Virginia State conquer BSU in Overtime to spoil Bulldogs Homecoming

BOWIE, Maryland  -- Bowie State redshirt sophomore Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md. / Suitland HS) rushed for a game-high 120 yards and one touchdown, but Virginia State running back Lamont Britt (Norfolk, Va. / University of Virginia College of Wise) rushed for a 4-yard touchdown in overtime to spoil the Bulldogs Homecoming with a 26-20 victory. PHOTOS

Leading the Trojans on offense was quarterback Jarred Battle (Norfolk, Va. / Lake Taylor HS) with a game-high 201 passing yards, completing 21-of-32 (two interceptions) and one touchdown. Battle's top target was Bryan Jones (Hayward, Calif. / Chabot C.C.) with seven catches for 39 yards. The Virginia State defense was led by Brandon Robinson (Hampton, Va. / Phoebus HS) with a team-high 11 tackles.

Virginia State (3-4, 2-2 CIAA) amassed 422 yards (221 rushing) of total offense while limiting Bowie State to 287 (173 rushing).

Bowie State took a 6-0 lead when redshirt sophomore Jared Johnston teamed with junior Prince Onuoha on a 9-yard scoring strike in the corner of the end zone with 8:58 left in the first quarter. The extra point by redshirt-sophomore Mario Diaz-Aviles was blocked.

Devonte Hunt (Newport News, Va. / West Virginia Wesleyan College) scored Virginia State's first points of the afternoon with 9:07 left to play in the second quarter on a 24-yard field goal.

VSU's Jones pounded in from two yards out with 27 second left in the second quarter, shifting the advantage over to the Trojans at 10-6. Possession time in the first half of play was dominated by Virginia State, holding a 20:13 to 9:47 advantage.

Bowie State (4-3, 1-3 CIAA) regained the lead on its first possession of the third quarter on Johnston to freshman Maxie Stevens 46-yard pass and catch, putting the score at 13-10 Bulldogs.

Virginia State went three and out on their next possession and Bowie State took advantage of the opportunity, driving 64 yards in eight plays, capped off by a one yard score by Brown at the 6:19 mark of the third quarter and a 20-10 lead.

Virginia State's Hunt booted a 30 yard field goal with 13:35 remaining in the third to cut the Bowie State lead down to 20-13.

Bowie State appeared to be in the driver's seat with just over two minutes left in regulation. Faced with a fourth and 14 from the Virginia State 21 yard, the Bulldogs decided to attempt a 38 yard field goal. Unfortunately for Bowie State, the Diaz-Aviles kick was blocked by Virginia State's Rontrelle Knockett (Fort Barnwell, N.C. / Louisburg C.C.), giving the Trojans was last chance.

Following two short completed passes, Battle connected with Ja'von Smallwood (Virginia Beach, Va. / Bayside HS) for 23 yards down to the Bowie State 25 yard line. Battle then teamed up with Jacob Kellam (Virginia Beach, Va. / Norfolk State Univ.) for a 25 yard touchdown. Hunt calmly added the extra point, tying the game at 20-20 with 1:02 left on the clock.

In the overtime period, Virginia State won the toss and elected to go on defense first. The BSU Bulldogs ran three plays and attempted a fake field goal on fourth and 11 with no success.

Virginia State's Britt scampered 21 yards down the sideline on the Trojans first play of overtime and followed up with the winning 4-yard touchdown run.

Bowie State's Johnston completed the afternoon with 114 passing yards, completing 11-of-24 (one interception) and two touchdowns. The Bulldogs' defense was led by redshirt freshman Antoine Young and redshirt-junior Delante White with a game-high 13 tackles each.

Bowie State hit's the road for its next two divisional match-up's, making stops at Virginia Union University next Saturday (October 20th) at 1 pm then head north to face Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 27th at 1:30 pm. 

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION     

Grambling Tigers fall to Mississippi Valley State 45-21

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  --  The Grambling Tigers fell to 0-6 on Saturday with a 45-21 loss Mississippi Valley State (2-4, 2-3 SWAC) in Itta Bena, Mississippi.

Mississippi Valley took a 17-0 lead at the half on runs of 70 and 43 yards by Garrick Jones and a 35-yard field goal from Kevin Monzon. Freshman Cedric Skinner finally put the G-Men on the board with a three-yard run at 10:22 of the third quarter, but the 17-7 deficit was as close as Grambling (0-6, 0-5) would get.

The Delta Devils responded with two quick scores, the first only 10 seconds later as Marcus Randle connected on a 65-yard scoring pass to Julian Stafford for a 24-7 lead. Two minutes after that, with 8:12 left, Mississippi Valley took the lead to 31-7 on a 34-yard scoring strike from Randle to Brandon Stansell.

An 18-yard run from Skinner late in the third quarter pulled the Tigers back into the game, but again, the spark was short-lived. On the ensuing kickoff, Stafford returned it 88 yards for the score to make it 38-14 after three.

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Alabama A&M falls flat on homecoming, loses to Alcorn State, 21-20

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Tantalizingly, it sat there, just out of reach. It never seemed that far away. Like something stashed on the top shelf you need to get on tippy-toes to reach.

"I just knew the big break was coming," Alabama A&M running back Kaderius Lacey said. "I knew it was coming."

But it never came.

Flat and fuzzy focused, Alabama A&M (6-1, 5-1 in the SWAC) flopped on homecoming Saturday afternoon, losing to Alcorn State 21-20 in front of an announced crowd of 16,781; double that figure for the number of people on tailgating on campus who neglected to come inside Louis Crews Stadium.

It spoiled a significant bit of history -- no Alabama A&M Division I-level team had ever started 7-0 and it would seem to assure that the Bulldogs' recent appearance in the NCAA Coaches' Poll of FCS schools, at 25th, will be little more than a cameo role.

"I don't think we were focused where we needed to be and we made some mistakes all across the field," coach Anthony Jones said.

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Alabama A&M's Great Homecoming Charade spoils chance to make history

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- So gleaming the recent past, you had to squint.

 So bright the future, you needed shades.

Then came the Great Homecoming Charade.

Alabama A&M only acted like a good team. It got itself humbled. It got a reminder in its 21-20 loss to Alcorn State.

Said A&M coach Anthony Jones, "we can never be blinded by our accomplishments again." It went from 6-0 and ranked for the first time in the NCAA FCS poll -- that was NCAA Division I-AA in the dial-up days -- to 6-1 and a non-factor nationally.

This was a page of history wadded up and thrown away. No A&M team had started 7-0 since 1968.
This was a homecoming float with a flat tire, gumming up the whole works.

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Ward's career night leads TSU to victory at SEMO

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri -- A historic performance by Trabis Ward led the way as Tennessee State improved to 7-0 on the season with a 40-28 win at Southeast Missouri State Saturday night.

 

Tennessee State (7-0, 3-0 OVC) opened the game on a 15 play, 72-yard drive that was stopped inside the SEMO 10-yard line as running back Darion Hall never got control of the handoff, giving the Redhawks possession.

After a SEMO (2-4, 1-2 OVC) three-and-out, the Tigers took advantage of great field position at the SEMO 49-yard line. Quarterback Michael German started the drive with a 34 yard completion to tight end Wesley Samuels down to the 15. TSU kept the drive alive with a 12-yard pass to Devin Wilson on a third-and-eight. The first points of the game came on another third down conversion as German found fullback Johntae Gleaves in the right corner of the end zone for the one-yard score to put TSU up 7-0 with 3:54 left in the first quarter. The Tigers converted 11 of their 15 third down chances, while holding SEMO to just five of 12.

German finished with 154 passing yards on 17-of-27 throwing for a touchdown and zero interceptions.


 
SEMO wasted no time tying the game as the Redhawks offense covered 75 yards on just six plays. Quarterback Scott Lathrop had three carries for 44 yards, including a rushing touchdown from 13 yards out.

The Tigers would take back the lead with another lengthy drive as Jamin Godfrey connected on a 25-yard field goal for the 10-7 edge. Trabis Ward got TSU into SEMO territory with a 43-yard rush.

Ward had the first of his four touchdowns with 8:06 left in the first half from 12 yards out to increase the lead to 17-7.

After a first half that saw 24 points, the offenses exploded in the second half as they each put up three touchdowns and combined for 44 points.

Much like TSU started the first half with a ball controlling drive, SEMO answered with one of their own to start the second half. The Redhawks cut the TSU lead to 17-14 as running back Levi Terrell scored from seven yards out. SEMO passed only twice on the 12 play, 82-yard march down the field.

The back-and-forth battle continued as the Tigers used a nice mixture of run and pass to set up Godfrey for his second field goal of the game, this one from 42 yards.

With the momentum in their favor despite trailing 20-14, SEMO drove deep into TSU territory and looked to extend the drive on a third-and-two at the TSU 23 in the final minute of the third quarter. Lathrop dropped back to pass, but was intercepted by Steven Godbolt. It was the sophomore’s fourth interception of the season as he returned it 62 yards to the SEMO 26.

TSU would hitch its wagon to Ward as he found the end zone after five consecutive carries totaling 26 yards and a score.

With the Tigers holding their largest lead of the game at 26-14, SEMO would not throw in the towel as Terrell score again, this time on a 52-yard scamper to pull the Redhawks to within five with just under 11 minutes remaining.

Once again, Ward was the TSU workhorse as he carried the ball on nine of the next 11 plays resulting in a one-yard touchdown, his third of the contest to put the Tigers up 33-21 after a failed two-point conversion with 5:39 on the clock.

Just when it looked like the Tigers were in the clear, the resilient Redhawks continued to fight back. Lathrop had his only passing touchdown on the night to Paul McRoberts, who made an outstanding one handed grab in the back of the end zone, from eight yards out to make it a five point game with 2:22 remaining.

Even though they had all three timeouts left, SEMO elected to attempt an onside kick rather than kick it deep and try and stop Ward. TSU recovered at the SEMO 44.

With the Tigers needing a first down to assure themselves of a 7-0 record, they turned to none other than the junior from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Ward converted a third-and-two with a five yard run and backed that up with a 30-yard rushing touchdown, his fourth of the night to give TSU a 40-28 victory on the road.

Ward finished with 43 carries for 267 yards and four touchdowns, all career-highs.

It’s the second most rushing yards in a game in TSU history and second most touchdowns in a game.

The Tigers continue OVC play on the road next Saturday at Jacksonville State. The game is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and will be available on Fox College Sports.
 

GAME NOTES: The only player to rush for more yards than Trabis Ward in a game in TSU history is Charles Anthony who ran for 285 vs. Samford on October 23^rd, 2004 … Javarris Williams also had four touchdowns in a game for the Tigers. The only player to have five is Charlie Thomas in 1971 … Ward’s previous career-high was 180 yards vs. UT Martin last season … Ward now has 908 yards on the season, which is the eighth most all-time, just behind his 978 yard he put up last season … TSU starts a season 7-0 for the 11^th time in team history. It’s their first 7-0 start since 1999 when they started 11-0 and made their last playoff appearance … The Tigers are now 11-2 all-time in games where they enter with a 6-0 record … Travis James passed David Davis (1968-1970: 1,305 yards) for 8^th on the all-time TSU career receiving yards list with his 13 yard catch on the first play of the game … TSU rushed for 306 yards, the most since the 2011 season opener vs. Southern when they rushed for 342 … The Tigers are now 3-0 in the OVC for the first time since 2008 … The 28 points is the most that TSU has given up all season. The Tigers were the final FCS team to give up more than 20 points in a game … It’s the first time since 1999 that TSU wins at SEMO breaking a five game losing streak. It’s also the first time since 2003 that a team has won consecutive games in the series … TSU now leads the all-time series 11-10 … TSU is one of four remaining undefeated teams in the FCS along with Lehigh, Cal Poly and Harvard.
 

 

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Jackson State 37, Alabama State 34: Hornets lose heartbreaker

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Reggie Barlow’s heart said to go. The percentages said to punt.

The Alabama State head coach played the percentages. Instead of trying to pick up a first down on a fourth-and-one play from just across midfield in a tied game, he chose to kick to Jackson State and play defense.

There’s a reason why it’s not a 100-percent sure thing.

Jackson State got the ball at the 20 and moved 58 yards in six plays. The seventh play, as time expired, was a 39-yard field goal try from kicker Ryan Deising that wobbled through the uprights.
Final: Jackson State 37, Alabama State 34.

“We were in a mix there on fourth down,” Barlow said. “I didn’t want to punt it, but we had a hard time stopping them all day. So, I played the numbers. I didn’t want to leave them a short field in case we didn’t make it. I wanted them to have to go 80 yards. Hats off to them, they were able to pull it off.”



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Alabama State falls 37-34 to Jackson State in final game at Cramton Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Alabama --- Alabama State shut down the Cramton Bowl with a thriller that would've made Michael Jackson proud.
 
The Hornets just wound up on the wrong end of it.

Jackson State defeated Alabama State 37-34 on a 40-yard field goal from Tigers' kicker Ryan Deising as time expired Saturday afternoon. The game, played before an announced crowd of 10,154, will go down in the books as the final game the Hornets ever played after 40 seasons at the city-owned facility.

"Cramton Bowl is (special) for me, personally," said Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow. I played a lot of games here in high school. (I) played games here in college and then also being able to play here as a coach. I'm glad this city allowed us to use this facility. They've definitely upgraded it. It's a nice play."
The Hornets will open their new, state-of-the-art on-campus stadium when they host Tuskegee in the 89^th Turkey Day Classic in in their regular-season finale.

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Week 7, HBCU Scorecard

OVC
Tennessee State (7-0, 3-0 OVC) 40, Southeast Missouri State (2-4, 1-2 OVC) 28

SWAC
Alcorn State (3-4, 3-2 SW) 21, Alabama A&M (6-1, 5-1 SW) 20
Mississippi Vally State (2-4, 2-2 SW) 45, Grambling State (0-6, 0-5 SW) 21
Southern U. (3-3, 2-2 SW) 34, Texas Southern (1-6, 1-4 SW) 7
Jackson State (3-4, 3-2 SW) 37, Alabama State (4-3, 4-2) 34
Prairie View A&M (1-5, 1-3 SWAC) Bye
Arkansas Pine Bluff (4-2, 3-1 SWAC) Bye
*SW (SWAC)

MEAC
Florida A&M (3-4, 3-1 ME) 44, Savannah State (0-6, 0-4 ME) 3
Delaware State (3-3, 2-1 ME) 31, South Carolina State (2-5, 1-3 ME) 17
North Carolina Central (4-2, 3-0 ME) 24, Morgan State (3-3, 2-1 ME) 20 (HC)
North Carolina A&T (3-3, 1-2 ME) 38, Howard U. (4-2, 3-1 ME) 10
Hampton (1-4, 1-2 ME) 28, Norfolk State (2-5, 0-4 ME) 14
Bethune-Cookman  (4-2, 3-0 ME) Bye




SIAC
Tuskegee 16, Stillman 0 (Thursday)
Albany State (Ga.) 16, Morehouse 13
Lane 16, Point U. 10
Clark-Atlanta U. 14, Benedict 10
Fort Valley State 38, Concordia-Selma 12 (HC)
Miles 45, Kentucky State 0


CIAA
Chowan U. 28, Virginia Union 21 (HC)
Winston-Salem State 56, Saint Augustine's U. 37
Shaw 48, Livingstone 20
Johnson C. Smith U. 35, Fayetteville State 18
Elizabeth City State U. 63, Lincoln U. (Pa.) 19
Virginia State 26, Bowie State 20 OT, (HC)




OTHER
Edward Waters 30, Webber International U. 29 (HC)
Lincoln (Mo.) 34, Nebraska-Kearney 27 (HC)
Glenville State 29, West Virginia State 12
Wesley 24, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7
Millerville 35, Cheyney 0
Indianapolis 45, Central State (Ohio) 13

*HC (Homecoming)

A&T gets back on winning track, slams Howard, 38-10

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  Mike Mayhew ran for a season-high 138 yards and a touchdown, and the Aggies' struggling offense reasserted itself after two down weeks in a 38-10 win over Howard, which had been undefeated in MEAC play, Saturday at Aggie Stadium.

N.C. A&T (3-3, 1-2 MEAC), which managed only 163 yards of offense against Bethune-Cookman last week, surpassed that total in the first quarter against the Bison (4-2, 3-1) and ended with 367 total yards.

Quarterback Lewis Kindle completed 12-of-21 passes for 125 yards -- also running for a score -- and Dudley grad Ricky Lewis added 76 yards and a score on the ground as the Aggies racked up 242 yards on 44 carries.




A&T's defense also pitched in, returning two Greg McGhee interceptions for scores.

Linebacker D'Vonte Grant had a 40-yard return for a touchdown in the third quarter, and cornerback D'Vonte Graham added a 60-yarder -- his second pick of the game -- in the fourth quarter for good measure.

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Savannah State falls again 44-3

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Thirteen is unlucky, just ask the Savannah State Tigers, who lost 44-3 to the Florida A&M Rattlers to drop their 13th straight game dating back to 2011. The losing streak is the longest in the FCS division.

The Tigers never led while falling to 0-6 in 2012 and 0-4 in the MEAC. The Rattlers improved to 3-4 and 3-1 and are back in the thick of the MEAC title chase at the midpoint of the league season.

Florida A&M came into Saturday’s game with the highest passing efficiency in the MEAC conference, but had rushed for just 41 yards total in their previous two games, both losses on the road. The Rattlers pounded the Tigers for 323 yards on the ground.

“We’ve been throwing the ball real well, but it was important that we get more of a balance,” Florida A&M coach Joe Taylor explained after the game.

The coach praised the extra work his offensive line put in on Monday, on their own, after the staff called them out in a film session on Sunday.

“We kinda challenged the offensive line last Sunday in our team meeting, watching film. We’re normally off on Monday. They took the right attitude from the challenge. Instead of sulking or whatever, they went out on their own Monday. It was good to see that as a coach that they took it personal.”


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SC State Suffers 31-17 Loss To Delaware State

DOVER, DE -- South Carolina State (2-5 overall, 1-3 MEAC) suffered yet another setback dropping its second straight league contest, 31-17 to the Hornets of Delaware State (3-3 overall, 2-1 MEAC) Saturday at Alumni Stadium.

 

"Well, it's another tough loss and I'm heart-broken for these kids (players), said SC State head coach Buddy Pough. There are a lot of reasons we are not winning but lack of effort is not one of them."

 

The Bulldogs offense once again couldn't seem to get things going falling behind 14-0 early in the first quarter. Red-shirt senior Nick Elko (6-2, 220) got the Hornets going early on with a 42-yard toss to freshman running back Dae-Hon Cheung (5-10, 170) at the 11:57 mark.

 

Senior quarterback Derrick Wiley (6-1, 190) pass was intercepted by freshman linebacker Terrick Coltson (6-1, 185) and returned for a 53-yard touchdown with 7:44 left in the quarter. SC State struck back on a forced fumble by sophomore linebackerJustin Hughes (6-1, 220) and recovery in the end zone cut the lead 14-7 with 4:50 left.

 

Senior kicker/punter Nick Belcher (5-9, 175) nailed a 37-yard field goal to close out ...

 

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North Carolina A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine

Sloppy LU Lions routed by ECSU

LOWER OXFORD, Pennsylvania — Turnovers. Dropped passes that killed drives. Almost100 yards in penalties, often with the flag thrown at the most inopportune of times. Add it all together, and it made for a long afternoon for the Lincoln football team.

Paced by running back DaRonte McNeill’s 139-yard, six-touchdown performance, visiting Elizabeth City State University put together a 42-point second half to top the Lions 63-19 at Frank “Tick” Coleman Stadium.

“They are a big, powerful running team,” said Lions coach OJ Abanishe.  “And they have great depth in their running game. They just wore us down in the second half, taking advantage of our lack of depth on the defensive side of the ball.”

The Lions came out swinging behind quarterback Doug Cook, who entered the contest as the CIAA leader in passing yards at 295 per game. Taking over on their own 29 following the opening kick off, the Lions completed three passes with a run sandwiched in to move deep into Vikings territory on their first drive.

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But in a harbinger of things to come, the Lions fumbled it away at the 11.  ECSU took full advantage, kicking the ground game into gear and marching off the 89 yards in 11 plays. McNeill capped the drive with the first of his six TDs, this one a four-yard jaunt.

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No. 3 Winston-Salem State 56, St. Augustine’s 37

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina — Teddy Bacote passed for two touchdowns and ran for another and Tyron Laughinghouse scored two touchdowns for Saint Augustine’s, but third-ranked Winston-Salem State scored 28 consecutive points between the second and third quarters to topple the Falcons 56-37 in a key CIAA matchup at Bowman Gray Stadium.

The loss hurt the Falcons’ (4-3 overall, 2-2 CIAA) chances of winning the Southern Division and reaching the CIAA title game. They are two games behind the unbeaten Rams (7-0 overall, 4-0 CIAA), with three games to go in the regular season. The 56 points are the most the Falcons have allowed in a game since 2009.




The Falcons trailed 21-19 early in the second quarter after Laughinghouse scored his second touchdown on an eight-yard catch from Bacote. The Rams responded with four consecutive touchdowns, including two by Ricky Rozier, to push their lead to 49-19 early in the third quarter.

Bacote, who started despite suffering an injury against Livingstone last weekend, completed 18 of 33 passes for 174 yards for the Falcons, who finished with 254 offensive yards. He had two interceptions in addition to his two scoring passes and touchdown run. Laughinghouse totaled 179 all-purpose yards including an 82-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. He has three touchdowns on kick returns this season.

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NCCU 24, MORGAN STATE 20: Eagles win comeback road thriller

BALTIMORE, Maryland — With his team trailing and less than a minute remaining in the contest, N.C. Central senior tight end Detwan Robinson caught a short pass then broke three tackles on his way to the end zone for the game-winning touchdown, as the visiting Eagles spoiled Morgan State University’s homecoming 24-20.

The home team held a 20-17 advantage when NCCU senior Geovonie Irvine returned a punt 20 yards to give the Eagles good field position at the Morgan State 47. NCCU redshirt junior quarterback Jordan Reid took a sack for a loss to the NCCU 47, but then completed four straight passes — two to Robinson and two to senior running back Arthur Goforth — to move the Eagles to the Morgan State 26.

After Reid’s only incomplete pass of the drive, a throw-away to avoid a sack on third down, NCCU faced fourth-and-two. NCCU head coach Henry Frazier, coaching in his home state for the first time since he serving as head coach at Bowie State in 2003, decided to go for the first down and the win.

Robinson caught a short pass with enough yardage for the first down, then powered his way through three tackles, spun away from several defenders and raced into the blue-and-orange end zone for the game-winner with 25 seconds left.

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SSU looking for first win in Tallahassee

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  The Savannah State Tigers are hoping for better results from a trip to Tallahassee, Fla., this time.

The Tigers will be on the road today at 6 p.m. against Florida A&M at Bragg Memorial Stadium in the Florida capital.

Five weeks ago, SSU challenged Florida State across town at Doak Campbell Stadium. That didn’t turn out too well. The Tigers entered as the largest underdogs in college football history (70 ½ points) and didn’t put up much of a fight before losing to the Seminoles 55-0 in a game stopped midway through the third quarter by inclement weather.

SSU followed its fortnight with FBS powerhouses with three more losses to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schools and will enter today’s contest with a 12-game losing streak, the longest in the FCS.

“There are better days ahead for Savannah State, but (the losing) certainly eats at my patience on a daily basis,” Tigers second-year coach Steve Davenport said.





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Hampton-Norfolk State football rivalry turns 50

HAMPTON, Virginia --  As a 10-year-old ballboy on the sideline, Hampton native Devan Hill remembers being awe-struck by the atmosphere surrounding a game in which he later played and now coaches.

Orlando Goodhope followed the lead of older players from his Norfolk neighborhood and then got the thrill of playing against young men he practically idolized.

Donovan Rose embodies one of college football's fiercest and most familial rivalries, growing up a few miles from one campus and spending much of his professional life at the other.





Hampton and Norfolk State renew their annual rivalry 1 p.m. Saturday at Armstrong Stadium, the 50th meeting between programs that know each other intimately.

"In my mind, it's huge because of the tradition and the location of the two schools," former Hampton U. and NFL wide receiver Terrence Warren said. "For decades, this rivalry has played out in backyards all over Hampton Roads. For me, it was a rite of passage to be part of this game."

Warren, a Suffolk native, was well aware of the rivalry growing up. Suffolk, he said, was Norfolk State territory, and he remembers Saturday caravans to see the Spartans. He eventually chose Hampton because of its track program and later turned to football because of the challenge. No game, he said, was bigger than Hampton-Norfolk State.

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SWAC considers AutoZone Park for 2013 baseball tournament

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  --  The Southwestern Athletic Conference is considering moving its 2013 baseball tournament to Memphis.

SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp said AutoZone Park is one of several possible venues. Sharp declined to name the others, but said he was blown away after touring AutoZone Park.

"It's a state-of-the-art facility," Sharp said. "I was impressed when I came up there and did the site visit, to see a 60-foot (video screen) out there. I think it's a great place for a SWAC student-athlete to experience a first-class venue.

"The people in Memphis and at AutoZone Park were very excited we were in town to meet them. We'll take some things back to the council presidents and chancellors and see which direction they would like to go in."

Sharp said the league has one more site visit to take. He hopes to have a decision within two weeks. The SWAC tournament is scheduled for May 15-19.

Memphis Redbirds Foundation treasurer John Pontius said he could see the tournament developing into a big annual event.




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Tennessee State Men's Basketball Opens Preseason Practice

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State men's basketball opened fall practice on Friday in preparation of the team's first contest on Nov. 5 against Fisk.

The Tigers are coming off of one of the most successful seasons in recent history and the team returns four starters. While Tennessee State returns most of its impact players from a year ago, the team will feature a new head coach in Travis Williams.

After coaching at the school as an assistant for three seasons, Williams was awarded the head coach position in April. As the top assistant last season, Williams helped restore a winning attitude to the Tigers' program. The Big Blue recorded just nine wins in 2009-10, while improving to 14 victories in 2010-11. Last season, the Tigers completed a 20-13 mark.

This season, Williams will have the luxury of coaching an experienced team led by senior forward Robert Covington and junior guard Patrick Miller.

Last season, Covington led the team in points per game and rebounds per game with 17.8 and 7.9, respectively. At six-foot-nine, Covington is always a threat to score in the low-post, but he really shines from behind the three-point line. He attempted the most three pointers on the team last season (145), but he also made the highest percentage of his shots from behind the arc (.448).

 

While Covington excelled at making outside shots last season, he also had the benefit of playing with a point guard who could feed him the ball in Miller. The Chicago Ill. native led the team with 118 assists last season and also averaged double-digits points per game (10.8). Miller also played his part on the defensive end of the floor, tallying a team-high 51 steals and 120 rebounds.

Covington and Miller will play an integral part for the Tigers this season, but the team also has good leadership across the board with four seniors. Two of those seniors are Jordan Cyphers and Kellen Thornton.

Cyphers, a guard who transferred from Utah, averaged eight points per contest in his first season at Tennessee State and was another deep shooting threat- out of his 198 shots, 121 were from beyond the three-point line. Cyphers made 44 of those shots for a percentage of .364.

Thornton is another transfer that TSU picked up from Illinois State, and he made a splash with the team in his first season. Thornton was third on the team in points per game (9.1) and second in both field goal percentage (.525) and rebounds per contest (4.5).

Rounding out the starting five is sophomore M.J. Rhett. Rhett, a native of Hopkins S.C., started 26 games last season as a freshman and played mostly the power forward position. Rhett had the second most rebounds on the team last year (147) and recorded 14 blocks.

The non-conference schedule looks daunting with games at Missouri and BYU, but the Tigers hope that a tough opening slate will allow them to improve upon last year's second place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference.
 

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DWIGHT FLOYD Weekly Commentary: Black College Football in Perspective

DWIGHT FLOYD
"The Editor"
SportsEdit.Org

TALLAHASSEE, Florida --  Today, I will take my 92 year old father to see the FAMU vs. Savannah State football game. He hasn’t missed more than a handful of games since the late 50s when I would accompany him starting around age four. If you do the math that was fifty something years ago for me and in addition to his reserved seat I now have a reserved seat for me and my grandson along with my own parking spot next to the game entrance.

For the record, the top college football teams on any level at one time included teams like Alcorn State, Grambling, Southern, Florida A&M, and Tennessee State. These teams were not just good they were among the very best. They didn’t get to play Ohio State, Notre Dame or USC, but know that coaches like Woody Hayes not only respected these teams, but visited their football camps and on occasion came to watch them play. These and other black college teams like them would today be considered dynasties. Back then a black college championship meant more because winning it really did mean you were one of the best teams in the country bar none.

Too little is said about FAMU’s former Coach Alonzo S. “Jake” Gather. I grew up down the street from a recreation center named in his honor and among the families of some of the outstanding assistant coaches and players like Bobby Lang, Robert Mungen, Willie Galimore, and Hewett Dixon. I remember as a small boy watching Bob Hayes, Ken Riley, Claude Humphrey and Ed “Too Tall” Jones of Tennessee State. Yes, on a rare occasion in the latter stages of black college football greatness I got to see Eddie Robinson and Doug Williams, Alcorn’s Marino “The Godfather” Casem and Steve McNair, Mississippi Valley State’s David “Deacon” Jones and Jerry Rice, Tennessee State’s Joe Meritt and Joe Gilliam, just to name a few.


Donald Lawrence - Encourage Yourself on Violin - Mad Violinist Ashanti Floyd


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WEEK 7 HBCU Football Saturday

OVC
Tennessee State @ Southeast Missouri State, 7 pm

SWAC
Jackson State @ Alabama State, 2 pm
Alcorn State @ Alabama A&M, 2 pm
Grambling State @ Mississippi Valley State, 3 pm
Texas Southern @ Southern U.  (Homecoming), 6:30 pm

SIAC
Tuskegee 16, Stillman 0 Final (Thursday)
Corcordia-Selma@ Fort Valley State,  (Homecoming), 2 pm
Lane @ Point U., 1 pm
Miles @ Kentucky State 1:30 pm
Benedict @ Clark-Atlanta U., 2pm
Albany State (Ga.) @ Morehouse, 7 pm

CIAA
Elizabeth City State U. @ Lincoln U. (Pa.), 1 pm
Shaw @ Livingstone, 1 pm
Johnson C. Smith U. @ Fayetteville State, 2 pm
Virginia State @ Bowie State (Homecoming), 1 pm
Saint Augustine's U. @ Winston-Salem State, 1:30 pm
Virginia Union @ Chowan U., 6 pm





OTHER
Webber International @ Edward Waters (Homecoming), 3pm 
Central State (Ohio) @ Indianapolis, 6 pm
Cheyney @ Millersville, 3:30 pm
Nebraska-Kearney @ Lincoln (Mo.) 3 pm
Virginia University of Lynchburg @ Wesley College, 1 pm
West Virginia State @ Glenville State, 1 pm

MEAC
North Carolina Central @ Morgan State, (Homecoming), 1 pm
Norfolk State @ Hampton (Battle of the Bay), 1 pm
Howard U. @ North Carolina A&T, 1:30 pm
South Carolina State @ Delaware State, 1:30 pm
Savannah State @ Florida A&M, 6 pm

FVSU has no patsy for homecoming

FORT VALLEY, Georgia --  All Donald Pittman could do was lean back in his chair, laugh and wonder why former athletics director Percy Caldwell picked Concordia College as this year’s homecoming opponent.

“I look at it, and I have to laugh,” Fort Valley State’s fourth-year head coach said. “Wow. Golly.” Concordia is a small Christian college in Selma, Ala., with a Lutheran influence that has been a four-year college for less than two decades. It is part of a 10-campus Concordia University System with locations ranging from New York to California.





The Hornets, members of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, head to FVSU on Saturday afternoon for the Wildcats’ final home game of the season with a 4-1 record.

“They’re a good team,” Pittman said. “They have talent. I saw them come from behind in two games to win.” Concordia opened the season with a 20-19 win at FCS Mississippi Valley State and then had a week off after the game with Point University was cancelled.  

The Hornets lost 23-18 at Johnson C. Smith, a Division II team, and then ninth-year head coach Shepherd Skanes was let go, and defensive coordinator Don Lee took over. It was part of a college-wide elimination of positions because of budget problems.


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Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/10/12/2210900/fvsu-has-no-patsy-for-homecoming.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/10/12/2210900/fvsu-has-no-patsy-for-homecoming.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/10/12/2210900/fvsu-has-no-patsy-for-homecoming.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/10/12/2210900/fvsu-has-no-patsy-for-homecoming.html#storylink=cpy

WSSU has score to settle with St. Aug's

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Third-ranked Winston-Salem State will put its unbeaten season on the line today against upstart St. Augustine's and can jump into the driver's seat of the CIAA's Southern Division with a victory.

The Rams are 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the CIAA. The Falcons are 4-2 and 2-1. Kickoff is set for 1:30 at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Coach Connell Maynor of WSSU calls St. Aug's the most talented CIAA team he has seen.

"I think we are up for the challenge," Maynor said. "(The defense) is excited to face a good St. Aug's offense, because they want to show that they are an upper-class Division II defense."

WSSU's defense has allowed just two touchdowns in the last three games and to be successful today, it will have to slow three good receivers. Senior Tyron Laughinghouse (30 catches, 7 TDs) leads the group and is among the top players in the CIAA. Brian Richards (40 catches, 3 TDs) and Jermaine Jones (10 catches, 1 TD) can also do damage.

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ECSU Vikings try to get back on track

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  -- Waverly Tillar is hoping his football team learned a lesson in last week’s 28-17 loss at Virginia State.

“You have to be 100 percent ready to play or things are going to happen and they are not going to go your way,” he said.

The Vikings weren’t ready, things happened, and practically none of them went their way as previously impotent Virginia State threw three touchdown passes to score only their second victory in six games.  Tillar could see before the game that ECSU was in trouble.

“The guys didn’t come to play, they were flat at the onset and I could sense in the warmups we weren’t clicking,” he said. “This was the first time this year I had seen that. I didn’t know what to expect, but we were playing at Virginia State and any time we had come up there not ready to play, the results were the same.”

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More GCAC weekly awards for Xavier's Fakler and Pieri

Matt Pieri

Catherine Fakler

NEW ORLEANS — Catherine Fakler and Matt Pieri of Xavier University of Louisiana were selected the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week for Oct. 1-7. It's the second time this season that each earned that honor.

Fakler, a sophomore from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School, broke the XU women's record for 6,000 meters for the second time this season and the third time in her career. She ran that distance in 24 minutes, 7.38 seconds and finished third among non-NCAA Division I athletes in the Mississippi College/Watson Ford Invitational cross country meet at Clinton, Miss. Fakler led the Gold Nuggets to their second team championship of the season.

Pieri, a senior from New Orleans and a graduate of Brother Martin High School, extended his GCAC men's career record with 12 weekly awards. He has earned the honor at least twice in each of his four seasons. Pieri finished second among non-Division I runners in the MC/Watson Ford men's 8K race in 27:12.43. It was the 16th top-10 finish and 11th top-5 finish of Pieri's career.

Both XU teams will return to Clinton to compete Oct. 20 in the GCAC Championships. The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets both seek a seventh consecutive team championship.

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

Tennessee State's Rod Reed sits in ideal spot for contract talks

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Tennessee State’s climb into the Football Championship Subdivision polls and first place in the OVC has put coach Rod Reed in a favorable position as he negotiates his contract.

Talks between Reed and athletics director Teresa Phillips have intensified as the Tigers have started 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the OVC heading into Saturday’s game at Southeast Missouri. An extension for Reed and possible pay raise could be agreed upon soon, according to Phillips.

“This is how it is in coaching,” Phillips said. “Coaches win and they get patted; they lose and they get fired. When we started talking heading into the season it wasn’t just about money or adding years. It was to do some revision work to his contract to make it similar to some of our other coaches. Now we’re talking more about an extension and money.”

TSU has hired new men’s and women’s basketball coaches since Reed signed his five-year deal with an annual salary of $160,000 before the 2010 season.

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Miles seeking to limit penalties against Kentucky State

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  --  Perfection might not be attainable but that isn't stopping Miles College from striving for it.

Since losing 31-30 to North Alabama at Legion Field in the Labor Day Golden Classic to start the season, the Golden Bears have reeled off five straight victories. They've dumped Shaw University (N.C.) West Georgia, Albany St. (Ga.), Benedict (S.C.) and Clark-Atlanta.

The defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champs look poised to repeat, heading into their meeting with conference foe Kentucky State Saturday at 1:30 p.m..

Nonetheless, following their 28-7 win against Clark on homecoming last weekend, coach Reginald Ruffin decided to switch up his team's practice schedule to get his team's attention.

The Golden Bears (5-1, 3-0), one of the least-penalized teams in the conference last season, were whistled for 13 infractions for 108 yards, including an ejection against the Panthers.



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