TSU Tigers Head to Memphis for Southern Heritage Classic

MEMPHIS, Tennessee -- Coming off of its first win of the season last Saturday against Florida A&M, the Tennessee State football team will look to improve to 2-1 with a victory over Jackson State in 24^th annual Southern Heritage Classic on Sept. 14.

 

TSU found its running game against the Rattlers en route to 268 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. The bulk of the carries (17) went to senior Tim Broughton who responded to the increase in touches with a career-high 124 yards and a score. Redshirt sophomore Telvin Hooks also had a productive afternoon in the ground game, totaling 77 yards on 12 carries and TSU’s other score.

 While the offense was productive last weekend, the defense and special teams primarily attributed to the lopsided 27-7 final score.

The TSU defense was the first unit to light up the scoreboard against FAMU when senior safety David Van Dyke ran back an interception 46 yards for a touchdown. The score set the tone for the day as the Tigers held FAMU to just 156 yards of total offense, 22 rushing yards on 24 carries, forced two turnovers and the Rattlers were 2-of-12 on third down conversions. The Rattlers also only had the ball for 7:26 during the game’s final 30 minutes.

The Big Blue defense is currently ranked second in the FCS in total defense (208 yards/game) and seventh in scoring defense (9.5).

The Tigers also got great production on special teams on Saturday, especially in the return game. Redshirt junior Martine Stevenson returned a kickoff 95 yard for a touchdown, helping the Detriot, Mich. native win a share of the OVC Special Teams Player of the Week.

TSU is now averaging 39 yards per kickoff return which ranks the squad 6^th, nationally.

Tennessee State will need to continue to get good production from all three units against Jackson State (1-1) as JSU is fresh off a 30-23 win over Alabama State this past weekend.

In that game, JSU amassed 484 yards of total offense- 281 of which were through the air. Quarterback Clayton Moore was 14-of-36 in the contest and also passed for two scores.

Most of Moore’s passes went to reigning SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week Zach Pendelton. Pendelton caught six balls for 177 yards and was on the receiving end of both passing touchdowns.

TSU is 12-11 all-time in the Southern Heritage Classic, but 12-9 in the 21 meetings against Jackson State. TSU lost to Grambling State and Mississippi Valley State in the classic’s only variations of TSU/JSU.

Overall, TSU and JSU have met 46 times on the gridiron and TSU holds a 24-20-2 edge including last year’s 38-12 drilling. Tennessee State is also 8-2 against Jackson State this decade.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcasted by Fox Sports South on tape delay. Fans who are unable to attend can watch the contest at 10 p.m. CST.

    TSU v. JSU Notes

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMAITON

No. 4 Towson Tigers Return Home to Host Delaware State

LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS
GAME NOTES: TOWSON
GAME NOTES: DELAWARE STATE

TOWSON, Maryland -- After opening their season with back-to-back wins, Coach Rob Ambrose and the fourth-ranked Tiger football team will make their home debut on Saturday evening, September 14 when the unbeaten Tigers host Delaware State University at 7:30 p.m. at Johnny Unitas® Stadium.

The Tigers, who are 2-0 on the season, will be facing a Delaware State team that opened its season with a loss at Delaware.

“It will be great to play a home game,” said Coach Ambrose. “Unitas Stadium is a great place to play and our players enjoy performing in front of our fans. Delaware State is extremely talented and athletic. Delaware State has a very rich football tradition. Delaware State may have one of the most explosive teams we will play this season.”

The Tigers, who earned their highest national ranking ever in FCS football, own the second-longest winning streak in NCAA FCS (six games). It is also the longest winning streak by a Tiger football team since 1996-97 when the Tigers won six games in a row.



Towson and Delaware State are meeting for the 16^th time in a series that began in 1980. However, the teams have not played since 1994. Towson owns a 9-6 series advantage.

Towson is hoping to extend its history of success in home openers. The Tigers are 34-10 in home openers and have won their last nine home openers. Coach Rob Ambrose is 4-0 in his home openers with two wins over Coastal Carolina and victories over Morgan State and William & Mary.

The Tigers enter their home opener with an explosive offensive team and a defensive unit that has allowed only 25 points in two games.

Led by senior quarterback Peter Athens, the Tiger offense is averaging 41.0 points and 459.0 yards per game. Athens has completed 30 of 43 passes for 424 yards with one interception and three touchdowns. He is 18^th in NCAA FCS in pass efficiency after two games.

Junior running back Terrance West, a strong candidate for the Walter Payton Award, is tied for third in the nation in rushing, averaging 141 yards per game. West, who is the third-leading rusher in school history, has scored four touchdowns in the first two games. In his career, West has scored 48 touchdowns in 23 games.

Led by senior linebacker Telvion Clark, the Tiger defense has allowed only three touchdowns in two games. The Tigers have yet to allow a rushing touchdown.

Towson’s defense ranks first in NCAA FCS in red-zone defense and has allowed only 33 per cent of teams reaching the red zone to score. Clark leads the team with 20 tackles.

Overall, the Tiger defense is ranked 12th in the nation, allowing 276.5 total yards per game.

COURTESY TOWSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Hampton Football to hold home opener against Tennessee Tech

HAMPTON, VIRGINIA  -- The Hampton University football team, in search of its first win in 2013, will hold its home opener at Armstrong Stadium on Saturday at 6 p.m. against Tennessee Tech.

The Pirates (0-2), in their fifth season under head coach Donovan Rose, lost 31-7 to William & Mary this past Saturday, while the Golden Eagles (1-1), under long-time head coach Watson Brown, are coming off a 48-0 loss to Wisconsin this past Saturday.

So far this season, sophomore quarterback Jaylian Williamson (Chesapeake, Va.) is fourth in the MEAC in passing, averaging 137.0 yards in the air per game. He had a season-high 161 yards and a touchdown at William & Mary this past weekend, going 20-for-36 in the air without an interception.

Williamson is also 10th in the MEAC in pass efficiency at 103.2.

Game Notes



Sophomore wide receiver Rayshad Riddick (Portsmouth, Va.) caught a team-high seven passes for 49 yards at William & Mary, and he is tied for fifth in the MEAC in receptions with 4.5 per contest.

Junior Jorrian Washington (Los Angeles, Calif.) leads the MEAC in kickoff returns, averaging 23.0 yards per return, while senior running back Antwon Chisholm (Belle Glade, Fla.) is sixth in the MEAC in all-purpose yards, averaging 103.0 per game.

Defensively, the Pirates rank third in the conference in yards allowed (322.5 per game), and senior defensive back Carvin Johnson (New Orleans, La.) is tied for second in the MEAC in tackles with 10.5 per contest. Sophomore defensive end Miles Grooms (Richmond, Va.) is averaging 1.5 sacks per game, tying him for sixth in the MEAC.

The Pirates are 0-1 all-time against Tennessee Tech after falling 41-31 on the road to open the 2012 season. This will be Tennessee Tech's first visit to Armstrong Stadium.

Hampton is 0-3 all-time against teams currently in the Ohio Valley Conference, having gone 0-2 all-time against Tennessee State and 0-1 against Tennessee Tech. Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech are the only schools from the OVC that Hampton has faced to this point; the Pirates have never played Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Murray State, Southeast Missouri, or Tennessee-Martin.

The Pirates went 2-2 at home last season, falling 45-7 to Old Dominion on Sept. 8 and 38-26 to Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 29, before picking up wins on Oct. 15, a 28-14 defeat of rival Norfolk State, and on Oct. 27, a 21-13 Homecoming win over Savannah State.

For his career as head coach, Rose is 12-8 at Armstrong Stadium.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION

TU Football 2013 - Week 2 Interview with LB Quavon Taylor

TUSKEGEE, Alabama  -- The Sophomore linebacker from Miami, Florida talks about becoming a First-Team All-SIAC selection during his Freshman season as a Tuskegee Golden Tiger, then discusses differences between the two games that he has played so far in his collegiate career against Alabama A&M. He then focuses his attention on playing Albany State University this Saturday on the road (Sept. 14th), beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m. Central

Interview by: Michael Stewart, Sports Information Director, Tuskegee University
Video by: Robin Mardis, Digital Sports Media Specialist, Tuskegee Athletics.

Ram Ramblings: WSSU is no longer radio-free

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The news that Winston-Salem State’s football games are back on live radio again probably doesn’t mean much to the die-hard fans who faithfully attend home and away games.

But for those fans who can’t get to the games having them readily available on radio is a big deal. And the man mostly responsible for that is Ken Winfrey, who has worked out a deal with radio station WTOB 1380, a Winston-Salem station.

Winfrey, 58, is a long-time public address announcer at North Forsyth who also has done extensive radio work.

“I’ve been helping Bill (Hayes) a little bit on some marketing things and one of the targets was getting the games back on the radio,” Winfrey said. “I was able to get WTOB on board and we’ve got some help from Piedmont Federal.”

WSSU football games haven’t been ...

CONTINUE READING

FIU Football Hosts Bethune-Cookman, Saturday

THIS GAME WILL BE LIVE VIDEO STREAMED on PantherVision at FIUSports.com

MIAMI, Florida  --  A fun-filled, action-packed evening is in-store for fans attending the FIU football game this Saturday at Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium. FIU will be hosting one of its oldest program rivals in the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats for a 6 p.m. kickoff. The game will not be televised, so the only way to watch it will be on-campus at the stadium.

In addition, fans attending the game will get to watch some of the top Marching Bands in all of college football during pre-game and halftime. Along with the FIU Marching Band, also known as “La Banda del Sol”, FIU welcomes the “Pride of Bethune-Cookman”, the Marching Wildcats.

 

Single game tickets are currently on-sale. Fans can purchase great seats along the sideline ($21) or in the endzone ($15).  Group pricing (20 or more) is also available. Tickets can be purchased by calling the FIU Athletics Ticket Office at (305) FIU-GAME (348-4263) or conveniently online at FIUSports.com.

 

Known as “The Pride,” the 325-member Marching Wildcats, under the direction of Donovan Wells, not only includes traditional instrumentalists; it also showcases the ‘Sophisticat Flag Corps’ and the ‘14 Karat Gold dancers’.  

 

The 14 Karat Gold dancers can be seen frequently in BET video clips promoting Black colleges. The Sophisticat Flag Corps blends traditional flag techniques with innovative choreography to create highly entertaining presentation. The Marching Wildcats have long drawn national attention and have performed in many of the top holiday parades across the country.

 

FIU and Bethune-Cookman first met on the football field during the first two seasons of Panther football in 2002 and 2003.

 

Click HERE to view FIU-Bethune-Cookman Game Notes

Click HERE to listen to the FIU Sports Radio Network

COURTESY FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS.COM

5th Annual Two Rivers Classic Preview: UNC Pembroke at Fayetteville State

UNC PEMBROKE (1-0) at FAYETTEVILLE STATE (0-1)
GAME 2: Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 • 6:00 p.m.
5th Annual "TWO RIVERS CLASSIC"
Luther "Nick' Jerards Stadium
Fayetteville, NC
Series vs. UNCP: 5th Meeting

FSU Gamenotes | Weekly Press Conference

THE EVENT: The Two Rivers Classic was developed by FSU's AD (Dr. Edward McLean) in order to expand the FSU audience and positively expose the overall talents of its student-athletes. The concept of the weekend derived from McLean's exploits at Elizabeth City State when he developed the "Down East Classic".

The classic is scheduled to rotate between the campuses and the winning team would hoist the classic's cup.

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a public, co-educational, historically American Indian liberal arts university located in the town of Pembroke in Robeson County. The Lumber River (or Lumbee River) winds through Robeson County and extends downstream to the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Soon after crossing into South Carolina, the Lumber River makes its way into the Atlantic Ocean near Georgetown, SC.

Fayetteville State University is a four-year public comprehensive regional university. The HBCU is located in the city of Fayetteville in Cumberland County. The Cape Fear River flows southeast and widening as an estuary and enters the Atlantic Ocean approximately 3 miles west of Cape Fear. The two institutions are located approximately 47 miles apart.

THE GAME: The fifth annual "Two Rivers Classic" will have a change in weekends when the Broncos and the Braves of UNC Pembroke meet-up in Jeralds Stadium. The event, which developed into an instant rivalry, will now be the weekend following the Labor Day holiday. Fayetteville State will look to achieve its first win in the four-year history on September 14 at 6:00 pm. The classic will feature a golf tournament and a Day-Party. FSU lost the inaugural game 34-41 in triple-overtime and last season 21-31.

THE SERIES: The Broncos and the Trojans have enjoyed a lengthy series in CIAA play since their first meeting in 1924, an 82-0 Virginia State landslide in Petersburg, VA. More recently in 2011, Fayetteville State handed VSU a 49-21 televised loss in Fayetteville.

BRONCOS FOOTBALL ON THE RADIO: For the fourth-straight year Broncos football will air on WFSS-FM 91.9. WFSS will broadcast all 10 regular season games. Donal Ware (play-by-play) and Eric Curry will have the call beginning with the pregame show 30 minutes prior to kickoff. WFSS' signal reaches East to West from Goldsboro to Rockingham and North to South from Raleigh into South Carolina. The games can also be heard online or through mobile devices at www.wfss.org The FSU Coaches Show with Lawrence Kershaw airs each Thursday from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. on WFSS. Donal Ware talks with Coach Kershaw about the previous game and the upcoming opponent.

COURTESY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

A&T's victory over Appalachian State shakes up Aggie Nation

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- The echoes of N.C. A&T’s victory on a football field in Boone continue to roll down the mountain.

Four days later, there remained a joyful noise on and around the A&T campus. The sound waves rippled outward to Aggies enclaves as far away as Washington and Atlanta.

Bottom line: Beating Appalachian State 24-21 on Saturday night was a pretty big deal.

For the casual football fan, know this:

From 2005-2007, Appalachian won three consecutive FCS national championships. Those same three seasons, A&T went 3-30 and suffered through a 27-game losing streak.

The last time the two teams played, in 2011, Appalachian won 58-6.

That was then. This is now.

CONTINUE READING

A&T women basketball team eyeing season opener

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - The A&T women’s basketball team, a program that has put together four 20-win seasons in six years, will open its 2013-14 season in Hamden, Conn., Nov. 8 against Quinnipiac.

The game is part of the Preseason Women’s NIT. The winner would face the Loyola (Ill.)-Louisville winner in the second round on Nov. 10. Louisville reached the NCAA championship game last season.

Semifinals are Nov. 14, and the final is Nov. 17. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games Nov. 15-16.

A&T’s first home game will be Nov. 21 against Davidson. A&T’s conference schedule includes the return of Hampton, the four-time defending MEAC champion. The Pirates and Aggies finished 1-2 in the conference last season but have not played each other since Jan. 17, 2011. The two teams will play at Hampton on March 6.

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WEEK 3: S.C. State Bulldog Weekly Press Conference

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  South Carolina State head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough talks about last week's 52-13 defeat to #3 nationally-ranked Clemson, and this week's opponent SWAC foe Alabama A&M.

South Carolina State claimed the tenth spot in the SBN Poll in Week. Alabama A&M is coming off a tough loss to Tuskegee on last week.

Sheridan Broadcasting Network Black College Football Poll
Rank School W-L Pts. Previous Rank
As of September 9, 2013, at 05:03 PM ET

1. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (23)	2-0	264	2
2. North Carolina A&T Aggies (7)	1-0	219	5
3. Tuskegee Golden Tigers	1-0	193	4
4. Tennessee State Tigers	1-1	172	6
5. Winston-Salem State Rams	0-1	165	1
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions	0-2	138	3
7. Jackson State Tigers	1-1	96	7
8. Howard Bison	1-1	77	10
9. Florida A&M Rattlers	1-1	49	8
10. South Carolina State Bulldogs	0-2	37	NR

Others receiving votes (in order of points): North Carolina Central 23, Alabama State 17, Alabama A&M 15, Prairie View A&M 11, Elizabeth City State 8. COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern Heritage Classic Tickets On Sale

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  --  Tickets are still on sale for the 24th Annual Southern Heritage Classic. Don't miss TSU in action against Jackson State on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. in Memphis, Tenn. Purchase your tickets today by visiting the TSU Ticket Office. Contact the Ticket Office at (615) 963-5841.

For more information on the Southern Heritage Classic click here.

ODU Monarchs Host Howard Bison in Home Opener on Saturday

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Old Dominion University football Monarchs host Howard on Saturday, Sept. 14 in the home opener.

 

Notes about the Game • After facing the first two FBS opponents in school history, Old Dominion comes to Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium for the 2013 home opener against Howard.

• Junior Cam Boyd gave the Monarchs a boost off the bench, rushing for a team-best 58 yards and scoring the only TD of the game for ODU.  On that scoring drive, Boyd carried the ball seven times for 41 yards.

• Wide receivers Melvin Vaughn and Gerard Shillow caught their first career passes for ODU.  Vaughan caught a pass over the middle and broke several tackles before being brought down after a gain of 30 yards.

• Junior Cam Boyd gave the Monarchs a boost off the bench, rushing for a team-best 58 yards and scoring the only TD of the game for ODU.  On that scoring drive, Boyd carried the ball seven times for 41 yards.

• Wide receivers Melvin Vaughn and Gerard Shillow caught their first career passes for ODU.  Vaughan caught a pass over the middle and broke several tackles before being brought down after a gain of 30 yards.

• For the first time in school history, Old Dominion played its first two games of the season away from home.  ODU is 3-1 in home openers, the only loss coming in 2010, a 35-25 setback to Jacksonville.

• Old Dominion is 8-0 against schools from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.  ODU has a pair of wins over Savannah State and North Carolina Central and a win over Norfolk State in the 2011 playoffs.  ODU is 3-0 against Hampton.  This will be ODU's first ever meeting with Howard

• ODU is 38-12 under head coach Bobby Wilder, appearing in the FCS playoffs the only two years they were eligible for a postseason bid.

• After never catching more than six passes in a game, Larry Pinkard caught eight in the opener at ECU and a team-best seven for 96 yards last week at Maryland.  Pinkard has just missed a 100-yard receiving game both times. On the field for the First Time ODU had 19 players play a collegiate game for the first time last Saturday at East Carolina.  Seven more Monarchs saw their first collegiate action in week two at Maryland.

COURTESY OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Southern U wants to reverse fortunes in Week 3

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern football coach Dawson Odums identified three key facets the Jaguars will emphasize this week as they prepare for Saturday’s Southwestern Conference opener against Prairie View:

Rushing offense, rushing defense and special teams play.

The Jaguars’ ground game has accumulated a meager 165 yards rushing in their first two games, while the defense has been gashed for 564 yards rushing.

Freshman punter Paul Randall Soden averaged just 27.7 yards on nine punts in Saturday’s 55-14 loss to Northwestern State.

“If we correct those three areas, I think it would really improve our chances of winning football games,” Odums said.

CONTINUE READING

Grambling State completes buyout of head coach Doug Williams' contract

Coach George Ragsdale

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  --  Grambling State University running backs coach George Ragsdale has assumed head football coaching duties, effective immediately.

Ragsdale becomes interim head coach as the Tigers head to the Missouri Classic in Kansas City with a 0-2 record. The G-Men finished the 2012 season with a record of 1-10. Head football coach Doug Williams was released from his position, effective immediately. The university has decided to move in another direction, buying out the remainder of his contract.

“We recognize Doug Williams’ many contributions to our football legacy,” said Pogue, “and we express our deep appreciation for his service to Grambling State University and we wish him well in the future.”

Ragsdale has coached in the SWAC and MEAC, including coaching at North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University, Morris Brown College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He was a four-year letterman at A&T, his alma mater, and he still holds the school’s all-time rushing record and he helped the school reach its first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship in 1975.

Ragsdale played with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Washington Redskins. He also played in the United States Football League (USFL) with the Oklahoma Outlaws.

The university will have no further comment at this time.

COURTESY GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS

SHSU: Texas Southern Tigers & Ocean of Soul Coming Saturday

LAST WEEK GAME: SHSU Bearkats at Texas A&M Aggies




Texas Southern Tigers at Sam Houston State Bearkats

HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- The Texas Southern Tigers from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and the renowned TSU “Ocean of Soul” marching band both invade Elliott T. Bowers Stadium Saturday.

The Tigers and the Bearkats kick off at 2:07 p.m. Saturday in a game being televised regionally by Comcast SportsNet Houston (CSN).

Sam Houston stands 1-1 for the year, defeating Houston Baptist 74-0 in the home opener August 31 and falling to FBS No. 6 Texas A&M 65-28 last week in College Station. Texas Southern stands 0-1 after a 37-13 loss to Prairie View A&M in the annual Labor Day Classic at Reliant Stadium two weeks ago.

At halftime both the Ocean of Soul and the Bearkat Marching Band will perform.

The Tigers and the Bearkats are battling for the 15th time in their football histories. Sam Houston holds a 9-5 advantage in the series with victories in the pair’s last two meetings. The first meeting between the two came in 1973 at the Astrodome in Houston with Texas Southern winning 24-14.

Sam Houston owns a 6-1 record against the Tigers at Bowers Stadium. Last year the Kats won 50-6 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

Sam Houston’s victory over HBU two weeks ago extended the Bearkats’ home winning streak to a school record tying 15 games. The streak stands as the current longest home mark by an FCS team.



The Kats’ 25-5 record in 2011 and 2012, the back-to-back league titles and consecutive NCAA Division I FCS No. 2 final national rankings represent the most successful consecutive seasons in the university’s history.

Last year, the Bearkats defeated Texas Southern 50-6 in Houston at BBVA Compass Stadium on Sept. 27, 2012.

The Bearkats rolled up 558 yards total offense while holding the Tigers to 165 yards.

Dax Swanson picked off his 12th career interception and Kenneth Jenkins scored only the second defensive PAT return in SHSU history, picking up a blocked extra point after TSU’s only touchdown and running all the way to the other end zone.

Freshman wide receiver Chance Nelson caught three passes for 127 yards including a 61-yard touchdown pass from Brian Bell for SHSU’s first tally.

Keshawn Hill led the Bearkats in rushing with six carries for 74 yards including a 36-yard scoring run. Bell completed 10 of 15 passes for 208 yards.

Linebacker Darius Taylor totaled eight tackles including two quarterback sacks. Andrew Weaver and Jesse Beauchamp each totaled six stops.

An interception return by Steven White to the SHSU 14 set up a 16 yard scoring pass from Justice Jones to James Davis to give the Tigers their only points of the game with 12:11 to go in the second quarter.


0:00 - Get Lucky 1:24 - Memories Back Then
3:26 - Crooked Smile 5:20 - I'm So Glad...
6:36 - How You Gonna Act Like That 6:59 - Don't Let Go
WATCH ALL VIDEOS IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Tickets for the Texas Southern game as well as the remaining five other home contests at Bowers Stadium this season plus the 88th “Battle of the Piney Woods” versus SFA at Reliant Stadium Nov. 2 are available online now at www.gobearkats.com .

Fans also may purchase tickets at the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the south end zone of Bowers Stadium. The ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.

Saturday, the Bowers Stadium west side ticket office (located under the press box) will open at 10 a.m. for game day sales. Bearkat Alley Tailgate will begin at 12 noon. Gates will open at 12:30 p.m.

COURTESY SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY GoBearkats.com

Samford Bulldogs Turns Attention To Florida A&M Rattlers Game

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The Samford football team practiced for about two hours in full pads Tuesday afternoon at Seibert Stadium. The Bulldogs began implementing their game plan for Saturday afternoon's game at Florida A&M.

The Bulldogs enter Saturday's game with a record of 1-1 on the young season after dropping a 31-21 decision at Arkansas last Saturday night. Samford co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Travis Trickett said the players came out ready to work during Tuesday's practice.

"Our guys came out with their minds made up that they wanted to work," Trickett said. "I think they still have a bad taste in their mouth from Saturday, but our guys came out focused today and got after it."



Florida A&M also enters the week with a record of 1-1 after falling to Tennessee State, 27-7, last weekend. Trickett said he has been impressed with what he has seen so far from the Rattlers.

"They have good athletes, they're aggressive," Trickett said. "Their defensive coordinator is Levon Kirkland, their head coach is Earl Holmes, two NFL All-Pro linebackers, so their mentality is to attack and get after you. We have to go to Tallahassee, to their home, their fans will be excited for them, so we have a great challenge."

Trickett talked about some of the keys to Samford coming away with a win Saturday afternoon.
"We have to make sure we execute our offense, because they are going to bring a lot of stuff that we aren't used to seeing on a day-to-day basis," Trickett said.

Samford will practice again on Wednesday. The workout is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.

Samford's game against Florida A&M is scheduled for a 1 p.m. (CT) kickoff Saturday from Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. The can be heard locally on FM-99.5 The Vibe, or worldwide on the internet at www.995thevibe.com. Any fans who will be in attendance at Bragg Memorial Stadium Saturday, but would still like to listen to the Samford radio broadcast can hear it in the stadium by tuning their radios to 96.9 FM.

COURTESY SAMFORD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

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

Live Audio
Live Stats
Live Video (Weekly Press Conference 9/10/13)
Buy Tickets



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