Week 3, HBCU Football Scorecard

MEAC
Miami 38,  Bethune-Cookman 10*
Akron 66, Morgan State 6* 
Howard 37, Norfolk State 36* O.T.
North Carolina A&T 40, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7
Florida A&M 44, Hampton 20
Cincinnati 23, Delaware State 7*
Duke 54, North Carolina Central 17*
#24 Arizona 56, South Carolina State 0

SWAC
Mississippi Valley State 6, Southern University 0*
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24, Alcorn State 6
Alabama State19, Grambling State 18
Alabama A&M 42, Prairie View A&M 30
Jackson State 45, Texas Southern 35

CIAA
Winston-Salem State 55,  Morehouse  21 (Cleveland Classic)
Shaw 31, Stillman 26
Saint Augustine's University 30, Southern Connecticut State 14
Bowie State 24, Fairmont State 17
Edward Waters 42, Livingstone 36
Virgina State 30, Benedict 20
Johnson C. Smith 23, Concordia-Selma 18
Elizabeth City State 13, Albany State (Ga.) 12
Shorter 28, Chowan 17
Fayetteville State 28, Virginia Union 17

OVC
Tennessee State 34, Austin Peay State 14



SIAC
Kentucky State 35, Lincoln (Pa.) 23
Tuskegee 45, Lane 17
Fort Valley State 26, Clark-Atlanta 3
Miles College 44, West Georgia 37

OTHER
Millsaps 54, Point University 28
Central State (Ohio) 28, Urbana 22
Elon 48, West Virginia State 14
Hardin-Simmons 57, Texas College 21
Missouri Southern State 21, Lincoln (Mo.) 14
LIU-C.W Post 45, Cheyney 10

* WATCH Replay on ESPN3

A scout-team QB in '11, Riddick now NSU's No. 1 RB

NORFOLK, Virginia - From scout team to star in less than a year. A scout-team quarterback all last season, Brendon Riddick is the centerpiece of the Norfolk State offense at running back only two games into his career.

He's delivered NSU's biggest offensive play in two straight games. He sits second in the MEAC in rushing yards. After a 150-yard, three-touchdown effort last week, his weekly award total doubled his touchdown numbers.

He did radio interviews, newspaper interviews, and went from third string to sterling. "Twitter was the big thing," Riddick said. "Getting back from the game and seeing my name all over Twitter, people knowing my name. It was a little crazy."

After all that, Riddick didn't need help staying humble heading into this week's game against Howard. The Spartans took care of that last year. From scout team to star in less than a year. A scout-team quarterback all last season, Brendon Riddick is the centerpiece of the Norfolk State offense at running back only two games into his career.

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FVSU ready for SIAC, home opener

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- In an odd way, maybe Fort Valley State and Clark Atlanta are happy to see each other.

Fort Valley State opened the season on the road against a pair of ranked teams and returned home with a split. Clark Atlanta started the season against a top-15 team and had a blowout loss to show for it.

So both will see what they learned from the upgrade in competition when they open SIAC play Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium.

“We’re looking forward to this week, first home game,” FVSU quarterback Antonio Henton said. “I hope the fans give us a lot of energy. We have to come out and play all three phases of the game.”

Only two weeks into the season, everybody in the SIAC has a loss, and nobody is ranked. Albany State dropped from 16th to voteless after its 37-9 loss at Wingate, which lost 28-10 to St. Augustine’s in the opener.

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Fakler sets XU 6K record at Azalea City Classic

MOBILE, Ala. -- A school record by Catherine Fakler and personal bests by Matt Pieri and Kwame Jackson were Xavier University of Louisiana's highlights from the Azalea City Classic cross country meet Saturday.

Fakler ran 6,000 meters in 24 minutes, 9.65 seconds to finish 28th out of 107 women. She broke her XU record of 24.10.3 set in 2011 at the LSU Invitational.

Pieri placed 18th out of 105 men and ran 8,000 meters in 26:39.71, beating his previous best by nearly 12 seconds. Jackson placed 20th in 26:52.13, his fastest by 35 seconds.

Xavier placed eighth out of 13 in the men's team scoring and ninth out of 15 in the women's. It was the second meet of the season for both XU teams.

Read more about the meet later today at the Xavier athletics website: http://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2012/0915.html

And visit http://www.facebook.com/xulagold and give the Xavier athletics Facebook page a "like."

Pregame Post: Lane at Tuskegee

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- It's sunny and beautiful at Cleve Abbott Memorial Stadium for Tuskegee's home opener against Lane College (Tenn.). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

The Golden Tigers are coming into this contest with a 1-1 record. They defeated Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) 35-17 in the Inner-City Classic in Atlanta last week, following a tough 7-6 loss to Alabama A&M at legion Field to start the season.

 

Missouri transfer running back Derrick Washington had a breakout performance in his team's first win. The 6-foot, 215-pounder rushed for 155 yards on 17 carries to earn game MVP honors.

 

Lane is also 1-1. The Dragons started their season with a 45-28 win against Edward Waters College (Fla.) before falling 20-17 to Clark Atlanta.

 

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WEEK 3, HBCU FOOTBALL

MEAC
Bethune-Cookman @ Miami 12noon, ESPN3
Morgan State @ Akron, 3:30pm ESPN3
Howard @ Norfolk State 4pm, ESPN3
Virginia University of Lynchburg @ North Carolina A&T 6pm
Hampton @ Florida A&M, 6pm, RattlerVision
Delaware State @ Cincinnati 7pm, ESPN3
North Carolina Central @ Duke 7pm, ESPN3
South Carolina State @ #24 Arizona, 10:30 pm

SWAC
Mississippi Valley State 6, Southern University 0 (Thursday)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ Alcorn State, 3pm
Alabama State @ Grambling State, 7pm
Prairie View A&M @ Alabama A&M 7pm
Jackson State @ Texas Southern 8:30pm



OVC
Austin Peay State @ Tennessee State, 2pm

CIAA
Winston-Salem State vs. Morehouse, 12Noon, Cleveland Classic
Stillman @ Shaw, 1pm
Saint Augustine's @ Southern Connecticut State, 1pm
Fairmont State @ Bowie State, 1pm
Edward Waters @ Livgingstone, 1pm
Virgina State @ Benedict , 4pm
Concordia-Selma @ Johnson C. Smith, 4pm
Albany State (Ga.) @ Elizabeth City State, 6pm
Shorter @ Chowan, 6pm
Kentucky State @ Lincoln (Pa.), 6pm
Virginia Union @ Fayetteville State, 6pm



SIAC
Lane @ Tuskegee, 2pm
Clark-Atlanta @ Fort Valley State, 6pm
West Georgia @ Miles College, 7pm

OTHER
Millsaps @ Point University, 1pm
Urbana @ Central State (Ohio), 1:30pm
West Virginia State @ Elon 1:30pm
Texas College@ Hardin-Simmons, 2pm
Missouri Southern State @ Lincoln (Mo.)

COMMENTARY By Dwight Floyd: Upset Saturday!!

DWIGHT FLOYD
SPORTSEDIT.ORG
 

In spite of the fact that most of the MEAC teams are playing true Division 1 (FBS) football teams, there will be upsets today. The only question is which upset win will be the most significant? Note the time and video availability.
Bethune Cookman Wildcats vs
Miami Hurricanes
12:00 P.M. EST/ESPN3
I am sure that in the BCU locker room they are saying that if the FAMU Rattlers can defeat Miami, something accomplished decades ago, then certainly BCU can win. It all depends on two things: (1) Which Miami team shows up, and (2) whether the Wildcats can get off to a faster start. Last week Miami played a shameful game and with a 52-13 lost to FBS #15 ranked Kansas State gave the impression they don’t belong in the FBS. The week before, Miami defeated unranked Boston College 41-32. Both were away games and against BCU the Miami Hurricanes will be at home. When they played Boston College some probably thought they were close to being able to say that the Hurricanes are getting their swagger back. Perhaps, or maybe Kansas State showed that the Hurricanes are only a shadow of the past. The real concern and what gives BCU a chance is Miami’s lack of defense. Miami hasn’t stopped anyone in their first two games. For the Wildcats they have a habit of spotting the other team a few points and then dominating in the latter half. That won’t work against a team with more talent coming off the bench. What BCU has going for them is talent at key positions such as running back, quarterback and receivers. Against a more balanced Miami team we’ll see how the Wildcats perform. The team that is more consistent in executing their game plan and avoiding mistakes will likely win this game. Miami started the season okay and then took a step backward. BCU continues to improve and will do okay as long as their head coach maintains his composure. Stay tuned, but don’t be surprised if another MEAC team beats Miami. Go Wildcats!!!
Howard Bisons vs Norfolk Spartans
4:00 P.M. EST/ESPN3/ESPNU Tape Delayed 10:30 P.M. EST
From the start, I’m going with Howard on this one. In their first two games Howard struggled against Morehouse before winning, and against the FBS Rutgers team played competitively without the help of starting key players. They have yet to show their potential, except their comeback win last year against a then decrepit FAMU Ratters, but their performance against Rutgers says they should not be taken lightly. Void some of the mistakes and they would have given Rutgers more of a run for their money. Yes, Norfolk State won the MEAC last year and is undefeated after beating Liberty University in an away game. That is the gospel truth! This is a totally MEAC game with MEAC refs. That means anything can happen. Norfolk is well coached and quite disciplined. The secret is that Howard has the talent to compete. It is a question of whether they have the belief. Howard will not be a leader in the MEAC this year, but they will likely be spoilers. They are Bisons and not Pirates, yet we can expect them to steal a game or two. The Spartans better be prepared because the Bisons will be motivated and ready to “start” their season.


Delaware State Hornets vs Cincinnati Bears
7:00 P.M. EST/ESPN3
All of the media is saying that the Hornets were fiercely defeated by the Delaware Fighting Blue Hens last week. They have concluded that Delaware State will not be competitive and Cincinnati will walk away with a decisive win. This won’t be a Louisiana Monroe versus Arkansas type of game. Cincinnati soundly defeated FBS Pittsburgh last week and appears to be FBS able to complete at the top level. One should take note though that for the first time against the Hens, Delaware State actually dominated most of the game. They lost because they could not get out of their own way. The Hornets allowed too many big plays and made too many mistakes to stay in the game. It would be an upset just for the Hornets to be competitive against the Bears. Take away the big plays and the mistakes and I believe they can be.

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Montrel, Benkirane sign scholarships with Xavier Gold Rush

Saad Benkirane

Kyle Montrel

NEW ORLEANS — Kyle Montrel of Atlanta and Saad Benkirane of Casablanca, Morocco, have signed men's tennis scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana. Montrel will be a freshman, and Benkirane will be a senior on the Gold Rush roster. Both are enrolled at XU for the current semester.

Montrel, a left-hander and a native New Orleanian, is a TennisRecruiting.net four-star prospect who has won approximately 45 age-group singles championships and seven doubles championships since age 8. He is a graduate of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy and also attended Westlake High School, where he was a basketball point guard for both.

Benkirane, a right-hander, is a transfer from NCAA Division I St. Mary's College of Moraga, Calif., where he had a combined 31 victories during the past two seasons at No. 3 and 4 singles and No. 2 doubles. He was a second-team NAIA All-American at Auburn Montgomery as a freshman in 2010 and teamed with Michael Johnson for a victory at No. 1 doubles in the national championship dual against Fresno Pacific, which AUM won 5-2. Benkirane and Johnson were 4-0 at that tournament. One of Benkirane's AUM teammates was Loic Didavi, now an XU senior and the Gold Rush's top player a year ago.

Benkirane was a boys 18 singles national champion in Morocco, and his highest ITF junior worldwide ranking was 181st.

Montrel is a pre-pharmacy major at Xavier, and Benkirane is majoring in business administration.

The XU men have won seven consecutive conference or group championships and qualified for the past four NAIA National Championships. The Gold Rush reached the quarterfinals at nationals in 2012 and became the first XU team in any sport to advance that far since 1973.


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

South Carolina State Preview: A Bulldog Upset of Arizona Would Be Landmark

TUCSON, Arizona - South Carolina State has been the model of consistency under head coach Buddy Pough's guidance.

Pough has led his alma mater to finishes above .500 in each of his 10 seasons there, and claimed at least a share of four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles. Last season's absence snapped a three-season run of appearances in the NCAA Playoffs. His 2009 team went 10-1 in the regular season, and was bestowed the honor of the Black College Football National Championship, a mythical title spanning all divisions for Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

Indeed, Pough has an impressive track record at SCSU. One feat he has not accomplished is an upset of a Bowl Subdivision opponent.The Bulldogs' cross-country trip marks the first visit an HBCU has ever paid Arizona Stadium. A SCSU win would mark another first.

No MEAC program has ever beaten a BCS conference opponent, though the conference only began emphasizing such match-ups in ...

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SB NATION: Q&A with Hail Wildcats (Bethune-Cookman)

MIAMI, Florida  - You thought we left you hanging this week, didn't you readers? It took a little bit of extra work, some diligent Eddie Valiant detective techniques, but we finally managed to find Jerry Bell, writer for Hail Wildcats. He's one of the few public Bethune-Cookman fans out there, so enjoy.

7th Floor: What are the expectations this year for Bethune-Cookman? MEAC conference title? 1-AA playoffs or bust?
Hail Wildcats: The expectations in Daytona Beach are extremely high this season. Head Coach Brian Jenkins has repeatedly and emphatically declared that his goal is to win a National Championship at Bethune-Cookman. In fact, Coach Jenkins has unrelentingly declared that anything less than a National Championship is a failure; so the bar has been raised pretty high for the Wildcats. I believe most Wildcat fans will be disappointed with anything less than at least one playoff win this season.

Heading into the season, BCU was picked to finish 3rd in the MEAC behind defending champion Norfolk State, who the Cats beat last season, and South Carolina State, a team that Bethune-Cookman defeated just last week by a pretty healthy margin.

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Alabama A&M football: MORE GOALS TO ACCOMPLISH

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Some wondered if the list of goals were too long for Kaderius Lacey to accomplish.

Not Lacey, Alabama A&M's do-it-all senior running back.

He wanted to become a starter. Check.

He wanted to rush for more than 1,000 yards. Check.

He wanted to be a first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference selection. Check.

He wanted to be a first-team All-American. Lacey's play the rest of the season will determine that.

He wanted to win a SWAC championship. That possibility still exists.

He wanted to win the Black College national championship. Currently, A&M is fifth in the poll that determines the national champion.

He wanted to graduate. That will happen in December with a degree in business management.

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XU Rush add Cameroon forward to complete signing class

OLIVIER SIEWE
(pronounced oh-liv-ee-ay see-way)
HOMETOWN: DOUALA, CAMEROON
(hometown pronounced doo-all-uh)
 

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has completed its signing class for the 2012-13 men's basketball season with the addition of 6-foot-5 forward Olivier Siewe of Douala, Cameroon.
Siewe transferred to Xavier from Southern University of Shreveport, a two-year college, and will be a junior on the Gold Rush roster.

Siewe was a two-year starter at Southern and helped the Port City Jags win Miss-Lou Conference championships and finish second in the Region XXIII playoffs both seasons. Southern was 27-4 in 2010-11 and 22-8 in 2011-12. Siewe averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game this past season and, accoring to coach David Francis, had the school's highest grade-point average.

"Olivier is a good guy. He worked hard for us," Francis said. "He's a good defensive player and a really good student."

Siewe transferred to SUSLA after one season at NCAA Division I Campbell University, where he did not play during a redshirt season. Siewe was first-team all-conference twice at Piney Woods School in Mississippi, where he averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a senior and 14.5 points and 12.3 rebounds as a junior.

This will be the seventh season of organized basketball for Siewe, 22.

Siewe is a business management major at Xavier. He'll be the first non-U.S. player for the Gold Rush since Nordine Sekour of Marseille, France, in 2004-05.

The Gold Rush have seven signees for 2012-13. Previously signed were guards RJ Daniels of New Orleans, Xavier Rogers of Denton, Texas, Gary Smith of Sugar Land, Texas, and Lucas Martin-Julien of Reserve, La., and forwards John Gibson of Marietta, Ga., and Wesley Pluviose-Philip of Albany, N.Y.

Xavier was 23-9 this past season, shared the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship, qualified for the second straight year for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship and ranked 24th in the postseason coaches poll. Xavier's 27 seasons of 20 or more victories are the most in the history of Louisiana men's college basketball. The Rush reached the NAIA national tourney six of the past eight seasons.

2012-13 Xavier University of Louisiana Men's Basketball Signees
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.*	Hometown	High School (College)
RJ Daniels	G	6-4	190	Fr.	New Orleans, La.	St. Augustine
John Gibson	F	6-7	195	Fr.	Marietta, Ga.	Walton
Lucas Martin-Julien	G	6-2	187	Fr.	Reserve, La.	Riverside Academy
Wesley Pluviose-Philip	F	6-7	230	Fr.	Albany, N.Y.	Albany
Xavier Rogers	G	6-2	175	Jr.	Denton, Texas	Lake Dallas   (Grambling)
Olivier Siewe	F	6-5	210	Jr.	Douala, Cameroon	Piney Woods  (SU-Shreveport JC)
Gary Smith	G	6-1	180	Fr.	Sugar Land, Texas	The Village School
* athletic classification at Xavier in fall of 2012 By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director VISIT: XULAATHLETICS VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

No hiding it: This one's personal for Texas Southern's Asberry

HOUSTON, Texas - Darrell Asberry has been waiting for this.

A former Jackson State quarterback who returned to his alma mater and became a highly successful assistant coach, Asberry is in his first season as the head coach at Texas Southern (1-1, 1-0 SWAC).

So on Saturday, when Jackson State arrives in Houston for its SWAC opener against TSU looking to avoid an 0-3 start, there won't be much sympathy coming its way from across the field.

Does Saturday's game bring with it added incentive for Asberry? You bet it does.

Sure, TSU will be opening a new 22,000-seat stadium in downtown Houston, but it's the sight of the blue and white on the other sideline that will get Asberry's blood pumping.



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Bethune-Cookman is no cupcake but benefits from money games

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - The dominant story line in college football this season has been “cupcake wars,'' which are usually not wars at all but unadulterated thrashings.

It's normal procedure for major college teams to start out with cupcake opponents — college's version of preseason football. They buy a home game, and all the economic benefits it brings, by paying a team from a lower-level conference or division to travel.

B-CU (2-0) at Miami (1-1)
WHEN: Noon Saturday
WHERE: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens
RADIO/TV: WELE (1380 AM); ESPN3

Economically, both schools benefit. But the result on the field is often ugly. However, Oklahoma State's 84-0 drubbing of Savannah State in Week 1 brought the ugliness to a new level.

Savannah State followed that beating with a 55-0 weather-shortened loss at Florida State last Saturday. On the same day, another Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team, Florida A&M, received a healthy paycheck and a 69-13 whipping from Oklahoma.

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A&T Women Release 2012-13 Schedule

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - The Tarrell Robinson era will start in Lincoln, Neb., on November 9. The North Carolina A&T women's basketball team released its 2012-13 schedule on Friday.

The Aggies will be playing a total of 29 games with 14 of those games at Corbett Sports Center.

2012-13 A&T Women's Basketball Schedule

"I think my staff and I did a good job of putting together a solid non-conference schedule that will give our players an opportunity to showcase their ability against teams from some of the most competitive conferences in the country before we get ready to compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference," said Robinson. "Our fans will get a chance to see us in the Corbett Sports Center seven times before we start conference play in January. I think it is great for us to have that many home games early."

The Aggies' opener will be followed by another road game in Nebraska as the Aggies face the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 12 before hosting their home opener against Iona on Friday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. The Aggies will finish up November with a game at Siena, a home contest against archrival Winston-Salem State and another road contest at Richmond.

A&T opens MEAC competition by hosting archrival N.C. Central on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m., at Corbett Sports Center. In December, the Aggies will have two road games in Virginia against Liberty and Virginia Tech. Their non-conference home games in December are against UNC Charlotte on December 18, William & Mary on December 21 and Elon on New Year's Eve.

In January, the Aggies play UNC Wilmington and George Washington before beginning their full conference schedule with a Saturday, January 12 game at Bethune-Cookman.

The 2013 MEAC Championship Tournament will be held in Norfolk, Va. from March 11-16.

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Grambling doesn't see Saturday's game as a 'must-win'

GRAMBLING, Louisiana - Grambling has shifted in and out of Southwestern Athletic Conference play for the first three weeks of the 2012 season.

Given that this is Week 3 of the season, it means the Tigers are back in conference play as they kick off their home schedule tonight against Alabama State at 6 at Eddie Robinson Stadium.

“It’s unfortunate, and I said this when I got back last year at one of the conference meetings, it’s unfortunate that the conference stepped in and did the scheduling for us,” Tigers coach Doug Williams said. “For many years, the schedule was basically in place. We’ve always played Alcorn early, but we wouldn’t have played them on Labor Day weekend. We always played Jackson (State) on that Oct. 23, Oct. 25 area. It messes up the natural rivalries we have. Sure you’d like to have a couple of games under your belt (before you play conference games).”



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XU's Reuther, Jackson siblings earn GCAC weekly honors

Taylor Reuther

Kwame Jackson

Zahri Jackson

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana sophomores Taylor Reuther, Zahri Jackson and Kwame Jackson won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week awards for Sept. 3-9. Reuther did it in volleyball, and the Jacksons earned theirs in cross country.

It's the sixth GCAC award in a career for Zahri Jackson and the fourth award for Reuther. Both are XU records in those sports. Kwame Jackson, Zahri's brother, has four awards.

Reuther, an outside hitter from Metairie, La., and a graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School in New Orleans, produced three kill-dig double-doubles in four matches to lead Xavier to a 4-0 record and the championship of the Belhaven Tournament at Jackson, Miss. It's the Gold Nuggets' first regular-season tournament title. Reuther served all nine of her aces in the third set against Rust, with eight of them coming consecutively. Those nine aces are the most in a match by an XU player since the school resumed intercollegiate volleyball in 2010. Against Belhaven in the championship match, Reuther had a career-high 21 kills and became the first XU player since the program resumed with a 20-20 kill-dig match.

Both Jacksons are from Kingwood, Texas, and graduates of Kingwood Park High School. This is the fourth time they've won GCAC awards in the same week.

Zahri Jackson ran 5,000 meters in 20 minutes, 8.05 seconds to finish second out of 66 runners in the season-opening Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational. She set an XU women's record for the fastest 5K by a sophomore, and she posted the highest finish of the past 12 seasons by an XU female in a season opener. Zahri led Xavier to its first team championship in an opener since 2006. The Gold Nuggets placed first out of nine schools. It was Jackson's sixth top-10 finish in nine collegiate meets and her fifth time in the top five.

Kwame Jackson ran his 5K in 16:36.72 to finish second out of 72 runners at the Loyola meet. His finish was the highest of the past 12 seasons by an XU male in an opener. It was his sixth top-10 finish in nine collegiate meets and his fourth time in the top five. The Gold Rush placed third out of nine schools.

Both XU cross country teams will compete Saturday morning in the Azalea City Classic at Mobile, Ala. Starting times will be 7:30 for the men's race and 8:05 for the women's. The next XU volleyball match will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Mobile at The Barn.


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

Xavier Gold Nuggets receive most points in NAIA poll since 2008

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana, a 21-point victor in its season opener, received four points Wednesday in the NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 poll. The Gold Nuggets are tied for 37th place with four points, and it's their most points and highest ranking since the 2008 preseason.

The poll is the first since the preseason rankings Aug. 22 and the second of 10 this season.

The XU women earned their first victory in an opener since 2006 by defeating eight opponents Saturday in the Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational at Metairie, La. Sophomores Zahri Jackson and Catherine Fakler finished 2-4 in the field of 66 runners, and freshman Briana Simms placed ninth. Xavier scored 33 points, followed by Mississippi College with 54.

This is the first time since 2003 that the Nuggets received votes in consecutive seasons. A year ago they received one point in four consecutive polls Oct. 12-Nov. 6. No Xavier cross country team, female or male, has reached the top 25.

Three-time defending champion Cal State San Marcos retained its No. 1 ranking. Five teams, led by No. 10 Concordia (Calif.), made their first appearance this season in the top 25.

Xavier's next meet will be the Azalea City Classic at Brookley Gulf Pines Golf Course in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday morning. The men's 8,000-meter race will start at 7:30, and the women's 6K will begin at 8:05. Scheduled to compete are the women of UAB, Delta State and Jackson State and the men and women of Alabama State, Auburn, Auburn Montgomery, Millsaps, Mobile, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, Spring Hill, Tougaloo, Troy, Tulane, West Florida and William Carey. South Alabama, the host, won the men's and women's team championships in 2011.

NAIA Women's Cross Country Coaches' Top 25 Poll(first-place votes in parentheses) Rank Team Points Last 1 Cal State San Marcos (21) 591 1 2 British Columbia 572 2 3 Olivet Nazarene 549 3 4 College of Idaho 530 4 5-tie Carroll (Mont.) 505 6 5-tie Biola 505 7 7 Northwest Christian 471 5 8 Lewis-Clark State 436 8 9 Concordia (Neb.) 427 10 10 Concordia (Calif.) 399 RV 11 Milligan 385 11 12 Southern Oregon 367 13 13 Westmont 352 9 14 Aquinas 347 17 15 Dordt 325 15 16 The Master's 292 12 17 Cornerstone 269 20 18 St. Francis (Ill.) 267 RV 19 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 264 16 20 Rocky Mountain 262 21 21 Huntington (Ind.) 255 23 22 Taylor 210 RV 23 Illinois Tech 123 RV 24 Cumberlands 113 RV 25 Indiana Wesleyan 106 18 Others receiving votes: Northwest 103; Oklahoma Baptist 96, Doane 81, Saint Xavier 78, Spring Arbor 43, Central Methodist 34, Shawnee State 29, Trinity Christian 23, Eastern Oregon 10, SCAD Savannah 10, Mount Mercy 5, Xavier 4, Lee (Tenn.) 4, Baker (Kan.) 3.

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

Stump Mitchell out as Southern University football coach

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  - Southern University Athletics Director William Broussard announced football coach Stump Mitchell has been reassigned to administrative duties, effective immediately.

Defensive Coordinator Dawson Odums has been named the interim head coach of the Jaguars, who lost 6-0 at home against Mississippi Valley State last night in a game which was shown live on ESPNU.

 

Valley was coming off a 29-7 loss on the road against Alabama State. The Delta Devils had only four days prepare for Southern, which had a bye in Week 2.

 

Broussard declined to disclose any details concerning Mitchell's new role.

"Last night's contest was disappointing," Broussard said. "It was disappointing to players and coaches but there were other factors as well."



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Mississippi Valley stands firm, holds off Southern in stunner

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - Offense was a valuable commodity Thursday evening at A.W. Mumford Stadium.  Mississippi Valley State visited Southern University for the Jaguars’ Southwestern Athletic Conference opener, and a lone score was the difference for the Delta Devils in a 6-0 win. Their defense made sure that’s all they needed.

“I knew we could do it. We just had to show the world,” Valley senior defensive end Leployer Franklin said. “We know what we go through in practice with the coaches. Being a senior, I feel like this is my defense, and getting a shutout is such a good feeling.”

The groundwork for Valley’s win was laid last week in the second half of a 29-7 loss at Alabama State. During those final two quarters in Montgomery, Ala., the Devils limited the Hornets to a second-half field goal. With that, they felt they’d turned a corner.

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Dray Joseph, Jaguars can’t move ball against Delta Devils

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana - A distraught and teary-eyed Dray Joseph lingered outside the Southern University locker room following the Jaguars’ 6-0 loss to Mississippi Valley State on Thursday night at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

The junior quarterback, who was named the undisputed starter after fall practice, and the Jaguars offense had hoped to put on a show in front of their home fans for the first time this season and a national audience on ESPNU.

Instead, the Southern offense was pretty painful to watch in person or on TV as the Jaguars (0-2, 0-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) suffered the painful loss to the historically hapless Delta Devils (1-3, 1-1).

“Unfortunately for us, it was a bad game, especially when you have a TV audience to play in front of,” said Southern coach Stump Mitchell.

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ASU's Crowell only half GSU's battle

GRAMBLING, Louisiana - Isaiah Crowell quickly drew as much attention this offseason from fans and media as any SWAC player, but coach Doug Williams said his Grambling defense can't devote too much of its own focus to the former SEC Freshman of the Year.

Senior quarterback Greg Jenkins leads the Alabama State running attack into this week with team highs of 28 carries, 111 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, and Williams cautioned the Tigers must be mindful of both Hornets' options.



"I really haven't looked at (Crowell's) stats, but I do know from his highlights I've seen of him at Georgia, he ran well in the SEC," Williams said. "I think we do have a tough task in making sure we can stop him, but the quarterback is a guy that also likes to pull it down and run, so they've got some weapons."

Barlow has fielded several FBS transfers in the past, including Jenkins, who began his college career at Troy

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Doc: No good to UC vs. Delaware State matchup

CINCINNATI, Ohio - Week after week, the scores are grotesque. Especially in September. But not exclusively. Three Octobers ago, Delaware State went to Michigan and lost, 63-6. Michigan needed less than 30 minutes to gain 727 yards. Bugs do better against windshields.

We mention Delaware State because UC hosts the Hornets Saturday night. Depending on your pain tolerance, that’s either (1) a wonderful “opportunity’’ for the visitors to make money and get some exposure or (2) a fraudulent football game that should not be played.

There is no line on the game. Take the home team and give the piñata a good whacking. Maybe you think it’s swell that the Hornets, not very in good in their own, Football Championship Subdivision conference, the MEAC, get the chance to play footwipe in front of 20-something thousand fans and on national television, if you count ESPN3 as national television.

After all, they’re getting $325,000 to do it. Who’s going to complain about that?

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The Wednesday Rewind: Savannah State’s “money-making games” offer more than just finances

EXCERPT:

SAVANNAH, Georgia -  Following the Oklahoma State game, Tigers head coach Steve Davenport said “embarrassment lasts a lot longer than $840,000.”

You know what Coach Davenport, losing 84-0 or 55-0 in a game where your team had absolutely no chance to win is not what should embarrass you, your staff, or your team. No, what’s more embarrassing is Savannah State’s 9-37 record since 2008 or the consecutive 1-10 seasons that followed the 2-8 campaign in 2009. Sure this is only the beginning of your second season as head coach, but you finished 1-10 last year. That is embarrassing.

And yet, Savannah State should not be criticized for scheduling these two games, they should be applauded for finding a way to make additional revenue to help fund the athletic department even when their football team is awful. It’s not like they were the only FCS program to make money by playing an FBS program. After this past weekend, FCS schools have already combined to win eight games against teams at the higher level, two shy of the single-season record.

These types of pay-for-play games are ...


The Rain started just as the SSU Marching Tigers took the field at Florida State Seminoles' Doak Campbell Stadium. This video is the band marching to their "bus". They actually marched and played for a while. No half-time show, just some clips. Video shot under the street lights and walking through puddles and mud.  (Sep 8, 2012)

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Preview: Delaware State Hornets at Cincinnati Bearcats

Delaware State (1-1, 0-0 MEAC) at Cincinnati (1-0, 1-0 Big East)

Kickoff: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN3)

Spread: No line

Watchability: The Hornets were blown out last week by Delaware. Choose wisely.

Shining stars: Delaware State: QB Nick Elko. A redshirt senior, Elko is in line to hold almost every school passing record. He chucked it 50 times last week against Delaware. Cincinnati: DE Walter Stewart. The speed rusher off the edge had a big opener against Pittsburgh, and he will have plenty of chances to get after the quarterback Saturday. Chances are the Hornets will put it up around 50 times again, and they likely haven't seen a player the caliber of Stewart in a while.

Who could steal the show: Delaware State: WR Justin Wilson. With 17 catches in the Hornets' first two games, Wilson has emerged as Elko's favorite target. He entered last season as the preseason MEAC player of the year but missed three games with an ankle injury. Cincinnati: RB Ralph David Abernathy IV. Abernathy showed flashes of his dynamic talent last week against Pittsburgh, and he's certain to have plenty of chances Saturday. He's almost impossible to stop in the open field, and he will likely get several opportunities to show off his speed against Delaware State.

You going? Ranking the road trip: Night games are usually fun -- but probably not this one.

Magic number for Delaware State: 353. Even though the Hornets were smoked by in-state rival Delaware, they posted 353 yards of total offense.

Magic number for Cincinnati: 117. Quarterback Munchie Legaux had 117 yards rushing last week to supplement the 205 yards he accumulated through the air. For the Cincy offense to be successful, Legaux will have to be a true dual-threat QB.

This game comes down to: Talent. The Bearcats have more, and should win easily.

Prediction: Cincinnati 45, Delaware State 6

Howard, Norfolk State Open MEAC Play on ESPNU

WASHINGTON, D.C. (www.howard-bison.com) - The stakes will be high when the Howard University Bison football team travels to Norfolk, VA to take on the Spartans of Norfolk State University at 4 pm in Dick Price Stadium. It is the conference opener for both teams and it will be televised on ESPN on a tape delayed basis at 10 pm. Joe Davis will handle the play by play and Howard alum and former All American quarterback Jay "Sky" Walker will provide color commentary.

Howard (1-1, 0-0 in the MEAC) is coming off a 26-0 loss to Rutgers of the Big East in which they were surprisingly competitive. The Spartans (2-0, 0-0 in the MEAC), who are ranked in some of the FCS national polls and is ranked Number 1 in several black college polls, posted an impressive 31-24 come-from-behind win over a tough Liberty University team on the road.

READ COACH GARY HARRELL BLOG: Week 3 "Fearless" (Click Here)

When the two teams last met in Washington, DC in what was then the conference opener for both teams, it was tough battle despite the final 23-9 advantage to Norfolk State, which went on to capture its first MEAC title since entering the conference. Following the game, Norfolk State head coach Pete Adrian had nothing but praise for the Bison in their first year under Gary Harrell. It proved to be almost prophetic as Howard went on have its best season in almost a decade.

"This league has become so competitive that there are no days off," said Coach Adrian, the 2011 MEAC Coach of the Year. "This game is no different. We know that Howard is a very physical team that is well coached and they play hard as we saw in the Rutgers game. Last week's win over Liberty is in the past. We have to focus on Howard because if we don't we will lose. We understand that."

Harrell had similar thoughts.

"They do a great job in all phases of the game," said Harrell. "Coach Adrian makes sure that the teams disciplined and fundamentally sound in their approach. This is going to be like a championship game for us. In this conference, if you lose a game this early in the season, it is very difficult to win a championship."

Much of the Bison game on offense is predicated on the run game that sets up the play action in the passing game. In sophomore Aquanius Freeman, freshman William Parker, junior Andra Williams and senior Jarren Brown, Howard has a lot of options. The rushing attack could improve exponentially with the return of senior Terrence Leffall, last season's leading rusher with almost 900 yards, who returns after missing the first two games.

Rutgers was able to neutralize the Bison rushing attack and it resulted in pressure on freshman quarterback Jamie Cunningham, who had problems with rhythm.

"Because we were not able to run the ball effectively against Rutgers, it created problems in the passing game because we could not go play action. Jamie had problems recognizing some of their fronts and it caused problems. In Norfolk State, you have a similar challenge. They have a very defensive line and are very solid in their secondary."

The Spartans rank Number 1 in several MEAC defensive statistical categories. The mainstays on defense are red-shirt senior linebacker Jamal Giddens, and red-shirt sophomore linebacker Lynden Trail and sophomore defensive back Keenan Lambert.

Defensively, the Bison have had problems stopping the run. Both Morehouse and Rutgers had measured success, especially on third down conversions. The Spartans will be sure to test the Bison rush defense by relying on their workhorse, red-shirt freshman running back Brendon Riddick, who rushed for 150 yards in the win over Liberty en route to being named the MEAC Rookie of the Week.

"Brendon was the player of the year in Richmond as a quarterback where they ran the spread offense," said Adrian. "We red shirted him and in the spring, he asked to be moved to the running back position. He is about 5-11, 200 pounds and is a strong runner who can also pass. He gives us a lot of options." Riddick is averaging almost eight years per carry.

It will be the task of Bison defense to try to slow down the Spartan attack. The unit should be much improved with the return of All American linebacker Keith Pough, who made his season debut last week. Howard has also gotten fine play from junior safety Julien David, junior middle linebacker Tabrian Resby and junior defensive end Toavan Sheats.

Pough, the team leader, was a bit rusty early on but he turned in another of his signature performances, finishing with two more tackles for losses, which puts him at 61 in his career, four shoy of the FCS career record.

"There is a reason he is the pre-season Player of the Year," said Adrian. "He is a great player and you have to account for him."

Added Harrell, "There is no question he is our team leader on and off the field. With him in the lineup, it adds a different dimension to our defense. We are happy to have him back out there."

For more information on Howard University Football, visit the official HU Athletics website at www.howard-bison.com.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION