Savannah State downs Fort Valley State 27-20

SAVANNAH, Georgia  -- During the final 4 minutes, 31 seconds of Savannah State University’s football game against Fort Valley State on Saturday night, the Tigers’ special teams unit blocked a punt, the offense scored a touchdown and the defense intercepted a pass in the end zone as time expired to give SSU a 27-20 home-opening victory in front of 3,220 jubilant fans at T.A. Wright Stadium.

“We’re proud to still be undefeated at home,” said first-year head coach Earnest Wilson III, whose Tigers (1-2) clawed back from a 13-0 first-half deficit to give him his first victory and give the program its first win since a 42-35 victory over Edward Waters on Oct. 20, 2012.

“I’m just very proud of these players,” Wilson continued. “I’m proud of these coaches. They did a great job trying to get these guys prepared. (Antonio) Bostick came through. Some of the guys we asked to step up, stepped up. Our goal is to teach them how to win and to have a winning season. We ain’t quitting.”

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North Carolina A&T blows past another opponent--Elon

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  -- Speed.

It's still the biggest difference maker in college football.

It's why the SEC wins every year. It's why Clemson and Oregon are probably the only two schools capable of beating SEC schools this year. It's the reason Alabama is the best team in the country.

It's also why A&T beat Appalachian State last week, why the Aggies beat Elon today and why so many people think this could be a special team this year. A&T has speed at all positions ... offense, defense and special teams.

ASU was stunned to realize the Aggies had more athletes than the Mountaineers had. Elon knew it midway through the second quarter when Demonta Brown caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from Lewis Kindle. And when Desmond Lawrence started running free in the second half and every kickoff and punt return looked to be an arm tackle from going the house, Elon knew it was in for a long night.

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Hardin: A "little" big deal

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- A&T rolls on.

Driving 80 yards into the teeth of the Elon defense, leaving the past behind and running headlong into destiny, the Aggies won for the second straight week, taking down the Phoenix 23-10 Saturday night.
 
Now shed of the Southern Conference, the 2-0 Aggies can turn their attention to what really matters.

“The MEAC,” said quarterback Lewis Kindle. “We’re looking ahead to the MEAC.”

A&T took down Appalachian State last week in Boone and backed it up with a win over a school from less than 20 miles away. Kindle said neither are rivals of the Aggies. Coach Rod Broadway backed him up. “This doesn’t feel like a rivalry,” he said.

There was some angst in the days leading up to it. Elon refused to send game film to A&T, which Broadway said was part of a previous agreement. Earlier in the week, he promised what goes around comes around.

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Lincoln Blue Tigers Defeat Grambling State, 47-34, to Win The Missouri Classic

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - The Lincoln football team built a 16-0 first quarter lead en route to a 47-34 victory over Grambling State in The Missouri Classic on Saturday (Sept. 14). Morris Henderson totaled 325 all-purpose yards and Jacob Morris threw for 280 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions as Lincoln, an NCAA Division II program, knocked off Grambling State, an NCAA Division I FCS team, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

Henderson scored two rushing touchdowns and returned a kickoff 102 yards for a score to help LU secure the win. Henderson rushed for 137 yards on 11 carries, gained 74 more yards on three receptions and finished with 114 kick-return yards in the win. Henderson helped the Blue Tigers outrush Grambling State, 320-192, with Deon Brock (67 yards), Percy Turner (50 yards, one touchdown) and Morris (43 yards and a score) also contributed on the ground.

Lincoln's defense also made its share of plays, including a forced fumble by Faleoga Russell on a sack from Justus Schulte on GSU's first drive of the game, which led to three early points for the Blue Tigers on an Andrew Fishel 40-yard field goal. Henderson later scored on a 41-yard run and Turned rushed 51 yards for a score in the closing minutes of the first period to give Lincoln the early 16-0 lead.



Grambling State answered with its first touchdown drive of the night midway through the second quarter, but Henderson immediately responded, taking the ensuing kickoff back from two-yards deep in his own end zone all the way to the house to make it a 23-7 affair. That score would hold until Lincoln's opening drive of the second half, which ended with a 44-yard rushing TD by Henderson to give LU a 30-14 lead.

GSU answered with a 72-yard touchdown drive to cut the Blue Tigers' lead back to nine, but Morris had a response of his own. Lincoln drove 79 yards in 1:11, highlighted by a 64-yard completion from Morris to Henderson capped off by a Morris 11-yard keeper.

Lincoln increased its lead to 44-21 early in the fourth quarter, as Khirey Draine hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass put the Blue Tigers ahead by 23. Grambling State answered with a quick touchdown drive to make it 44-27, following a missed extra point, but Lincoln responded with one final scoring drive, ending with a made 30-yard field goal by Fishel. Grambling State didn't score again until there were only 10 seconds remaining in the game, resulting in Lincoln's 47-34 final score.

Draine finished with 79 receiving yards on seven receptions while Maurice Woodard caught two passes for 36 yards. Turner and Brock caught two passes each for 21 and 15 yards, respectively, while Isam Pegues picked up 15 additional yards on the ground.

Defensively, LU was led by Kendrick Causey, who had a hand in 15 tackles, while Schulte and Kerry Roby each had nine takedowns. Schulte, John McCain and John Rose each registered sacks for the Blue Tigers while the three of them, plus Garrett Carrillo and Jamell Tombah, each had tackles for loss. Brian Smith made seven tackles to go with two pass break-ups and a forced fumble and recovery while Markuice Savage and Tevin Brock each added six tackles.

Julio Segura had a good night in the kicking game, averaging 30.5 yards on four punts, three of which pinned Grambling State inside its own 20. Seguro also average 56.7 yards on nine kickoffs.

The Blue Tigers improved to 1-1 on the season with the victory while Grambling State fell to 0-3.

Lincoln will continue its season on the road next week, as the Blue Tigers will travel to Joplin, Mo. to play Missouri Southern next Saturday (Sept. 21). That game is scheduled to be televised on the MIAA TV Network and will kick off at 2:37 p.m. CT.

Box Score

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

WSSU Rams come back strong, roll to 62-8 win

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The Winston-Salem State Rams found a perfect remedy for what was troubling them — a game against Virginia University at Lynchburg.

WSSU steamrolled its way to a 62-8 win at Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday to regain a little of its swagger.
"We are getting there," said wide receiver Tehvyn Brantley, who had five catches for 139 yards, with three touchdown catches. "We still have some things to work on, but we are getting there. This was a first step."

The Rams, coming off a disappointing loss to UNC Pembroke in their opener, piled up 605 yards of offense, scored on four of five possessions in the first half and had little trouble against the mismatched Dragons.

Coach Connell Maynor changed things up slightly by starting Rudy Johnson, a transfer from Texas Southern, at quarterback, and Johnson completed his first seven passes as the Rams scored on their first two possessions.

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Southern flips the script in double overtime win

Southern erases a 22-point deficit as the Joseph-to-Doss combination takes over late, yielding a stunning double-overtime victory against Prairie View in the Jaguars’ home opener.

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Somehow, some way, Southern found a way to win a game on a night it was in danger of getting run out of its own stadium.

The home team trailed by as many as three touchdowns, hemorrhaged more than 700 yards on defense and had trouble sustaining drives through three quarters.

The Jaguars rode memorable fourth-quarter performances by the senior tandem of quarterback Dray Joseph and receiver Lee Doss just to get in position for what could become a landmark Southwestern Athletic Conference win.

Joseph and Doss, combined with key late stops and a turnover from an up-until-then battered defense, earned the Jaguars a thrilling 62-59 double-overtime win over Prairie View at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

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Lenard Tillery’s return sparks Jaguars

BATON ROUGE  --  Southern came into Saturday’s contest searching for an identity.

The defense had been shredded in their first two games.

The offense had struggled mildly to sustain any drives.

The inability to sustain drives could be attributed to the absence of starting running back Lenard Tillery, who missed the Jaguars’ first two games because of a leg injury.

Southern’s rushing attack was able to muster up a mere 165 yards rushing and no touchdowns combined against Houston in the opener and against Northwestern State last week.

However, that all changed with the addition of Tillery.

Tillery began the game slowly, with three carries for a minus 4 yards total in the first quarter.

After all, this was Tillery’s first game as a collegian, and he was coming off an injury.  The freshman running back provided stability to the Jaguars ground game that had lacked a between-the-tackles runner to balance a highly touted passing attack.

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Central State University Invincible Marching Marauders Band Project

VIDEOGRAPHER: Romeo Reese

Johnson C. Smith Wins a 58-41 Shootout Over Bowie State in McGirt Classic

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- The Johnson C. Smith University football team were victorious 58-41 over Bowie State University on Saturday afternoon at the Irwin Belk Complex in the Eddie C. McGirt Classic. JCSU improves to 2-0 overall, while the Bulldogs drop to 1-1 after this non-conference contest.

The Golden Bulls wasted no time producing points on the scoreboard. Junior tailback LeAnder Barney (Erie, PA) capped off the first drive with an eight-yard touchdown run. JCSU scored on their first offensive series after driving 66 yards in six plays.

Bowie State countered with a 10-play, 75 yard drive to tie the game 7-7 on their initial series. Quarterback Jared Johnston had a three yard scramble to give the Bulldogs their first points. JCSU followed with an 11-play drive that resulted in a 25 yard field goal from freshman Erik Amaya (Kannapolis, NC) for a 10-7 lead. The first quarter ended with the same score.

JCSU scored three times in the second quarter, while shutting out the Bulldogs from scoring all together. Junior quarterback Keahn Wallace (Miami, FL) connected with sophomore receiver Fred Scott (Stone Mountain, GA) and junior receiver Jayson Leverette (Orangeburg, SC) for two touchdowns. First, a nine-yard pass to Scott, capping an 87-yard drive. Later, Wallace found Leverette all alone in the left corner of the end zone for a 15-yard score.

Barney scored in between those two series from 24 yards out. He had a bruising run up the middle, but the extra point was blocked. JCSU led 30-7 at halftime.

Bowie State closed the gap in the third quarter. The Bulldogs outscored JCSU 14-0 in the third to draw within nine (30-21) going into the fourth. Keith Brown effectively moved the ball at running back for BSU and scored both touchdowns in the third. The Golden Bulls missed a 48-yard field goal just before the start of the fourth.

BSU made good on their offensive possession to start the final quarter. Johnston completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Nyme Manns to cut the JCSU lead down to 30-28. Wallace threw an interception on the next possession to Delante White with 9:30 on the clock. Senior defensive end Chris Randolph (Gainesville, GA) recovered a fumble by Johnston and returned it 37 yards down to the BSU nine yard line.

JCSU capitalized with Wallace crossing the goal line after two rush attempts. The Bulldogs trailed 37-28 going into their next drive. After 10 plays and driving down to the JCSU red zone, Johnston threw an interception to senior defensive back Damion Miles (Beaufort, SC) at the 16 yard line. Miles returned the pick 84 yards for the score.

Despite facing a 44-28 fourth quarter deficit, the Bulldogs did not wave the white flag. BSU scored off a one-yard run from Brown; sparked by a 55-yard completion from Johnston to Jamal Chappell. Wallace quickly responded on the next drive with a 51-yard touchdown completion to Scott.

Both teams managed to produce one final touchdown before the conclusion. Johnston went to Manns again for an eight-yard touchdown reception. The Bulldogs were down 51-41 with 1:35 remaining and two timeouts. Wallace put the nail in the coffin with a 40-yard touchdown completion to senior tight end Jimmy Drye, Jr. (Concord, NC). The contest came to a close with a final score of 58-41 in favor of the Golden Bulls.

Wallace had a career-high 425 yards off 28-of-37 passing with four touchdowns and one interception. He also recorded 15 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground. Barney had two scores and 82 yards rushing off 14 carries. He too pulled double duty with three catches for 41 yards. Scott had a career-high 10 catches for 131 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Senior receiver Chris Patterson (Penelton, SC) also produced career-highs with seven catches for 107 yards.

Johnston led BSU with 394 yards and two touchdowns passing along with a score scrambling. Brown totaled 99 yards on the ground for the Bulldogs and got into the end zone three times. Both teams recorded over 500 yards of total offense led by Bowie State with 522 and JCSU not far behind at 519.

Despite the yardage allowed, the Golden Bulls' defense had two interceptions, a fumble recovery with a big return, and a defensive touchdown. JCSU also got to the quarterback for five sacks.
Junior linebacker Jerel Miller (Rock Hill, SC) led the team in tackles for the second week with 12 (9 solo). Junior defensive back Kerry Hartley (New Orleans, LA) had nine tackles and an interception. Junior defensive end Jovontay Williams (Stone Mountain, GA) made his presence felt with five tackles including two sacks for a loss of 25 yards.

JCSU starts their year off 2-0 for the first time since the 2006 season. The Golden Bulls will look to make it three in a row on Saturday, September 21st against Davidson College. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Irwin Belk Campus.

Box Score vs. Bowie State

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kentucky State Secures Convincing Victory Over Rival Central State, 38-17

WILBERFORCE, Ohio – Jacquise Lockett rushed for 240 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Kentucky State University Thorobreds to a 38-17 victory over rival Central State University in their first meeting as SIAC West division foes on Saturday at McPherson Stadium.

After not scoring in the first quarter of their game against Kentucky Wesleyan last week, KSU wasted no time on Saturday afternoon. Lockett took a handoff on the first play of the game 78 yards for a touchdown to put the Thorobreds on top, 7-0, just 14 seconds into the contest.

Lockett gained his 240 rushing yards with just 15 carries in the contest which is an average of 16 yards per carry. In two games this season Lockett has racked up 352 rushing yards (176 per game), six touchdowns and is averaging 10.7 yards per carry.

Central State responded just a few minutes later when CSU quarterback Michael Wilson rushed 20-yards to the left side to even the score at 7-7. Wilson finished the game with 117 rushing yards on 19 carries. Wilson also went 16-for-33 passing for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Kentucky State won the turnover battle, forcing four Central State turnovers while giving up just one itself on a botched snap in the first quarter. Defensive back Jeremy Lewis pick off his second pass of the season when he intercepted a Michael Wilson pass with under three minutes remaining in the game.

Linebacker Terry Horton got an interception of his own on the very first play of the second half when he picked off a CSU pass and returned it 29 yards to the Central State 1-yard line. Horton also had eight tackles in the game including 1.5 for a loss. Horton's interception led to Lockett's second touchdown of the contest when he punched in the 1-yard run to put KSU ahead of the Marauders, 21-17, early in the third quarter.






After Lockett's third touchdown of the game with 11:09 left in the fourth quarter, KSU kicked off to Central State's Aaron Wade who fumbled at the 32-yard line. Senior safety Ed Dunaway recovered the fumble and returned it 32 yards for Kentucky State's fifth and final touchdown of the game.

Freshman linebacker Travon Spencer had a game high nine tackles, 1.5 for loss. Lydell Simon had five tackles and a fumble recovery for KSU that came on a fumble by CSU's Wilson in the fourth quarter.

Kentucky State transfer quarterback Adam Robinson wasn't a major factor in Saturday's game going 4-for-9 with 39 yards and being sacked once. SIAC Preseason First Team All-Conference running back Justin Williams picked up his third touchdown of the season on an 8-yard run in the second quarter but did not have the same type of production as last week finishing with just 31 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Next up for the Thorobreds is next weekend's match-up against Virginia State University in the Diamond Invitational Classic. The classic is being held in Ettrick, VA with kick-off scheduled for 4:00 p.m.

Box Score

COURTESY KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

South Carolina State rolls over Alabama A&M, 32-0

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  --  As the clock reached zero Saturday night at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, the South Carolina State defense gathered together on the sidelines for one last cheer.

“Goose egg!” they yelled after breaking the huddle, celebrating the accomplishment of posting a shutout. In blanking visiting Alabama A&M 32-0 before 11,146 fans, the host team Bulldogs dominated an opponent in a manner they experienced the past two weeks in losing to nationally ranked Coastal Carolina and Clemson.

“It’s satisfying to get a ‘W’ in the win column, but we’re trying to go the rest of the season continuing what we did tonight,” said linebacker Joe Thomas of Blackville-Hilda, who finished with a team-high nine tackles and two sacks.

While the defense collected five turnovers and held Alabama A&M (1-2, 1-0) to 194 total yards, including -3 rushing on 31 carries, the offense amassed a season-high 406 total yards. Running back Justin Taylor rushed for two scores and quarterback Richard Cue completed 9-19 attempts for 147 yards, including his third straight game with a long touchdown pass to Tyler McDonald.



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TSU Wins Southern Heritage Classic, 26-16

MEMPHIS, Tennessee – The Tennessee State defense forced six turnovers as TSU knocked off Jackson State, 26-16, in the 24^th Annual Southern Heritage Classic.

Redshirt sophomore running back Telvin Hooks was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, rushing for 92 yards on 16 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Senior Tim Broughton added 95 yards rushing on 19 touches.

JSU outgained Big Blue 367 yards to 285, but TSU’s defense accounted for 198 yards via interception returns and added a score.

Tennessee State got the ball to start the game and Ronald Butler proceeded to orchestrate a ten-play, 76-yard drive that culminated in Jamin Godfrey 26-yard field goal. Butler was 2-of-4 on the series including a 27-yard completion to Ryan Mitchell and a 24-yard toss to A.C. Leonard.



Jackson State picked up a first down on its first drive, but Stephen Godbolt III intercepted Clayton Moore’s fifth pass of the game and brought it back 15 yards before fumbling. TSU’s Daniel Fitzpatrick immediately leapt on the ball, setting up the Big Blue offense on JSU’s 48.

Godbolt’s pick was his first of the season, a year removed from leading all Football Championship Subdivision with six during the 2012 campaign.

TSU was unable to capitalize off of the turnover and punted the ball back to Jackson State with 5:18 left in the first quarter.

JSU made it six plays down the field this time before Nick Thrasher forced a fumble and Anthony Bass recovered the ball in Jackson State territory.

Thrasher led the team with 12 tackles while Bass chipped in with five stops and TSU’s only two sacks of the contest.

Butler marched his Tigers down to the 18 yard line before a penalty, sack and screen pass that went for negative yardage setup a third and 32. Butler tried to pick up the first down by threading the needle to Leonard, but JSU’s Ryan Griffin easily intercepted the pass and brought it back 78 yards for a Jackson State score.

Butler finished the game 5-of-8 for 69 yards with the lone interception.

JSU held a 7-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter despite TSU outgaining the Miss. school 114-53.

Redshirt junior quarterback Michael German entered the game to start the second period, but his entrance led to no immediate points as TSU was forced to punt during its opening drive of the second quarter. Butler would not return.

JSU picked up four first downs on its next possession, but senior Andrew Taylor stepped in front of a pass for Jackson State’s third turnover of the half. Taylor returned the pick all the way to the Jackson State seven, but TSU was unable to find the end zone. Godfrey canned his second field goal of the game – this one from 23 yards out – bringing the Tigers within one of the lead, 7-6, with eight minutes to go before the break.

Five straight runs and a 26-yard passing play set up JSU at the Tennessee State six yard line, but again, the Big Blue defense forced a key turnover. This time, De’Ante Saunders intercepted the ball on the goal line and raced down the sideline. Saunders eventually lost the foot race, but he still managed to return the ball 71 yards to the JSU 29.

A defensive targeting penalty caused Jackson State’s leading tackler last season Cameron Loeffler to be ejected and put the ball on JSU’s 12-yard line. Broughton rushed up the middle for eight yards on TSU’s next play, but a personal foul penalty moved the offense back to the 16. Big Blue couldn’t overcome the setback, and settled for Godfrey’s third field goal of the half.

The senior’s kick put TSU up 9-7 heading into halftime and also moved him into fifth place on the school’s all-time career scoring list with 235 points.

German finished the half 0-for-7 passing and the TSU defense outgained its offensive teammates, 147 to 136 during the game’s first 30 minutes.

The sides traded punts to start the third quarter, but JSU completed a 54-yard bomb on the first play of its second possession of the half. Four plays later, JSU nailed a 22-yard field goal that hit off of the upright, and bounced in. The kick allowed Jackson State to re-take the lead at 10-9 with eight minutes to play in the third.

A Mitchell 18-yard reception and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on JSU gave Godfrey another chance at three points on TSU’s next series with a 29-yard attempt. Like JSU’s, Godfrey’s kick hit the upright, but the ball bounced out, squandering another red zone opportunity.

Mitchell’s two grabs for 45 yards were the most by a Tiger receiver this year.

TSU scored four times on its six red zone chances during the contest, but only one went for a touchdown. Tennessee State has had the ball in the red zone 11 times this season, but has only scored three touchdowns in those chances.

After a JSU three-and-out, TSU finally found pay dirt with a nine play, 63-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from German that put TSU in the driver’s seat, 16-10. Hooks was the workhorse on the drive, totaling five carries for 42 yards.

In his first game of the season, German completed 4-of-14 passes for 42 yards. It was his lowest yardage output since his first career game during his freshman season.

Godfrey punched in a 42-yard field goal to begin the fourth quarter, and then Daniel Fitzpatrick intercepted JSU’s very next play and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. The pick six made the score 26-10 in favor of TSU with eight minutes left to play.

Five drives and a David Van Dyke interception later, JSU found the end zone for the second time when Evan Ingram scored from one yard out. The ensuing two-point conversion failed, and TSU led, 26-16, which would wound up being the final score.

TSU’s six forced turnovers were the most for the team since 2005 when Big Blue came up with seven cough ups against Tennessee Tech on Oct. 13.

With his 14 points against JSU, Godfrey now has 239 points for his career. He is 13 points away from tying Charles Anthony for fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list.

Godfrey and the rest of the Tigers will now turn their focus to Tennessee Tech for their game on Saturday, Sept. 21 in Jackson. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

TSU QB returns, but defense earns win over Jackson State

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  -- The first thing Mike German did after playing his first game this season was thank Tennessee State’s defense for not allowing his return to be spoiled.

The offense got its starting quarterback back after he served a two-game suspension, but it was the defense that played the biggest role in a 26-16 win over Jackson State on Saturday night.

It came before a crowd of 42,400 at the Liberty Bowl in the Southern Heritage Classic and helped TSU improve to 2-1.



TSU’s defense forced six turnovers (five interceptions, one fumble) and scored just as many touchdowns (one) as the offense.

“The defense played its butt off,” German said. “They put some muscle on the ball when we couldn’t. They kept us alive. They took balls away from their offense and gave us opportunities.”

 It was the most turnovers TSU has come up with since forcing seven in a 31-20 win over Tennessee Tech in 2005. ' German relieved starting redshirt freshman Ronald Butler, who threw an interception that was returned for a TD late in the first quarter. German completed four of 14 passes for 42 yards.

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NCCU Eagles force seven turnovers in 40-13 rout of UNC-Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- North Carolina Central University forced seven turnovers and used the second-longest kickoff return in school history to cruise to a 40-13 victory over the Charlotte 49ers in front of a sellout crowd of 16,630 fans inside Jerry Richardson Stadium.

Charlotte entered the contest unbeaten, having out-scored its two opponents 99-14, including 41-0 in the first quarter. However, NCCU scored the first 33 points of the game on Saturday and kept the 49ers off the scoreboard until midway through the fourth quarter.

NCCU struck first when junior Oleg Parent kicked a 39-yard field goal with 6:56 on the first-quarter clock.

On the ensuing possession, Charlotte posted a 13-play, 54-yard drive to set up a 37-yard field goal try by Blake Brewer, but his kick was blocked by NCCU sophomore Ryan Smith.

On the next play from scrimmage, the Eagles lost momentum and the pigskin when a Shaheed Swinson fumble was recovered by the 49ers at the NCCU 19-yard line.

Two plays later, NCCU took the momentum back when junior linebacker Demontray Ryland scooped up a fumble and rumbled 50 yards to the Charlotte 22-yard line. That play set up a 21-yard field goal by Parent to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead with 1:24 remaining in the opening quarter.

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Bethune-Cookman earns 1st Football Bowl Subdivision win

MIAMI, Florida  -- Bethune-Cookman did not celebrate like it had just beaten a team in the NCAA's premier classification. And Florida International didn't really look like it belonged in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

But B-CU's 34-13 win over the Panthers on Saturday will still go down as a milestone victory in the Wildcats' football history.

They beat one of the big boys.

B-CU (3-0), which will play at Florida State, another FBS team, next Saturday, ran over the struggling Panthers (0-3). The Wildcats gained 311 yards on the ground, including a career-high 150 by Anthony Jordan. They held FIU to 229 yards and forced two turnovers inside their 10 in the fourth quarter.

CONTINUE READING

Week 3: HBCU Championship Saturday Football ScoreCard

GAME DAY: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2013




MEAC
North Carolina Central 40, UNC-Charlotte 13 Final
Samford 27, Florida A&M 20 Final
South Carolina State 32, Alabama A&M 0 Final
North Carolina A&T 23, Elon 10 Final
Bethune-Cookman 34, Florida International 13 Final
Tennessee Tech 30,   Hampton 27 Final
Old Dominion 76, Howard 19 Final
Savannah State 27, Fort Valley State 20 Final
Liberty 38, Morgan State 10 Final
Towson 49, Delaware State 7 Final


SWAC
Sam Houston State 55,Texas Southern 17 Final
Alcorn State 35, Mississippi Valley 28 Final
Alabama State 40, Arkansas Pine Bluff 39 Final
Lincoln (Mo.) 47, Grambling State 34 at Kansas City, Mo. Final
South Carolina State 32, Alabama A&M 0 Final
Southern 62, Prairie View A&M 59  2OT, Final
Tennessee State 26, Jackson State 16 Final


CIAA
Chowan 60, Alderson-Broaddus 39 Final
Tusculum 54, Elizabeth City State 41 Final
Wingate 24, Saint Augustine's 3 Final
Johnson C. Smith 58,  Bowie State 41 Final
Benedict 30, Virginia State 14 Final
Catawba 42, Livingstone 16 Final
Sacred Heart 45, The Lincoln U.(Pa.) 3 Final
Winston-Salem State 62, Virginia University of Lynchburg 8 Final
UNC-Pembroke 38, Fayetteville State 24 Final
Shaw 33 Virginia Union 21 Final


OTHERS
Concord 36, West Virginia State 3 Final
Indiana (Pa.) 49, Cheyney 0 Final
Lincoln (Mo.) 47, Grambling State 34 Final
Pikeville 47, Edward Waters 41 O.T. Final
Incarnate Word 24, Langston 0 Final
SIAC
Kentucky State 38, Central State (Ohio) 17 Final
Lane 31, Morehouse 17 Final 
Stillman  27, Clark Atlanta 6 Final
Savannah State 27, Fort Valley State 20 Final
West Georgia 31, Miles 7 Final
Tuskegee 19, Albany State (Ga.) 13 Final



ALL GAME START TIMES ARE STATED IN EASTERN TIME ZONE

Wingate begins 2013 campaign with 24-3 victory over Saint Augustine's

WINGATE, North Carolina -- Wingate University redshirt senior quarterback Robbie Nallenweg (Asheville, N.C.) completed 23-of-30 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs defeated Saint Augustine's 24-3 in NCAA Division II football action Saturday in Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field on the Wingate campus.

The Bulldogs (1-0 overall) win their season opener for the 11 th time in head coach Joe Reich's 13 seasons. The SAU Falcons fall to 0-2 overall. Wingate begins South Atlantic Conference play Saturday, Sept. 21, visiting Lenoir-Rhyne for a
7 p.m. contest. Saint Augustine's hosts Stillman (Ala.) the same day at 1:30 p.m.

Box Score    

COURTESY WINGATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

St. Augustine's Graduate Alex Hall Leads CFL In Sacks

ALEX HALL
HOMETOWN: GLENARDEN, MARYLAND

RALEIGH, North Carolina  -- Saint Augustine's University graduate Alex Hall is having a big season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. He currently leads the CFL with 12 sacks, which drew the attention of veteran football writer Mike Wilkening. He wrote about Hall in his most recent post on nbcsports.com. Click HERE to read Wilkening's thoughts on Hall.

Wilkening says Hall should get another shot in the National Football League. An All-American

A Glenarden, Md., native, Hall is in his second season with the Blue Bombers. In 2012, Hall led the CFL with nine sacks before a knee injury forced him to miss the final four games. He was the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Player and an East Division All-Star selection.
defensive end at St. Aug, Hall was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 2008 NFL Draft and played for several teams before heading to the CFL. Hall is one of three players in St. Aug history who were chosen in the NFL Draft. He shares the career and single-game sack record at St. Aug.

PVAMU's Heishma Northern preps for Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Growing up in Baton Rouge and attending Glen Oaks High, it was always an aspiration of Prairie View coach Heishma Northern to one day don the blue and gold of Southern.

After finishing his high school career, it became a reality when Northern accepted a scholarship offer to play for the Jaguars. And during his time as a player under coach Pete Richardson, he realized what he hoped to do after playing football: He wanted to become a head coach.

“I’m grateful to Baton Rouge,” said Northern, who played at Southern from 1992-95. “I want to thank Coach Richardson for inspiring me to become a coach. I’ll always remember getting advice from him.”

Three years ago, that goal was realized when Prairie View made Northern its head coach. Heading into Saturday’s game at A.W. Mumford Stadium, Northern is faced with the task of facing the school he once was inspired by.

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TSU coach wants defensive consistency

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  -- So far, Tennessee State’s defense has met most of the lofty expectations.

The Tigers have allowed two touchdowns and are ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense (208.0 yards) in the Football Championship Subdivision. Yet coach Rod Reed is not ready to praise the unit, which has every starter back from last year when it was the best in the Ohio Valley Conference.

“Two games don’t make a good defense,” said Reed, who was the Tigers defensive coordinator before taking over as head coach in 2010. “We’ve got to put together a string of games back to back; we’ve got a long season.”

The chance for the defense to put up another impressive performance comes at 6 p.m. today when TSU (1-1) plays Jackson State (1-1) in the 24th annual Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

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Winston-Salem State trying to find identity

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  Finding the identity of his fourth Winston-Salem State team has been a little more difficult than Coach Connell Maynor thought it would be.

He lost losing nearly 30 players from a record-setting 14-1 team and has been trying to find the right combinations from an influx of transfers and younger players.
The first attempt resulted in a 25-21 opening loss at UNC Pembroke. The second will come Saturday, when 20th-ranked WSSU will play Virginia University of Lynchburg at 6 p.m. at Bowman Gray Stadium.

"All phases of the game we have to improve on,” Maynor said. “And offensively (at Pembroke), we turned it over three times, and we had some drops and some blown assignments, so we really played bad, and it was a poorly coached team, and that’s my fault.

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Blue turns red: California native, 26, has fit in well at WSSU

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina --  It didn’t take long for tight end Shane Blue, a junior-college transfer from California, to get into the spirit at Winston-Salem State.

Before preseason camp began in early August, Blue dyed part of his hair red to match the school colors.

"I just wanted to kind of make a statement and to show that I was serious about being a Ram,” said Blue, a 26-year-old junior who had five catches for a team-high 67 yards in his WSSU debut, a 25-21 loss to UNC Pembroke. He dropped his first chance, a long pass early in the game, but showed good hands the rest of the way.

Blue said he never expected to be playing football again. He had last played in 2008 at City College of San Francisco. His grandmother died soon after he completed his two years of junior-college eligibility there, and he then decided to open his own production company.

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GAME CENTRAL: SSU Tigers vs. Fort Valley Wildcats at Ted Wright Stadium

SAVANNAH, Georgia

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The Game

Savannah State
Last week, the Savannah State Tigers suffered its second tough loss of the season; a 66-3 defeat at Troy University in Troy, Alabama. The game was the first of two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents the Tigers will face this season.

This week, the Tigers will face the Wildcats of Fort Valley University in SSU's home opener. FVSU is the only Division II program SSU will face this year. The two institutions have a storied history (dating back to their first game in 1934). Since, the teams have played 49 more times with FVSU getting the better of SSU, 35-11-4.

The Tigers will look to snap a four-game losing streak to FVSU dating back to 2000 when SSU won, 37-13, under legendary coach William "Bill" Davis.
SSU will look to turn things around with the help of freshman starting quarterback Leon Prunty.

The Tigers are also eagerly anticipating the return of last season's starter Antonio Bostick, who will make his debut after sitting out the first two games due to academic issues. Despite his return, SSU head coach Earnest Wilson says Prunty will be this week's starter.

Defensively, the Tigers are led by Justin Dixon with 19 tackles and one sack.

Savannah State Game Notes: Click Here
Savannah State Media Guide: Click Here

Fort Valley
Fort Valley State is led by quarterback Eugene Smith, who finished 17-of-37 passing (45.9 percent) for 287 yards against Valdosta State. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior from New Orleans was intercepted one time.

Smith's favorite target is wide receiver De'Angelo Smith, a 6-foot, 193-pound freshman from Camden County. Smith made three catches for 122 yards, including a 72-yard gain, against the Blazers.

Defensively, the Wildcats are led by defensive back Thomas Wolfe, a 6-foot, 190-pound senior from Marietta. He leads the team in tackles with 6.5. Defensive back Ja'Bioas Glenn, a 5-foot-10, 202-pound senior from Vienna, Ga., is second on the team in tackles with six. He also intercepted a pass.

The Wildcats gave up 285 yards passing against Valdosta State and allowed 169 yards on 28 carries.
Fort Valley Website: Click Here

Notes
It's Been A While
The last time SSU defeated FVSU was October 28, 2000. SSU won 37-13 with William "Bill" Davis as head coach.

Back on the Scene
After an 11-year absence, Michael Wallace is back on the sidelines at SSU. Wallace came to SSU as a player in 1986 and left as an assistant coach in 2002. The Clyo, GA native is back at SSU working as inside linebackers/special teams coach.

Learning From Legends
Several SSU coaches have been taught by the best. Earnest Wilson and David Roberson coached under Joe Paterno at Penn State, Willard Scissum played under Paul "Bear" Bryant at Alabama, Corey Barlow played under Pat Dye at Auburn while Michael Wallace played and coached under William "Bill" Davis at SSU.

COURTESY SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Samford a Pivotal Game for The FAMU Rattlers

 

Samford University vs. Florida A&M University

Rattlers

September 14, 2013
2:00 P.M. EST
Tallahassee, Florida/Bragg Memorial Stadium
Live stream on Rattler Vision
TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Saturday is a highly important game for a team that has yet to define itself. The fact that FAMU has yet to determine what kind of team it is going to be, or who will be its playmakers, can make them a dangerous team since even their opponents aren’t sure just what to expect.

Samford isn’t driving all the way from Birmingham, Alabama to Tallahassee just to take FAMU for granted though. After a loss last week against an FBS opponent the Samford Bulldogs will be eager to establish themselves against an FCS opponent.

For FAMU, it is about showing their own fans that they really are a good team that last week got off to a bad start. That will be important since next week FAMU travels to Ohio to play the Buckeyes.

Samford doesn’t have a football legacy to match Florida A&M’s, but they do have a history worth mentioning.  Samford was originally known as Howard College and their football tradition goes as far back as 1906. The 1959 team is considered one of their best. That was the year a former player and lesser known coach named Bobby Bowden led them to a 9-1 record.

Current Florida State Coach Jimbo Fisher was quarterback at Samford in 1987.

But it was Bobby’s son, Coach Terry Bowden that led Samford to a 12-2 record in 1991 and a trip all the way to the semifinals of the Division 1-AA playoffs.

In a tough Southern Conference with ...

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FIU Panthers have their hands full against Bethune-Cookman

The Panthers are the FBS team and playing at home, but the potent Wildcats of the FCS cannot be taken lightly.

MIAMI, Florida  -- Three things you need to know about Bethune-Cookman’s visit to FIU on Saturday night for a football game at 6:

• Bethune’s bringing “The Pride,” the 325-member Marching Wildcats band.
• Bethune comes in ranked No. 23 nationally in the Football Championship Division and has won two of the past three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference titles.
• Bethune definitely can beat FIU.

The people who make their living betting on games certainly think so. FIU has been a 2 1/2-to-3-point underdog since about two hours after they opened as a favorite. Rarer than an open parking spot the first week of classes is the Football Bowl Subdivision team that’s an underdog to an FCS team.

And at home.

Asked if that bothered him, FIU sophomore running back Lamarq Caldwell said, “It does because we’re all competitors. But at the end of the day, we’ve just got to play good football.”

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Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/13/3625451/fiu-panthers-have-their-hands.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/09/13/3625451/fiu-panthers-have-their-hands.html#storylink=cpy

Nuggets' home opener offers free admission to all at XU

The Gold Nuggets jumped for joy after closing The Barn, XU's
previous home facility, with a five-set victory against SUNO
 on Nov. 1, 2012.

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana has announced ticket prices for its 2013 women's volleyball home schedule, which will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Gold Nuggets play Voorhees at the Convocation Center.

Xavier will offer free admission to:
      •  Students with a valid XU ID.
      •  XU faculty and staff.
      •  Children age 12 and younger.
      •  High school teams, which must contact XU coach Hannah Lawing at least 24 hours before a match at (504) 520-7255.

Adult tickets will cost $5. The Convocation Center will open one hour before all home matches.

The Gold Nuggets jumped for joy after closing The Barn, XU's previous home facility, with a five-set victory against SUNO on Nov. 1, 2012.

The Gold Nuggets (6-7) will play at home after 13 consecutive road matches to start the season. It will be the first volleyball match in the Convocation Center, a $25-million facility which seats nearly 4,000 and opened to the public in November. It also will be the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener for the Nuggets, who are two-time defending GCAC regular-season and tournament champions.

Voorhees, which joined the GCAC in July, is the first of three XU home opponents in five days. Xavier will play GCAC opponent Fisk at 7 p.m. Monday and city rival Loyola at 7 p.m. Wednesday.  Approximate address of the Convocation Center is 7910 Stroelitz St., New Orleans LA 70125. The facility is one block from two major streets, South Carrollton and Washington avenues. 

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

Samford Wraps Up Preparation For Florida A&M

   FAMU v SAMFORD GAME ADVISORY

 

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The Samford football team practiced for a little over an hour in shorts and helmets Thursday afternoon at Seibert Stadium. The workout was the final practice of the week for Samford in preparation for Saturday's game at Florida A&M.

Samford co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Brandon Herring said the Bulldog offense will face some different looks than they have in the past two games.

"We're facing a little different style of defense," Herring said. "We had to get all of their stuff in and make sure our guys know what we're looking at. I think we've had a good week of practice."

Saturday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Samford and Florida A&M in football. Both teams enter the game with a record of 1-1. Samford is coming off a 31-21 loss at Arkansas, while FAMU dropped a 27-7 decision to Tennessee State last week.

Herring talked about some areas he'd like to see improvement in from the offense.

"Finishing blocks is a big thing for us," Herring said. "I've been on my guys (offensive linemen) about that. The wide outs played a heck of a game last week as far as blocking goes. If you go back and watch the Arkansas film, they really blocked well. It was really fun to watch them in that game. But everybody as a whole needs to finish their blocks and protect the quarterback."

Samford will hold a final walk-through Friday morning at Seibert Stadium. The team will leave campus at 11:30 a.m. Friday morning for Tallahassee, Fla.

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 SPORTS INFORMATION 

German returns, will serve as Tennessee State's backup QB

You can view the 2013 guide as a pdf by clicking here.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee  --  Tennessee State played its first two games of the season while two-year starting quarterback Michael German sat out due to a team suspension.

German is eligible to return Saturday night against Jackson State, a Southwestern Athletic Conference team coming off a win over Alabama State, but Tennessee State coach Rod Reed isn't ready to reinstate German as the team's starter just yet. 

Reed told The Tennesseean earlier this week that redshirt freshman Ronald Butler, who has been the starter in German's absence through two games, will continue to start under center. Whether German will see the field Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium will depend on the play of Butler. As for Jackson State, Reed said the SWAC program has done a solid job this year against very strong opponent. Jackson State opened the season with a loss at Tulane, and rebounded last weekend versus the Hornets. 

"Our next opponent, Jackson State, is a tough opponent," Reed said. "It's been a tough game every year we've gone down there. Up until last year, it's come down to the last drive of the game, the last series. We don't expect anything less."

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