ASU Hornets blow out Mississippi Valley State 41-9

TTA BENA, Mississippi -- Nick Andrews caught a career-high 10 passes for 104 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as Alabama State defeated Mississippi Valley State 41-9 in the season opener for both teams at Rice-Totten Stadium.

Alabama State (1-0, 1-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference) trailed 6-0 early before the offense got in gear. QB Greg Jenkins threw three first-half touchdown passes to Andrews, whose explosive night moved him up the Hornets' career receiving charts.



"It was the first-game jitters," head coach Reggie Barlow said of his team's slow start. "You never know how these guys will come out and play in the first game. We got off to a slow start, but once we got settled in and started playing, we played the way we know we can play. We were able to score some points and we're excited about that."

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Cheyney triumphs over Lincoln Lions

CHEYNEY --- For Cheyney University, Saturday's "Battle of the Firsts" with local rival Lincoln was filled with firsts.

The Wolves' 21-19 win in an exciting game that lived up to its hype marked the first time Cheyney had topped Lincoln in the history of the rivalry. It was the first opening day win for Cheyney since 1997. It was also the first victory for Wolves' head coach Kenny Lockard.

"It feels great," said Lockard. "But I'm just so happy for these kids. It goes to show that all that hard work they've put in paid off."

While quarterback Chris Anderson tossed a pair of touchdown passes, and the Wolves ground game piled up 191 yards, it was the work on the other side of the ball that ensured that Cheyney would come away with a victory.

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Virginia Union blanks Benedict to win Palmetto Capital City Classic, 27-0

COLUMBIA, SC - Virginia Union University capitalized on four Benedict College turnovers to beat the Tigers 27-0 in the 10th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic Saturday at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium on Saturday.

The Tigers (0-1) lost their season opener and the Palmetto Capital City Classic for the second straight year. Virginia Union improved to 2-0 on the season.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove to the Virginia Union 12-yard line before losing the first fumble of the day and ending the scoring threat. After the Panthers had taken a 7-0 lead in the second quarter, the Tigers saw another drive snuffed when quarterback Johnny Carson had the ball ripped out of his hands and Virginia Union's Antonio Harris raced 58 yards for another VUU touchdown.

GALLERY:Palmetto Classic

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NAIA Langston Defeats UAPB Golden Lions

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Former Nebraska quarterback Mickey Joseph's debut are Langston University football coach started with the kind of surprise that would have even made his old coach smile.

It wasn't as imaginative as the Tom Osborne's Fumblerooskis. And for boldness, it wasn't in the same galaxy as going for victory instead of a tie that would ensure a national title. Heck, Langston's onside kick on the first play of its 19-12 victory Saturday night at Arkansas-Pine Bluff didn't even lead to a scores.

But Joseph's decision, Langston's execution and linebacker Robert Thomas' recovery sure made an interesting first impression at Langston this season.



"We let them know right away that we wasn't playing with them," said Joseph, who quarterbacked Langston to nine victories in 1990, "that we was going to use everything in the book to win the football game. We wanted them to start thinking a little bit. We wanted them to start scrambling, and when you do that to a team, you take them out of the game plan right away."

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TSU's offense starts season in high gear; runs over Southern

Nashville, TN - All those offensive woes that plagued Tennessee State last year were a faint memory for the Tigers, who punished Southern in the John Merritt Classic on Saturday night at LP Field. The running game helped TSU coast to a 33-7 victory before a crowd of 25,209.

It was the most decisive win of second-year Coach Rod Reed’s career. After starting 3-2 last year, TSU (1-0) lost its last six games. Southern (0-1) also lost its last six games in 2010. Once TSU’s rushing attack got in gear early in the first quarter it was unstoppable.

TSU had 223 yards rushing at halftime and finished with 324. The Tigers had 512 yards of total offense.

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Tenn. St. revives ground game


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Southern’s defense was the elixir for many of the problems that plagued Tennessee State’s offense during the second half of last season. TSU struggled after losing starting running back Preston Brown (torn ACL) at midseason last year and lost its last six games.

The ground game got back into gear Saturday night on the way to a 33-7 victory over the Jaguars.
TSU rushed for a whopping 342 yards and scored two of its first three TDs rushing.

“We just really stuck with our game plan,” said TSU running back Trabis Ward. “That was to come off the ball fast, show some toughness and finish. Everybody on this team knew we had to have toughness and everybody made a promise early in the week to do their job and that’s what it took for the running game to have the kind of success we had.”

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VUL opener helps and hurts North Carolina A&T

Greensboro, NC - In the eyes of the NCAA, it's a game that never happened. But the leg injuries to N.C. A&T wide receiver Torrian Warren and tailback Mike Mayhew certainly happened.

And so, too, did the breakout games of starting quarterback Lewis Kindle and Ricky Lewis, the backup quarterback who lined up as a slot receiver and flat-out torched the defense of a start-up football program playing its first game in 78 years.

A&T won the first game of the Rod Broadway era, defeating Virginia University of Lynchburg 38-7 on a sultry Saturday at Aggie Stadium. The 11,659 who paid to see it can testify it happened.

Kindle threw four touchdown passes and scored a fifth on a 1-yard quarterback sneak -- although the NCAA won't recognize the stats because VUL is not a member institution. The Dragons are in the application process, hoping to someday rejoin the CIAA, a league they left in 1933.

In the here and now, the Dragons helped A&T. And they hurt A&T.

PHOTO GALLERY:  Aggies first win with new coach



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Enders leads Towson to 42-3 rout of Morgan State

Towson, MD - On a third-and-14 early in the third quarter of Saturday's night season opener, Towson quarterback Grant Enders stoically held his ground in the pocket, and after not being able to find an open receiver, he scrambled through a pack of Morgan State defenders for a first down.

Three plays later, he found Tyler Wharton for a 12-yard touchdown. That type of versatility is expected to add a new dimension to Towson's new-look offense, which kept the Bears off-balance in a 42-3 victory before 9,759 — the third largest crowd in Johnny Unitas Stadium's history.

The Tigers' defense, which returned eight starters, was also dominant, holding Morgan State to just 160 total yards. It was the first time Towson scored more than 30 points in a regulation game since Oct. 10, 2009 — a 36-28 victory over Rhode Island. The Tigers also racked up more than 500 yards of total offense for the first time in five years.



"Guys understand the system on both sides of the ball and special teams," Towson coach Rob Ambrose said. "We have a mentality where ...

GAME PHOTOS

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Albany State wins a thriller over Savannah State

Macon, GA - The Music City Classic lived up to its billing Saturday. It was indeed a classic. Albany State quarterback Stanley Jennings scored on a quarterback draw with 19 seconds left in the game to give the Golden Rams a 37-34 win over Savannah State, which had recovered from an early 19-0 deficit.

“I knew we had enough time to come back,” said Jennings, a rugged 235-pound quarterback. “It was the kind of game that whoever had the ball last was going to have a chance to win, and that’s pretty much what happened. This is the kind of win that shows us two things. The first one is that we have a long way to go if we want to be a good football team. The second one is that we played well when our backs were to the wall. It was a great win against a team that got after us a little bit.”




Albany State quarterback Stanley Jennings scored on a quarterback draw with 19 seconds left in the game to give the Golden Rams a 37-34 win over Savannah State, which had recovered from an early 19-0 deficit.

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New uniforms on way for Alabama A&M band; fundraiser ongoing

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- As the marching band director at Alabama A&M University, Derrick Yates has a problem. Well, maybe not a problem, exactly. "A new challenge," is how he put it.

Either way, he has work to do. You see, when school President Dr. Andrew Hugine kicked off a fundraiser to purchase 300 new band uniforms, he told Yates that band members should look as good as they sound. After seven years, the uniforms were worn and tattered. When the uniforms arrive by midseason, Yates will have a tougher time making the band sound even better than it looks.

"Dr. Hugine recognized as soon as he entered the university and saw us performing ...



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Chicago Football Classic: Second-half rally lifts Hampton Pirates

Chicago, IL - Hampton University beat Alabama A&M 21-20 in the 14th annual Chicago Football Classic before an announced crowd of 35,653 on Saturday at Soldier Field.

After both teams turned the ball over on their first possession, Alabama A&M reeled off 17 consecutive points. But the Bulldogs couldn’t make the lead stand as the Pirates scored the next two touchdowns.

David Legree threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Brown, and Legree scrambled eight yards for a score with 2:36 left in the third quarter. The touchdown was set up by a bobbled punt attempt that gave Hampton the ball on the Bulldogs’ 23-yard line.

Chance Wilson put Alabama A&M back in the driver’s seat with a 34-yard field goal with 5:33 left in the third quarter. The Pirates responded, going 60 yards in six plays and scoring on a ...

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Grambling wins young gun duel

SHREVEPORT, LA — There is a new trend in the Alcorn State-Grambling State rivalry — freshman quarterbacks stealing the show. Last year, it was Alcorn State's Brandon Bridge, who single-handedly kept the Braves in the game. In Saturday's Port City Classic, however, it was Grambling's D.J. Williams who took on the starring role.

Williams tossed a pair of touchdowns in his first collegiate start and GSU held off a late Alcorn rally to give coach Doug Williams a 21-14 victory in his return to Grambling. Even when D.J. Williams did not have a hand in a touchdown, he set them up.

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Defense answers call for Grambling

As a first-time starting quarterback, Grambling freshman D.J. Williams refused to make Saturday's Port City Classic matchup with Alcorn State all about him. Instead, he put the onus on the Tigers' defense.

"I've been telling those guys, 'We're putting it on y'all,'" Williams said. "They're the best defense in the SWAC and they showed it (Saturday) night."

The Tigers defense definitely did its job against Alcorn, leading the way in Grambling's 21-14 victory. A year after watching Alcorn quarterback Brandon Bridge torch them for 408 passing yards, the Tigers were ready for the sophomore known as Air Canada.

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Florida A&M Rattlers able to hold off pesky Fort Valley State

Tallahassee, FL - Just before kickoff Saturday, Bragg Stadium fans got to watch an animated version of a rattlesnake slam around a wildcat that was prowling the Florida A&M campus.

The crowd went wild. As it turns out, the video on the stadium's big screen was nothing more than hype, as the Rattlers spent Saturday evening trying to find ways to escape the Wildcats from Fort Valley State University.

In the end they did, 28-22, but it wasn't pretty. Penalties, missed tackles and a Division-I transfer by the name of Antonio Henton made it a tough opening night for the co-defending MEAC champion.

"I knew (the Wildcats) were coming to play us," FAMU coach Joe Taylor said. "I knew they had some athletes." The Rattlers' own blunders also made for a tough afternoon on the sidelines for Taylor and his staff.

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FAMU Women's Basketball Player Stabbed, Killed

The late Shannon Washington

Tallahassee, FL - The Tallahassee Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing at 3025 South Adams Street this morning at approximately 2:03 AM. Officers located victim Shannon Washington in the apartment, with a knife wound to her neck. The victim was initially treated by officers on-scene, until EMS arrived.

She was then transported to the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The victim was a FAMU student-athlete, who was a member of the women’s basketball team. TPD has been in contact with university officials.

TPD Victim Advocates have been working with the FAMU Athletic Department, and the victim’s teammates.

Suspect Starquineshia Palmer was still at the apartment upon the arrival of officers.

The investigation determined she did not live in the apartment, but traveled to Tallahassee from Central Florida to visit the victim for the weekend. The victim and Palmer began to argue in the early morning hours, resulting in Palmer stabbing the victim with a kitchen knife.

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MUG: Starquineshia Palmer
  (Courtesy Leon County Sheriff's Office)

NOTE: The late Ms. Washington was a heralded student-athlete that was expected to become the cornerstone of coach LeDawn Gibson's 2011/12 Lady Rattlers basketball squad. The Illinois Valley Community College standout was a two-time junior college All-American and two-time 1st team all-conference player. The 5'11" guard averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, five steals and five assists per game. The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn., honored her for her play last season.

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame recognizes the country's top players on all levels, from pro to high school. In making the team, Washington's jersey will hang in the ring of honor at the museum in Tennessee, where she is among other greats such as Candace Parker (Univ. of Tennessee), Sue Byrd (Univ. of Connecticut) and Britney Griner (Baylor). The jersey will hang until May 2012.

Ms. Washington was a native of Sarasota, Florida, where she was a graduate of Riverview High School.

Starquineshia Palmer, age 20, has been charged with first degree murder by the Leon County Sheriff Office. 

-beepbeep

Jackson State Tigers start fast, finish slow

Jackson, MS - A preseason filled with much hype and many expectations for Jackson State's pass-happy offense started off oh-so sweet on Saturday with a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Casey Therriault to Rico Richardson on the first play of a season-opening 42-2 victory over Concordia College.

The rest of the afternoon - at least for that once high-powered, high-flying offense - was submerged by Tropical Storm Lee's whipping winds and driving rains, and stalled by familiar issues for this team: inefficient pass blocking and a lackluster run game.

"I think we can be a little bit crisper. I think we can execute a little bit better than we executed today," JSU coach Rick Comegy said. "This team has it in them, and we're going to get it out of them."

Therriault, one of the most prolific passers in the nation last year, completed 15 of 32 for 218 yards, his third fewest in one dozen games at Jackson State.

PHOTOS: JSU - Concordia

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Tropical Storm Lee postpones Xavier's match at Loyola

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's volleyball match at city rival Loyola was postponed due to deteriorating conditions caused by Tropical Storm Lee.

The Gold Nuggets and the Wolfpack were scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Sunday. XU coach Christabell Hamilton said she will attempt to reschedule the match.

The Associated Press reported Saturday afternoon that Lee stalled just before making landfall and threatened to dump more than a foot of rain across the northern Gulf Coast and into the Southeast in coming days. The storm's center was about 45 miles southwest of Morgan City, La., Saturday afternoon, spinning intermittent bands of stormy weather, alternating with light rain and occasional sunshine. Maximum sustained winds were 60 mph.

The next match for Xavier (1-1) will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Spring Hill. Judson (Ala.) will be the Nuggets' next home opponent — 7 p.m. Thursday at The Barn.

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

The cadence of high-stepping marching bands

“A Cadence Unheard” documentary by Adrian Carroll and Gerard Farrow

Durham, N.C. - Students in the Southern and Hillside high schools’ marching bands rose before dawn in the swelter of summer heat. They arrived at their schools the first week in August for band camp – long days of practice, practice, practice. They were preparing – and still are preparing -- for halftime performances at football games, but also for the annual Adrian Carroll Battle of the Bands, held each October.

This year it will happen Oct. 16 at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium at N.C. Central University. It’s more than just a battle between high-stepping high school marching bands, which includes previous winner Ballou High from Washington, D.C. It’s also an exhibition of HBCU bands, including NCCU, Winston-Salem State and Howard University.



For the past year, Carroll and filmmaker Gerard Farrow of The Farrow Agency @Impression House, both based in Washington, have been documenting the work that goes into the annual battle, as well as the culture surrounding predominately black marching bands. The result, a documentary called “A Cadence Unheard,” will debut Oct. 9 on FOX50.

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Early lead holds up for WSSU

Rams Coach Connell Maynor

ELIZABETH CITY -- Winning ugly took on a whole new meaning for Winston-Salem State in its season opener Saturday night. WSSU scored three touchdowns in the first half of a penalty-marred game, then held on to defeat Elizabeth City State 22-17.

The teams combined for 22 penalties, and there was a bank of lights out at Roebuck Stadium, making the south end of the stadium more like a dungeon than a football stadium. Despite all that, the Rams won their CIAA opener.

"They had a game under their belt, and it was our first game under the lights," coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said. "We made some mistakes, and we knew we would make some, but the thing is what do you do when adversity hits? Our guys kept fighting and they hung in there."

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Delaware State Holds on to Beat VMI on the Road

Lexington, VA - Kermit Blount made a memorable debut as head coach of the Delaware State football team. In a game marked by a more than one hour delay to start the second half due to lightning, Blount led the Hornets to a 24-21 victory over VMI in the season opener for each team before 6,209 fans at Foster Stadium this afternoon.

Nick Elko threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns and Justin Wilson had two TD catches to lead Delaware State's 346-yard attack. The Hornet defense forced three turnovers and made a key fourth down stop late in the fourth quarter on VMI's final possession.

"This is a very special win for me, but more importantly for our players," said Blount, who was head coach at Winston-Salem State University for 17 years for accepting the DSU job last February.

"Our players have done everything we've asked since I arrived, and I couldn't be happier for them," Blount said. "This is a good win for our program. We had some adversity right from the start, but everyone stayed focused on the mission at hand."

A Delaware State turnover on the opening kickoff led to a VMI touchdown just 52 seconds into the season. Three plays after Tavis Tarpley lost a fumble on the opening kick at the VMI 11, Chaz Jones scored a touchdown on a one-yard run to give the Keydets a 7-0 lead.

The Hornets took advantage of a VMI turnover to score their first points of the season. Tarpley atoned for his miscue by hauling in a 19-yard touchdown pass from Elko on a diving catch to pull DSU to within 7-6 with 12:03 left in the first quarter. The drive began at the VMI 19 following an interception by linebacker Brandon Harvey The Hornets failed to tie the score when freshman Mitchell Ward missed the extra point kick.

"The team responded well to the early turnover," Blount said. "After the fumble, I told Tarpley to keep his head up, and he came through with a big-time catch for the touchdown."

The Keydets added to their lead on a touchdown midway through the second quarter. Jones scored for the second time in the game when he fumbled on a three-yard run, but recovered the ball in the endzone to give VMI at 14-6 lead with 6:22 to go before halftime.



Elko and Wilson connected on the first of their two touchdown strikes to help pull the Hornets pull even shortly before the half. The duo capped off a five-play, 56-yard drive with a seven-yard scoring pass to pull the Hornets to within 14-12 with 1:55 left in the second quarter. The pair also had a 28-yard connection during the drive. The Hornets tied the score at 14 on a two-point pass from Elko to Tarpley after the touchdown.

The teams had to endure a longer than usual halftime break when lightning forced an evacuation of the stadium. There were also reports of a tornado in the area. Played resumed after a 68-minute delay.

Delaware State took the lead for the first time when Elko and Wilson hooked up on a 47-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Wilson caught the ball at around the VMI 20, then eluded two would-be tacklers before sprinting into the endzone. Freshman placekicker Mitchell Ward tacked on the extra point to give the Hornets a 21-14 lead with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

Wilson, the 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Offensive Player-of-the-Year, had six catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the contest. Counting the Hornets' 2010 finale at Howard, Wilson has 15 receptions for 327 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games.

The Hornets stretched their lead to 24-14 when Ward hit his first collegiate field goal, a 24-yard kick with 12:51 left in the fourth quarter. Elko completed 2-of-3 passes for 47 yards during the scoring drive, including a 37-yard strike to Tarpley.

VMI pulled to within 24-21 when Jones scored his third touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run with 7:38 left to play. Jones led all players with 76 yards rushing on 19 carries.

After Delaware State failed to score on its next possession, the Keydets started their final drive of the game at their 20-yard line with 2:51 left to play.

The Hornet defense forced VMI into three incomplete passes and a completion for no gain in four plays to seal the win.

Elko, in his first season as the full-time starting quarterback, completed 17-of-32 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

"I didn't have to face a lot of pressure because our offensive line did such a great job," said Elko, who was not sacked in the contest. "We had a few execution issues early in the game, but overall I was pleased with our offensive effort."

Tarpley had 174 all-purpose yards; 76 on five receptions and 92 on four kickoff returns.

Jaashawn Jones led the Hornets with 69 rushing yards on 18 carries, while newcomer Josh Bailey rushed for 38 yards on 10 attempts.

Defensive back Joe Boyd led the Hornets with nine tackles. Tavis Tabb, Ernest Adjei and Quentin Ferguson had seven stops each.

Matt Spicer also had a DSU interception, while Quintin Fortes recovered a VMI fumble for the Hornets.

Darrell Brown was credited with Delaware State's lone sack.

The Hornets will play their home opener next Saturday (Sep. 10) against Shaw University. Game time is 6:00 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.

STINGERS
The Hornets snapped a two-game losing streak in season openers, while the loss snapped VMI's six-game win streak in opening games ... Blount is the first Delaware State head coach to win his opening game with the team since John McKenzie made his debut with a 50-18 win over Cheyney in 1997 ... redshirt freshman Joseph "Bo" Ceravolo had two receptions for 10 yards in his Hornet debut ... The Hornets have won their last two road games after dropping their previous five ... Delaware State is now 7-11 time against current Big South Conference teams.

BOXSCORE

QUOTES - VMI Head Coach Sparky Woods
"I think that they just made a few more plays than we did. Credit them, they have a big, strong athletic football team and I thought their quarterback threw the ball well and their running backs ran the ball hard. The two key plays that stick out were our first big kick-off return. When we got the ball back, we threw a really bad interception on a tipped ball."

"We missed our field goal, they made theirs and then they drove the ball 80-yards and scored and we just ran out of time. We have potential to be a pretty good football team, but we just have catch more passes that could have turned into first down or positive yards."

"Tracy Hairston made a couple great catches and Chaz Jones ran the ball well. They were determined to keep us from running the ball, and we need to throw the ball better when that happens. Defensively, we needed to rise to the occasion, and our coverage and returns were average, and we need to make field goals from shorter distances."

"The delay had the same effect on both teams. We kind of sat down and got our thoughts together. That has happened to us in practice plenty this year, and I don't see it as a reason to lose a game."

Courtesy: DSU Athletic Media Relations

and VMI Keydets.com

Scouting report: Towson vs. Morgan State

MORGAN STATE @ TOWSON
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WNST-1570 AM
Series: Towson leads, 16-6

What's at stake: Saturday's season opener will be a game of bragging rights for these two in-state rivals, whose campuses are separated by just five miles. The host in this series has won 15 of the past 22 games, and the Tigers have won 11 of 13 games against Morgan at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Both teams are looking to start the season strong after disappointing 2010 campaigns. The Bears finished 4-7 and had the last-ranked offense in the 117-team Football Championship Subdivision. The Tigers, meanwhile, were 1-10 a year ago, and finished with the No. 109 offense in FCS.

Key matchup: Junior Tremayne Dameron, who has run for 1,065 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career, leads the Tigers rushing attack against a tenacious Morgan State defense. The Bears welcome back Alonzo Lee as their defensive coordinator after he spent the previous two seasons as North Carolina A&T's head coach. Under Lee's defensive direction, Morgan State led ...

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Coaching change at Howard complicates Eastern Michigan game planning for football opener

YPSILANTI, Mich. - Before heading off for tough road games against Big Ten foes Michigan and Penn State, the Eastern Michigan football team has a chance to gain some early-season momentum.

A pair of Football Championship Subdivision opponents visit Rynearson Stadium in the first two weeks of the season, Howard at 7 p.m. Saturday and Alabama State on Sept. 10. That scheduling gives the Eagles a realistic shot at a 2-0 start, something that hasn’t been accomplished at Eastern Michigan since 1989.

First up is a Howard team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference that went 1-10 last season and cleaned out its coaching staff afterward. That coaching change gives EMU coach Ron English a challenge.

“Really, the issue is you’re not as comfortable because you don’t know exactly what you’re going to see,” English said during Monday’s Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference. English says his staff has tracked down film from when first-year Howard coach Gary “The Flea” Harrell was an offensive coordinator at Bowie State and background on the systems the Bison’s new coordinators coached in previously.



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Cheyney plays host to Lincoln

THORNBURY, PA -- In 11 all-time meetings against archrival Lincoln dating back to 1934, the Cheyney football squad is still looking for its first triumph against the Lions. And the two most recent setbacks are particularly galling to the Wolves.

In just its second season since reviving its program after a 48-year hiatus, Lincoln throttled CU 41-20 in 2009. And last year in another neutral site clash at Northeast High School in Philadelphia, the Lions prevailed 12-0 in a defensive struggle.



For the third straight year, these cross-county archrivals will kickoff the 2011 campaign against one another (1 p.m., Heritage Sports Radio Network on Sirus XM Satellite Radio) on Saturday. But this time the "Battle of the Firsts/Wade Wilson Classic" will take place on campus at Cheyney's O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium, and many in the Wolves' camp believe the setting will be right for an historic victory.

"I am real anxious about this game," said CU defensive lineman Tim Hume. "They got us the last two years so they've had bragging rights, but it's here in our own house this time and we have to bring a lot. I am sure it will be a big crowd because the schools are close. It's going to be real intense.

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XU Rush to play 15 at home, exhibition at Vandy, 2 with UNO

Gold Rush Head Coach Dannton Jackson
(Photo Courtesy: Xavier University Sports Information)

NEW ORLEANS — Fifteen home games, back-to-back road exhibitions against NCAA Division I opponents and eight matchups against city schools are among the highlights of the 2011-12 Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball schedule.

Ninth-year head coach Dannton Jackson announced the schedule Friday.

Xavier, 27-6 last season and No. 17 in the final NAIA Division I coaches poll, will begin its 74th season Nov. 2 against Carver College at The Barn. It will be the 18th consecutive season that the Gold Rush open at home, and the XU men will attempt to win their opener for the 16th straight season.

XU's men will play six of their first eight regular-season games at home and another stretch Jan. 10-Feb. 1 with eight of nine at The Barn. But during that early period — immediately after the Carver game — the Gold Rush will travel to play NCAA D-I opponents Western Kentucky on Nov. 5 and Vanderbilt on Nov. 7. It will be the third straight season that Xavier visits the Hilltoppers and the first time that the Rush meet an SEC team in an exhibition.

The schedule contains the annual Gulf Coast Athletic Conference home-and-away matchups with city rivals SUNO and Dillard — Dillard will visit Xavier on Jan. 28 for the Crosstown Classic, part of Rush/Nuggets Alumni Weekend — and there will be two games apiece against Loyola and the University of New Orleans.

UNO, still classified as Division I but transitioning to NCAA Division II, will play host to the Gold Rush on Jan. 4 and visit The Barn on Feb. 1. It will be the first time that XU and UNO meet in the regular season since Feb. 11, 1976, and it will be the Privateers' second visit to The Barn — the first was on Feb. 15, 1974.

Loyola will visit Xavier on Nov. 29 and play host to the Gold Rush on Dec. 17.

For the second straight season there will be consecutive games against longtime rival Wiley, starting with a Nov. 19 matchup during Xavier's homecoming. The Rush also will play home-and-away non-conference series with Mobile, St. Thomas (Fla.) and William Carey. Xavier will play twice in south Florida between Christmas and New Year's Day for the third straight season.

The GCAC schedule will include Xavier's first-ever league matchups with Edward Waters and Fisk, which joined the league in 2010, and with Philander Smith, which joined in July. Talladega, the other GCAC school to join in July, returns after a three-year stint from 1999-2002. The conference will employ its traditional double round-robin scheduling after an unbalanced league schedule last season. Edward Waters and Jacksonville, Fla., will play host to the GCAC Tournament for the second straight year.

The GCAC will crown a regular-season and tournament champion, and the latter will receive an automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. Xavier qualified for nationals last season as an at-large selection and reached the tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons.

2011-12 Xavier University Men's Basketball Schedule Click here for an alternative link to the basketball schedule Nov. 2 (Wed.):  CARVER, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 (Sat.):  at Western Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. (exhibition) Nov. 7 (Mon.):  at Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. (exhibition) Nov. 11 (Fri.):  ST. THOMAS (FLA.), 7 p.m. Nov. 14 (Mon.):  at Mobile, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 (Sat.):  WILEY (DH), 2 p.m. (Homecoming) Nov. 26 (Sat.):  at Wiley, 2 p.m. Nov. 29 (Tue.):  LOYOLA (DH), 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 (Sat.):  CONCORDIA (ALA.) (DH), 4 p.m. Dec. 6 (Tue.):  MOBILE, 7 p.m. Dec. 13 (Tue.):  at William Carey, 7 p.m. Dec. 17 (Sat.):  at Loyola (DH), 4 p.m. Dec. 28 (Wed.):  Florida Memorial, 5 p.m. EST (St. Thomas Classic) Dec. 29 (Thu.):  at St. Thomas (Fla.), 7 p.m. EST (St. Thomas Classic) Jan. 4 (Wed.):  at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Jan. 7 (Sat.):  • at Philander Smith, noon Jan. 10 (Tue.):  • SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 (Fri.):  • EDWARD WATERS (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14 (Sat.):  • FISK (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 16 (Mon.):  • PHILANDER SMITH (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 21 (Sat.):  • TALLADEGA (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 23 (Mon.):  • at Tougaloo, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28 (Sat.):  • DILLARD (DH), 7 p.m. (Crosstown Classic and Rush/Nuggets Alumni Weekend) Jan. 30 (Mon.):  WILLIAM CAREY, 7 p.m. Feb. 1 (Wed.):  NEW ORLEANS, 7 p.m. Feb. 6 (Mon.):  • at SUNO, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 (Sat.):  • at Talladega, 7 p.m. Feb. 13 (Mon.):  • TOUGALOO, 7:30 p.m. (Senior Night) Feb. 18 (Sat.):  • at Edward Waters, 4 p.m. EST Feb. 20 (Mon.):  • at Fisk, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 (Sat.):  • at Dillard, 7 p.m. (Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic) March 1-3 (Thu.-Sat):  GCAC Tournament, Jacksonville, Fla. March 14-20 (Wed.-Tue.):  Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship, Kansas City, Mo. Home games in (in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS) are played at The Barn (capacity 1,300), Xavier University campus, New Orleans • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game DH — doubleheader with Xavier's women TBA — To be announced All times are Central except where noted Call (504) 520-7329 for ticket information

Ed Cassiere

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

FVSU Readies for Opening Game against Florida A&M

Fort Valley, GA - In Central Georgia, the Fort Valley State Wildcats look to erase the memory of last season, which ended with a playoff snub and two straight losses.

The road to redemption for the Wildcats starts on Saturday. Leading FVSU onto the field will be former standout Peach County quarterback Antonio Helton as well as his tag-team partners Chris Slaughter and incoming freshman Travis Richmond.

The blue and gold will travel to Tallahasse to face FCS foe Florida A&M in their opening game of the 2011 season.



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Stillman Tigers starts season against No. 25 Shaw Bears

Coach Teddy Keaton
(Photo Courtesy: Steven Lockhart/Stillman College)

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - Teddy Keaton has only one chance to win his first game as Stillman College’s head football coach.

Stillman opens the season at 5 p.m. today against Shaw University from North Carolina. Shaw is ranked 25th in the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll and second in the Heritage Sports Radio Network for Division II Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Bears posted a 9-3 record last season and won the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title.

Shaw’s Charles Deas was the only CIAA player named to the Preseason HBCU All-American team as chosen by Boxtorow.com. Deas, a senior defensive lineman, had 56 tackles, 11.5 tackles for losses and 3.5 sacks in 2010.

No matter what happens today, Keaton has a plan for reviving the program at his alma mater.

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TSU, Southern bank on rushing

Nashville, TN - The unknown factor is usually prominent in the first game of the season. But that’s not the case for Tennessee State and Southern, which meet tonight in the 13th annual John Merritt Classic at LP Field.

Southern’s second-year Coach Stump Mitchell was a running back in the NFL with the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals from 1981-89. TSU’s second-year Coach Rod Reed was a linebacker (1985-88), who became the Tigers’ all-time leading tackler (406). That kind of takes the guesswork out of what to expect.



“I don’t think there’s any question about how this game will play out,” Mitchell said. “I’m a running back, and I’m calling the plays. Rod’s a linebacker, and they’re going to try to stop the run. They play good defense, but we have to find ways to run the ball. We didn’t run the ball last year, but we’re going to this year.”

Mitchell said the personnel he inherited at Southern wasn’t suited to run the ball when he left the Washington Redskins as running-backs coach after the 2009 season.

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