 of 71 shots (40.8 percent), including 5 of 20 three-point tries (25 percent). “Louisville is a very good team,” said Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman, the former coach at California. “They're going to have an outstanding season. I'm just glad we don't have to play them again.”

Armed with a new five year contract, Coach Todd Bozeman Bears goes after a 30 win season, another MEAC title and NCAA tournament berth. The Bears were 23-12 last season with signature wins at Maryland, DePaul and Marshall. Bozeman has a career record of 62-42 at MSU and MEAC record of 37-13. Known as a strong recruiter, in four seasons as head coach at the University of California - Berkeley, he lead the Golden Bears to a 63-35 record (64.3 pct.), three NCAA Tournament bids in four years, and was the youngest coach to ever reach the NCAA "Sweet Sixteen".

Photo Gallery: Morgan State at UofL
Photo Gallery: Morgan State at UofL 2
Game stats: U of L vs. Morgan State (11/22/09)

Holmes scores career-high 30 to lead Morgan State to 72-61 win over East Tenessee State ...

BALTIMORE, MD — Reggie Holmes scored a career-high 30 points and Morgan State beat East Tennessee State 72-61 on Thursday night. Holmes was 9-for-18 from the field, including 4-for-9 on 3-point attempts for the Bears (3-0). He also had three steals. Rodney Stokes added 12 points for the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions. The Bears led by as many as 18 points in the first half and built a 22-point advantage in the second half before the Buccaneers began to chip away. Tommy Hubbard had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Buccaneers (1-2), playing their second of three straight games against 2009 NCAA tournament participants.

Boxscore
Photo Gallery: Bear Shots

Morgan State beats UAlbany 69-65

First season opener win since 1988.
ALBANY Senior guard Reggie Holmes scored 23 points to lead Morgan State to a 69-65 victory over the University at Albany in the Great Danes home opener at SEFCU Arena on Friday night. UAlbany (0-2) held a 60-56 lead but went the final 7 minutes, 40 seconds without a field goal. Junior guard Tim Ambrose scored 21 points and senior forward Will Harris added 18 points for the Great Danes, who committed 20 turnovers that led to 28 Morgan State points. The Bears (1-0), the defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, won their opening game for the first time since 1988.

UAlbany-Morgan State postgame thoughts

Here are some comments from UAlbany coach Will Brown and others after the Great Danes dropped their home opener 69-65 to Morgan State before 3,434 fans at SEFCU Arena. “I can’t be upset,” Brown said. “I told our guys in the locker room, I think we did a lot of good things against a quality, quality team.” Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman said he was touched by a text message he got before the game from freshman forward Anthony Anderson, who is battling leukemia. Morgan State’s players were wearing patches with Anderson’s No. 4 in his honor. Anderson is undergoing chemotherapy.

“He texted us this morning and told us that he loved us and he wanted to go out and play hard,” Bozeman said. “And at the end, he said, ‘Remember fellas, we’re grinders.’ And it just broke my heart. The kid’s a great kid, 19 years old … That’s kind of what was on our mind there. Those guys fought hard to not let big Anthony down.”

Morgan State - Team Notes -

When Todd Bozeman got to Morgan State, the Bears had never been to the NCAA Tournament, won a conference championship or even played in the title game of the MEAC tourney. Three years later, Morgan State has done all of that, and is favored in the preseason poll to do it again. Bozeman has achieved that feat by instituting a tough-minded culture, targeting talent from the surrounding Baltimore area in recruiting and taking on other schools from around the state of Maryland.

This season, a 1-2 punch of Reggie Holmes and Kevin Thompson leads the way for the Bears. Holmes, a 6-4 guard, is a first team all-conference selection who led the team in scoring and played more than 1,000 minutes last season. Thompson was one of the league's top newcomers as a redshirt freshman and was third in the league in rebounding. Bozeman adds junior college transfer Danny Smith to the mix to replace departed starter Itchy Bolden. Big man Rodney Stokes returns at the five spot.Troy Smith and Ameer Ali also return to the roster, as does sophomore guard Sean Thomas. The X-factor is Joe Davis, active after transferring to the Bears last season from Cleveland State.

Morgan plays for ailing teammate, Anthony Anderson

Morgan State is chafing to step onto the basketball court, having reached the NCAA tournament for the first time last year, where the perks piqued the Bears' appetite. "We had charter flights [to the game], police escorts to practice and workouts in front of the national media," said Ameer Ali, a sophomore forward. "Once you've been, there's no turning back." But Morgan is really driven by a deeper cause. The Bears, 23-12 last year, have dedicated their season to one of their own, 6-foot-10 Anthony Anderson, who was diagnosed with leukemia last month.

Anderson, a redshirt freshman from Southern Maryland's La Plata High School (Charles County, Maryland) who was expected to contribute off the bench this season, is undergoing chemotherapy at Johns Hopkins Hospital, coach Todd Bozeman said. His prognosis is not known. "Anthony is going through a form of treatment right now, but the family wants to keep the particulars private," said Leonard Haynes, a Morgan spokesman. The Bears, two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions, have rallied around Anderson. "The whole team went to the hospital and stood in his room as the doctor explained how he was going to treat him," Bozeman said. "Everybody loves 'Big Ant.' "

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Savannah State athletic director chosen as new Southeastern Louisiana A.D.

Former A.D. W.Bart Bellairs leaves SSU Tigers for Southeastern Louisiana University Lions and Southland Conference.

SSU names interim AD

Savannah State University named Marilynn Stacey-Suggs interim athletics director on Tuesday. Stacey-Suggs, SSU’s Assistant Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator, replaces Bart Bellairs, who was hired as athletics director at Southeastern Louisiana University on Monday. Bellairs was introduced as Southeastern Louisiana’s athletic director Tuesday during a news conference in Hammond, La. Stacey-Suggs, a native of Reidsville, N.C., earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Winston-Salem State University in 1980. She earned an associate in arts degree from Fayetteville Technical Community College in funeral service education in 1983.

SSU athletic director resigns

Bart Bellairs told the Savannah Morning News that he resigned Monday as Savannah State University's athletic director, a position he held since May 20, 2008. During a 3 p.m. telephone interview, Bellairs said he would inform his staff during an athletic department meeting at 4 p.m. Monday. "I am leaving Savannah State University, but I am not confirming where I'm going at this time," Bellairs said. Bellairs, 53, is the first white athletic director at SSU, a historically black university that began playing sports in 1915.

"It's a family thing," said Bellairs, whose wife, Jacki, and four school-age children remained in Lexington, Va., after he accepted the job at SSU. "It's because of my family. I've loved my time here, but I'm a family man and it's always been about my family." SSU paid Bellairs $110,000 annually. He was chosen among 32 applicants to become the Tigers' 15th athletic director.

Bart Bellairs Named Director Of Athletics At Southeastern

HAMMOND, LA – W. Bart Bellairs, former director of intercollegiate athletics at Savannah State University in Savannah, Ga., and a senior athletics administrator at Virginia Military Institute has been selected to serve as director of athletics at Southeastern Louisiana University, it was announced today (Nov.24). His appointment is contingent upon final approval by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. He is expected to join the Southeastern staff in early January.

“I liked what I saw at Southeastern from the start but when my wife Jacki and I met the people, we knew we had found a home,” Bellairs said. “My whole life I have spent time in college towns; growing up, as a coach, and as an administrator, and I have been blessed by living in some great places. When I started preparing for the interview I was very impressed with the campus and the attention Southeastern paid to supporting the students; but when I met the people -- the faculty, coaches, and members of the community – I wanted to be a part of it.”

At Southeastern, Bellairs will oversee 15 NCAA Division I affiliated programs that compete in the Southland Conference. Bellairs had been at Savannah State, an NCAA Division I program, with 15 teams, since July 2008.

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Bethune-Cookman makes quick, boneheaded decision on Coach Wyatt

Coach Alvin "Shine" Wyatt, Sr., winningest coach in B-CU history, ends 13 year run with a 90-54 football record, two MEAC Championships, and two NCAA FCS Playoff appearances. Wyatt also served for 18 years as the Wildcats women basketball coach finishing with a 260-200 record and two MEAC championships.

B-CU fires coach

DAYTONA BEACH -- The Alvin Wyatt era came to an end Monday when Bethune-Cookman University fired the Wildcats' all-time wins leader, the only head football coach to take B-CU to consecutive playoff appearances and the school's only coach to defeat archrival Florida A&M three straight seasons. Wyatt's 13-year run -- the longest tenure in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference -- ended about 4:30 p.m. Monday.

B-CU athletics director Lynn Thompson summoned Wyatt and told him the news in a face-to-face meeting. "It was one of the toughest situations I've ever been in professionally, having to have that conversation with Alvin Wyatt," Thompson said. "It's been a 13-year career that's included some great accomplishments. But after meeting with the administration, looking at the future, it was decided we needed to begin moving in another direction immediately."

B-CU has big shoes to fill after firing Wyatt

Gotta admit, when Alvin Wyatt was first promoted to Bethune-Cookman head coach 13 years ago, I considered it a punt. But staying in-house with that hire seemed to make sense at the time -- go with familiarity, save a little money in the process, and learn to be happy with four or six wins each year until further notice. The first two assumptions might've been correct, but Wyatt proved to be anything but a caretaker or babysitter for a program that, at that time, was in awkward shape (to put it nicely).

Wyatt hit the ground running -- literally. He employed an option-style offense and, when the blocking was decent and the quarterback sharp and athletic, the Wildcats could run an opposing defense into the ground. But a turnaround in a program, while always welcomed, also breeds expectations, and for a variety of reasons (speculation on the message boards runs the gamut) those expectations haven't been met the past four years.

Wyatt Won't Return as B-CU's Coach

DAYTONA BEACH Bethune-Cookman University will not renew head football coach Alvin Wyatt's contract. The school announced its decision Monday, two days after a 42-6 loss to Florida A&M. Bethune-Cookman Athletics Director Lynn W. Thompson says a national search for Wyatt's replacement will begin immediately. The assistant coaching staff will remain intact until the new coach is named. Bethune-Cookman finished this season with a 5-6 record, the third losing season in the past four years. The team went 8-3 in 2008. Wyatt coached 13 seasons at Bethune-Cookman with an overall record of 90-54.

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FAMU Volleyball wins 9th Straight MEAC Championship

MEAC Player of the Year, Jovanna Blazeski leads Florida A&M Lady Rattlers to 9th consecutive MEAC Championship and 2009 NCAA Tournament.

FAMU claims ninth straight MEAC volleyball title

Jovanna Blazeski pounded out 16 kills and Jessica Bond dished out 41 assists to help Florida A&M defeat Maryland-Eastern Shore in four sets for the MEAC volleyball title at Coppin Center in Baltimore Sunday. The Rattlers (17-8) won 25-17, 25-23, 20-25, 25-23 to claim its ninth consecutive championship. Maria Gomez had 15 kills for FAMU and Susan Egoavil scooped up 16 digs, one of four players in double figures in digs for the Rattlers. As a team, FAMU edged the Lady Hawks 61-56 in digs.

FLORIDA A&M DEFEATS UMES IN MEAC TITLE GAME, 3-1

Box Score

BALTIMORE, Md. - Sophomore Christine Edwards (Lakewood, Calif.) posted 21 kills and senior Whitney Johnson (Prince Frederick, Md.) had 13 but the University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team fell in the MEAC championship game to Florida A&M, 3-1 (17-25, 23-25, 25-20, 23-25), for the third consecutive season Sunday at the Coppin Center. The loss for UMES snapped a 15 match winning streak and ended the Hawks' season at 24-7 while giving Florida A&M (17-8) its ninth consecutive MEAC title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Senior Caylin Woodward (Garden Grove, Calif.), one of three Hawks playing their final match for UMES, chipped in with nine kills and team highs of 15 digs and a .304 hitting percentage. She also had four block assists and two assists. Freshman Bella Jade Romero (Arlington, Texas) tallied a double-double for the Hawks with 48 assists and 10 digs. Redshirt junior Samantha Chukwura (Brooklyn, N.Y.) contributed eight kills, a match-best six block assists and three digs.

Both Jovana Blazeski (16) and Maria Gomez (15) finished with double-digit kills for the Lady Rattlers, who registered a .208 team hitting efficiency to .233 for UMES. UMES held a slight advantage in kills, 54-52, and the teams each had 9.0 blocks. The Lady Rattlers had 61 digs, five more than the Hawks, and also led in service aces, 5-2. The match featured 38 ties and 16 lead changes.

Down, 6-5, in the first game, Chukwura and Edwards combined to block Pamela Barrera's attack to knot the game at 6. UMES tallied only one of the next points and called a timeout to try and shift momentum. The Hawks went on a 5-1 run to cut the FAMU advantage to three at 15-12 but that was as close as they got in the game as the Rattlers pulled away. Blazeski had a pair of kills in a 4-0 run to extend the lead to 19-12 and the Rattlers won the game with the help of a sophomore Zoe Bowens (Long Beach, Calif.) service error, one of 19 on the day.

The second game opened with a block from Romero and senior Thonya Joseph (Bridgetown, Barbados) and the Hawks led by as many as two on three occasions, the third time at 16-14 on a Edwards kill but Florida A&M to tie things at 16 on a Gomez kill and then take the lead for good on a block by Barrera and Maria Ceccarelli. The Hawks got back to with 24-23 on a Blazeski error forcing a FAMU timeout but the Lady Rattlers regrouped to close the door with another Barrera kill.

The Hawks won the third game, taking nine of the final 13 points to get on the board and make it 2-1. Three Hawks contributed kills in the run, including two from Woodward. Florida A&M had an 8-3 lead in the final game before UMES called timeout. The Hawks battled back to 13-all, getting the tying point off a Gomez service error. The game saw four more ties, the last at 20-all, before The Rattlers took the match on a Woodward error.

Barrera finished with nine kills and a match-high .389 hitting percentage. Jessica Bond had a double-double of 41 assists and 10 digs. Blazeski and Gomez also threw in 13 and 12 digs, respectively, for a double-doubles of their own. Susan Egoavil led all players with 16 digs.

by UMES Sports Information

FAMU's Blazeski MEAC's top player

Florida A&M University junior Jovana Blazeski was named the 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Blazeski leads the conference and is ranked 10th in the nation in kills per set (4.61). The outside hitter guided her team to an 8-0 record in conference play and 14-8 mark overall. She totaled 364 kills in 79 sets played during the regular season along with 3.04 digs and 5.05 points per set. In addition, Blazeski tallied 10 double-doubles along with six 20-plus kill performances this season.

Joining Blazeski on the All-MEAC first team are teammates Jessica Bond and Susan Egoavil.

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Florida Classic 2009: Battle of the Bands--FAMU Marching 100 vs. BCU Wildcats

QUOTES OF THE DAY...

"I have heard more than my share of marching bands in my life (HBCU and non), and I can say without a doubt that the 100 has the highest quality sound I've heard. Their ability to play with volume without sacrificing subtlety is unmatched. Arguably, the best college ambassadors in the country...." TheAgRat

"I have attended 17 Florida Classics. Every year B-CU has gotten better. However, everything they do including their silly PA announcer has copied (FAMU) and Joe Bullard. We have had the opening marching announcements: "From the Highest of 7 hills in Tallahassee..." for years. In the last two for BCU its, "From the world's most famous beach..." Heck, I thought the world's most famous beach was in MIAMI..." CaliRattler

FCS Playoffs: S.C. State at Appalachian State

Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough Bulldogs received no respect from FCS Playoff Committee. 9-2 William and Mary chosen to host 7-4 Weber State, giving Bulldogs a second road trip to Boone, N.C.

SC State to play Appalachain State in FCS playoffs

The South Carolina State football team will get a rematch in Saturday’s first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs against Appalachian State. For the second consecutive season, the Bulldogs will travel to Boone, N.C., for a noon game to be televised on ESPNU. The Bulldogs dropped a 37-21 decision to the Mountaineers last season. At the time, ASU was the three-time defending national champion while the Bulldogs were making their first trip to the playoffs since 1982.

Both teams enter this game on a roll. The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 7 in the latest FCS national poll, finished the regular season with a 10-1 overall record, with the only loss coming to FBS opponent South Carolina, and an 8-0 mark in the MEAC. This is the second consecutive season they have won the league title by going unbeaten and have won a conference record 19 straight games dating back to 2007.

ASU to host South Carolina State in FCS playoffs

The Mountaineers will see a familiar foe this Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Appalachian State will host South Carolina State in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs this Saturday. The announcement was made Sunday. South Carolina State is the MEAC champions and has a 10-1 record. The Bulldogs' lone loss was to South Carolina.

Appalachian State won its fifth straight Southern Conference championship with a win over 27-10 win over Elon, and won it outright with a 19-14 win over Western Carolina last Saturday. The Mountaineers are 9-2, but have won nine straight games. "I think we've gotten better all the time and I think that's what's important and I think they have too," Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore said. "It should be one of the best games on the docket next Saturday." "I'm happy because now we know who we play," ASU cornerback Cortez Gilbert said. "We've actually played them before, so we've got film on them with us on it, I'm just happy to be in it, to be honest."

2009 FCS Playoff Pairings

South Dakota State (8-3) at (1) Montana (11-1)
Eastern Washington (8-3) at Stephen F. Austin (9-2)
South Carolina State (10-1) at Appalachian State (9-2)
Elon (9-2) at (4) Richmond (10-1)
Holy Cross (9-2) at (2) Villanova (10-1)
New Hampshire (9-2) at McNeese State (9-2)
Weber State (7-4) at William & Mary (9-2)
Eastern Illinois (8-3) at (3) Southern Illinois (10-1)

It's Back To Boone For The Bulldogs

For the second consecutive year, South Carolina State will open the FCS playoffs in Boone, North Carolina against Appalachian State. The Bulldogs, ranked seventh in the country and winners of the MEAC, had hoped to host a first-round playoff game. But Sunday, the team learned it would be headed back to Boone for a Saturday game that is set to kick off at noon. Appalachian State, the reigning Southern Conference champion, is ranked fifth in the country. The winner will meet the winner of the game between #4 Richmond and ninth-ranked Elon.

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Florida Classic: Florida A&M 42, Bethune-Cookman 6

FAMU blows out B-CU in Classic

The 59,418 fans that showed up at the Florida Citrus Bowl Saturday for the 30th anniversary Florida Classic clash between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman came hoping to see 60 minutes of football that lived up to the milestone moment. Only one side wound up having much to cheer about, though. Riding the play of freshman quarterback and first-time starter Martin Ukpai, the Rattlers didn't miss a beat playing without injured starter Curtis Pulley as they plowed over the Wildcats 42-6.

The win was the Rattlers' second straight blowout Classic win, following a 58-35 victory last season. It also kept alive FAMU's hopes of getting an at-large bid to the Division I-AA tournament. Those aspirations had taken big hit after a 25-0 loss to struggling Hampton last week. But whether the Rattlers' get a postseason invite or not, the season will go down as a successful one for second-yard coach Joe Taylor, who is now 17-6 since taking over the program in 2008. Meanwhile, the loss handed Bethune-Cookman veteran coach Alvin Wyatt his first losing season since 2007, when the Wildcats finished 5-6. It's just the third losing season of his 13-year tenure in Daytona.

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Ukpai, Sylvester give FAMU a Classic show

ORLANDO -- He was hit hard. He threw an interception. He was sacked. But freshman quarterback Martin Ukpai spent most of Saturday afternoon proving that he is very capable of directing FAMU's offense as he carried the Rattlers to a 42-6 victory over Bethune-Cookman University in the Citrus Bowl. Ukpai was patient and deliberate in his first collegiate football start in place of injured senior Curtis Pulley. At times he showed flashes of the same dual-threat ability as Pulley.

"I can't say enough about Ukpai," FAMU coach Joe Taylor said. "I thought Coach (offensive coordinator Lawrence) Kershaw did a good job of getting the game plan simplified. You can't take your hat off enough to him." Indeed. Ukpai, a graduate of Fort Lauderdale High School who was promoted from third-string to starter, directed the offense to 419 yards. He ran for his first collegiate touchdown in the third quarter and made a sensational 1-yard throw to Kevin Elliott in the second quarter to give FAMU a 28-0 halftime lead.

'78 Rattlers soak up Florida Classic »

ORLANDO — Every year, some of the players who made up FAMU's 1978 team that played the first Florida Classic come to the Florida Citrus Bowl. They show up and tailgate, like Saturday when a few of them gathered around the stadium. They come expecting some fireworks; maybe nothing like the explosive entrance that the Marching 100 made at the battle of the bands the night before. But they were looking for big plays anyway. Dramatic plays are why fans come back. They just seem to happen. And some came Saturday afternoon, although mostly by FAMU in its 42-6 thumping of Bethune-Cookman University in front of 59,418 ruckus fans.

The place went nuts when freshman Martin Ukpai rushed 11 yards for his first collegiate touchdown. That gave FAMU a 21-0 lead. Those boys of '78 just soaked it up. It was FAMU's 20th win in the 30 years that these two teams have met. This one being an anniversary, was special to Wyman Daniels. His catch on a desperation 35-yard pass from quarterback Albert Chester was the one that set the benchmark for dramatics. Big plays have since become a sort of pre-Thanksgiving ritual in the Classic. When the '78 team got together, the men rehashed memories of their remarkable season when they won the first NCAA Division I-AA national championship.

Everything Goes Right In Rattlers' Victory

ORLANDO There have been a few more one-sided scores in the 30-year history of the Florida Classic, but no more one-sided days. Everything went right for Florida A&M on Saturday and everything went wrong for Bethune-Cookman in a 42-6 rout before a crowd of 59,418 at the Florida Citrus Bowl. FAMU (8-3, 6-2 MEAC) put away its arch-rival in the first half, but that was only part of the story. The Rattlers may have qualified for a Division 1-AA playoff berth, and they also established their future at quarterback in freshman Martin Ukpai, who started for injured senior Curtis Pulley.

B-CU (5-6, 4-4) lost for the fourth time in five years to FAMU. The Wildcats threw three interceptions, drew 10 penalties and never got anything going on offense until it was far too late. Phillip Sylvester ran for 121 yards and two touchdowns for the Rattlers. Ukpai, who was the third-string quarterback until last week, completed 8-of-11 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown, ran for 66 yards and a touchdown and played error-free until throwing an interception with the Rattlers ahead, 35-0, in the third quarter.

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Capital City Classic: Alcorn State 14, Jackson State 7

Braves defense dominates in Capital City Classic win

JACKSON, MS — When the Alcorn State Braves scored two quick touchdowns in the opening six minutes of the first quarter, most observers probably assumed their game against Jackson State Saturday would be a high-scoring one. However, the Alcorn State defense wound up being the story of the game, as the Braves did not score again after the quick 14 points. The Braves defense held the Tigers to negative 12 rushing yards on 38 attempts, and tallied eight tackles for a loss, en route to a 14-7 win in the Capital City Classic at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Jackson State managed only one touchdown, a 38-yard pass reception by Anthony Mayes with less than two minutes left before halftime. Braves head coach Earnest Collins said his team felt like it had something to prove in terms of its rushing defense. “It was a challenge for our defensive guys,” Collins said. “We’ve been getting the ball run on us for the last couple of weeks. I’m so thankful that the Lord blessed me to have a coordinator like Zach Shay, because his temperament is, he wants to go, go, go, go, go. I knew that, at some point in time, he would get these guys going again.”

PHOTO GALLERY: Jackson State - Alcorn State

Rutland gets final chance, can't deliver win

Tray Rutland's collegiate football career ended Saturday on the turf of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Jackson State senior came off the bench in the first quarter but wasn't able to stop a 14-7 Alcorn State victory. The Capital City Classic, however, won't be the last time JSU fans can watch the strong-armed, 6-foot-3 lefty. Rutland plans to join the baseball team in the spring and pitch for coach Omar Johnson. In the meantime, Rutland will go down as one of the most talked about players since coach Rick Comegy took over the program. He was a highly-touted transfer out of Mississippi State but couldn't beat out Jimmy Oliver in 2007. He started most of 2008 and led JSU to a second consecutive SWAC Championship Game.

This season was supposed to be his time to shine, but he was benched in the first game and didn't return to the starting lineup until the fourth week. Inconsistency prompted his return to the bench in the seventh game against Mississippi Valley.

Collins, Braves add to Tigers' woe

Alcorn State coach Earnest Collins stood in the middle of the field at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, rain falling from the sky and chunks of ice resting on his head. As an announced 16,429 made their way out of building wet and cold, Collins wasn't bothered at all. Maybe that's because he had just been hit with a celebratory Gatorade shower and was being handed a trophy for a 14-7 win over Jackson State in the Capital City Classic, ending a two-year run by the Tigers. "I'm kind of at a loss for words," Collins said. "We started preparing for 2010 this week.



Attendance: 16,429@ Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS

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Savannah State Tigers 44, Georgetown Hoyas 63

SSU, Georgetown bring out crowd

Harold Lynch visited Savannah State University's campus for the first time in his life Saturday afternoon. The 77-year-old Savannah resident, who is white, was among the 3,176 spectators who came to see No. 19 Georgetown play SSU in the biggest men's college basketball game in the historically black college's history. "We're Georgetown alumni, so we're bringing most of the family here," Lynch said as a line of people in front of a ticket window spilled into the parking lot outside Tiger Arena. "We brought 30 people to support the Hoyas."

Lynch said he was impressed with Tiger Arena and "probably would" return to SSU for future games even if Georgetown is not the opponent. "From what I see, they're very lucky to have this kind of a facility to have their games in," he said. "Everything seems well-organized and looks brand new." SSU tried its best Saturday, both on and off the court. Georgetown defeated SSU, 63-44, but it was a moral victory for a Tiger program that lost, 100-38, to the Hoyas last season in Washington, D.C.

Photo Gallery: View photos from the game.

Savannah St no match for No. 19 Georgetown, 63-44

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Jason Clark scored a career-high 14 points and four Hoyas were in double figures as No. 19 Georgetown rolled to a 63-44 victory against over matched Savannah State on Saturday. Greg Monroe added 13 points for Georgetown (3-0). Austin Freeman had 12 and Chris Wright added 11 in a game that gave the Hoyas a much-needed breather after they squeaked past Temple 46-45 on Tuesday. Darius Baugh scored 10 points to lead Savannah State (2-2), which hit only 13 of 48 field goal attempts. The highlight for Savannah State came when the Tigers shocked the crowd and the Hoyas by jumping out to a 7-0 lead. That prompted Georgetown coach John Thompson III to call a timeout, and it was all Hoyas the rest of the way.

Armchair QB: SSU whiffs on hoops ticket prices

Savannah State reaches out to the local finicky sports fan this weekend. Problem is, the hand is going for your wallet instead of around your shoulder. The school has a rare opportunity Saturday to showcase what has quietly become a quality basketball program. No. 18 Georgetown is in town to play the Tigers, and the Hoyas are the rare draw on SSU’s schedule. To see the game, though, Savannahians will have to part with at least $15 and as much as $50 a head. What should be viewed by SSU as an opportunity to impress potential return customers is a one-time money grab instead.

The decision is as baffling as milking alumni for $125 to tailgate at Homecoming and then charging an additional $20 at the gate. Bart Bellairs, SSU’s athletic director, explains the situation from a pure business perspective. Selling 2,000 tickets at $15 apiece nets much more profit than 3,000 tickets at the regular price of seven bucks. He has officials and game operations people to pay and a budget to meet, not to mention the fact playing the game in Savannah costs the Tigers a huge paycheck: To coax Georgetown to Tiger Arena, SSU had to forego the $30,000 to $40,000 guarantee the school usually receives to play the big boys. And besides, he believes the 3,000-plus tickets reserved for the public will sell anyway.

Attendance: 3,176@ Tiger Arena, Savannah, GA.

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Note to Readers: The connection here is SSU Coach Horace Broadnax is a Georgetown alumnus and played for John Thompson II in the '80s with Patrick Ewing. However, you got to give credit to SSU athletic director Bart Bellairs for capitalizing on the connection and bringing the 19th ranked Hoyas to Tiger Arena. What other HBCU has a "home and home" deal with a Top 25 basketball program? (answer: none) This is what all HBCUs should be doing, in lieu of "barn storming" for $30K-$40K guarantees at someone else arena. Simply, play us at our place for no cost and we will play at your place next season for no cost. This is how you build the local fan base using Top 50 "brands" to get the entire community out to your arena.

The SSU game drew 3,176 fans to Tiger Arena (facility capacity: 6,000)--more or slightly less than the Alabama A&M vs. Mississippi Valley (2,776), Delaware State vs. Howard (2,731) and Tennessee State vs. Eastern Illinois (3,509) football games played in Week 12. In other words, Savannah State made money on this game where the others lost a truck load of money.

Tennessee State 21, Eastern Illinois 10

Coach James Webster Jr., ends TSU career with 25-31 record and a First Round draft pick (16th pick overall in 2008 NFL draft), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cornerback, Arizona Cardinals.

Tennessee State stalls Panthers' title plans

CHARLESTON, IL -- With ribs hurting and spirits perhaps even worse, Seymour Loftman clung to hope. “Yeah, I’m a No. 1 Gamecocks fan now,” Eastern Illinois’ senior safety said referring to Jacksonville State. Loftman was not doing cheerleader-like cartwheels, however, after his Panthers’ NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoff hopes were put on hold with Thursday night’s 21-10 Ohio Valley Conference loss to Tennessee State in a regular season finale at O’Brien Field. “So now we have to get help,” EIU coach Bob Spoo said.

Now 8-3 overall, the nation’s 13th-ranked Football Championship Subdivision team stands 6-2 in the OVC and has to hope Eastern Kentucky, 5-2, loses Saturday’s game at 17th-ranked Jacksonville State. If Eastern Kentucky can knock off Jacksonville State, it would win the first-place tie-breaker for the automatic FCS playoff berth because of a 36-31 head-to-head win over EIU on Oct. 3. Even if Eastern Kentucky beats Jacksonville State, the Panthers would have a chance for an at-large berth when the 16-team playoff field is announced Sunday afternoon but the OVC’s postseason failures this decade makes that questionable.

Tennessee State coach James Webster Jr. resigns

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — James Webster Jr. has resigned as Tennessee State's football coach after five seasons. Webster announced his resignation Thursday after a season-ending 21-10 win over Eastern Illinois. The Tigers finished 4-7 this year and Webster compiled a 25-31 record at the school. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak. In a statement, the school said a search for a new coach would begin immediately.

TSU wants coach with sense of past

Less than 24 hours after accepting football Coach James Webster's resignation, Tennessee State Athletics Director Teresa Phillips started receiving inquiries from those interested in the position. Phillips said the position would not be officially posted until Monday. "Based on the pace that I see now there are going to be a lot of résumés,'' Phillips said. Webster, in his fifth season, resigned after TSU ended the season Thursday night with a 21-10 upset win over Eastern Illinois. After posting the position, Phillips said she and an advisory committee, which will include TSU president Melvin Johnson, would discuss the type of candidates they wish to bring in for interviews. "This search is wide open,'' Phillips said. "We really think we've got to get the right combination guy in here. You want to get the most experienced person you can get, the most proven person you can get."

TSU football coach quits, spoiling upset win

CHARLESTON, Ill. —James Webster resigned as Tennessee State's football coach after Thursday night's 21-10 upset win over Eastern Illinois. Webster gathered his players on the field after they beat the first-place team in the Ohio Valley Conference and informed them of his decision, which brought many to tears.

"I just told them I was very, very proud of them. I'm proud of the way that they fought back tonight. I'm proud of the character they have shown all year long,'' Webster said. "I'm proud of the fact that they haven't been in the newspaper for getting in trouble. You haven't read about Tennessee State's football players committing crimes and getting in trouble. That's because of the character I instilled in them during the five years I was here." The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the Tigers, who finished with a 4-7 overall record and 3-4 in the OVC.

Attendance: 3,509@ O'Brien Stadium, Charleston, IL

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South Carolina State 28, North Carolina A&T 10

Ford Breaks MEAC Rushing Record In 28-10 Win Over NC A&T

ORANGEBURG,SC — Senior running back Will Ford had a record-breaking game on "Senior Day" as he rushed for 156 yards 23 carries to lead the South Carolina State Bulldogs to their 19th straight MEAC win and a 28-10 victory over rival N.C. A&T Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson. SC State (10-1, 8-0 MEAC), which secured its second consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and back-to-back berths in the FCS playoffs last Saturday in a 37-13 win over Morgan State. Coach Buddy Pough's team finished its second season with a perfect league record. The defense came up big limiting N.C.A&T to just 176 total offensive yards, SC State finished with 458 on the day.



Aggies look to future after 5-6 finish

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- For 30 minutes, N.C. A&T went toe-to-toe with MEAC football champion South Carolina State on Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. It was no contest in the second half. The Aggies played the Bulldogs to a 7-7 draw in the first half, but the FCS playoff-bound hosts pulled away after intermission to close the regular season with a 28-10 win and a 10-1 record. A&T finished with a 5-6 overall record and a 3-5 MEAC mark in Alonzo Lee's first season in charge. Not bad, considering the Aggies won only nine of 56 games from 2004 through 2008.

"I'm proud to be part of the senior class that had a part in turning things around this season," said defensive end Tyre Glasper. "It was a bittersweet way to end the season. "We wanted to challenge for a championship and finish with a winning record. That didn't work out, but we did win five games this year after winning three games last year and none the year before. Now it's up to the guys coming back to keep this going." Lee said the overwhelming youth in the program was something of a curse and a blessing.

Bulldogs want house in order

ORANGEBURG - With a second consecutive MEAC championship in hand, South Carolina State was strictly concerned with style points in Saturday's final regular season game against North Carolina A&T at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. The idea was to make a final, favorable impression on the FCS seeding committee in the quest to land a first-round home game in the national playoffs for the first time since 1981.

The Bulldogs, ranked No. 7 in all three major FCS polls, downed the improved Aggies 28-10 to close the regular season with a 10-1 record - matching the school record for wins in a season. It was also S.C. State's 19th consecutive conference win - a MEAC record - and ties a school mark for consecutive conference games without a loss. S.C. State now will sweat it out until the pairings are announced at 3 p.m. today. "Getting a home game is what it's all about now," Bulldogs coach Buddy Pough said.

The Bulldog Bite: No. 7 SCSU closes 2009 campaign undefeated in FCS, awaits ...

Inside the locker room of a 7-7 game at halftime with North Carolina A&T, the foreboding words of his mother were on South Carolina State head coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough’s mind. Earlier in the week, M.T. Pough cautioned her son about letting history repeat itself. It was six years ago when the Bulldogs routed North Carolina A&T 49-9 to hand the Aggies a devastating loss prior to opening play in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Even with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship trophy already at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium awaiting presentation from conference president Dennis Thomas, the thought of deja vu in reverse occurring inspired a sense of urgency in Pough as he addressed his team. There was no talk about running back Will Ford closing in on the conference career rushing record or playing host to a first-round home playoff game.

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Alabama A&M 17, Mississippi Valley State 12

A&M beats MVSU to advance to SWAC title game

HUNTSVILLE --- Ulysses Banks rushed for 160 yards and scored a touchdown to lead Alabama A&M to a 17-12 victory over Mississippi Valley State Saturday. With the win, A&M (7-4, 4-3) captured the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Eastern Division title and will play Prairie View in the championship game on Dec. 12 at Birmingham's Legion Field. MVSU ended the season 3-8 and 1-6.

MVSU finishes season with loss at Alabama A&M

NORMAL, Ala. — The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils fought hard in their season-ending contest with the Alabama A&M Bulldogs, but fell 17-12 on the road at Louis Crews Stadium. Backup QB Eddie Ivory ended the day with 200 yards passing on 11-of-28 passing with a touchdown and an interception. Starting QB Anthony Bowie was knocked of the game early in the first half. The Devils got on the board late in the second quarter when Stephen Robert scored from two yards out capping a seven-play, 78-yard, 2:45 drive. At the intermission, AAMU led 17-6. MVSU put one final score on the board as Ivory found WR Chris Williams for a six-yard score with two seconds remaining in regulation. The point-after attempt failed.

Will this be Totten's last game at Valley?

Coach Willie Totten record - Eight Seasons: 31-56; Totten blamed the school's small budget and scholarship restrictions (39 compared to 63 for the other nine SWAC schools) in remarks he made to the The Greenwood Commonwealth newspaper.

Beleaguered Valley football coach Willie Totten will lead the Delta Devils into their season finale Saturday at Alabama A&M in what might be his last game at his alma mater. The Delta Devils enter the game at 3-6 overall, 1-5 in the Eastern Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Huntsville, Ala. The big question is will this be it for Totten. Speculation continues to swarm the Itta Bena campus about the future of Totten, who has just two winning seasons and a combined record of 31-56 in his eight years at Valley. Win or lose Saturday, his coaching fate has probably already been decided. Totten's current contract, which pays him $92,928 annually, expires Dec. 31.

PHOTO GALLERY: A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State Football

Attendance: 2,776@ Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL

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Prairie View 49, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff 17

Prairie View finishes undefeated in SWAC play







PRAIRIE VIEW, TX — With a spot in the Southwestern Athletic Conference title game already secured, Prairie View A&M didn’t have much to play for in Saturday’s regular-season finale against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. But that didn’t mean the Panthers would take it easy on the Golden Lions. Quarterback K.J. Black tossed a career-high five touchdown passes, running back Donald Babers rushed for two scores, and the defense forced four turnovers to carry the Panthers to a dominant 49-17 win before a crowd of 3,889 at Blackshear Stadium.

The Panthers (8-1, 7-0 SWAC) closed the regular season on a seven-game winning streak and recorded their first undefeated conference campaign since 1964. Prairie View, the Western Division champion, will try to capture the program’s first SWAC crown since 1964 when it faces Eastern champion Alabama A&M in the league’s title game Dec. 12 in Birmingham, Ala.

Prairie View 49, Ark.-Pine Bluff 17

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- K.J. Black threw for five touchdowns and 312 yards to lead Prairie View A&M to a 49-17 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. The win closed out a dominant season by Prairie View (8-1, 7-0), which already clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division title the week before.

Prairie View A&M Caps Off Undefeated Conference Slate With 49-17 Win Over ...

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas - K.J. Black threw five touchdown passes and Donald Babers rushed for 121 yards and two scores as Prairie View capped off an undefeated conference slate for the first time since 1964 in a 49-17 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday afternoon at Blackshear Field. A 45-yard field goal by Carlos Reyes gave UAPB (5-4, 5-3 SWAC) an early 3-0 advantage in the first quarter but Prairie View (8-1, 7-0 SWAC) answered on its opening drive as Black found wideout Shaun Stephens for a 41-yard touchdown reception. After a UAPB punt, Prairie View moved ahead 14-3 as Black hit wide receiver Gabe Osaze-Ediae on a 21-yard touchdown reception.

GOLDEN LIONS CAN’T KEEP UP WITH PRAIRIE VIEW

Arkansas-Pine Bluff entered its game against Prairie View A&M on Saturday without the possibility of advancing to next month’s Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Game, but with the hope of knocking off the only team yet to lose a SWAC game. After giving up two touchdowns in the first quarter on Saturday at Blackshear Stadium in Prairie View, Texas, the Golden Lions pulled within four points late in the second quarter. The Panthers, however, added a touchdown in the final minute of the second quarter that started a string of four unanswered touchdowns to put the game away.

The Panthers’ three second-half scores were all on plays longer than 30 yards as they blew out UAPB 49-17 on Saturday. The Golden Lions (5-4, 3-3) will finish their season next Saturday against Texas Southern in Dallas, while Prairie View (8-1, 7-0) will play Alabama A&M in the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 12 in Birmingham, Ala. The Golden Lions couldn’t have advanced to the conference title game with a win Saturday, but they could have ended a progress-making season on a three-game winning streak. That possibility went away when its usually stingy defense had its second sub-par outing in as many games.

Attendance: 3,889@ Blackshear Stadium, Prairie View, Texas

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30th Florida Classic Hits Gridiron at 2:30 p.m. Today

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30th Florida Classic Hits Gridiron Today


ORLANDO -- A huge college football rivalry returns to the Florida Citrus Bowl today for the 30th anniversary of the Florida Classic. The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats and Florida A&M Rattlers meet again in what has become the nation’s largest football rivalry between two historically black colleges. Though Daytona Beach-based B-CU is closer to home at the Citrus Bowl, Florida A&M has the upper hand in the series at 19–10. Since moving to the Citrus Bowl from Tampa in 1997, the Rattlers are 8–4 against the Wildcats.

Video: Will It Stay Or Go?

B-CU has shot to save season

ORLANDO -- After consecutive 5-6 seasons in 2006-07, Bethune-Cookman's Dexter Jackson would have been satisfied with the Wildcats' 8-3 record last year -- if that third loss hadn't come against Florida A&M in the season-ending Florida Classic. "Last year we went 8-3, but all you could think about that whole off-season was the last game we played," the senior defensive tackle said this week. "I just want to come back and make it right this year." The Wildcats, winners of five of their last six games, will get that chance today when they meet FAMU at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m.

"When you lose to FAMU, it sticks with you," B-CU quarterback Matt Johnson said. "When you win, it makes the atmosphere around campus a lot better place to be." B-CU (5-5, 4-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) is 1-3 in its past four meetings with FAMU (7-3, 5-2) after beating the Rattlers three straight in 2002-04 for the first time in series history. "It's the biggest game on our schedule," B-CU coach Alvin Wyatt said. "It's nationally televised. It's a bigger crowd that you've had all season (an average of 68,000 in the 12 years the game has been in Orlando).

FAMU Too Strong for B-CU

Last year, I didn't quite know what to expect heading into the Florida Classic battle between Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M. I knew it had the potential of being a tight game, and it was for a while. I knew the crowd would be great and the bands would be even better, which they were. What surprised me, however, was the offensive explosion that took place. Both teams scored at such a rapid pace that my pen nearly ran out of ink while I took notes. FAMU won the shootout, 58-35, and once it was finally over, many in the Florida Citrus Bowl were exhausted, including myself.

As the 30th annual Florida Classic takes place in Orlando this afternoon, I know quite a bit more about these two teams and their capabilities. For one, expect to see a lot of points, but don't think it's going to be 93 this time. Despite a shocking shutout loss at Hampton last week, FAMU (7-3) has the firepower to hold up its end of the bargain, and it should rebound. Quarterback Curtis Pulley has the dual-threat ability to punish the Wildcats like he did last year when he rushed for 171 yards, passed for 125 and combined for four touchdowns. This year, he's more dangerous and has no shortage of targets, including former Kathleen receiver Adrian Smith.



FAMU Seniors Ready for Classic

For the Rattlers 27 seniors, the annual meeting with Bethune Cookman in the Florida Classic will mark their final regular season game wearing the Orange and Green.
FAMU Senior Offensive Tackle Robert Okeafor says, "I've been going to the Classic since '99. I had a cousin who played for Florida A&M back in the day so I think I've missed two since '99 so I know the excitement. All my family is going to be there, a lot of my friends will be there so it's going to be a real big deal come Saturday." FAMU Senior Outside Linebacker Gregory Boler adds, "Coming from Philly, there's really no type of anything to that magnitude." The Rattlers will look to go out with a bang in 2009, similar to the way they ended 2008, when they beat Bethune 58-35.

Taking different paths, both Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman can reach bigger ...

TALLAHASSEE — Four games into the 2009 football season, the annual Florida Classic game between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman was shaping up as an afterthought. FAMU looked unstoppable at 4-0. Bethune-Cookman looked lost at 0-4. As the two teams end their regular seasons, it's a different story. FAMU stumbled to a 3-3 record over their last six games, while Bethune-Cookman rallied to go 5-1 in the same span. Facing off today at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FAMU needs to win to keep alive any playoff hopes. A Bethune-Cookman win would cap an impressive turnaround and allow the Wildcats to finish with a winning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference record.

"I am a little bit shocked and surprised with where we are today," Wildcats coach Alvin Wyatt said. "I thought it was going to take a little bit more time for us to get to where we are." Bethune-Cookman's resurgence came as its turnovers faded. The Wildcats are tied for 111th in the Football Championship Subdivision with 30 turnovers lost, but 17 of those came in their first four games. Ball security was a major issue for the Wildcats in last year's game, as FAMU forced six fumbles and one interception in a 58-35 win.

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