Miles College edged pesky Clark Atlanta University 28-7

FAIRFIELD, Alabama  -- Despite play often as gloomy as the afternoon sky, Miles College edged pesky Clark Atlanta University 28-7 Saturday to win its fifth game in a row and to stay unbeaten in SIAC play.

A crowd announced as 13,700 watched Miles win its homecoming game.

The Golden Bears, which were averaging more than 38 points per game entering the contest, struggled against the visitors who have won one but game all season and dropped to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the SIAC.

 

Miles entered the game ranked No. 2 in two different polls.

 

Penalties stalled numerous Miles efforts with the host team being penalized 13 times for 108 yards.

Starting tight end Delarius Webb was charged with a flagrant foul and was ejected from the game and will be ineligible next week for Miles' game against Kentucky State. Ruffin says he plans to protest because Webb is not on the kick return team and was not even on the field.

An angry Head Coach Reginald Ruffin blamed his team's sloppy play on homecoming week saying his players participated in too many activities and parties instead of focusing on football and CAU.

 

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Prairie View defeats Grambling State 31-14

 

 

DALLAS, Texas  --  A 75-yard kickoff return helped Prairie View win its first game of the season Saturday night, defeating Grambling State 31-14 at The State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

 

Johnta' Herbert scored a touchdown after a 75-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. He also scored after catching a 41-yard pass from Jerry Lovelocke. Later, Lovelocke kept the ball for a 1-yard run and Courtney Brown added a touchdown after a 45-yard run.

The Panthers are now 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the SWAC.

For the Tigers (0-5, 0-4 SWAC), their scoring came on the ground as Cedric Skinner scored on a 2-yard run and D. J. Williams on a 19-yard run. Following both, the kicks by Angelo Eave were good
                                                                                                
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WEEK 6, HBCU Football Scorecard

OVC
Tennessee State 23, Eastern Kentucky 20

MEAC
Howard 17, Florida A&M 10
North Carolina Central 40, South Carolina State 10
Bethune-Cookman 28, North Carolina A&T 12
Morgan State 45, Savannah State 6
Delaware State 20, Norfolk State 17

SWAC
Alabama A&M 35, Mississippi Valley State 0
Alabama State 45, Texas Southern 0
Alcorn State 20, Southern 17
Prairie View A&M 31, Grambling State 14

SIAC
Fort Valley State 36, Kentucky State 6
Miles 28, Clark-Atlanta 7
Albany State (Ga.) 36, Lane 14
Tuskegee 21, Morehouse 14
Stillman 24, Benedict 19

OTHER
Shorter 35, Point U. 13
Kutztown 56, Cheyney 7
Missouri S&T 27, Central State (Ohio) 21
West Liberty State 52, West Virginia State 19
Oklahoma Panhandle State 30, Texas College 9
Washburn 51, Lincoln (Mo.) 18
Concordia-Selma 20, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7


CIAA
Virginia State 28, Elizabeth City State 17
Shaw 45, Fayetteville State 28
Saint Augustine's U. 32, Livingstone 27
Virginia Union 61, Lincoln (Pa.) 13
Bowie State 35, Chowan 31
Winston-Salem State 63, Johnson C. Smith U.  7




CONFERENCE LEADERS

OHIO VALLEY: Tennessee State Tigers:  Conf. 2-0, Overall 6-0

MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC:  Tie - Howard University Bison: Conf. 3-0, Overall 4-1;  Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, Conf: 3-0, Overall: 4-2.

SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC: EAST Division - Alabama A&M: Conf. 5-0, Overall 6-0; WEST Division: Arkansas Pine Bluff, Conf. 3-1, Overall: 4-2.

CIAA:   NORTHERN Division: Chowan U. Conf. 3-0, Overall: 3-1; SOUTHERN Division:  Winston-Salem State, Conf. 3-0, Overall: 6-0.

SIAC: 3-Way Tie:  Miles College: Conf. 3-0, Overall 5-1; Tuskegee U. Conf. 3-0, Overall 4-0; and Stillman 3-0, Overall: 4-2.

Howard Defense, Special Teams Combine in Win Over FAMU

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Howard University parlayed a rugged defense, some outstanding special teams play and the consistent running of Terrence Leffall into a 17-10 in over Florida A&M University in a key Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Greene Stadium.

There was a lot on the line coming into the game as both teams entered undefeated in conference play. The Rattlers (2-4, 2-1 in the MEAC) got on the board first when sophomore quarterback Damien Fleming put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off with a beautifully thrown, seven-yard TD pass to Lenworth Lennon on a fade route in the deep right corner of the end zone.

During the drive, Fleming was able to extend several plays with his ability to run and find secondary receivers. Chase Varnadore split the uprights and Florida A&M led, 7-0 with 3:20 left in the first quarter.

Howard (4-1, 3-0 in the MEAC) responded however with a short drive of its own. Florida A&M's defense stiffened and the Bison had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by freshman John Fleck at the 14:11 mark.




From there, the Howard defense, led by senior All American Keith Pough, began to take over, constantly pressuring Fleming into errant throws and sacking him five times. The defense allowed the Bison to play field position and the offense was able to capitalize when sophomore quarterback Greg McGhee connected with junior tight end David Wilson from 31 yards to give Howard 1a 10-7 lead at the half.

"We did a good job of containing their receivers," noted Howard Coach Gary Harrell. "That is the strength of their team, so we put great emphasis on that."

Florida A&M was able to tie the game at 10-10 early in the third quarter when Varnadore connected from 34 yards out with 12:45 left.

In a tightly played game dictated by the defenses, special teams play suddenly became the deciding factor. Junior Brandon Flanagan made what turned out to be a pivotal play when he returned a FAMU punt 42 yards deep in Rattler territory. It took the Bison four plays to score as McGhee capped it off with a one-yard quarterback sneak with 3:36 in the third stanza.

"It all starts in practice," sad McGhee, who played an efficient game in his first start of the season, completing 13 of 20 for 120 yards, a TD and the team's first interception of the season. "We just had to be patient and stay with the game plan. The defense and special teams were outstanding."

The talented Rattler offense tested the Bison defense several times in the fourth quarter but each time, the defense would come up big and Fleck could not have waited for a better time to have the best game of his young career. The freshman from Indianapolis, IN, averaged almost 48 yards on six punts, four landing inside the FAMU 20-yards, including a career-best 60 yarder that pinned the Rattlers at their own one-yard line on their last possession.

Pough came into the game needing 3.5 tackles for losses to break the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) career record of 65. He now has 66. The 6-3, 235-pound red-shirt senior tallied 17 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble in what was one of the best performances of his career.

"My thinking coming into the game was to not think about breaking or setting records," said Pough.

"It's about team defense. I want to thank God, the defensive line, the defensive secondary and the coaches for this victory. It is an unbelievable feeling being 3-0 in the MEAC."

Leffall, a 5-10 senior from Stone Mountain, Ga did not score, but his ability to run between the tackles and set up second and third and short on several possessions, proved to be a key as he finished with 104 yards on 22 carries.

"It was great to be back out there," said Leffall, who rushed for over 100 yards in his only other game this season. "I just wanted to come in and hit the ground running."

Added Harrell," We ran the ball effectively, not like we wanted to. But it's our strength and we will continue to commit to that. Terrence is our guy and we feel confident with him running the ball."
Fleming was 26 of 41 for 228 yards, a TD and an interception, but the Rattlers were not able to run the ball effectively, gaining just 37 yards on 26 carries.

BOX SCORE


COURTESY : Edward Hill Jr., Sports Information Director
HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic: Golden Tigers' defense proves to be the winning difference

COLUMBUS, Georgia -- By all appearances, Saturday's 77th Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic had the makings of a shootout. After all, Tuskegee and Morehouse had the two highest-scoring offenses in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coming into the game.

However, it was Tuskegee's defense that made the difference, forcing five turnovers and stopping the Maroon Tigers twice on drives inside the 5-yard line to earn a 21-14 victory.

"We have to do a better job of stopping the short passing game, but when the field gets short, it's harder to do that," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater, whose team won for the eighth time in the past nine meetings in the series. "We never really let Morehouse drive on us. Our defense bent, but we didn't break."

Tuskegee's first big defensive stop came on Morehouse's first possession of the game. Following a punt by the Golden Tigers (4-1, 3-0), Morehouse (2-4, 1-2) took over on its 20-yard line and took 19 plays to march 77 yards. The drive ate up 6:25 of clock and ended when Tuskegee stopped Quendarius Hall for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-2 from the Golden Tigers' 3.

"This was a game of turnovers and missed opportunities for us," said Morehouse coach Rich Freeman. "We had some chances to punch it in, but we didn't. I felt like we moved the ball, but we just couldn't score."

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Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic notes: Latavius Watts of Carver High does his share

COLUMBUS, Georgia  --  The Morehouse Maroon Tigers came up a bit short against Tuskegee in Saturday's 77th Tuskegee-Morehouse Football Classic at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, but it sure wasn't because of Latavius Watts.

Watts, a Carver High product who starts at strong safety for Morehouse, finished with seven tackles (3 solo, 4 assists) in the Maroon Tigers' 21-14 loss to Tuskegee. Watts was the only local product to play in the game.

Coming into the game, the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder was third on the team in tackles with 35 (20 solo, 15 assists). Watts also had two tackles for losses totalling7 yards, a pass breakup and three quarterback hurries to his credit.

Something to play for

Yes, his team is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but Morehouse coach Rich Freeman knows there is a lot of football left to be played this season.

"Everybody in our division (the SIAC East) has lost at least one conference game, and we haven't played anyone in the East yet," said Freeman. "We're looking forward to it.

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Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/10/06/2230606/tuskegee-morehouse-football-classic.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/10/06/2230606/tuskegee-morehouse-football-classic.html#storylink=cpy

Tuskegee-Morehouse parade draws thousands

COLUMBUS, Georgia -- As thousands of people lined the streets of downtown Columbus Saturday, Arrica Baker remarked on the tradition that brings people together for the annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic Parade.

"I just love things like this because it's like a big family reunion, the opportunity to get out, see and meet people," said Baker, standing on the sidewalk along Broadway.

She was among the crowd for the parade before the football game at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. At an event held one month before the Nov. 6 General Election, the parade was a popular location for many politicians to greet supporters along with the marching bands, civic groups, motorcycle clubs and other groups.

Many like Baker said they didn't even have a favorite team because it's hard to choose between Morehouse and Tuskegee. "I know somebody is going to win," she said.




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Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/10/06/2230691/tuskegee-morehouse-parade-draws.html#storylink=cpy

Tennessee State Tigers edges EKU, improves to 6-0

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State is still unbeaten, but certainly not untested.

The No. 24 Tigers found themselves in danger of their first loss Saturday before staging a methodical scoring drive in the final 2:44 and upsetting No. 16 Eastern Kentucky 23-20.

Quarterback Michael German, who had struggled earlier, capped the drive by calling his own number and then shoving the ball into the end zone from the 1 with eight seconds remaining.

“We called timeout and had a play called, but Mike came over and said, ‘We can sneak it in,’ ” coach Rod Reed said.

A Hale Stadium crowd of 6,369 erupted in a roar after watching the Tigers (6-0, 2-0 OVC) match their best start since going 6-0 in 2001. It was their third win over EKU (4-2, 2-1) in the last four meetings.

TSU also took first place in the OVC with a trip to Southeast Missouri coming up next.
German desperately wanted to score the winning TD because his interception late in the third quarter led to EKU taking a 20-10 lead on a field goal with 13:49 left.


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Tennessee State University Highlights of Homecoming 2012

Dwight Floyd: Recap of Saturday's Most Exciting Games

DWIGHT FLOYD
sportsedit.org

There Were No Upsets on This Saturday

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -  There were some big wins in the SWAC, MEAC and OVC, but clearly no upsets. At this stage of the season a win is a win. The contenders separated themselves from the pretenders demonstrating a shift in power. If you like football then you should be excited about these games.

Perhaps the most exciting win was made by Tennessee State.  At the start of the 4th quarter they were behind by 10 with their conference nemeses and FCS #16 ranked Eastern Kentucky leading 17-10.  By the 13:49 mark of the 4th quarter Eastern Kentucky had punched in a field goal and appeared to be in control leading 20-10.

The Tennessee State Tigers wouldn’t have it. At the 8:49 mark they scored a touchdown to make it 20-16, but the extra point kick was blocked. At that point a field goal would do the Tigers no good. They needed another touchdown, which all game was hard to come by. From the 8:49 mark the Eastern Kentucky Colonels held the ball for almost six minutes before being stopped on a 4th down play at the Tigers’ 32 yard line.

 That is where the Tigers started their final make or break drive with 2:44 left in the game.

Judiciously using their timeouts and converting on 4th down when they had to, the Tigers marched to the Colonels 3 yard line with 16 seconds left. After an Eastern Kentucky timeout the Tigers moved the ball 2 yards to the Colonels’ 1 yard line. Tennessee State used their last timeout before lining up for the final play.

That play was delayed when the Colonels chose to call a time out.

With nearly the entire team in the huddle, the Eastern Kentucky Colonels scripted their strategy for the final stand with 8 seconds left.

Both teams line up on the ball and the referee blew the whistle to start play. With ease, the Tigers simply smash mouthed their way across the goal line on a quarterback sneak right up the middle. With that the Tigers would not be denied winning 23-20.

Only 6,000 plus attended the game. That means that the other 25,000 that attended the week before missed a historic win at the Tigers home field.

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Crowell, Defense Spark Alabama State Hornet Shutout

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  --  Isaiah Crowell ran for a career-high 149 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense made five takeaways and pitched a shutout as Alabama State blanked Texas Southern 45-0 Saturday afternoon at Cramton Bowl.

The Hornets (4-2 overall, 4-1 SWAC) used big scoring plays to set the tone in winning their second straight game, as Crowell had scoring runs of 63 and 34 yards and Landon Jones scored on a 32-yard scoring pass to take a 21-0 lead.

“We know what Crowell can do,” Barlow said. “He's a special guy, and it seems to come pretty easy to him. He's a really good player. We're happy to have him here. The guys have really embraced him. He's been a great team member, and he did a good job for us.”

Alabama State scored touchdowns on three consecutive drives in a 3:39 span of the second quarter. Crowell's 63-yard run, a career long, came on the first play of the drive to give the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 7:56 to play until halftime.

A pair of defensive takeaways set up Alabama State's next two scores. Brandon Slater's recovery of a TSU fumble at the Tigers' 42-yard line set up the Hornets' next touchdown. On 3^rd-and-2, Crowell broke a 34-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 14-0 with 5:12 remaining in the period.

The first of two Darius Knox interceptions two plays later set up the next score. QB Greg Jenkins fired a 32-yard touchdown pass to Landon Jones on the far sideline to extend the lead to 21-0 with just over four minutes remaining until halftime.

The defense allowed a season-low 133 total yards (29 rushing, 104 passing).

“We were very impressed with our defense; they came out and played with a lot of passion and a lot of enthusiasm,”
Barlow said of the Hornets' first shutout since a 24-0 win over Savannah State on Oct. 30, 2010. “Our coaches did a good job of preparing these guys. It was important to them.”

After Bobby Wenzig converted a 28-yard field goal in the third quarter, the Hornets broke the game open late. Backup quarterback Daniel Duhart directed three touchdown drives, including a 26-yard touchdown pass to DeMario Bell and a Duhart five-yard touchdown run.

The Hornets have outscored opponents 99-14 in the past two games, heading into next Saturday's home game vs. Jackson State.

“It took some time to get used to what everybody likes,” Barlow said of the offensive cohesion in the last two weeks. “We do have a new running back (Crowell), and (we've been) finding out things that he likes to do. The sky is the limit for our offense, if we can just stay on it and continue to get better.”

Box Score

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Circle City Classic: NC Central capitalizes on turnovers, wins 40-10

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  -  Playing in a building that hosted the Super Bowl just a few months earlier was exciting for the North Carolina Central players.

But the Eagles were more thrilled after their 40-10 victory over South Carolina State in the Circle City Classic on Saturday because of the significance to their program, showing just far they have come since moving up to the Football Championship Subdivision from NCAA Division II nearly two years ago.

“It's such a blessing, beating a team that's ran the (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) for who knows how long,” North Carolina Central quarterback Jordan Reid sad. “Kind of like beating your big brother.”

The Eagles (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) went just 2-9 last season, their first in the FCS level (formerly NCAA Division I). And, as Reid noted, South Carolina State (2-4, 1-1) has been something of the king of the MEAC, winning the league title in three of the last four years.

But before an estimated crowd of 20,000, North Carolina Central looked like the seasoned bunch. It took advantage of three South Carolina State turnovers to score 30 points in the second quarter and cruised after that.


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NCCU 40, S.C. STATE 10: Eagles turn 5 TOs into rout in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. — N.C. Central rode a school record 30-point offensive explosion in the second quarter to a 40-10 MEAC win over South Carolina State at the Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL Colts, here Saturday.

The 30-point outburst, which overwhelmed S.C. State’s early 3-0 lead, set a school record for points in a second quarter.

The Eagles’ win was fueled by five S.C. State (2-4, 1-2 MEAC) turnovers, one of which turned into a 27-yard touchdown return by linebacker Tazmon Foster. The victory snapped a seven-game losting streak to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe SCSU and marked NCCU’s fifth win in six games played in National Football League stadiums since 2000.

The only loss at an NFL venue was to Georgia State in overtime in 2010 before NCCU’s jump to Division I and the Football Championship Subdivision of the NCAA.

Oleg Parent’s 43-yard field goal early in the second quarter drew NCCU (3-2, 2-0 MEAC) even and Arthur Goforth’s 13-yard scoring run gave NCCU a lead that the Eagles would not relinquish.

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Alabama A&M pitches complete game shutout in 35-0 defeat of Mississippi Valley State

ITTA BENA, Mississippi---You're going to have to be able to do it all to beat Alabama A&M.
That became crystal clear in the Bulldogs' 35-0 dissection of Mississippi Valley State at Rice-Totten Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Coming into the Southwestern Athletic Conference eastern division contest, Valley ranked dead last in the conference in passing. However, the Delta Devils still presented a formidable challenge with the conference's top-ranked defense and the leader in yards per carry in senior tailback Brandon Stansell.

The seasoned Bulldogs showed why they're rated behind only Tennessee State in nearly every national black college football poll, dominating from start to finish to improve their record to 6-0.

They won the time of possession battle on their way to a fourth-straight 30-plus point performance, holding the ball for roughly five more minutes, running 17 more plays and gaining nearly 200 more yards than their opposition.

Defensively, they pitched their first shutout of the season while forcing three turnovers.




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Stillman holds off Benedict 24-19

COLUMBIA, South Carolina  -- Stillman holds off a furious rally to defeat Benedict 24-19 at C.W. Stadium in Columbia.

Stillman (4-2, 3-0 SIAC) opened the scoring in the first quarter when David Johnson capped a 13-play, 61-yard, 4:23 drive with a one-yard plunge. The Tigers from Tuscaloosa extended the lead when Willie Huggins scooped a Benedict failed handoff and ran four yards for another Stillman score.

Benedict would get on the scoreboard in the second quarter when Marcus Graham would find Emmanuel Houston in the corner of the end zone cutting the lead to 14-7. Benedict, on its next possession, ended a six-play, 28-yard drive with a 40-yard field goal by Eduardo Hernandez.

In the third quarter, Alejandro Huerta would connect on a 34-yard field goal to give Stillman a 24-10 lead. After a turnover, Stillman would get a 14-yard pass play from Joshua Straughan to Damien Ford to make the score 24-10.

Both teams would have promising possessions in the fourth quarter. A late turnover by Stillman gave Benedict the ball first down on the 11-yard line, but Benedict would only muster a 30-yard field goal to cut the lead to 24-13 with 8:32 remaining in regulation.

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WSSU rolls past J.C. Smith 63-7

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State had little trouble with hapless Johnson C. Smith, winning 63-7 at Memorial Stadium this afternoon.

The Rams, ranked No. 4 in Division II, rolled up 399 yards of offense in the first half and scored on all seven first-half possessions. The Rams took advantage of three Bulls turnovers and rolled to a big lead and never looked back. The Rams finished with 553 yards of offense.

Quarterback Kameron Smith had five touchdown passes, one off his career high. He was 13 of 15 for 259 yards in the first half and didn't play in the second half. Wide receiver Jamal Williams had three touchdown catches in the first half and Jameze Massey and Jahuann Butler each had touchdown catches.

The Rams improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the CIAA. They will play St. Augustine's next Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium in another key Southern Division game.

The Bulls, who failed to get past midfield in the first half, fell to 2-4 and 1-2 in the CIAA.

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WEEK 6, HBCU FOOTBALL SATURDAY

OVC
Eastern Kentucky (4-1, 2-0 OVC) @ Tennessee State (5-0, 1-0 OVC), 2pm

MEAC
Florida A&M (2-3, 2-0 MEAC) @ Howard (3-1, 2-0 MEAC), 1pm
Delaware State (1-3, 0-1 MEAC) @ Norfolk State (2-3, 0-2 MEAC)
South Carolina State ( 2-3, 1-1 MEAC) vs. North Carolina Central (2-2, 1-0 MEAC) at Indianapolis, Indiana,  Circle City Classic, 2:30pm
North Carolina A&T (2-2, 0-1 MEAC) @ Bethune-Cookman (3-2, 2-0 MEAC), HOMECOMING 2012, 4pm
Morgan State (2-2, 1-0 MEAC) @ Savannah State (0-4, 0-2 MEAC), 7pm

SWAC
Alabama A&M (5-0, 4-0 SWAC) @ Mississippi Valley State (1-3, 1-1 SWAC) HOMECOMING 2012, 3pm
Texas Southern (1-4, 1-2 SWAC) @Alabama State (3-2, 3-1 SWAC), 2 pm
Southern U. (2-2, 1-1 SWAC) @ Alcorn State (1-4, 1-2 SWAC), ESPN3, 5pm
Grambling State (0-4, 0-3 SWAC) vs. Prairie View A&M (0-5, 0-3 SWAC) @ State Fair Classic, Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas, 7pm
Jackson State (2-3, 2-1 SWAC) @ Arkansas Pine Bluff (3-2, 2-1 SWAC), 7pm




SIAC
Stillman@ Benedict, 2pm
Tuskege @ Morehouse, 3pm
Lane @ Albany State (Ga.), 5pm
Clark-Atlanta @ Miles, 5pm
Kentucky State @ Fort Valley State, 6pm


CIAA
Lincoln (Pa.) @ Virginia Union, 1pm
Elizabeth City State @ Virginia State, 1pm
Fayetteville State @ Shaw, 1pm
Saint Augustine's U. @ Livingstone, 1:30pm
Winston-Salem State@ Johnson C. Smith U., 4pm
Bowie State @ Chowan, 6pm

OTHER
Kutztown @ Cheyney, 1pm
Point U. @ Shorter, 1:30pm
West Liberty State @ West Virginia State, HOMECOMING 2012, 1:30pm
Panhandle State @ Texas College, 3pm
Washburn @ Lincoln (Mo.), 3pm
Missouri S&T @ Central State (Ohio), 1.30pm

ALL GAME TIMES ARE STATED FOR EASTERN TIME ZONE.




NOTE:  Gotta go! Off to the FAMU @ Howard game.  Will update Blog after 7pm this evening.  A great day for football in the Nation's Capital...high 76 degrees, winds 6 mph.

Who is the Underdog? Really!

MEAC TALK SWAC TALK

Dwight Floyd

 
In the SWAC: The Jaguars are Back!
Southern Jaguars vs Alcorn Braves

Saturday, 5:00 P.M. EST/ESPN3

Jackson State Tigers vs Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions
Saturday, 7:00 P.M. EST/SWAC TV

Championship teams are built around great defense. Great defense comes from having the right players on the field and a defensive specialist as coordinator. The Jaguars bend, but don’t break defense has been consistent all year. Last week they out coached and out played the charging FAMU Rattlers, who against other teams had been moving the ball up and down the field almost at will. Forget that FAMU didn’t play with the energy desired by its coaches and fans. They are supposed to be a good team and the Jaguars beat them. Should the Southern Jaguars and UAPB Lions keep winning, it will make for a very interesting game between the two on October 20. But first, the Jaguars will have to defeat the Alcorn braves and the UAPB Lions will have to overcome the Jackson State Tigers. Of the two, UAPB should have the toughest time. Alcorn has only won one game and is in a “start from scratch”, rebuild mode. Jackson State has been up and down, capable of beating anybody on a given day. Never mind its loss at the hands of undefeated Tennessee State, who has beaten some potentially great teams. The UAPB Lions have gotten off to a great start this season. UAPB will have to decide whether this will be the year or if it becomes another “wait until next year” season.

North Carolina A&T Aggies vs Bethune Cookman Wildcats

Saturday, 4:00 P.M. EST
 

If I were a North Carolina A&T Aggie I’d be pretty upset right now. Last year the Aggies nearly ruined the Bethune Cookman Wildcats’ season winning 22-3 (the wildcats did beat their rival, the FAMU Rattlers, so all was not lost). So, what do the Wildcats do? This year they schedule the Aggies as their homecoming opponent. Expect the Aggies to use the same strategy as last year. Stop the run and make the Wildcats do what they haven’t done well in recent years, complete passes. Last year the Wildcats had a total of 108 yards for the game, gaining only 5 net yards running. The Wildcats are trying to get Mr. Football, Quentin Williams, on the field and into the starting lineup. The hope has got to be that by gaining experience his talents will take over by the end of the season and maybe even further into the playoffs. At this point the Aggies don’t have the talent or status of the Wildcats. What the Aggies do have is the Wildcats’ number. The Aggies are supposed to be the underdogs. It is homecoming, so the Wildcats had better make sure they are.

Florida A&M Rattlers vs Howard Bisons

Saturday, 1:00 P.M. EST

Did you know that the FAMU Rattlers has 41 freshmen and redshirt freshmen on their roster, many of whom are playing? Some are even starters. They are a talented group and that means a brighter future for the Rattlers. In the meantime, in a game that is in a tie with the Delaware State vs Norfolk State game for most intriguing game of the week, the FAMU Ratters vs Howard Bison game will tell fans where each of these teams stand. According to Joe Taylor the difference in last week’s loss was the Rattlers’ lack of energy and timely mistakes. We can’t predict the number of turnovers, but it would be a good guess that after the embarrassing homecoming lost to Howard last year the Ratters will be fired up and looking to play a complete game. Years ago the Buffalo Bills of the NFL adopted the Bison logo and copyrighted it as their own. The Bisons still get to use it, but they just can’t own it. The Rattlers intend on owning the Bisons on Saturday and I don’t mean the logo.


Delaware State Hornets vs Norfolk State Spartans

Saturday, 4:00 P.M. EST

Talking about the Hornets versus the Spartans, this game is a ...

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Fakler again breaks 6K record; Nuggets win tiebreaker for team title

CLINTON, Mississippi -- Catherine Fakler again broke the Xavier University of Louisiana women's record for 6,000 meters and led the Gold Nuggets to a team championship Friday in the Mississippi College/Watson Ford Invitational cross country meet.

Fakler placed third among non-NCAA Division I runners in 24 minutes, 7.38 seconds. She has broken the XU record three times in four races at this distance in two years, including 24:09.65 three weeks ago.

The Gold Nuggets, winning a second regular-season meet for the first time in four years, and Mississippi College each finished with 37 points. But Xavier earned the tiebreaker because of No. 6 runner Paige Rochelle's finish, which has nearly 90 seconds faster than her Mississippi College counterpart.

Xavier's men finished third out of seven non-DI schools. Matt Pieri (second place, 27:12.43) led the Gold Rush in the 8K race.

It was Xavier's final meet before the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 20 at this same course. Both XU teams are six-time defending GCAC champions.

More on this meet will be posted online athttp://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2012/1005a.html

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

Adrian Carroll BOTB 2012

Adrian Carroll Battle of the Bands 2012 will be held on Oct. 21st on the campus of NCCU.

WSSU wary of Johnson C. Smith

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -  Winston-Salem State no longer plays N.C. A&T or N.C. Central — previously its biggest rivals. That leaves it to Johnson C. Smith to fill the void.

But in football, it hasn't been much of a rivalry — the fourth-ranked Rams (5-0, 2-0 CIAA) have won nine straight in the series and will have a chance to extend their streak at 4 p.m. today at Charlotte's Memorial Stadium.

The Rams found out last season that the Bulls won't be pushovers. WSSU won 28-10 at Bowman Gray Stadium, but it wasn't the blowout many had predicted.

Coach Connell Maynor of WSSU said that the Bulls (2-3, 1-1) are dangerous because of what's at stake.

"It's just the fact that their backs are against the wall," Maynor said. "They know they have to win this game if they want to have a chance to play for the CIAA championship. It's basically a championship game for them. This is pretty much their season, and any time you put a team in that situation, they are going to come out fighting."

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ECSU looking for offensive explosion

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  -  The time bomb that is the Elizabeth City State offense is still ticking.  The Vikings, who were predicted to win the CIAA’s Northern Division title, have won three straight games after opening the season with two losses, but have not exactly been overpowering the opposition.

ECSU’s three wins have been achieved by a total of 10 points, including last week’s 23-21 victory over St. Augustine’s that was decided when cornerback Nigel Rios returned a missed conversion for a defensive two points.

Coming into today’s game at Virginia State, the Vikings, who averaged 27.6 points a game last season when they also lost their first two games, but then reeled off eight consecutive wins, are averaging only 16.6 points.

“We’re waiting for that breakout game and we say it every week, but this could be the game we put more points on the board,” Elizabeth City State head coach Waverly Tillar said. “That’s the challenge, anyway.

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XU Gold Nuggets sweep EWC Tigers for 6th consecutive victory

NEW ORLEANS -- Taylor Reuther, the NAIA leader in aces per set, served four aces and had eight kills Friday in Xavier University of Louisiana's 25-13, 25-12, 25-10 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball victory against Edward Waters.

Moira Kirk, CeCe Williams and Chinedu Echebelem had six kills apiece for the Gold Nuggets (11-4, 5-0 GCAC), who won for the sixth consecutive time overall but the first time in three matches this season at The Barn. Alexandria Rencher and Franziska Pirkl served two aces apiece, and Kirk had two blocks.

Latavia Graham had nine kills and Zakiyya Vincent four blocks for Edward Waters (5-13, 0-5). Xavier had a 40-19 advantage in kills and 10 players with at least one kill.

Xavier will play GCAC and city rival Dillard at 7 p.m. Monday at The Barn.

More on this match will be posted online at
http://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2012/1005b.html


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

Wrong offense, QB make for long NSU season

NORFOLK --  Nico Flores is raw, a converted receiver playing quarterback, more reliable running than throwing.  Jake Basmagian is raw, new to the Spartans this fall with just two years of high-level football on his resume.

The Norfolk State offense is raw, shut out by South Carolina State, sputtering all season, ending the Spartans' hopes to repeat as MEAC champions before their third conference game.

Raw doesn't turn smooth in a week, and the problems at quarterback likely will hamper the Spartans (2-3, 0-2 MEAC) the rest of the season.

The absence of quarterback Chris Walley (graduation) and offensive coordinator Joe Blackwell (not retained), were more significant than initially thought, and made a measure of offensive dysfunction inevitable this season. At this point, a return to last year's success probably will have to wait until next season.

The Spartans returned all but four starters from last year's offense, which totalled nearly 400 yards per game. Eight receivers who caught at least 10 passes came back.  Despite the glut of options in the receiving corps, the quarterbacks can't find them, passing for fewer than 100 yards in 3 of 5 games.




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FAMU QB Fleming piles up the yards

Sophomore on pace to set FAMU marks

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -  When Damien Fleming took over as FAMU’s quarterback near the midway point last season, he asked position coach Quinn Gray what records he still holds from his career as a Rattler.

They haven’t had a conversation about statistics since.

“I’ve never heard him ask,” said Gray, who holds the school’s all-time passing record of 7,378 yards.
“The only thing he has ever asked was, ‘Coach what’s your record?’ He asked me that last year and said I’m asking you for a reason, and I won’t ask you any more until I get there. That’s the last time I heard of it.”

Meanwhile, Fleming is putting up some eye-catching numbers, although he wouldn’t talk about them unless pressed to do so.

He has completed 107 of 152 attempts and is averaging 218.2 yards per game. Combined with his 99 yards rushing in the first five games of the season, Fleming has amassed 1,190 yards of total offense, averaging 238 per game.

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2012 Road To The SIAC Championship: Clark Atlanta Panthers v. Morehouse Maroon Tigers

ASU Football Expects Improved Lane

ALBANY, Georgia  -  For the Albany State football team, there's no more finger pointing. A change in the win column has changed the attitude of the Golden Rams.

However, there’s no time to celebrate as ASU heads to Macon this week. Albany State is facing an improved Lane College football team guided by dangerous Dragons quarterback, Chris Rini.

Rini has passed for 1,042 yards and added 246 on the ground to lead the Dragons in both offensive categories.

In 2011, Albany State lost to Lane College for the first time in school history by the final of 26-24. It’s easy to play the revenge card, but ASU Head Coach Mike White is trying to bury that aspect of this SIAC game.

“I don't think we need any payback deals here...we have enough issues here on our own. We have our work cut out, but I think we can get it done,” Coach White said.

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