'Go-to Man': Pendleton embraces leadership role, dominates for Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- After Zachary Pendleton finished his post-game interview and made his way out of the media room, he hugged coach Rick Comegy.

It was Comegy’s way of praising the Jackson State wide receiver for his role in the Tigers’ conference-opening 30-23 against Alabama State on Saturday.

“He’s our go-to man,” Comegy said. “We already have him in that kind of (leadership) position. He knows we need him for big plays, and he stepped up.”

The Forest Hill High School graduate caught six passes for 177 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to wake up the Tigers’ offense in a game it needed to win. After Week 2, the Tigers (1-1, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) seem to have found consistency, thanks in part to the reliable Pendleton.

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Week 2: HBCU Football Video Highlights

Ram Ramblings: The sky is not falling - it just seems that way

PEMBROKE, North Carolina -- It was a strange post-game on Thursday night after fifth-ranked Winston-Salem State failed to win its opener in a 25-21 loss to UNC Pembroke.

Veteran players, who I have seen for the last three seasons after a lot of victories, had a stunned look on their faces. They almost didn’t know how to react after losing in the regular-season for the first time in 21 games.

Not since November of 2010 had the Rams tasted defeat in the regular-season. That was way back in Coach Connell Maynor’s first season and they lost 31-27 to Shaw on the road. Sure, there have been losses in the playoffs the last two seasons but this was different.

As Maynor gathered his team afterwards he was ...

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In the FCS Huddle: SWAC not showing enough progress

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  -- Strange as it may sound, the Southwestern Athletic Conference makes the right decision when it comes to the postseason by not sending its champion to the FCS playoffs.

There's too much to gain financially by staging a conference championship and too much to lose by trying to beat other FCS opponents in what inevitably would be first-round defeats year after year.

Sadly, the SWAC stands with the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League at the bottom of FCS conference rankings.

A turnaround is long overdue for a conference boasting so many past college football greats, including Walter Payton, Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Eddie Robinson - whom the four major awards in the FCS are named after.

Not only has the SWAC fallen behind the other historically black conference in the FCS - the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, as evidenced by its seventh loss in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge to start the season - but it's already a mere 1-12 in out-of-conference games this season, including a pair of losses this weekend to Division II opponents, Alabama A&M against Tuskegee and Mississippi Valley State against Delta State.

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Hearne emerges as leader for WSSU Rams

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Dependable Larry Hearne is the only starter from last season back in the Winston-Salem State secondary, and the defense more than held its own in last week’s opener, a four-point loss to UNC Pembroke.

The unit allowed 300 yards and just one touchdown, and Hearne contributed a big interception.

"Larry really started being a leader last year," Coach Connell Maynor said.

Hearne, a junior from Lumberton, led the Rams with five interceptions and 12 pass break-ups in 2012, and he said he’s expecting bigger things this season.

Hearne banged his right elbow pretty good against UNCP but wouldn’t allow trainers to look at it, telling them he was fine. He’s the kind of player who wants to be on the field as much as possible.

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Bethune-Cookman adds former Hofstra forward Daquan Brown

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- With the top three rebounders from last season’s team gone, Bethune-Cookman head coach Gravelle Craig can use the extra help in the paint as the Wildcats look to improve on their 14-20 (7-9 MEAC) record of a year ago. On Friday the school announced the addition of graduate transfer Daquan Brown, who joins the program after spending the 2012-13 campaign at Hofstra.

Brown played just over ten minutes per game in his lone season at Hofstra, averaging 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game for the Pride. Prior to that stop in Hempstead, Brown played two seasons at Barstow College in California. Brown averaged a double-double in both seasons, accounting for 17 points and ten rebounds as a freshman and following that up with averages of 14 and ten as a sophomore.

The hope for Bethune-Cookman is that Brown can come close to replicating that production during his final season of collegiate eligibility.



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Ram Ramblings: WSSU players, coaches choosing to look ahead

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  I didn’t quite know what I would find at this morning’s football practice.

For the first time since the 2010 season the Rams held a practice after a loss. That’s rare for Coach Connell Maynor and he said as much when I talked to him after practice.

The Rams, who dropped from fifth to 20^th in the AFCA coaches poll after last week’s 25-21 loss to UNC Pembroke, will catch a break this week by playing light-weight Virginia College of Lynchburg at Bowman Gray Stadium at 6 p.m.

The Dragons, a third-year program, have only 15 scholarships and about 50 players. They have a great nickname but that’s about it so the Rams will get a chance to fine-tune their offense.

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TSU Aristocrat of Bands vs. FAMU Marching 100 (9/7/13)

Q&A with NCCU quarterback Jordan Reid

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Question: Why did you choose NCCU?

Jordan Reid: "Coming out of high school, I chose Winston Salem State over NCCU (which I still hear comments from people to this day). Unfortunately there was a coaching change at WSSU in 2010 and I was affected. Coach Mose Rison gave me a chance to walk-on to the NCCU football team in 2010 and he invited me to training camp. It was a blessing in disguise. That very next semester, in the spring, I earned a full scholarship. I thank him for giving me that opportunity because I don't know where I would be today without NCCU."

Q: What is your major? What do you want to do after NCCU?

JR: "Recreation Administration with a concentration in Sport Management. I plan to go to graduate school and pursue a master's degree in Sport Management. I plan to become a Sports Information Director, Sports Journalist or Broadcaster. My ultimate goal in the sports area is to become a General Manager of a professional sports organization."

Q: What is your favorite part of game day at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium?

JR: "There's nothing like leading the team out of the tunnel, seeing a sea of maroon and gray cheering us on, hearing the band and smelling all of the food from tailgaters and food vendors surrounding the stadium. Those things just give jitters and chills."



Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals?

JR: "Chris Hooks, our play-by-play radio voice, is one of the few individuals that actually knew about this and he calls me the "Rubber Band Man" because of it. My pre-game ritual or superstition is to wear a rubber band in my right sock. It's something that I've been doing since I played AAU basketball when I was 10 years old. When I was younger they didn't allow players to wear rubber bands during AAU basketball games. I had a rubber band on just before the tip off and I didn't have anywhere to put it, so I stuffed it in my right sock. It was the best game I ever had in my basketball career. I stuffed the stat sheet that game and I believe I had a quadruple-double (almost). To this day I wear a rubber band in my right sock, even during practices."

Q: Tell me something interesting about yourself that others may not know.

JR: "I am a diehard Minnesota Vikings fan and I have been one since 1998. Skol Vikes!"

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TSU Stevenson Named OVC Co-Specialist of the Week

 

2013 Tennessee State University Football Media Guide

Brentwood, Tennessee – The Ohio Valley Conference announced Sunday that Tennessee State redshirt junior kick returner Martin Stevenson was named Co-Specialist of the Week for his play against Florida A&M.

 

Stevenson had two kick returns for 111 yards including a 95-yard touchdown during Saturday’s 27-7 drilling of the Rattlers in Tallahassee.

 

The Detriot, Mich. native’s special team’s touchdown was TSU’s first since Weldon Garlington’s 100-yard return on Oct. 1, 2011 versus Austin Peay.

 

Stevenson’s first return of the season went for 43 yards in week one against Bethune-Cookman and he is now second on the team in all-purpose yards with 154. He is averaging 51.3 yards per return in 2013.

 

Chad Zinchini of Tennessee Tech shared this week’s award with Stevenson.

 

Stevenson and the rest of the Tigers will take on Jackson State on Sept. 14 in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

 

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Whew! Central survives D-II St. Aug's 23-20 in double OT

DURHAM, North Carolina — N.C. Central needed double overtime and a 19-yard field goal from Oleg Parent to finally put away a visiting Saint Augustine’s team that showed up at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday with a lot of swagger and backed it up.

NCCU won 23-20.

“Somebody said we were supposed to lose 45 to nothing,” Saint Augustine’s coach Michael Costa said, alluding to the Falcons’ NCAA Division II status.



NCCU plays Division I ball on the Football Championship Subdivision level, a notch above Saint Augustine’s, although the Falcons were in the driver’s seat for much of the fourth quarter until the last minutes when Eagles quarterback Jordan Reid grabbed the wheel, steering with his feet.

“The fight was outstanding by him in leading us to victory late in the overtime,” NCCU interim coach Dwayne Foster said moments after his first win as a college head coach. “Jordan Reid is special.”

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2013 Commemorative Classic Band Battle -- JCSU vs. Livingstone

J.C. Smith tops its oldest rival -- Livingstone

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- The Commemorative Classic trophy is still on Johnson C. Smith’s campus.

The Golden Bulls opened the season with a 34-17 win against CIAA South rival Livingstone Saturday at Memorial Stadium for their fifth straight victory in black college football’s oldest series, which dates to 1892.

J.C. Smith, which leads the series 47-30-3, started slowly then broke the game open with a 24-point second half to pull away.
 “This is a trophy that we’ve earned and we’re 5-0 in the Commemorative Classic,” said Golden Bulls coach Steve Aycock, who improved to 5-0 against Livingstone. “This is something we’re going to take in tonight and get ready for our next one.” J.C. Smith (1-0, 1-0 CIAA) broke open a close game in the second quarter behind Ardrey Kell High graduate Andrew Alexander, who completed 16 of 35 passes for 182 yards and three scores.  Photo Gallery: JCSU - Livingstone College  CONTINUE READING 

Fayetteville State loses to Virginia State on final play

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -- Kasunn Williams couldn't watch.

Huddled on the Fayetteville State sideline, the Broncos junior wide receiver had his head buried in his hands as Virginia State's Shawn Hunt lined up a 30-yard field goal with less than two seconds left Saturday night.

When he finally looked up, the Trojans were sprinting down the field in celebration while the Fayetteville State sideline was in stunned silence. Hunt had made the kick, giving Virginia State a wild 29-28 season opening CIAA victory.

"I was hoping he was going to miss it, praying he was going to miss it," Williams said.

Early in the second half, Fayetteville State led 28-8 and looked as if it would deliver new coach Lawrence Kershaw a victory in his first game. But an epidemic of self-inflicted wounds - the Broncos had a total of 189 yards in penalties - and a resurgent Trojans running game - they tallied 217 yards on the ground - brought Virginia State back within striking distance.

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Tuskegee Golden Tigers victorious over AAMU Bulldogs in Louis Crews Classic

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama --  A key 56-yard touchdown pass from Marquel Gardner to Justin Nared in the third quarter gave Tuskegee all the separation they needed in pulling off a season-opening upset with a 23-7 victory the 4th annual Louis Crews Classic on Saturday night at Louis Crews Stadium.

The Golden Tigers (1-0 to start the 2013 campaign) were able to break the game open early as Alabama A&M made a key mistake in the opening quarter.  Just after Nared was able to complete a 23-yard pass to Christopher Anderson, Alabama A&M's Lawrence Barnett fumbled the ensuing kickoff at his own 27 yard line.  After Tuskegee's Keith Trumps picked up the ball, Nared was able to fire off another touchdown pass on the very next play to Larry Cobb for 27 yards.  This gave the defending SIAC Champions a 14-0 lead, with two touchdowns scored in a span of 15 seconds.

Alabama A&M threatened to close the gap in the third quarter, but Cesar Ramon missed a key 27-yard field goal.  However, the Bulldogs' defense forced a three-and-out for Tuskegee, and Barrington Scott was finally able to score on the stingy defense of the Golden Tigers with a two-yard score with 1:38 remaining in the third quarter.

The game broke open again in the fourth with Gardner's spectacular score, putting Tuskegee fully in control after breaking a devastating tackle attempt near Alabama A&M's 30-yard line before coasting in for the deciding score.

Nared was 11-for-18 under center, with a total of 206 yards and three TD passes to go with one interception.  TU Coach Willie Slater also had an effective running game under center, as Rashard Burkette was the leading rusher for the Golden Tigers, as he had three rushed for 33 yards.

In a surprise move by Slater, Michael J. Thornton was relegated to his regular position as starting fullback, as he finished the game with 19 yards running on five carries.  Starting at tailback was freshman tailback Hoderick Lowe, as the graduate of Grady High School from Atlanta, GA had six carries for 31 yards.

Box Score

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Moore is back: Banged-up quarterback sparks Jackson State victory

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Jackson State did just what coach Rick Comegy wanted it to do: Score.

Comegy said that for his team to make a game out of Saturday’s matchup against Alabama State, it had to score early, something it struggled to do in Week 1 at Tulane.

The Tigers (1-1) responded with a 30-23 victory over the Hornets to begin Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

“It was a hard-fought battle on both sides,” Comegy said. “It was who wanted it the most, and we knew what this game was all about. If we lost this game, we knew what it would be.”

The Hornets (0-2) were up quickly 14-0 un the opening minutes of the game, but the Tigers responded.

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Return of injured veterans key in Jackson State victory vs. Alabama State

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Welcome back Clayton Moore, Rakeem Sims and Cameron Loeffler.

The trio missed Jackson State’s season opener against Tulane, but they made up for their absence on Saturday, when the Tigers gutted out a victory over Alabama State 30-23.

“They made a difference,” coach Rick Comegy said. “Those guys, Loeffler a senior, Clayton’s in his last year as a graduate student, and Rakeem Sims, all of them are upperclassmen. And this is their last season, and they want to make the best out of it. ... They move this football team.”

All three made their season debuts after missing out on the first game against Tulane because of injuries. Moore and Loeffler were nursing back injuries and Sims had an ankle injury but, on Saturday night, they played with no excuses.
 
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Benedict College Student from California gives birth in dorm room, bleeds to death

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Ayaanah Gibson, a pregnant 19-year-old freshman from Sacramento, was alone in her dormitory room at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C., over the Labor Day weekend. At some point, Gibson gave birth, lost consciousness and bled to death, according to the local coroner.

Gibson’s body was found late Tuesday night, along with the baby, which apparently was stillborn, said Gary Watts, the Richland County coroner.

"She died from a loss of blood due to a spontaneous delivery," Watts said in a telephone interview with the Los Angeles Times. He said Gibson, a chemistry major, was 30 to 32 weeks pregnant.

Watts said there was no indication of foul play. He said toxicology tests will be performed to determine whether Gibson was taking medication that might have interfered with her judgment or caused her to lose consciousness.

Gibson likely would have survived if she had received immediate medical attention, Watts said.

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North Carolina A&T holds off Appalachian State

BOONE, North Carolina --  N.C. A&T, beginning a new season Saturday night, took a 24-6 lead and held off a furious comeback attempt to beat Appalachian State 24-21.

Appalachian State missed a 46-yard field-goal attempt with 2 seconds left which would have tied the game.

The Mountaineers, reeling from a 30-6 loss at Montana last weekend, at least showed some late life against the Aggies. Trailing 24-6, ASU’s Kameron Bryant hit Barrett Burns with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 5:23 left. The 2-point conversion attempt succeeded, cutting ASU’s deficit to 10 points at 24-14.

Bryant then hooked up with Marcus Cox on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds left. Drew Stewart’s point-after kick made the score 24-21.

The Mountaineers then recovered an onside kick at midfield. After driving to the A&T 30 with seven seconds left, Stewart’s potential game-tying kick sailed wide left.

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Bowie State Bulldogs Ground Saint Anselm Hawks 42-28 in Season Opener

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire – Bowie State University rolled up 483 yards of total offense and held Saint Anselm College to 235 yards of total offense, defeating the Hawks 42-28 Saturday afternoon.

"This was a great start for our team and new offensive coordinator Moses Ware and if Jared (Johnston) continues to play like he did today, we have a very good chance of being a good team", said fifth year head coach Damon Wilson.

Senior Jared Johnston (Dumfries, Va.) scored the first six points of the season at the 10:16 mark of the first quarter on a six-yard rushing touchdown. Junior Mario Diaz-Aviles (Washington, D.C.) added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead.

The Hawks quickly responded with a 36-yard Andrew Murphy (Franklin, Mass.) to Eric Feehan (Bedford, N.H.) pass and catch. Shane Grayson (Ormond Beach, Fla.) drilled the extra point to tie the game with 9:10 left in the opening period.

The Bulldogs found the end zone for the second time in the first quarter following a one-yard rush up the middle by redshirt junior Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.). Diaz-Aviles converted the extra point, shifting the advantage back over to Bowie State at 14-7.

Saint Anselm capitalized on a Bowie State fumble by junior Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md.). Murphy flipped a short six-yard pass to Justin Bernard (Cambridge, Mass.) to tie the game at 14-14 at the 1:22 mark of the first.

The Murphy/Bernard combo gave the Hawks their first lead of the game from three yards out with 9:42 remaining in the second quarter. Grayson added the extra point to make the score 21-14.

The Bulldogs evened the score at 21-21 following a five-yard run by Brown and extra point by Diaz-Aviles with 7:14 left in the first half.

Jefferson punched it into the Saint Anselm end zone from one-yard out with 9:47, capping off a 10-play, 78 yard drive to start the third quarter. The Diaz-Aviles extra point gave the visiting Bulldogs a 28-21 lead. Jefferson racked up a career-best 317 all-purpose yards.

Saint Anselm's Keith Charles (Laurel, Md.) rushed for a five-yard option touchdown at the 7:08 mark to tie the game at 28-28.

Sophomore Nyme Manns (Baltimore, Md.) caught his first career touchdown pass (from Johnston) at the 7:57 mark of the fourth quarter, putting BSU's Bulldogs in front 35-28.

Redshirt sophomore Marquise Anderson (Washington, D.C.) picked off a Murphy pass on Saint Anselm's next possession, giving the Bulldogs a great scoring opportunity at the Hawks' 10 yard line. BSU's Johnston lofted a touchdown pass to freshman Ricardo Smith (Oxon Hill, Md.) in the right corner of the end zone, increasing the Bulldogs lead to 42-28.

Offensively, Bowie State was led by Johnston with 307 total yards (115 rushing and 192 passing), while Jefferson rushed 23 times for a career-high 110 yards and two touchdowns. Brown had 13 carries for 50 yards and one touchdown for the Bulldogs.

Johnston finished the afternoon going 18 of 35 from the air but was intercepted twice. Junior Khari Lee (Baltimore, Md.) led the Bulldogs receivers with seven catches for 64 yards, while Manns and Smith finishing with three catches each for 36 and 27 yards respectively. Sophomore Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.) had two receptions for 43 yards.

Defensively, redshirt sophomore Antoine Young (Washington, D.C.) came off the Bulldogs bench to lead the team with eight total tackles and one tackle for a loss, while senior Delante White (Temple Hills, Md.) finished with seven tackles. Senior Quentin Walker (Waldorf, Md.) recorded six tackles, half of a tackle for a loss and one pass breakup, while redshirt sophomore Curtis Pumphrey (Laurel, Md.) had five tackles, one interception and one pass breakup. Senior Oladimeji Layeni (Washington, D.C.) also had five tackles to go along with one sack and two tackles for a loss.

Murphy paced the Saint Anselm offense with 165 passing yards, completing 19 of 39 and three touchdowns. However, Murphy was sacked four times and intercepted twice. Bernard was the Hawks' leader in receptions with seven while Ahkeen Williams (DeWitt, N.Y.) led the team in reception yards with 51 on four catches.

Carroll Bailey (Clinton, Mass.) and Isaac Jorgenson (Eldersburg, Md.) led the Hawks defense with a dozen tackles each.

Bowie State travels to Charlotte (N.C.) next week, as the Bulldogs face the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University at 2 pm in JCSU's Irwin Belk Complex.

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Week 2, HBCU Football ScoreCard Finals

WATCH ALL VIDEOS IN 1080p HIGH DEFINITION, WIDE SCREEN

MEAC

Rutgers 38, Norfolk State 0
Robert Morris 31, Morgan State 14   
#4 Clemson 52, South Carolina State 13
Tennessee State 27, Florida A&M 7
North Carolina Central 23, Saint Augustine's 20  2-OT
Howard 27, Morehouse 16
Delaware 42, Delaware 21
Bethune-Cookman 66, Virginia Union 7
North Carolina A&T 24, Appalachian State 21
William and Mary 31, Hampton 7
Troy 66, Savannah State 3    

SWAC

Delta State 24, Mississippi Valley State 14
Mississippi State 51, Alcorn State 7
Jackson State 30, Alabama State 23  
Louisiana-Monroe 48, Grambling State 10

Texas State 28, Prairie View A&M 3
Tuskegee 23, Alabama A&M 7
Northwestern State 55, Southern U. 14

McNeese State 58, Arkansas Pine Bluff 14

SIAC

North Alabama 42, Miles 7
Kentucky State 42, Kentucky Wesleyan 6
West Alabama 42, Clark-Atlanta 6
Lane 38, Virginia U. Lynchburg 13
Benedict 42, Central State (Ohio) 9
Valdosta State 36, Fort Valley State 21
Howard 30, Morehouse 27
Stillman 52, Concordia-Selma 0 
North Greenville 26, Albany State (Ga.) 24
Tuskegee 23, Alabama A&M 7

CIAA

UNC-Pembroke 25, Winston-Salem State 21 
UNC-Charlotte 47, Chowan 7
The Lincoln U. (Pa.) 33, Cheyney 28
Shaw 44, Charleston (WV) 14
Bowie State 42, Saint Anselm 28
North Carolina Central 23, Saint Augustine's 20  2-O.T.
Bethune-Cookman 66, Virginia Union 7
Johnson C. Smith 34, Livingstone 17
Newberry 35, Elizabeth City State 32
Virginia State 29, Fayetteville State 28

OTHERS

Lindenwood 24, Lincoln (Mo.) 22
Point U. 35, Edward Waters 22
Lock Haven 31, West Virginia State 13
Stillman 52, Concordia-Selma 0
Incarnate Word 69, Texas College 0

Georgetown (Ky.), Lourdes sweep away XU Gold Nuggets

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's volleyball team lost 27-25, 25-23, 25-23 to Lourdes, then lost 25-19, 25-14, 25-14 to NAIA No. 7 Georgetown on Saturday in the Rumpke Invitational.
    
The Gold Nuggets (6-7) finished 1-3 in the two-day tournament. Their next match will be their home opener, next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Voorhees. It will be the Gold Nuggets' first-ever match in the Convocation Center, which opened in November, and their Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener.
    
Against Lourdes, Xavier's Taylor Reuther had 14 kills and 10 digs. Moira Kirk had 10 kills and five blocks, Chinedu Echebelem had nine kills and 10 digs, and Claudia Haywood had eight kills, four blocks and hit .467. Stephanie Richards led Lourdes with 16 kills.
    
Xavier led Lourdes 20-17 and 25-24 in the opening set before the Gray Wolves clinched with a kill and two XU errors. XU attack errors ended the second and third sets. It was the first time in the Nuggets' six-year history that they lost each set by two points in a three-set sweep.
    
Against Georgetown, Reuther had 13 kills and seven digs, Echebelem had six kills, two aces and eight digs, and Jodi Chatters had 10 digs. Caroline Maher had 14 kills and hit .824 for the Tigers, who outhit Xavier .425 to .208 and had advantages of 51-31 in kills and 56-42 in digs.
    
Georgetown (9-1) is 6-0 at home this season and has won 22 of its last 23 home matches. The Gold Nuggets have dropped 5-of-6 after a 5-2 start.

Box scores:  Lourdes    Georgetown

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

TSU defense shuts down FAMU

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The first sign Florida A&M would have trouble dealing with a stout Tennessee State defense appeared on a cellphone in the pregame locker room.

Hospitalized because of an undisclosed illness, offensive coordinator Quinn Gray used FaceTime on his phone to encourage the Rattlers to go win the game Saturday afternoon.

The visiting Tigers had too many options, though, beating the mistake-prone Rattlers 27-7.

TSU (1-1) put too much pressure on quarterback Damien Fleming from the outset. The Rattlers (1-1) also could hardly do anything to slow down the Tigers’ offense, led by redshirt freshman quarterback Ronald Butler, who is from Tallahassee.

And the Tigers also got a little help on special teams with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown y Martine Stevenson.  Butler threw for ...

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Tennessee State Tigers Skin Florida A&M Rattlers 27-7

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  --  A suffocating defensive attack allowed the Tennessee State football team to pick up its first win of the season with a 27-7 victory at Florida A&M.

The TSU defense held FAMU to just 156 yards of total offense, 22 rushing yards on 24 carries, forced two turnovers-with one being returned for a touchdown- and the Rattlers were 2-of-12 on third down conversions.

Senior Tim Broughton led the Tigers with 124 yards on 17 carries for a 7.3 yards per carry average. Sophomore Telvin Hooks was not far behind, gaining 77 yards on the ground on 12 attempts (6.4 ypc).

The Rattlers got the ball to start the game and picked up a quick first down. Two plays later, a false start penalty moved FAMU back and eventually set up a third down. FAMU quarterback Damien Fleming changed the play at the line and fired a short out pass to the wide side of the field. Safety David Van Dyke jumped the route, picked the ball off and brought it brought it back 46 yards for a TSU touchdown.

Van Dyke’s interception was his second in as many games and the first touchdown scored by the Tigers in 2013. It was also the first TSU defensive touchdown since Sept. 8 of 2012 when Daniel Fitzpatrick scooped up a fumble and scored against Jackson State.

After a three-and-out on FAMU’s next possession, Tennessee State went to work on offense and executed an eight play, 65-yard drive that featured a perfectly timed screen pass to Hooks that went for 28 yards. Broughton, TSU’s other running back, finished off the effort with a 10-yard touchdown.

The score put TSU up 14-0 with just under seven minutes to go in the first quarter and Tennessee State would maintain its two score lead until Fleming found Lenworth Lennon wide-open in the end zone on a second and goal from the TSU 36-yard line. The FAMU touchdown brought the Rattlers within seven with 14 minutes left to go before halftime.

On the ensuing kickoff, redshirt junior Martine Stevenson received the ball and raced right up the middle of the field. 95 yards later, Stevenson was standing in the end zone with TSU’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since Weldon Garlington’s 100-yard return on Oct. 1, 2011 versus Austin Peay.

The TSU defense forced another FAMU three-and-out on the Rattlers’ next drive, giving the Tigers the ball at their own 15-yard line. Gashing runs by Broughton, Hooks and quarterback Ronald Butler eventually gave TSU a chance to score a field goal from 42 yards out. Jamin Godfrey lined up the kick, the snap and hold were perfect, but the kick was blocked.

FAMU was unable to capitalize off of the blocked kick but the Tigers’ offense went dormant as well, bringing the first half to a close with TSU in control, 21-7.

The Big Blue offense woke up to begin the third quarter and marched right down the field on a 13 play, 76-yard drive. Again, the TSU rushing attack could not be stopped and Hooks found the end zone from 14 yards out at the eight-minute mark. The sophomore’s score gave the Tigers a commanding 27-7 lead, as Godfrey’s PAT was blocked.

Hooks’s score proved to be the last of the afternoon as the Tigers continued to pound the ball on the ground to kill the clock and the TSU defense proved unrelenting.

Butler finished the day 14-of-21 for 131 yards. The freshman did have one interception when a fourth-quarter pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage.

TSU will look for win number two win next Saturday when the team travels to Memphis for a date with Jackson State in the Southern Heritage Classic.

FINAL STATS

Attendance: 14,237

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McGhee, Defense Leads Howard To Win Over Morehouse

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Greg McGhee passed for 242 yards and three TDs and added 54 more on the ground and the defense recorded nine sacks to lead Howard to a 27-16 win over Morehouse College in the Third Annual AT&T Nation's Football Classic before 17,012 at RFK Stadium.

The Maroon Tigers (0-1) got on the board first when they drove 68 yards on 13 plays and got the ball down to the Bison 20-yard line but had to settle for 37-yard Hector Solis field goal.

The Bison (1-1) responded on their next possession when they countered with a 42-yard field goal by John Fleck that knotted the score at 3-3 at the end of the first quarter.

From there, the Howard defense began to harass the Morehouse quarterbacks, recording nine sacks. McGhee took advantage of their play by putting together three drives. The first took six plays and resulted in a 20-yard strike in the corner of the end to freshman running back Anthony Philyaw.

The junior from Pittsburgh, Pa came right back with another six-play drive, but it stalled and Howard had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Fleck.

McGhee closed out the half with a 27-yard pass to Matt Colvin that upped the margin to 20-3 at the half.

"It was a matter of tempo for us," said McGhee. "Our controlling the tempo of the game was the key to us being successful. Once we got our rhythm, we were able to have some success."

The Bison appeared to have the game in hand when McGhee capped off another short trek with a 26-yard run and catch to Rodney Tyson midway through the third period.

Then the Maroon Tigers made it interesting. Following a Bison turnover, Joshua Harris began to make the plays that gave the Bison defense fits. After scrambling his way through and around the Howard defense, he found Brandon Sartin from nine yards to cut the deficit to 27-9 with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

From there, it appeared that Morehouse seized the momentum. The Maroon Tigers put together a nine-play, 90-yard drive that was capped off with a three-yard run by Shelton Hamilton. That reduced the deficit to 27-16 with 10:06 still remaining in regulation.

"We slacked off in the second half, but we were able to regroup and pull out the win," said Howard head coach Ray Petty.

Howard clamped down and turned up the heat on defense, recording key sacks and stops to close out the game with its first win of the season.

"We wanted to be in a bend-but-not break defense," said senior linebacker Tabrian Resby, who led the team with nine tackles and two sacks. "We knew that they had to score to win, so we said 'do what we have to do but don't let them get into the end zone.'"

NEXT UP: Howard travels to Norfolk, VA to take on the Monarchs of Old Dominion next Saturday at 6 pm.

GAME NOTES: William Parker had another good effort, rushing for 60 yards on 17 carries…McGhee completed passes to nine different receivers…Fleck continues to show improvement, averaging almost 44 yards per punt and knocking four inside the 20-yard line…he also made good on both his field goal attempts…the Howard defense recorded 14 tackles for losses to go along with their nine sacks.  

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Howard football vs. Morehouse: Greg McGhee powers Bison to win at RFK Stadium

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- The last time Greg McGhee stepped on the field at RFK Stadium, a helpless feeling overcame the Howard quarterback. Relegated to the sideline because of a three-game suspension for an NCAA violation, McGhee could only watch as Howard jockeyed for control before pulling out a win against Morehouse last season.

With McGhee back under center Saturday for the third annual Nation’s Football Classic, and Howard Coach Rayford Petty touting his junior as the nation’s best quarterback among historically black colleges and universities, McGhee threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bison to a 27-16 victory over the Maroon Tigers. Howard has now won all three of the Nation’s Football Classics against Morehouse, with McGhee earning MVP honors this year and in 2011.

“I had a chip on my shoulder coming into the game,” McGhee said. “There’s no worse feeling watching your team play, knowing you could have did something about certain things. So I wanted to come out and show why I should have been on the field last year.”

McGhee’s impact became apparent in the ...

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Big plays carry Lincoln past Cheyney

CHEYNEY, Pennsylvania  — In an otherwise evenly played football game, big plays decided Saturday’s seson-opening game between between Lincoln and Cheyney, and the pendulum in the regard swung heavily to the Lions’ side.

Lincoln struck twice in the first two minutes of play, then held off a second-half charge by the Wolves to win the annual “Battle of the Firsts” by a score of 33-28, snapping a two-year skid against their local rivals.

“I’m basically happy with the way we played today,” said Cheyney coach Ken Lockard. “There’s a lot of things we did very well. But, we also made some really boneheaded mistakes that killed us.”

One of those mistakes came early, with a mere two minutes off the clock. The Lions defense had just held, forcing a three-and-out. Cheyney punter Jewel Jones came on, and booted one to just about the Lincoln 30. No Lion attempted to field it, and the ball rolled to a stop. However, Cheyney never downed the ball, and began to leave the field before the whistle blew. An alert Elijah Douglas scooped it up, and ran it back 71 yards for the touchdown. And just like that, the Lions were up 7-0.



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Carter, interceptions help B-CU to 66-7 victory over Virginia Union

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  — Bethune-Cookman receiver Eddie Poole has played football for Brian Jenkins for five years, including one season at Rutgers. And by now he knows very well that the coach is never satisfied, even when his team is leading by more than four touchdowns at halftime.

 

“Today he actually behaved himself,” Poole said of B-CU’s head coach. “But at halftime we got threatened that if we didn’t start playing Wildcat football we’d have to practice (after the game).”

 

B-CU played Wildcats football — making big plays on offense, defense and special teams — and trounced NCAA Division II Virginia Union 66-7 in its home opener Saturday at Municipal Stadium.

 

A crowd of 6,478 saw the Wildcats (2-0) surpass 65 points for the first time in three years. B-CU scored on 10 of 13 possessions, including two touchdowns on interception returns, blocked a punt and piled up 464 yards of offense.

 

Jackie Wilson, Quentin Williams and Brock Waters all saw time at quarterback for the Wildcats and they all threw a touchdown pass.

 

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