Upsets show FCS label can be deceiving

CHENEY, Washington  -- Labels can be deceiving.

 

The labels on North Dakota State and Eastern Washington say FCS for Football Championship Subdivision, Division I's second-tier. The reality is there are 123 programs and the range of quality is as great as the difference between the best teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (aka tier 1) and the worst.

 

"With all due respect there are plenty of FBS teams that you can't lump with the Alabamas and the Oregons of the world," Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin said Sunday. "The same way you can't lump all the FCS schools together."

 

The FCS has won eight games against FBS opponents during the opening weekend of college football, twice as many as it did during last season's opening weekend. The most notable victories were by two-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State, which beat Kansas State on Friday night, and perennial FCS playoff team Eastern Washington, which knocked off No. 25 Oregon State on Saturday.

 

North Dakota State coach Craig Bohl said ...

 

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West Alabama presses on after the death of freshman cornerback Anthony Robinson

The Tigers open the season on Saturday at home against Clark-Atlanta Panthers.  The game will be televised by GSC-TV and on radio at ESPN 104.9.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Tragedy hit the West Alabama family on Sunday when freshman cornerback Anthony Robinson Jr. was killed in a car accident.

Robinson, 19, a three-time all-state standout at Linden High School, had signed with West Alabama in February. The Tigers open the season on Saturday against Clark-Atlanta University.

"Anthony was a tremendous young man, always happy," West Alabama head coach Will Hall said in a statement. "He had that rare "it" factor that is ...

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AT&T Nations Football Classic --Sept. 5-8, 2013

One play away: Pough, SCSU Bulldogs must regroup quickly to meet Clemson

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  When the Buddy Pough era finally ends at South Carolina State, even the most diehard critics would begrudgingly give him well-deserved kudos.  From bringing the Bulldogs’ program into the 21st century, to introducing a more Football Bowl

Subdivision-approach to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, to achieving 11 straight winning seasons, four conference titles and three Football Championship Subdivision appearances, Pough has enjoyed a successful tenure.

There’s just one factor that keeps Pough from claiming the “Top Dog” coaching mantle and it can be summed up in three words – one play away. Saturday’s 27-20 loss to number 21/25 Coastal Carolina was another instance when finishing a play or more cost the Bulldogs an opportunity to claim that elusive victory over a nationally ranked FCS opponent.

The missed PAT in 2002 and unsuccessful game-tying, two-point conversion attempt in 2004 against Wofford.

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JSU LaMontiez Ivy to miss remainder of season; WR McKenzie to serve suspension against ASU

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Jackson State announced today that quarterback LaMontiez Ivy will miss the remainder of the 2013 season due to an injury he sustained from  Thursday’s 34-7 loss to Tulane.  Details on his injury were not disclosed by JSU.

Sophomore wide receiver DeSean McKenzie will serve a half-game suspension in the home opener against Alabama State on Sept. 7. The suspension will occur  because McKenzie was ejected for a personal foul in the fourth quarter of the Tulane game. He will be eligible to play in the second half against ASU.

Ivy started over senior Clayton Moore in JSU’s opener against the Green Wave.  The redshirt freshman, was sacked on a 3rd and 10 play in the opening minutes of the second half and stayed down for a while. He eventually was carted out of the stadium with his lower right leg wrapped.

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Grambling defense improves despite loss

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -- With virtually an entire new front seven and a new defensive coordinator, Grambling’s defense had plenty of questions going into Saturday’s season opener against Alabama A&M.

For the most part, the Tigers swarmed to the ball and held up under crushing field position circumstances in a 23-9 loss.

Six of the Bulldogs’ possessions started either in GSU territory or, at worst, the A&M 45-yard line. The Bulldogs scored two first-half touchdowns from those circumstances before starting the second half with a 78-yard touchdown drive.

“I’m pleased with the way the ...

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Albany State Lockette signs to NFL Chicago Bears practice squad

CHICAGO, Illinois  -- The Chicago Bears agreed to terms Sunday with seven practice-squad players, including former Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson, who worked out last week for the team at Halas Hall.

The club also claimed defensive end David Bass off waivers from the Oakland Raiders, sources confirmed.

The team released five of the seven players signed to the practice squad on Saturday, a group that includes linebacker Jerry Franklin, cornerback Demontre Hurst, tight end Fendi Onobun, fullback Harvey Unga and defensive end Aston Whiteside. Johnson and former Fort Valley State receiver Ricardo Lockette complete the group. But there’s still one spot remaining on the practice squad.



The addition of Bass means the club needs to make room on the roster, which might jeopardize the status of reserve defensive ends Cheta Ozougwu and rookie sixth-round pick Cornelius Washington. There’s a possibility the Bears could release Washington and later re-sign him to fill their final spot on the practice squad.

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2013 John Merritt Classic Battle of the Bands: B-CU vs. TSU

Murphy’s touchdown gives B-CU win over TSU

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  Kicker Jamin Godfrey had already scored all of Tennessee State’s points in the game. With one second left on the clock, the Tigers needed Godfrey to boot one more field goal to send the game to overtime.

 

But the senior’s kick was wide right on a 49-yard attempt and Bethune-Cookman hung on for a 12-9 victory in a defensive battle Sunday night in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn.

 

“I’m proud of this football team and this coaching staff,’’ B-CU coach Brian Jenkins said. “To fight a juggernaut like Tennessee State and come out with a victory is tremendous for us.’’

 

Tight end Jordan Murphy caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jackie Wilson with 5:01 left to put the Wildcats up 12-9. It was the only touchdown of the game. Antonio Harper blocked B-CU’s extra-point attempt.

 

Freshman quarterback Ronald Butler kept TSU’s final drive alive with a 25-yard pass to Lavatiae Kelly to the B-CU 35 on third and 24. The Wildcats thought Butler fumbled on the next play, but he was ruled down with about five seconds left.

 

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TSU can't find end zone against Bethune-Cookman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  --  With an offense that sputtered along without its starting quarterback, Tennessee State was left to rely on kicker Jamin Godfrey for all of its points Sunday night in the John Merritt Classic vs. No. 23 Bethune-Cookman.

The talented senior connected on his first three field-goal attempts, which gave TSU a three-point lead late, but he missed a 49-yarder as time ran out, allowing Bethune-Cookman to claim a 12-9 victory.

An LP Field crowd of 16,108 watched the Tigers lose their season opener for the first time under coach Rod Reed, who is in his fourth season.




“Although they’re a good football team, I think we gave one away tonight,” Reed said.

TSU (0-1) was without two-year starting quarterback Mike German, who is suspended for the first two games. That left the offense in the hands of redshirt freshman Ronald Butler.

Under those circumstances, TSU failed to score a touchdown for the first time since losing to UT Martin 37-0 in Reed’s first season in 2010.

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Week 1 -- HBCU ScoreCard Finals (w/Video Highlight Links)

Week 1 FCS Upsets of FBS Teams (Click Here for Related Story)
Eastern Washington (Big Sky) 49, #25 Oregon State 46
McNeese State (Southland) 53, South Florida 21
Northern Iowa (MVC) 28, Iowa State 20
Southern Utah (Big Sky) 22, South Alabama 21
Samford (Southern) 31, Georgia State 21
North Dakota State (MVC) 24, Kansas State 21
Towson (CAA) 33, Connecticut 18
Eastern Illinois (OVC) 40, San Diego State 19

A: Game Attendance

SWAC
Tulane 34, Jackson State 7  Video Post-Game  A: 20,992
Houston 62, Southern 13  Watch Replay    Highlights  » A: 26,205
Alcorn State 63, Edward Waters 12   A: 3,100
Jacksonville State 24, Alabama State 22  Video Highlights    A: 1,580 (Rain Delays)
Arkansas State 62, Arkansas Pine Bluff 11 Watch Replay    Highlights  »  A: 30,451
Alabama A&M 23, Grambling State 9   A: 7,648
Prairie View A&M 37, Texas Southern 13   A: 18,361
Florida A&M 27, Mississippi Valley 10  Highlights  »  A: 24,376

MEAC
Western Illinois 42, Hampton 6   A: 6,437
Army 28, Morgan State 12  Photo Gallery   A: 24,245
Duke 45, North Carolina Central 0  Watch Replay   Highlights  » A: 22,521
Maine 23, Norfolk State 6  Video Highlights    A: 8,881
Eastern Michigan 34, Howard 24  Watch Replay    Highlights  »  A: 7,668
Coastal Carolina 27, South Carolina State 20   A: 10,048
Georgia Southern 77, Savannah State 9    A: 16,528
Florida A&M 27, Mississippi Valley 10   Highlights  »   A: 24,376

Bethune-Cookman 12,Tennessee State 9  Watch Replay   Highlights  »  A: 16,108

OTHERS
N. Colorado 31, Langston U. 10  Video Post-Game  A: 4,211
Abilene Christian 84, Concordia-Selma 6   On Demand Replay  A: 6,031
Belhaven 36, Texas College 26  Video Highlights  A: 4,117

MEAC/SWAC Challenge at Orlando, FL
Florida A&M 27, Mississippi Valley 10  Highlights  »  A: 24,376

 
John Merritt Classic at Nashville, TN
Bethune-Cookman 12, Tennessee State  9 Watch Replay   Highlights  »  A: 16,108



Marching 100 is Back! WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

In the FCS Huddle: First impressions

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Sports Network) --The Big Ten may want to cancel the order to cancel games against FCS programs.

The opening weekend of the college football season sure showed the FCS has a lot to offer against FBS competition.

As if we didn't know that already.

North Dakota State can play some serious ball as the two-time defending FCS champion. Ditto for fellow national powers Eastern Washington, Northern Iowa and Towson.

Even McNeese State isn't just there to collect a paycheck when it lines up against an FBS opponent - earning a win for the second consecutive season on Saturday.

The first weekend left a few jaws wide open as a stunning eight FCS teams beat FBS opponents. Two of the wins were against transitioning FBS programs, but they are meaningful nonetheless.

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Belhaven Blazers Kickoff 2013 Season with 36-26 Win over Texas College Steers

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The Belhaven football team opened up the 2013 season on Saturday night with a 36-26 win over Texas College at H.T. Newell Field. The Blazers, ranked 21st in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches' Poll, had their hands full with an athletic Texas College team that stayed with them the whole night.

Texas College (0-1) jumped out to a 6-0 lead after one quarter thanks to a 15 yard touchdown run by quarterback Vincent McNeil. The Steers defense also chipped in and stymied the Blazers high powered offense until late in the half.

Late in the second quarter, the Belhaven (1-0) offense began to find its rhythm and put some points on the board. On a nine play 80 yard drive, freshman kicker Alonso Acosta broke the scoring drought with his first collegiate field goal from 24 yards out. Acosta would add another trey from 42 yards away with 14 second to play in the half.

Sandwiched in between the two field goals was a two yard touchdown run by senior Rashad Wynes that gave Belhaven a 10-6 lead. The defense helped setup the score when senior Darrius Wren picked up a Steers fumble to give the offense prime real estate at the five yard line.



Earlier in the half, the defense slammed the door on Texas College by keeping the Steers out of the end zone. At that point, the Blazers trailed 6-3 and Texas College had the ball first and goal on the one. However, Belhaven pushed the Steers backwards on four straight plays with the result being a turnover on downs. That sequence was arguably the turning point in the game. Had Texas College scored, the contest could have taken on an entirely different complexion.

With a 13-6 lead, Belhaven's offensive momentum carried over into the third quarter on a pair of touchdowns and another Acosta field goal. The defense had a hand in the first TD when junior Brennan Dunklin picked off a McNeil pass and returned it to the Texas College six yard line. On the very next play Wynes was stripped of the football, but full back Patrick Wilson was in the right place at the right time to pick up the loose ball at the one and carry it in.

Another fumble by Texas College on the ensuing kickoff setup an Acosta 27 yard field goal with 12:00 minutes left in the third quarter followed by a 50 yard touchdown pass by Brian Ensminger to Jesse Gibson, Jr. to make it 29-6. Ensminger caught the Steers defense in an all out blitz and put the ball perfectly into Gibson's hands without him breaking his stride.

However, Texas College would not go quietly and began to mount a comeback of its own by reeling off the next 20 points. McNeil carried the Steers on his shoulders by firing two touchdown passes while running for another. A 22 yard pass to Jamaal Johnson with 7:04 to play cut the Blazers lead to 29-26 and at that point things got really interesting at H.T. Newell Field.

All teams face adversity during the course of the season and the Blazers certainly responded well late in the game Saturday. Junior running back Laderick Turner answered the Texas College touchdown with a 49 yard kickoff return that set Belhaven up at the Steers 23 yard line. Eventually Turner finished what he started by carrying the ball four yards to the house for a touchdown. The scoring burst capped a four play 23 yard drive that sealed the game at 36-26.

"Coach told me mainly just focus, you know the plays and you know what to do," Turner said. "Our line is outstanding and I came in with no worries. We really needed that (touchdown) and our offensive line was big for us tonight."

Belhaven Head Coach Joe Thrasher was pleased with how his team persevered for the win. "I told the team earlier a win is a win and I'm proud of those guys," Thrasher said. "Our defense came through when we needed them and at the end of the day it's about winning football games. Obviously there are things we are going to correct, but I'm proud of these guys because they fought and won the football game."

Turner led the offense with 53 yards and a touchdown on seven carries while quarterback Brian Ensminger completed 14 passes for 197 yards and a TD. The scoring strike landed in the hands of Gibson, Jr. with 8:03 to go on the clock in the third quarter. Senior Justin Kenyon caught six passes for 104 yards.

Senior Ben Chapman and junior Shawn Paul each turned in eight tackles while junior Victor Byers collected seven tackles and two sacks. Dunklin also made an impact defensively with a pair of interceptions.

As a team, Belhaven's offense generated 287 yards on 70 plays from scrimmage and had a slight edge in time of possession at 30:10. Both defenses were active as evidenced by a combined seven fumbles between the two teams with an additional three interceptions.

McNeil ran the ball 21 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns for Texas College. McNeil also passed for 216 yards and an additional two touchdowns. The Steers were led on defense by Luis Castro with nine stops. Overall, the Steers outgained Belhaven in yardage by a margin of 441 to 287.

Belhaven will be back on the field next Saturday at Louisiana College for a 7:00 PM kickoff. Fans can listen to all the live play-by-play on the Blazers Sports Network starting with the pregame show at 6:45 PM.

Texas College Steers next game is Saturday at University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio, Texas) with a 6 p.m. kickoff.

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MEAC/Challenge Battle of the Bands: MVSU vs. FAMU (9/1/13)

Central Florida players help lead FAMU to 27-10 win over Mississippi Valley State

ORLANDO, Florida  --  Several Florida A&M players from Orlando celebrated a homecoming Sunday at the Florida Citrus Bowl, but the party centered around three running backs and a linebacker.

James Owens, Omari Albert and Al-Turek McBurse carried the offense, and Michael Ducre helped lead the defense as the Rattlers jumped on Mississippi Valley State early and then held on for a 27-10 victory in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

"We knew we had to finish the game. Last year that was our problem. We kept letting teams come back in the second half and so this year our focus is on finishing strong," said McBurse, a former Winter Springs running back, who played his first two seasons at Purdue before transferring to FAMU.  McBurse missed last season with a torn ACL.

McBurse, who was the Rattlers' leading ball carrier with 55 yards on six carries, teamed with Albert on a fourth-quarter drive that ate nearly seven minutes off the clock. The Rattlers sealed the win with McBurse's 14-yard touchdown run with 1:11 remaining.

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Season Opener: South Carolina State University Marching 101 Band (8/31)

WATCH IN 1080p HIGH DEFINITION, WIDE SCREEN
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Frazier appeals firing as football coach at NC Central

DURHAM, North Carolina  — A week after former N.C. Central head football coach Henry Frazier III was fired, he’s appealing to get his job back, accusing the university of violating his civil rights.

Thursday, Frazier’s new lawyer Linda Kenney Baden of New York City, hand-delivered a letter to NCCU Chancellor Deborah Saunders-White to appeal the firing. Baden represented Casey Anthony in the trial involving the death of her child, Caylee Anthony. She also delivered the closing arguments in the case against record producer Phil Spector, who was accused of killing a woman he was romantically involved with in 2003.

“A lot of people request that I review their cases for representation,” Baden said in an email. “I refuse most. Here, I was immediately taken by the clear injustice of Coach Frazier’s matter.  Frazier was fired on Aug. 22 after being charged with ...

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Ram Ramblings: Showcase for local baseball players will be at BB&T Ballpark

WINTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  When Coach Kevin Ritsche took over to rebuild the Winston-Salem State baseball program in 2010 he had an advantage thanks to the local high-school talent at his disposal.

Because of that wide range of talent that he’s openly recruited the Rams are the three-time defending CIAA champions. It’s no coincidence that the Rams had their best season in school history (39-13) last spring thanks to 19 local players on the 33-man roster.

“I think that the guys that first got here from this area have to get credit because they kind of started that pipeline in wanting to come here to play,” Ritsche said. “And now, three years later, we are getting even better local talent.”

To help foster that relationship even more with local high-school players WSSU is holding a showcase on Sept. 14 for anybody in grades ...

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FAMU Band Back at Football Game After Suspension

ORLANDO, Florida  --  Nearly two years after a drum major's hazing death silenced the music at Florida A&M football games, the famed Marching 100 band returned to the field Sunday with its familiar booms, drum rattles and other tones for the school's season-opener.

It was the band's first game appearance since a season-long suspension. The scrutiny following Robert Champion's 2011 death thrust the school into the national spotlight and led to the more than a dozen arrests and the resignation of top officials.

As the band marched into the Florida Citrus Bowl, fans stood and cheered, and some had tears in their eyes. Alumni said they celebrated the reappearance of a school symbol whose absence caused a core of its fan base to stay away on game days.

"They did have to be punished — if you want to say that," 1985 FAMU graduate Cedric Crawford said. "But it's great to have them back.

"It's almost not football season without the band — especially at FAMU," he said.



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Trayvon Martin's father leads FAMU football team onto Citrus Bowl field before opener

ORLANDO, Florida -- Trayvon Martin’s father led the FAMU football team onto the field before the Rattlers’ season opener Sunday at the Citrus Bowl, embracing his role as honorary captain this season.

Tracy Martin, whose son Trayvon was shot and killed in Sanford last year, has been working to raise funds in support of families scarred by violence. He welcomed the opportunity to spend time with the young Florida A&M team. Tracy Martin ran out of the Orlando Citrus Bowl tunnel with the Rattlers shortly before the start of their game against Mississippi Valley State, part of the 9th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

“It feels good just to be a part of that, man. I had a son that used to go to FAMU and Trayvon wanted to go to FAMU,” Martin said immediately after taking the field. “I’m good friends with coach [Earl] Holmes, the coaching staff . . . some of the kids on the team I even coached them in little league football, so it felt good to run out there with them.”

Martin and Holmes spoke during the summer and they decided it would be a good idea for Martin to be an honorary captain for this year’s squad to help bring more attention to the Trayvon Martin Foundation. The foundation’s purpose, according to the website trayvonmartinfoundation.org, is to raise awareness about ...

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Baker's seven TD passes fuel ACU Wildcats' 84-6 rout of Concordia-Selma

ABILENE, Texas  –  Quarterback John David Baker threw for 322 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns as Abilene Christian University opened its inaugural season as a member of NCAA Division I with an 84-6 romp over Concordia College (Selma, Alabama) Saturday night in Shotwell Stadium.

Baker, a senior seeing the first significant action of his career after watching Mitchell Gale throw for more 12,000 yards the last four seasons, completed nine of 11 passes for three TDs in the first quarter as ACU built a 27-0 lead, then added three others in the second quarter. He completed 16 of 19 passes before half as the Wildcats rolled to a 61-0 advantage.

Baker's seven TDs broke the ACU single-game record of seven held by Clint Longley (1973) and Billy Malone (2006 and 2008, both against West Texas A&M). For the night, Baker completed 17 of 20 passes and was not intercepted.

The 84 points were the second most in ACU history, behind a 93-68 win over West Texas A&M in the 2008 Division II playoffs, and in front of an 81-0 shutout of Daniel Baker College in 1920. The game was the Wildcats' first as a Division I FCS independent. ACU begins football play in the Southland Conference in 2014.
Darian Hogg caught 10 passes for 208 yards and two TDs, Charcandrick West ran for 125 yards and a score, and Darrell Cantu-Harkless ran for 99 yards and two TDs. The Wildcats scored 12 consecutive TDs and intercepted Concordia quarterbacks five times.

After senior wide receiver DeMarcus Thompson returned the opening kickoff 35 yards to the Hornets' 40-yard line, ACU's first drive was all West – three straight runs capped by his 21-yard scoring sprint. Freshman placekicker Nik Grau's PAT put the Wildcats up 7-0 at the 13:41 mark.



Baker hit sophomore tight end Jamie Walker for a 15-yard TD pass on the second possession to give ACU a 14-0 lead with 6:53 left in the quarter.

He struck again on the next drive, turning a bad snap and busted play into a 30-yard TD pass to junior wide receiver Drew Peters, who eluded a tackle and slipped into the end zone to pad ACU's lead to 21-0.

Baker's third TD of the first quarter was a 6-yarder to a sliding Thompson in the right corner of the end zone. The PAT was not successful, but the Wildcats moved out to a 27-0 advantage as time expired in the opening quarter.

Corcordia's first sustained drive of the game ended with an interception by senior linebacker Thor Woerner at the Wildcat 23-yard line. Baker was sacked on the first play following the turnover, but bounced back on the next play to hit wide receiver Darian Hogg in stride on an 88-yard TD pass-run. Grau's PAT gave ACU a 34-0 lead with less than three minutes gone in the second quarter.

Baker's fifth TD pass of the game was a 7-yard toss to Walker with 8:09 remaining, upping the ACU score to 41-0. He connected with Thompson again on a 34-yard scoring pass at the 4:29 mark to pad the Wildcat lead to 48-0.
Abilene Christian's sixth TD of the game was supplied by senior running back Darrel Cantu-Harkless, who ran three yards with 1:26 remaining to set a school record for most points scored in a first half. The old mark was 51 points scored Oct. 6, 2007, in a 58-7 rout of Northeastern State.

Cantu-Harkless added a 54-yard scoring run with 44 seconds left, and Grau's seventh PAT of the game pushed ACU's lead to 61-0.

The ACU defense stifled the Hornets to complete the first-half dominance, holding Concordia to 88 yards and five first downs. Meanwhile, the Wildcats rolled up 518 yards of offense and 21 first downs in scoring on all of its drives.

Sophomore ACU cornerback Tyler Chapa intercepted quarterback Matthew Rowser's first pass of the second half and returned it 31 yards for a TD with 43 seconds gone in the third quarter. Grau's PAT made the score 68-0.

ACU's advantage grew to 75-0 with three-and-a-half minutes gone in the third quarter when Baker threw his seventh TD pass of the game to Hogg, a 17-yarder. The Wildcat lead became 82-0 when Jeremiah Williams, a running back enrolled in the ACU Graduate School, ran 4 yards for another TD.

Concordia scored its first TD of the night when Cameron Mayfield hit David Hampton on a 21-yard play with 5:43 left in the third quarter. The PAT, however, was blocked and returned by Wildcat senior linebacker Jesse Harper for another two points that extended ACU's lead to 84-6.

DeMarcus Thompson caught three passes for 51 yards and two TDs. Grau was good on 10 of his 12 PAT kicks.

ACU returns to Shotwell Stadium next Saturday to play crosstown rival McMurry University at 6 p.m. CST.

COURTESY ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Note: For MEAC/SWAC fans, the Wildcats will closeout the 2013 season at Prairie View A&M University on November 16, 2013, in Prairie View, Texas. But, who's looking ahead, Panthers?

Duke Cruises to Shutout Win Over NCCU in Bull City Gridiron Classic

DURHAM, North Carolina  --  North Carolina Central University's lone trip to the end zone against Duke University, a second-quarter fumble return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Tazmon Foster, was overturned by instant replay.  It was that kind of day for the Eagles.

NCCU's offense crossed midfield just once with Duke earning its first shutout since 1989, as the Blue Devils cruised to a 45-0 win during the Bull City Gridiron Classic inside Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday.

Six different Blue Devils scored touchdowns as Duke amassed 488 yards of total offense, including 257 rushing yards on 49 carries.  NCCU posted 184 yards of total offense with 103 yards coming through the air. Duke moved the chains 27 times, while the Eagles managed nine first downs.

In NCCU's best drive of the game, the Eagles pushed the ball 51 yards in 11 plays to the Duke 24-yard line at the end of the second quarter, but junior kicker Oleg Parent missed the 41-yard field goal try wide left.  Duke led 28-0 at halftime.

NCCU senior quarterback Jordan Reid completed 11-of-22 passes for 87 yards. Sophomore running back Idreis Augustus rushed for 50 yards on nine carries, while senior receiver Marvin Poole caught four passes for 27 yards.



PHOTO GALLERY

Foster topped the Eagles' defense with a game-high 13 tackles, including two assisted hits for a loss. Fellow senior linebacker Tyriqe Williams collected eight takedowns, while senior lineman Aaron Wallace and redshirt-freshman linebacker Jordan Miles contributed seven stops each. Sophomore linebacker Neil Williams accounted for NCCU's lone turnover with an interception to go along with two tackles.

"We kept fighting," said NCCU interim head coach Dwayne Foster. "Although we did not come out on top, we didn't hang our heads and quit. I thought we played extremely hard. We are going to use that as a positive and build off of it."

NCCU returns to action on Sept. 7 by hosting former CIAA foe Saint Augustine's University inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium at 2 p.m.

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Big plays help lead Northern Colorado Bears to season opening victory over Langston

GREELEY, Colorado – On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Northern Colorado senior quarterback Seth Lobato (Eaton, Colo.) hit junior wide receiver Dimitri Stimphil (Homestead, Fla.) for a 60-yard touchdown that extended the Bears lead to 17-3 and two drives later the pair connected on an 80-yard strike to lift the team to a 31-10 victory over Langston in the season opener for both teams.

"When you talk about football," Head Coach Earnest Collins Jr. said. "It is about a play here and a play there – just ask K-State. That's why you don't bring an opponent in and say 'this is an easy victory.' You can't do that anymore. We have players that can play at any level and they have players that can play at this level, so it evens out the pot. You can't go into a game believing that just because it's a lower level school you're going to win."

Stimphil caught five passes for a career-best 219 yards and two touchdowns, shattering his previous career-high of 76 yards from the 2011 game at Eastern Washington. His total of 219 receiving yards is also the eighth-highest total in school history and the second-highest since the Bears joined the Big Sky Conference in 2007.

Lobato ended the afternoon 17 for 30 for 314 yards, throwing three touchdowns and he connected with five other players besides Stimphil.

The Bears' defense also intercepted the Lions three times and forced a turnover on downs, which set up the 80-yard TD strike. Two of the three picks came from senior linebacker Conor Sparacio (Aurora, Colo.), who started the second game of his career and tallied seven tackles.



Junior college transfer Max Flores (Yuba City, Calif.) led the team with 15 tackles, while sophomore linebacker JaQueal Walker (Plaquemine, La.) added 14 stops and a pass breakup.

True freshman running back Darius Graham (Lawton, Okla.) made quite a splash in his collegiate debut, carrying the ball 17 times for 93 yards and one touchdown. "The kid has a lot of natural ability," Collins said. "We just have to teach him he can't bounce everything to the outside because they're as fast as you are now. He's 230 pounds and sometimes you've got to run some people over and keep going and we got him doing a little of that in the second half. He's going to be a special player for us and it's going to be good to have a 1-2 punch."

Langston scored first, making a 25-yard field goals with 9:05 on the clock in the first quarter. The Bears answered with a 41-yarder off the foot of senior kicker Dave Eden (Westminster, Colo.) with 13:20 to play in the second quarter to knot the score.

Lobato connected with senior wide receiver Will Jefferson Jr. (Moreno Valley, Calif.) from 11-yards out 1:42 before halftime for the 10-3 advantage at the break.

After Stimphil's back-to-back long touchdowns, Langston quarterback Jac'Quon Miles from Cedrick Jackson from 10 yards out for the 24-10 score early in the fourth quarter and Graham scored from 18-yards out with 6:38 remaining for the 31-10 final.

"They kind of drove me nuts in the beginning," Collins said. "To our guys credit, they hung with it and figured out. We knew there were going to be some issues coming out because of the crazy things (Langston does). A new head coach and a new team so you really don't know -- you can practice what you think you're going to see and I think our kids think too much, especially on the offensive side, trying to make the perfect check. Once we calmed them down they started to play better in the second half."

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Georgia Southern rolls past Savannah State 77-9

STATESBORO, Georgia  -- STATESBORO — Georgia Southern got started slowly Saturday night. Savannah State never seemed to get started.

The ninth-ranked Eagles scored touchdowns on seven straight full possessions from the first to third quarters and rolled to a 77-9 season-opening victory over the Tigers before 16,528 fans at Paulson Stadium.

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Southern, a semifinalist in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs last season, established offensive control after missing two field goal tries on its first two possessions.

The 77 points and the 68-point margin of victory were the largest in GSU’s Jeff Monken’s head coaching career and ruined the coaching debut of SSU coach Earnest Wilson.

It was the second most points scored in school history. The Eagles set a scoring mark with 84 points against Johnson C. Smith in 2004.

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Shorthanded UAPB Lions Fall in Opener to Arkansas State

JONESBORO, Arkansas  --   With several key players sidelined, including a handful of starters, the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions went into battle against defending Sun Belt Conference champions Arkansas State a bit shorthanded. It made for a very long, hot night as UAPB fell 62-11 at Liberty Bank Stadium.

A-State running back Michael Gordon broke off a 91-yard touchdown run and the Red Wolves had four different rushers with over 100 yards.avid Oku led the Red Wolves with 124 yards and two touchdowns. Sirgregory Thornton had 112 yards and two touchdowns. Fredi Knighten also scored two touchdowns and finished with 101 yards. Gordon had just four carries, but ended with 102 yards for Arkansas State, which won its ninth consecutive game, dating back to the 2012 season.

The Red Wolves piled up 672 yards of total offense, 509 rushing. Meanwhile, the Golden Lions, who averaged close to 400 total yards in 2012. Was held to just 173 total yards.

"Arkansas State is a very good football team. They are well coached and they did a lot of good things out there," said UAPB head coach Monte Coleman. "We didn't execute like we did in practice. Even being without some of the guys we needed, we just didn't execute."



"We have to be ready and we didn't do it. We can't look over anybody. We can't under judge anybody and we can't expect folks to have pity on us because we don't have all of our guys playing. It's the game of football and when you're down, you kick'm and that's what they did."

"The thing we have to do is go back and rebuild. We have to play harder than what we really played in this particular ballgame," Coleman continued. "This is just one game. It's not the end of the season, it's not even a conference game. The thing we have to do is go back and play hard and practice hard getting for McNeese State."

Although much of the evening was a nightmare for the Golden Lions, there were some bright spots to build on. "We actually had some guys that actually played well. It didn't look like it, but we actually had some guys that played well," Coleman pointed out. "There were several guys that normally wouldn't have played a certain position played and played well."

"Julian Morgan came in, he's an undersized linebacker, we had to put him at the defensive end position and he actually played well. Morgan finished the evening with four tackles (3 solos), a tackle for loss and a forced fumble that was returned for the only touchdown of the night for UAPB.

The Lions also hit the road without a punter or placekicker, but Tyler Strickland stepped into that role well. "Tyler Strickland came in and kicked the ball extremely well," said Coleman. "He punted the ball well, he kicked the ball well, they didn't have an opportunity to get a return because he kicked the ball out of the endzone. Then he came in and bailed us out punting the football. Strickland averaged 41.6 yards on 10 punts with three over 50 yards. He also hit a 39-yard fieldgoal that banged in off of the uprights.

There was one more bright spot for the Golden Lions' head coach. Coach Coleman had an opportunity to speak with son Kyle leading up to Saturday's game. However, during the postgame, the two met on the field in a moment caught by the ESPN3 cameras. "I gave him a hug and a kiss, told him I love him and that I didn't have any money for him," Coleman said with a chuckle. "I told him that I hope he has a great season."

Next up: The Golden Lions head to Lake Charles, La. to face McNeese State at Cowboy Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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