Weekly Press Conference: Liberty Flames vs. Morgan State

LYNCHBURG, Virginia  -- Liberty Head Football Coach Turner Gill held his weekly press conference on Tuesday afternoon in the Donor Room of the Williams Football Operations Center.

During the event, Gill recapped the Flames' 45-15 home-opening victory over Monmouth, plus looked ahead to this weekend's Hall of Fame game against Morgan State. During the contest, Liberty's fifth Athletics Hall of Fame class will be honored.

Saturday's game against the Bears will mark the fourth meeting in the series between the two programs, but the first matchup since 1996. The home team has won each game in the previous three meetings, with Liberty posting wins in 1992 (55-27) and 1995 (48-17) at Williams Stadium.

Sep 14, 2013

7:00 PM

Morgan State TV: LFSN - Radio: LFSN Lynchburg, Va. Hall of Fame Weekend

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COURTESY LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

GAME DAY CENTRAL: Charlotte 49ers (2-0) vs. NCCU Eagles(1-1)

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Following two home victories to start of their Inaugural Season the Charlotte 49ers return to action once again on McColl-Richardson Field at Jerry Richardson Stadium to take on the North Carolina Central Eagles in their third game of the season on Saturday, September 14. Game time is 12 p.m.

Ticket Information

FSL season tickets and non-FSL season tickets are SOLD OUT for the 2013 season. With the success of FSLs and season tickets, single game tickets are not available for advance purchase.  If any tickets are returned, they will be released for sale at a later date (possibly the week of each game).  

Want to be added to our ticket information distribution list?  Simply click ADD MY EMAIL to complete a short questionnaire.  When updated ticket information becomes available, you will be notified via email.

Admission for UNC Charlotte students is FREE. Students must visit http://www.ticketreturn.com/49ers to request, claim, and print their ticket. Students are able to request tickets for this game beginning Sunday, September 8 at 8am. The claim period begins Tuesday, September 10 at 9am. The student ticket allotment is 7,500. Upon exceeding 7,500 tickets requested a lottery will be activated.

THE SITE
Jerry Richardson Stadium (15,314 capacity/Turf) - Charlotte, N.C.
Football Ticket Information  |  UNC Charlotte Student Tickets  |  Fan Guide  |  Roster  |  2013 Schedule   Complete Game Notes (PDF)        
Charlotte Statistics  |  NCCU Statistics |  Facebook  |  @49erGameDay  |  Instagram 



MEDIA COVERAGE
 
Audio: NCCU Sports Network mobile app (iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android, Kindle Fire HD); "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (audio internet stream). Broadcast starts at 11:30 a.m. (Chris Hooks, play-by-play).

THE COACHES

North Carolina Central: Dwayne Foster (Delaware State, 1993) joined NCCU in 2011 as assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and offensive line coach, before being elevated to interim head coach prior to the 2013 season. Previously, he served as running backs coach at Prairie View A&M University (2005-10), tight ends and running backs coach at Catholic University (2004), and offensive line coach at Bowie State University (2003). Foster made his name on the high school level in Washington, D.C., as the head coach of Archbishop Carroll High School from 1997-2003. At Archbishop, Foster received coach of the year honors by the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Committee in 1998. Foster played college football at Delaware State University from 1989-93 and helped the Hornets capture two MEAC Championships during his freshmen and junior seasons before graduating in 1993. Foster is a member of the Black Coaches and American Football Coaches Associations, was part of the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program in 2010 with the Buffalo Bills and in 2012 with the Cincinnati Bengals, and participated in the NCAA Men's Football Coaching Academy in Indianapolis, Ind., in June 2006.

Charlotte: Brad Lambert (Kansas State, 1987) is in his first season as a college head coach with the first-year Charlotte 49ers. Lambert spent 10 years as an assistant coach at Wake Forest, and also had coaching stints at Georgia and Marshall. He served as defensive coordinator for the Demon Deacons the last three years. He served as linebackers coach and special teams coach at Wake Forest from 2001-2009. He served as secondary, linebackers, special teams and defensive ends coach while at Georgia and a secondary and defensive ends coach at Marshall. A 1987 graduate of Kansas State, Lambert was a four-year letterwinner who earned second-team all-Big Eight honors as a defensive back in 1984. He was an Academic all-Big Eight choice from 1984-86.

COURTESY NCCU AND UNC-CHARLOTTE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS 

Fakler, Jackson repeat as GCAC Runners of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — For the second time in as many weeks, Xavier University of Louisiana's Catherine Fakler and Kwame Jackson are the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week in cross country. Both were honored for Sept. 2-8 after standout performances Saturday in the Loyola Wolf Pack Invitational at Metairie, La.      Fakler, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., and a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory High School, ran 5,000 meters in 20 minutes, 15.90 seconds to finish third for the second straight week. Fakler was the first collegiate finisher, behind two unattached runners, and she produced her 11th career top-10 finish and her eighth in the top five. Fakler's time is No. 24 on the Nuggets' all-time list.      Jackson, a junior from Kingwood, Texas, and a graduate of Kingwood Park High School, also produced his second consecutive top-3 finish. He ran the men's 5K in 17:25.56 to place third. Jackson has 11 career top-10 finishes and seven in the top five.      Jackson has won six career GCAC Runner of the Week honors, and Fakler has won four.

Catherine Fakler

Kwame Jackson

    
Both XU teams will compete Saturday in the Gulf Coast Stampede at Escambia County Equestrian Center in Pensacola, Fla. The women's 5K will start at 7:15 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 8. It will be the third of five regular-season meets for Xavier.

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

SWAC Approves Howard Women's Soccer Membership

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has entered a membership agreement welcoming Howard University into the league for the sport of women’s soccer. The announcement was made following the approval of the league’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

 

The Lady Bison will compete in 2013 season as an independent before officially joining the SWAC during the fall of 2014.

Having previously played in the Great West Conference, HU will be eligible to compete for the SWAC Soccer Championship and have an opportunity to earn the conference's NCAA automatic qualifier in 2015.  With the addition of Howard, the SWAC will now feature 11 soccer teams eliminating divisional play. Each team will play an overall conference schedule alternating home games each season.

 

Howard will play its SWAC home games in Birmingham, Ala. at a venue to be determined at a later date.

“We are pleased to welcome Howard University and its women’s soccer team to the Southwestern Athletic Conference,” SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp added. “They are an amazing university with a strong academic and athletic history. Howard’s athletic programs have strong fan support and the program fits well with the goals we have in place for the sport.”

Howard’s women soccer program started in 1995. Under current head coach Brent Leiba, Howard advanced to the championship game of the 2012 GWC Soccer Tournament as a No. 6 seed.  For 2013 season, Howard will face a pair of schools currently in the SWAC. The Lady Bison will travel to Texas Southern for a match-up on September 20 before facing Prairie View A&M on September 22.

 

“I’m extremely happy to see relationships developing between the Southwestern Athletic Conference and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference,” said SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors Chairman Dr. John Rudley.

“HBCU fans will have the opportunity to see some of the best in collegiate athletics showcased by these two top tier conferences. Since the inception of women’s soccer in the SWAC, our programs have all made significant strides towards building programs that can compete on both regional and national levels. The addition of Howard University in women’s soccer will undoubtedly enhance the SWAC’s stature and overall visibility in the current competitive landscape of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I soccer.”

 

The SWAC Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously making Howard the first University to join the conference in one sport outside of the league’s original footprint.

 

"We are excited about our women's soccer team joining the Southwestern Athletic Conference," said Howard University Director of Athletics Louis “Skip” Perkins. "SWAC has been recognized for its competitiveness and commitment to academic excellence. Howard looks forward to entering the conference and contributing to SWAC's traditions of top performance on the field and in the classroom.”

Howard University remains a full active member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 15 sports while holding memberships with other conferences in women's lacrosse (Atlantic Sun) and men and women's swimming (Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association). Howard men's soccer competes as an independent.

 

COURTESY SWAC.org.



SU Jaguars have more questions than answers after slow start

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- After a disappointing start to the season, Southern coach Dawson Odums and his Jaguars football team are left with more questions than answers.

The Jaguars, who lost to Houston in the opener 62-13 and Saturday 55-14 to Northwestern State, open Southwestern Athletic Conference play this weekend at home against Prairie View.

The two disappointing losses would lead most coaches to wonder if the philosophies they are using are the correct strategies.



“The Northwestern State game was pretty bad,” Odums said. “We didn’t play well in all phases of the football game.”

Southern rushed for a mere 61 yards on 35 carries and surrendered 554 total yards of offense to the Demons.

CONTINUE READING

Monday morning rewind: Southern

Coming Up

Prairie View, which visits Southern at 6 p.m. Saturday, is 1-1 after losing Saturday to Texas State 28-3. The Panthers, who are undefeated in the SWAC at 1-0, have long since turned the pages since suffering through an 80-game losing streak from 1989-1998 — the longest streak in college football. The Jaguars are looking to bounce back from two horrifying losses in the team’s conference and home opener for the 2013 season.

Looking Back

On six of the first seven possessions of a 55-14 loss Saturday at Northwestern State, the Jaguars elected to run the ball on the first play from scrimmage on each drive, netting a total of 5 yards.
Coach Dawson Odums hinted in his postgame news conference there could be a change of philosophy in the Jaguars’ offensive approach from this point on.

CONTINUE READING

Texas Southern Women's Basketball releases 2013-14 schedule

HOUSTON, Texas  -- The Texas Southern Lady Tigers basketball team has released their 2013-14 schedule highlighted by eleven non-conference games including a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico over the Thanksgiving holiday break.

TSU will begin the 2013-14 campaign at Tulsa (Nov. 8) and Rice (Nov. 11). The reigning 2012-13 regular season champions will make their home debut at H&PE Arena on November 14 against Houston Baptist. After a few days off the Lady Tigers will play their second consecutive home game as they host McNeese State (Nov. 19).

Texas Southern will take a quick trip to Louisiana to face Nicholls State (Nov. 23) and then the Lady Tigers will travel to Puerto Rico to participate in the San Juan Thanksgiving Tournament. The Lady Tigers will face Maryland (Nov. 29) and Illinois-Chicago (Nov. 30) in tournament play.

Upon their return the Lady Tigers will start to wind down with the last few games of their non-conference slate by traveling to face UM-Kansas City (Dec. 15) before returning home to host Texas A&M Corpus Christi (Dec. 19). The Lady Tigers last non-conference regular season game will be against the UTEP Miners on the road (Dec. 29).

Texas Southern will open up conference play with three home games starting on January 4^th versus Alcorn State followed by a meeting versus the Southern Lady Jaguars on January 6^th. The final contest of the three-game home stand will be against cross-town rival Prairie View A&M (Jan. 11).

TSU will face Grambling State and Jackson State on the road on January 18^th and 20^th respectively. The Lady Tigers return to the friendly confines of the H&PE Arena on January 25^th and 27^th as they host Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State respectively.

The Lady Tigers next three games will all be on the road versus Alabama A&M (Feb.1), Alabama State (Feb. 3), and Prairie View A&M (Feb. 8). TSU returns home on February 15^th and 17^th against Grambling State and Jackson State respectively.

Rounding out their regular season schedule will be road outings versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Feb. 22), Mississippi Valley State (Feb. 24), Alcorn State (Mar. 6), and Southern (Mar. 8).

Texas Southern's final home games of the season will take place on March 1^st and 3^rd against Alabama State and Alabama A&M respectively. Senior Day is slated for the Lady Tigers home finale against Alabama A&M.

"We're really excited about our upcoming schedule," said TSU head women's basketball coach Johnetta Hayes-Perry. "Our team will get the opportunity to play a wide variety of teams from different conferences. We're excited about starting practice in the upcoming weeks and getting ready to compete."

A complete listing of Texas Southern's games can be found by clicking the link above. For more information regarding Lady Tigers basketball please call (713) 313-6829 or visit www.tsuball.com.

TSU 2013-14 Schedule

COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

ASU band spells 'Trayvon' as they play 'Amazing Grace'

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- It wasn’t a political statement, but a “call to conscience.”

That was the position Alabama State University band director James Oliver took on Monday, explaining why ASU’s Mighty Marching Hornets spelled out “Trayvon” during its halftime performance Saturday at Jackson State.

“Trayvon” was a reference to Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen who was killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in a highly publicized case.

The ASU band spelled out Martin’s name as it played “Amazing Grace.”

“ASU’s Mighty Marching Hornets Band’s halftime show utilized the tragic death of Trayvon Martin as a symbolic recognition that far too many young men die of senseless gun violence,” Oliver said in a statement provided by the university.

CONTINUE READING



Alabama State Releases Band Statement

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The following is a statement from James Oliver, the director of Alabama State University's Mighty Marching Hornets Band about it spelling out the name "Trayvon" while playing ”Amazing Grace" during its halftime show at last Saturday's football game.

"ASU's Mighty Marching Hornets Band's halftime show utilized the tragic death of Trayvon Martin as a symbolic recognition that far too many young men die of senseless gun violence.
Ours was a call to conscience of all those who wish to protect our children and to build community.

We spelled out the name  'Trayvon' while the band played 'Amazing Grace' as a tribute to all the families who have lost their children. It had nothing to do with a jury's verdict, but everything to do with the sanctity of life and the amazing grace that only God can give as we deal with tragedies such as the loss of a child."

By: James Oliver, Director of Alabama State University's Mighty Marching Hornets Band.

COURTESY SWAC.ORG

'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.

CONTINUE READING

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 ...

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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.



CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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!"

CONTINUE READING 

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.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

 

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.”

CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING

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

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

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.

CONTINUE READING



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.
 
CONTINUE READING

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.

CONTINUE READING 

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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