Southern stands tall against Mississippi Valley

ITTA BENA, Mississippi — Dawson Odums might flip on the film and see a slew of corrections flickering on the screen in his office Sunday.

But he was in a forgiving mood ahead of a ride back to the Bluff on Saturday.

Standing outside the cramped locker room of Rice-Totten Stadium, the Southern coach declared his tolerance was softened by the 17-7 victory against Mississippi Valley State, one where a defense that has had its troubles this season almost pitched a shutout and a timely passing game picked up a sluggish ground attack.

“When it’s all said and done, no matter how many you win by,” Odums said, “what we try and tell our guys (is), the ‘W’ is important.”

None of the 3,986 fans would award style points to Southern (2-2, 2-0 SWAC) or Valley (0-4, 0-2), though.

CONTINUE READING

Southern cornerback D’Andre Woodland makes plays while filling in for Virgil Williams

ITTA BENA, Mississippi — Southern worked during the week hoping Virgil Williams, one of its senior captains and a top cornerback in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, would be healthy enough to play.

However, it was announced Friday he wouldn’t be able to play.

So, Southern turned to junior D’Andre Woodland.

And step up Woodland did.

“I think (Woodland) did an outstanding job,” coach Dawson Odums said. “It’s hard to replace No. 7. He’s valuable. We miss him, and he would make our defense a lot better.”

In replacing the Jaguars’ best defensive player, Woodland compiled six tackles, including two for loss, a pass breakup and a key fumble recovery early in the first quarter.

CONTINUE READING

Southern enjoys best first half of season at Valley

ITTA BENA, Miss. — After being outscored 86-26 in the first halves of three games this season, Southern was able to reverse its early game struggles Saturday.

Southern took a 3-0 lead into halftime after kicker Greg Pittman connected on a 22-yard field goal with 1:44 to play in the half in what eventually became a 17-7 victory.

Pittman’s field goal was set up by a 45-yard pass from quarterback Dray Joseph to wide receiver Willie Quinn on third-and-12 from the Jaguars’ 28.

CONTINUE READING

Week 4: HBCU Football ScoreCard Finals

WATCH IN 1080p HIGH DEFINITION, WIDE SCREEN

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

SWAC
Jackson State 35, Texas Southern 7  Highlights  » Thursday
Southern 17, Mississippi Valley State 7 
Alabama State 52, Grambling State 21
Prairie View A&M 28, Alabama A&M 26
Alcorn State 21, Arkansas Pine Bluff 16 

OVC
Tennessee State 41, Tennessee Tech 21 ESPN Highlights  »  Watch Replay 

MEAC
#4Ohio State 76, Florida A&M 0  ESPN Highlights  »  ESPN Photos
#4Towson 35, North Carolina Central 17 
#1(FCS) North Dakota State 51, Delaware State 0  ESPN Highlights  »Watch Replay 
Charleston Southern 20, Norfolk State 12 
South Carolina State 59, Benedict 6
#8 Florida State  54, Bethune-Cookman  6  ESPN Highlights  »  Watch Replay 
Coastal Carolina 50, Hampton 17 
Western Kentucky 58, Morgan State 17  ESPN Highlights  »  Watch Replay 
#16 Miami (Florida) 77, Savannah State 7  ESPN Highlights  »  Watch Replay 

CIAA
Winston-Salem State 35, Tuskegee 13 at Cleveland, Ohio 
Bowie State 16, Concord 10 
Sacred Heart 78, Chowan 35
UNC Pembroke 41, Shaw  20 at Wilmington, N.C. 
St. Augustine’s 35, Stillman 7 
Livingstone 23, Edward Waters 20
St. Francis, Pa. 38, Lincoln, Pa. 7 
Johnson C. Smith 35, Davidson 22
Virginia State 41, Kentucky State 0 
Albany State 27, Elizabeth City State 7 
Fayetteville State 21,Virginia Union 7 

OTHER CONFERENCES AND INDEPENDENTS
West Liberty 9, West Virginia State 0 
Bowie State 16, Concord 10
UNC Pembroke 41, Shaw 20 at Wilmington, N.C.  
Hardin-Simmons 66, Texas College 34 
Missouri Southern 59, Lincoln, Mo. 10 
Lock Haven 12, Cheyney 10
Nicholls State 42, Langston 22
Millsaps 38, Point U. 17
Southern Virginia 33, Virginia University Lynchburg 30 

SIAC
Taylor 27, Lane 21 
Winston-Salem State 35, Tuskegee 13 
St. Augustine’s 35, Stillman 7 
Virginia State 41, Kentucky State 0 
Fort Valley State 12, Clark Atlanta 9  2OT
South Carolina State 59,  Benedict College 6 
Morehouse 42, Central State (Ohio) 20 
Concordia-Selma at Miles College Canceled
Albany State 34, Elizabeth City State 13

All Game Times are stated in Eastern Time Zone


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Morehouse wins a wild Chicago Football Classic

CHICAGO, Illinois  -- Start with two desperate, winless Division II teams, add a new offensive coordinator for one side, a third-string freshman quarterback for the other. Then bring them to Soldier Field. What do you get?

Chaos. Lots of it.

In a game with two blocked kicks, four missed field goals and an interception returned for a touchdown by a 310-pound defensive lineman, Morehouse prevailed 42-20 against Central State on Saturday in the Chicago Football Classic, an annual game featuring historically black colleges and universities.

Freshman Monqavious Johnson showed flashes of talent and dashes of inexperience as he guided the Maroon Tigers (1-2, 1-0 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) to a much-needed first win.

"I just went out there, remained calm, kept my composure and just had fun," he said. "I need to limit my mistakes and capitalize off the opponents' mistakes."

CONTINUE READING

Bowie Bulldogs Hold On For 16-10 Home Opening Win Over Concord (W.Va.)

BOWIE, Maryland  -- Playing at home for the first time this season, the Bowie State University Bulldogs football team had to hold until the very end before claiming a 16-10 victory over the Concord University Mountain Lions.

The loss, Concord's first of the season, drops the Mountain Lions' record to 2-1 overall on the year. Bowie State improves to 2-1 with the victory. As a team, Concord held advantages over Bowie State in first downs (16-9), total yards (266-208) and passing yards (175-42).

Redshirt junior Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md.) rushed for a career-high 149 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead Bowie State on offense. Redshirt sophomore Antoine Young (Washington, D.C.) racked up a game-high 14 total tackles to pace the Bulldogs defense. Redshirt sophomore Curtis Pumphrey (Laurel, Md.) was credited with eight total tackles on the afternoon and fellow redshirt sophomore Paxton Queen added six total tackles.

The Mountain Lions were led by junior wide receiver Darrick Williams (Baltimore, Md.) who caught eight passes for 67 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Tiko Henderson (Lancaster, Va.) caught five passes for 49 yards.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Brian Novak (College Park, Md.) went 22-for-47 for 175 yards. Novak also ran for 29 yards and a touchdown. Fellow redshirt freshman Sam Wright (Roanoke, Va.) ran for a team-best 33 yards on 14 attempts.

Defensively, Concord was paced by junior defensive lineman Keith Ferguson (Bluefield, W.Va.), who made 10 tackles including two tackles for loss. Junior linebacker Gary Saylor (New Market, Md.) added eight stops while senior linebacker Jake Lilly (Bluefield, W.Va.) and sophomore defensive lineman Ervin Moore (Lancaster, S.C.) each chipped in seven tackles.

After trading possessions for much of the first quarter, Concord was able to strike first midway through the first quarter with a 24-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Andy Ellington Scott Depot, W.Va.), capping off a 12-play, 39-yard drive which featured two successful fourth-down conversions for the Mountain Lions.
Box Score    

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Davidson's Carkhuff Breaks Passing Records in Loss to JCSU

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Davidson senior quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff threw for a school record 464 yards, but Johnson C. Smith used big plays and a relentless pass rush to defeat the Wildcats, 35-22, in non-conference football action Saturday afternoon in Irwin Belk Complex.

Davidson (0-3) was the first to score, but Johnson C. Smith (3-0) scored the next four touchdowns to take control of the game. The Golden Bulls countered Carkhuff's prolific passing by sacking him 13 times for 93 yards, led by Jovantay Williams with 3.5. Anthony Allen also made a game-high 17 tackles for JCSU, including 1.5 sacks. Additionally, the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs twice in the red zone and were penalized 11 times for 127 yards.

Carkhuff completed 26 of 39 passing attempts for 464 yards and two touchdowns, becoming Davidson's career passing leader with 9,531 yards. He also moved past current head coach and 2003 graduate Paul Nichols into second place on Davidson's career touchdown list with his 51st and 52nd touchdown passes. Also enjoying career days were William Morris, who caught eight passes for 193 yards and a touchdown, Garrett Diehl, who caught five passes for a career high 79 yards, and #A.J. Pignone# who had career highs rushing for 92 yards and his first career rushing touchdown, as well as catching three passes for 66 yards and his first career receiving touchdown.

For the Golden Bulls, Keahn Wallace completed 22 of 42 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns, all of which were over 30 yards. Chris Patterson was his top target, catching nine passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. LeAnder Barney rushed for 135 yards on 22 catches to lead JCSU on the ground.

The game started off slow as both teams punted on their first three drives, before the Wildcats drove 90 yards on seven plays to score first late in the first quarter. A 21-yard run by Pignone and a 51-yard reception by Garrett Diehl keyed the drive, and then Pignone rushed into the end zone from 11 yards out with 2:31 remaining. A rush on the point-after attempt by Trey Huelskamp gave the 'Cats two points for an early 8-0 lead.

The Golden Bulls answered on their next possession though as Wallace connected with Patterson on a 36-yard touchdown to make it an 8-7 game. Davidson reached the JCSU five on its next drive, but Carkhuff was sacked on third down for a loss of nine and failed convert on 4th-and-goal from the 14. JCSU drove down the field from there and Wallace capped a 12-play, 86-yard drive with a leap over the linemen from inside the one with 9:50 remaining in the second quarter. He then connected with Avius Capers on JCSU's next possession on a 35-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline for a 21-8 lead with 6:57 to go in the half.

The score would remain the same until Denzel Hartley scored for JCSU on a four-yard touchdown run with 8:57 remaining in the third quarter. Davidson punter John Cook had pinned the Bulls on their own two-yardline, but a 77-yard reception by Patterson moved JCSU from its own 18 to the Davidson five.
           
JCSU nearly scored on its next drive, but Myles Atkins made a stop on 4th-and-goal at the one. Davidson drove 97 yards, aided by a 49-yard reception by Morris and a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, but was stopped on 4th-and-goal at the two.

The 'Cats finally cut into JCSU's 28-8 lead with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Morris and another successful two-point conversion with 13:32 remaining in the game, but JCSU answered with a 31-yard touchdown pass to Patterson. Pignone scored on a 61-yard touchdown reception with 1:19 remaining for the final margin.

The game concluded non-conference play for Davidson for the season. The Wildcats will open their Pioneer Football League slate Saturday at Morehead State.

Notes: Mills Ariail '94 served as an honorary captain for Davidson … Carkhuff's previous career high for passing yards in a game was 427, which came against Johnson C. Smith in 2011 … The previous single-game passing yards record was 431, set by Damion White vs. Coastal Carolina on September 4, 2011 … The previous career passing yards leader was Ryan Alexander '08, who threw for 9,376 yards … The all-time series between Davidson and JCSU is now even at 2-2.

Box Score

COURTESY DAVIDSON COLLEGE ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

No. 4 Towson Tigers Avoid Upset Bid at NCCU, 35-17

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Junior Terrance West for 139 yards on 31 carries and scored two touchdowns as No. 4 Towson University avoided an  upset bid by North Carolina Central (2-2) and won its eighth game in a row, a 35-17 victory over the Eagles at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

 

The Tigers, who outscored their opponents by a 132-33 margin in their first three games, didn’t clinch the win over North Carolina Central until freshman Darius Victor scored on a 10-yard run with 1:35 remaining in the game.

 

“We got a wake-up call,” admitted Coach Rob Ambrose. “We made more mistakes today than we did in our first three games. Nobody on our team played well and the players all know it. We won this game because we stayed together as a team and worked together. But we did enough to win and now we’re 4-0.”

 

COURTESY TOWSON UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Sacred Heart Victorious Over Chowan on Homecoming

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut --  The Sacred Heart Pioneers scored a program record 78 points on their way to a convincing 78-35 victory over the Chowan University Hawks Saturday afternoon on Homecoming weekend at Campus Field.

The previous all-time SHU record for points was 62 points scored in a 1995 Sacred Heart victory over Curry College.  Sacred Heart improves to 4-0 this time for the first time since 2008.

Sophomore quarterback R.J Noel (Lowell, MA) completed 9 of 15 passes and tossed three touchdowns, as he stays unbeaten in a Pioneer uniform.

Junior running back Keshaudas Spence (Dorchester, MA) ran for 78 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns. Senior Tino Perrina (Reading, MA) added 74 yards on the ground.

Senior Greg Moore (Newark, NJ) recorded a career high 111 yards receiving and a touchdown.
On special teams, Senior wide receiver Robert Dim (Sicklerville,NJ) blocked two punts, both of which led to Pioneer touchdowns. Dim blocked three punts last season.

Sacred Heart scored a school record 50 points in the first half, taking a 50-21 lead into halftime.

SHU found themselves in a hole early, as Chowan scored a touchdown on their first offensive play to quickly quiet the homecoming crowd. Quarterback Cameron Stover faked a bubble screen on the left side and then found Anthony Clanton down the sideline for a 68-yard touchdown.

Chowan added to their early lead after a failed Sacred Heart snap on a punt gave the Hawks a first and goal on the nine-yard line.  On the next play, Stover found Robert Holland in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown to give Chowan the 14-0 lead.

Down 14-0, SHU immediately fired back, scoring 36 unanswered points to seize control of the game.  Noel hooked up with Dube from 23 yards out to give Sacred Heart its first score of the game.  Dube snuck behind the Chowan safety for a walk-in touchdown.

Following a Denis Regan (Philadelphia, PA) interception and subsequent 22-yard return, junior running back Sean Bell (Medford Lakes, NJ) ran in for a touchdown from five yards out to score Sacred Heart's second touchdown.

Special teams came up with the big play for SHU's next score.  Freshman wide out David Berment (Dorchester, MA) returned a Robert Dim blocked punt 6 yards for a touchdown to give SHU the 22-14 lead.

Noel found Dube again for a touchdown in the second quarter, this time from 15 yards out to give the Pioneers a 29-14 lead.

After both teams exchanged punts, Dim struck again on special teams, this time blocking a punt to give Sacred Heart a first and ten at the Chowan 21-yard line. After an 11-yard reception by Moore, Spence rambled in from four yards out to give SHU the 36-14 lead.

Spence scored his second touchdown of the game and junior Gordon Hill (Sicklerville, NJ) intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards to the house to cap Sacred Heart's scoring at 50 points in the first half.

To start the second half, Sacred Heart scored touchdowns on back-to-back fumble recoveries. First, it was sophomore linebacker Kellen Sperduto (Oldwick, NJ) ripping the ball out of Chowan running back DaSean Martin's hands and returning it 20 yards to the end zone. Next, it was junior Preston Sanford (Birmingham, AL) picking up and returning a Denis Regan forced fumble 40 yards to the end zone.

In the win, The Sacred Heart defense recorded 12 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.

Sacred Heart looks for five in a row next weekend when they travel to take on the Bucknell Bison next Saturday night.

BOX SCORE  Video

COURTESY SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Cleveland Classic: Winston-Salem dominates Tuskegee, 35-13

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tuskegee scored a touchdown on the very first play from scrimmage Saturday at the 2013 Cleveland Classic at FirstEnergy Stadium. For the rest of the game, it was all Winston-Salem State.

The Rams, 19th-ranked in Division II, improved to 2-1 with five unanswered touchdowns – two in the first quarter and two in the third quarter – with a 35-13 win over the 17th-ranked Golden Tigers (2-1), handing Tuskegee its first loss.

“We played well in all three aspects – offense, defense and special teams,” Winston-Salem coach Connell Maynor said. “We gave up that first big play, but we recovered and played Ram defense the rest of the way. Offensively, we established ourselves with two long drives for scores, and I think that kind of changed the momentum and changed the tone of the game.”

The Rams gained 222 yards on the ground and 245 yards through the air, outgaining Tuskegee 467-286.

CONTINUE READING

A Saturday afternoon with a breeze: Ohio State coasts past Florida A&M, 76-0

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jordan Hall bounced to his right and extended his forearm to thwart off any potential tacklers. He had one body in his way: the referee.

The poor official took Hall's elbow to his side before being buried by a Florida A&M defender in pursuit. He also proved to be the only obstacle standing in Ohio State's path on Saturday.

The Buckeyes battered the Rattlers, 76-0 at The Horseshoe, behind a school-record six touchdown passes from quarterback Kenny Guiton.

Ohio State paid Florida A&M $900,000 to make the trek to Columbus. The Buckeyes got their money's worth.

ESPN Highlights  » 

 
Guiton tossed all six of his scores in the first half. Playing in place of Braxton Miller for the second consecutive week, Guiton became the first quarterback in program history to throw for four or more touchdowns in each of his first two starts.

Urban Meyer's bunch tallied five first-quarter touchdowns. An errant Guiton pass on Ohio State's opening drive resulted in an interception in the end zone, but Florida A&M's Patrick Aiken attempted a return and fumbled the ball back to the Buckeyes on the three-yard line. Hall punched it in on the ensuing snap.

CONTINUE READING

Bethune-Cookman excited about opportunity to play Florida State

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Normally when Bethune-Cookman steps up in competition, coach Brian Jenkins will downplay the magnitude of the game while throwing in an apology to his opponent, as in, “No offense to (opponent here), but we treat this game like any other game.''

But this week, Jenkins went all Vince Dooley on Florida State, going as far as saying he thinks the No. 8 Seminoles are “destined to win a national championship.''

FSU (2-0) will host B-CU (3-0) at 6 p.m. today at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. And the usually stoic Wildcats, who are coming off their first win against a top-tier Division I opponent, seem genuinely excited to step into one of college football's most venerated arenas.

 

“You get a chance to go up against one of the best programs not only in the state but in the nation and you've got to get excited about that opportunity and the 'what if,' '' Jenkins said. “A lot of fans are excited. Everybody's excited. There's excitement in the air for our program and for our university, period.''

 

The Wildcats enter the game riding high after trouncing Florida International 34-13 last week. Now the stakes go up as they will face one of the top teams in the nation.

 

CONTINUE READING 

PVAMU Panther Football Prepares For Home Opener This Weekend

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

OPPONENT: Alabama A&M

TIME: 6:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Prairie View, Texas

WEATHER:   http://www.weather.com/weather/tomorrow/Prairie+View+TX+77446:4:US

PV GAME NOTES: Click Here

AAMU GAME NOTES: TBA

INTERNET VIDEO:  http://pvpanthers.com/showcase/

RADIO: KPVU 91.3 FM (Leonard Moon)

INTERNET RADIO: http://129.207.137.200/kpvulive

LIVE STATS: Click Here

FACEBOOK: Prairie View A&M Panther Athletics

TWITTER: PVAthletics

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M ROSTER: www.pvpanthers.com/roster.aspx?path=football

AAMU ROSTER: http://aamusports.com/roster.aspx?path=football

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M returns home to the friendly confines of Blackshear Field for the first time this season as they host the Alabama A&M Bulldogs in a key SWAC match-up on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.  Both teams enter the game looking to get back on the winning track as both fell in contrasting fashions last weekend on the road.

The Panthers are coming off an emotional double overtime loss to Southern last weekend in Baton Rouge, La. while Alabama A&M fell to South Carolina State in a non-conference match-up.  Prairie View A&M enters today's game looking to snap a two-game slide to the Bulldogs which dates back to 2011.  When A&M entered the SWAC in 1999, the contest was scheduled in September until 2004 when the series was pushed back to the end of the season.  Prairie View A&M began to have success against the Bulldogs when playing in November as they rattled off six straight wins until 2011. 

When playing in September, the series favors AAMU as they're 5-0 against the Panthers during that span.

Offensively, the Panthers feature a balanced attack led by junior quarterback Jerry Lovelocke (755 yards passing, 3 TDs), running back Courtney Brown (114 ypg, 5 TD), running back Johnta' Hebert (72 ypg, 4 TD) and wide receiver Deandre Cooper (21 receptions).  Defensively, linebackers Raheem Cardwell, Jerome Howard and Jamespaul Bryant lead the way with 37, 26 and 19 tackles, respectively.  Howard has a team-high three sacks and six tackles for loss.



COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Perceived role as big favorite worries S.C. State’s Pough

COLUMBIA, South Carolina  -- A big favorite against a smaller Palmetto State school hungry to pull a major upset, only to get eventually overwhelmed by the larger, more resourceful larger school.

South Carolina State played the underdog role two weeks ago when it traveled to Memorial Stadium to face third-ranked Clemson. Despite the Bulldogs’ best effort, the Tigers dominated from the outset to pull off a 52-13 victory.

Different Tiger, different role for S.C. State today at Williams-Brice Stadium. This time, it’s the Bulldogs who enjoy the perceived personnel advantages against a Division II Benedict College team it has defeated 11 straight times and defeated by an average of 43.3 points in the previous three Palmetto Capital City Classic meetings.

The Goliath mantle is something S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough has been reluctant to wear entering today’s game. In fact, he sees a closer gap competitively between Benedict and S.C. State as compared to his team and Clemson.



CONTINUE READING

UAPB Golden Lions in a Familiar Spot Going into Saturday

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (0-3, 0-1 SWAC)
vs.
Alcorn State Braves (2-1, 1-0 SWAC)
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Golden Lion Stadium

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- There's an old saying that goes "We got'em right where we want'em". If that's true, the Alcorn State Braves are in a little trouble. You see, last season, the Golden Lions lost a tough game to Alabama A&M at home, then proceded to stomp their way through the rest of the schedule en route to a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.

Well, here we are again. Last week, the Golden Lions came from 21 points down to take the lead, only to give up a late touchdown after a botched play on special teams and go on to lose to Alabama State 40-39. If history stays the course, the Golden are set to tee off on Alcorn State on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Golden Lions Stadium.

I think everyone understands the situation that we're in," said UAPB head coach Monte Coleman.

"Last year this time, after one SWAC game we were 0-1 with the loss to Alabama A&M, so we're by no means out of the race. There's one team in the SWAC that's won two SWAC games, so we're in the hunt."

By no means are Coleman and his staff panicing. "We're right where we need to be," he said. "The thing we've got to do is start winning football games, and the thing that we're doing is practicing to make sure that we win this game against Alcorn."

Though the mission is clear, it won't be easy. Alcorn State was a much improved team in 2012 and that has continued into this season. The Braves come into Saturday with a 2-1 record and 1-0 in the SWAC. They are coming off of a dramatic 35-28 come-from-behind win last Saturday over Mississippi Valley State.

The Braves lead the league in scoring averaging 35 points per game. Alcorn State is powered by a rugged running game led by tailback Arnold Walker. Walker is ranked sixth in the SWAC in rushing. He has a total of 216 yards, averaging 72 yards per game.

"The thing we're trying to do this week is just slow down and make sure that we take care of our responsibility before we try to help our teammate and I think we'll fair well this week against their running attack," said Coleman.

"We're very young on the defensive line. We've got one starter out of the four, which is Troy Goss. I told them that we have to play a little more aggressive and also take care of our responsibility. A lot of times, we tend to try and help our teammate before we take care of our responsibility and it gets us in trouble."

Alcorn State also has one of the SWAC's most prolific passers in John Gibbs. Gibbs is ranked second in the SWAC in Passing Efficiency. However, the Golden Lions counter with quarterback Ben Anderson, who is ranked third in the SWAC in Passing Yards/Game. Anderson is averaging 190.7 yards per contest. Anderson is also ranked fourth in the SWAC in total offense with 211.7 yards per game.

In addition to Anderson, the UAPB offense got on track against Alabama State after being squeezed in the first two games. There have been some surprises early on, as several young players have stepped into some vacancies left by missing veterans, particularly in the backfield. The duo of freshman tailbacks, Jeremiah Young and Jamie Smith have stepped in and lended balance to the UAPB attack. Smith is averaging 54.7 yards per game, while Young has scored in all three games this season. He has also thrown a touchdown pass.

"That's what good football teams are made of. You're going to lose players throughout the season, and when they go down somebody else has to take the responsibility and say I'm going to step up," said coach Coleman. "We've been very blessed and very fortunate to have good running backs. One running back goes down, we can plug in another one. It couldn't be more evident in this past game or this season."

"With (Justin) Billings not being able to play, (Aaron) LaGrone not being able to play, Jamie Smith stepped in a did a great job. Jeremiah Young has come in and done a great job and that's what we're going to need. We're going to need guys stepping up and if it's not the running backs, then we've got to be able to throw the football."

UAPB wideout Isaiah Ferguson also had a solid game against the Hornets. He finished the game with 115 yards on four catches. "Isaiah Ferguson had a tremendous game last week for us, keeping us in a game that we felt like we should have won," Coleman commented "That's part of recruiting. Young guys have to come in and play on occasions and the ones we've played so far this year have made a great impact for us."



QUICKIE NOTES

The Matchup:
This game has the appearance of two teams heading in different directions, at least on paper. The preseason favorite Golden Lions with games against two strong programs, then faced the preseason Eastern Division favorites Alabama State at home. The result was an 0-3 start. The Golden Lions now face Alcorn State, who just happens to be sitting atop the Eastern Division standings at the moment. The Braves' loss came to Mississippi State. With both teams putting up a lot of points last weekend, fireworks could be in order today.

The Series:
The Golden Lions lead the series 20-13-2. UAPB has won four of the last five meetings. Last season, UAPB used big plays in the second half to defeat Alcorn State. UAPB led 7-6 at halftime. The Golden Lions dominated the second half, outscoring the Brave 17-0.

Players to Watch
UAPB -
(RB) Jamie Smith - 164 yards, 1 TD on 38 carries (54.7 ypg)
(RB) Jeremiah Young - 67 yards, 3 TD on 22 carries (22.3 ypg - Has scored in all 3 games)
(QB) Benjamin Anderson - 49-of-89, 572 yards, 3 TDs, (190.7 ypg)
(WR) Dezmond Beverly - 10 rec, 139 yards (46.3 ypg)
(LB) Jer-ryan Harris - 40 tackles (13 solo), 1 TFL (1 fumble return for TD)
(P) Tyler Strickland - 19 punts, 779 yards (41.0 ypp)
ALCN -
(RB) Arnold Walker - 216 yards, 5 TDs (72 ypg)
(QB) John Gibbs - 44-of-71, 499 yards, 4 TDs (166.3 ypg)
(WR) Tavoris Doss - 8 rec, 114 yards, 1 TD (38 ypg)
(LB) William Thomas - 18 tackles (10 solo), 1 TFL
(LB) Deion Roberson - 14 tackles (7 solo), 5 TFL, 1 FF
(DB) Damon Watkins - 18 tackles (15 solo), 1 BU, 1 PD

Last time out:
UAPB -
The Golden Lions overcame a 21-point deficit, let it slip away down the stretch in a 40-39 loss to Alabama State. Alabama State jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. But after trimming the deficit to 24-13 by halftime, the Golden Lions scored 19 unanswered points to take a 32-24 lead. But, the lead wouldn't hold as a long drive, followed by a short drive set up by a botched punt, gave the Hornets the win. The loss spoiled a dramatic comeback effort for the Lions.

ALCN -
The Braves trailed Mississippi Valley 21-7 at halftime, but stormed back in the second half to get a 35-28 win at home. After tying the game in the fourth quarter. the Braves recovered an onside kick. John Gibbs gave the Braves the lead for good, hitting LaDarrien Davis on a 22-yard touchdown pass, putting the Braves up 28-21. Alcorn scored one more touchdown to put the game away.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Men's Basketball Announces 2013-14 Schedule

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- The Tennessee State men’s basketball team has announced its upcoming schedule for the 2013-14 season. The slate includes 14 non-conference matchups, nine of which will be on the road.

“As our program moves forward, we wanted to play some of the toughest competition in the country and I think we did that,” head coach Travis Williams said. “We also wanted to let our student-athletes see different parts of the country and experience things that they have never experienced before.”

 

After a tune-up exhibition against Lemoyne-Owen at home on Nov.4, the Tigers will begin the regular season in Honolulu, Hawai’i for the Rainbow Classic. TSU will play host Hawai’i on Nov. 8, New Mexico State Nov. 9 and Western Michigan Nov. 11.

“The Rainbow Classic is a very well-respected tournament and Hawai’i, New Mexico State and Western Michigan are very good programs that had winning records last season,” Williams said.

Following the trip to the paradise islands, the Tigers will go to Kansas for a tilt at 2012-13 Final Four team Wichita State on Nov. 16 before coming home to face cross-town rival Lipscomb on Nov. 18.

“Coach Marshall at Wichita State has taken that program to the highest level and they were just one game short of the National Championship. I’m excited about our guys playing a team of that caliber,” Williams said.

TSU will then hit the road for contests at Tennessee (Nov. 22), Auburn (Nov. 26), USC Upstate (Nov. 30), Drexel (Dec. 7) and Illinois State (Dec. 19). Sandwiched in-between those matchups are home games versus Alabama A&M on Dec. 3 and Fisk on Dec. 15.

The Tigers will play host for the remaining non-conference contests when Miami (Ohio) and former TSU coach John Cooper come to town on Dec. 21 and Middle Tennessee State visits the Gentry Center on Jan. 7.

“I’m looking forward to catching up with Coach Cooper,” Williams said. "I was his top assistant when he was here, and I thank him for that, but it will be a different experience coaching against him."

TSU will start Ohio Valley Conference play on the road at Eastern Illinois (Dec. 28). The remaining road OVC matchups are Southeast Missouri State (Jan. 11), UT Martin (Jan. 13), Jacksonville State (Jan. 16), Tennessee Tech (Jan. 30), Belmont (Feb. 13), Morehead State (Feb. 27) and Eastern Kentucky (March 1).

The home schedule for conference games includes Tennessee Tech (Jan. 2), Jacksonville State (Jan. 4), Belmont (Jan. 18), Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 23), Morehead State (Jan. 25), Austin Peay (Feb. 6), Murray State (Feb. 8) and SIUE (Feb. 20).

“The level of competition in this conference is incredible, and any team can win on any given night,” Williams said. "Our team will have to be physically and mentally prepared for each and every game."

This year’s Ohio Valley Conference Tournament will be held at the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville from March 5-8.

 

TSU 2013-14 Men's Basketball Schedule 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

 

XU's Montrel, Mandlekar, Bruins advance at HBCU event

JONESBORO, Georgia --  Xavier University of Louisiana's Kyle Montrel and Tushar Mandlekar each won twice Friday to advance to title matches at the HBCU National Tennis Championships.

Montrel, a sophomore seeded fourth in the men's singles A flight, defeated Prairie View A&M's Jackson Varney 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals, then fought off six match points to upset Florida A&M's top-seeded Rodney Carey 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).

Mandlekar, an unseeded freshman in the men's B flight, also defeated a pair of NCAA Division I players. He beat Prairie View's Trenton Johnson 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals and Bethune-Cookman's Santiago Lobelo 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in the semifinals.

Also advancing was unseeded XU freshman Sha'Nel Bruins in the women's singles C flight. Bruins defeated Tuskegee's fourth-seeded Meheq Khokar 6-1, 6-1 and Prairie View's Payton Gore 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semifinals.

Montrel will play Saturday in his final against third-seeded Daniil Gerasimov of North Carolina Central, and Mandlekar will face Florida A&M's Zack Evenden, who advanced when XU freshman Jordan Harrell retired because of cramping in the third set of their semifinal. Harrell led 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 1-0.

Bruins will play Southern's top-seeded Morgan Taylor in the semifinals.

Montrel and Mandlekar, top-seeded in men's A doubles, advanced to the semifinals with an 8-3 victory against North Carolina Central's Stephan Charles-Donatien and Tamina Kienka. Harrell and Nikita Soifer, seeded first in men's B doubles, beat Tennessee State's Daniel Bernal and Joe Daniels 8-0 to reach the semifinals.

Thursday's story: http://www.xula.edu/athletics/news/2013/0919a.html

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

NSU's Clark Announces 2013-14 Women's Basketball Schedule

COACH DEBRA CLARK

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Head coach Debra Clark and the Norfolk State women's basketball team released their 2013-14 schedule. NSU will host 14 home games at Joseph Echols Hall in addition to participating in two-day tournaments hosted by Texas San Antonio and James Madison University.

"I'm very excited to have the opportunity to play 14 games home this season," said Clark. "We also play a very competitive non-conference schedule which I feel will prepare us for the tough competition we will face in the MEAC."

2013-14 NSU Women's Basketball Schedule

NSU will host Virginia Wesleyan in an exhibition game on Nov. 4 before opening the regular season at Morehead State on Nov. 8.

NSU will then host a trio of games at Joseph Echols Hall, including the home opener on Nov. 15 vs. Radford. The Spartans will also host UNC Greensboro on Nov. 20 and Wofford on Nov. 24.

The Spartans will travel to San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 29-30 for the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic, where they will play Texas-Pan American and Texas-San Antonio.

NSU will remain home for the next four games as it takes on both MEAC and non-conference opponents. The MEAC schedule opens with Florida A&M on Dec. 5 and then Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 7. The Spartans will have a 10 day break before competing against East Carolina on Dec. 17 and Virginia University-Lynchburg on Dec. 20.

The Spartans will close out their December schedule in Harrisonburg, Va., at the James Madison Invitational tournament on Dec. 29-30, where they will take on UMBC and either James Madison or Ohio.

The Spartans will face their last non-conference opponent of the season on Jan. 5 as they travel to Philadelphia, Pa., to take on the University of Pennsylvania.

NSU resumes MEAC play on the road at Maryland Eastern Shore on Jan. 11 and at Delaware State on Jan. 13. NSU will host two games in January, including Morgan State on Jan. 18 and Coppin State on Jan. 20. The Spartans will finish out the month of January at South Carolina State on Jan. 25 and at Savannah State on Jan. 27.

Norfolk State will travel to Morgan State on Feb. 8 before welcoming Howard on Feb. 10 and Hampton on Feb. 15. The Spartans will play three final road games as they visit Coppin State on Feb. 22, Howard on Feb. 24, and Hampton on March 1.

NSU will close out the regular season at Echols Hall with a game against UMES on March 3 and then North Carolina Central on March 6.

The 2014 MEAC Tournament will be held March 10-15 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Va.

By Chaundrea Lee, Media Relations Assistant
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Four TSU Tigers Remain in Hunt for Hardware at HBCU Championships

ATLANTA, Georgia  – The Tennessee State tennis continued play on Friday at the HBCU National Tennis Championships in Atlanta, Ga.

 

In quarterfinal play, Daniel Bernal lost a hard fought 6-3, 6-3 battle to the #3 seed, Daniil Gerasimov, North Carolina Central, in the men’s A Flight. The loss ended Bernal’s chase for a title, while Gerasimov added a win in the semifinals and will play in the championships match on Saturday morning.

 

Bernal continued play on the day as he teamed up with Joe Daniels in the men’s B Doubles. The Tiger duo earned an 8-6 victory over Fabrice George and Jamal Hoyte from North Carolina Central in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, the tandem ran into Jordan Harrell and Nikita Soifer, the top seeded team from Xavier (La.), and fell 8-0 to end their run in the tournament.

 

Daniels advanced in the men’s B Flight consolation over Kahai Hall of Morehouse and will face William East of North Carolina Central. The quarterfinal match will begin at 10:30am.

 

Jared Asher and Branden McClain fell just short, 8-5, in their first match of doubles action against James Jackson and Carlos McYntre of Prairie View A&M.

 

In women’s action, Attalah Eiland dropped an 8-4 contest to Veronika Kalugina from Stillman.

 

Jared Asher and Branden McClain will compete in men’s C Flight quarterfinal action. Asher will face Tuskegee’s Bobby Smith, while McClain will square off with Prairie View A&M’s James Jackson. Both matches are scheduled to start at 1:30pm.

 

Trinity Randolph will compete in a 1:00pm women’s C Flight consolation semifinal. Randolph will face the winner of the quarterfinal between Kalugina and third seeded Maria Dimitrova of Bethune-Cookman. 

 

Friday’s Results

 

Men A Flight

(3) Daniil Gerasimov, North Carolina Central defeated Daniel Bernal, TSU 6-3, 6-3

 

Men B Flight

Joe Daniels, TSU defeated Kahai Hall, Morehouse Def (ns)

 

Women C Flight

Veronika Kalugina, Stillman defeated Attalah Eiland, TSU 8-4

 

Men’s B Doubles

Daniel Bernal and Joe Daniels, TSU defeated Fabrice George and Jamal Hoyte, North Carolina Central 8-6

(1) Jordan Harrell and Nikita Soifer, Xavier (La.) defeated Daniel Bernal and Joe Daniels, TSU 8-0

 

James Jackson and Carlos McYntre, Prairie View A&M defeated Jared Asher and Branden McClain, TSU 8-5

  

Saturday Schedule

 

Men B Flight

Joe Daniels, TSU vs. William East, North Carolina Central 10:30am

 

Men C Flight

Jared Asher, TSU vs. Bobby Smith, Tuskegee 1:30pm

 

Branden McClain, TSU vs. James Jackson, Prairie View A&M 1:30pm

 

Women C Flight

Trinity Randolph, TSU vs. Semifinals 1:00pm

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Saint Augustine's football player overcomes hearing disability

RALEIGH, North Carolina  — When asked what the toughest thing is for him on the football field, Javarous Faulk simply responded, “Communication.”

Faulk, a St. Augustine defensive end, is essentially deaf able to hear sounds and tones through a hearing aid. But he is right at home after the ball is snapped.

“I’m just able to be me,” said Faulk, who was votied a second-team Division
II All-American by USA College Football. “It makes me happy.”

In 10 games last season, Faulk tallied 42 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. The 6-foot-1, 245-pounder has overcome his hearing disability and is now one of the most feared linemen in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

 When Faulk was only 3 years old in Macon, Ga., his mother, Debra Robinson, began noticing signs that led her to believe he might be losing his hearing. His word pronunciation seemed off, he would try to repeat words back and wouldn’t respond to his name when he was called.

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Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/09/20/3213181/st-augs-football-player-overcomes.html#storylink=cpy

Battle of the Bands: Texas Southern vs. Jackson State

XU wins 13-of-16 matches on first day of 2013-14 season

JONESBORO, Ga. — Xavier University of Louisiana's tennis teams won a combined 13-of-16 matches Thursday — 8-of-9 by their newcomers — on the first day of the HBCU National Championships.
     
The tournament is the first of two on the XU fall schedule, but first-day jitters were not a problem. Freshmen Tushar Mandlekar, Jordan Harrell, Sha'Nel Bruins and Brandi Nelson began their collegiate careers with singles victories. Mandlekar won twice and upset Florida A&M's third-seeded Courage Okungbowa 6-1, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the men's B flight.
     
Transfers Kevin Chaouat and Vincenzo Ciccone also won their XU singles debuts. Chaouat won twice to join Harrell and Mandlekar in the men's B quarterfinals.
      
Harrell, a No. 4 seed, defeated Howard's Myron Davis 6-2, 6-2. In the women's C flight, Bruins defeated Tuskegee's Raynah Favor 6-0, 6-1, and Nelson beat Tennessee State's Attallah Eiland 6-0, 6-0.
      
Returning NAIA All-Americans Kyle Montrel, Nikita Soifer and Kourtney Howell advanced in singles. Howell and Amber Brown won 8-3 in women's A doubles against Stillman's Litia Godinet and Veronika Kalugina, who were 26-2 last season.
     T
he Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets, both ranked among the top five in last season's final NAIA poll, were a combined 7-3 against NCAA Division I opponents.
     
The tournament will continue Friday and conclude Saturday at Clayton County Tennis Center.

Results:  Men    Women

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

Xavier Rush schedule: exhibition at LSU, GCAC tourney in N.O.

 
NEW ORLEANS — The 2013-14 Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball schedule includes a first-time visit to LSU and a chance for XU fans to stay home and watch the Gold Rush compete for the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship.
     
Dannton Jackson, in his 11th season as head coach of the Gold Rush, announced Thursday the schedule, which includes 15-of-29 regular season games in the Convocation Center.
      
Xavier will open its 76th season at 7 p.m. on Nov. 1 against Carver College of Atlanta in the Convocation Center. It will be the 20th consecutive season that the Gold Rush open at home, and the XU men will attempt to win their opener for the 18th straight season.
     
 Five days later, on Nov. 6, the Gold Rush will visit LSU in a 7 p.m. exhibition game. It will be the third time in eight seasons that the XU men play an exhibition against an SEC opponent. They visited Arkansas in 2006 and Vanderbilt in 2011.
      
The GCAC selected New Orleans as the host city for its 2014 men's and women's basketball tournaments. Xavier, one of three GCAC members from New Orleans, is committed to a role in the event, which will be played during the first full week of March. Venues, dates and times will be announced later.


      
Additional schedule highlights include:

     •  The Crosstown Classic on Jan. 25 against longtime HBCU, city and GCAC rival Dillard.
     •  A rematch with Faulkner, which defeated Xavier in the opening round of last season's Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. The Eagles and Gold Rush will play Dec. 19 in Montgomery, Ala.
     •  Games against NCAA Division II opponents Albany State (Nov. 9 at Xavier) and LeMoyne-Owen (Nov. 30 in Memphis, Tenn.)
     •  Home-and-away matchups with former GCAC rivals Loyola, Belhaven, Mobile, Spring Hill and William Carey.
     •  Seven of the first 10 regular-season games at home and six consecutive home games in January.
     •  Senior Day on Feb. 22 against Tougaloo.
       
Xavier will begin its 32nd GCAC schedule Jan. 4 at Fisk, then visit first-year GCAC member Voorhees two days later. The first conference home game will be Jan. 11 against city rival SUNO.
     
Still to be determined is which home contest will be the NABC Suits and Sneakers Game for cancer awareness and fundraising.
      
It will be the second season of basketball in the Convocation Center, a $25 million facility which seats nearly 4,000. The Gold Rush were 12-3 in the building last season, including victories against Morehouse, Tuskegee, Mobile, SUNO, Philander Smith and Dillard.
     
The GCAC Tournament men's champion will earn an automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. Xavier qualified for nationals last season as an at-large selection and reached the tournament for the third consecutive year and the seventh time in nine seasons. The Gold Rush were 24-8 overall in 2012-13 and 11-3 in the GCAC to share the regular-season title with Philander Smith. Xavier ranked 24th in the NAIA Division I postseason poll for the second consecutive year.

2013-14 Xavier University Men's Basketball Schedule Click here for detailed schedule information Nov. 1 (Fri.):  CARVER, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 (Wed.):  at LSU (exhibition), 7 p.m. Nov. 9 (Sat.):  ALBANY STATE (DH), 2 p.m. Nov. 11 (Mon.):  at Mobile (DH), 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 (Thu.):  WILEY, 7 p.m. Nov. 19 (Tue.):  LOYOLA, 7 p.m. Nov. 23 (Sat.):  TEXAS COLLEGE (DH), 2 p.m. (1) Nov. 26 (Tue.):  at Wiley, 6 p.m. Nov. 30 (Sat.):  at LeMoyne-Owen, 2 p.m. Dec. 5 (Thu.):  WILLIAM CAREY (DH), 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 (Sat.):  MOBILE, 3 p.m. Dec. 14 (Sat.):  at Loyola, 4 p.m. Dec. 17 (Tue.):  at Spring Hill, 7 p.m. Dec. 19 (Thu.):  at Faulkner, 6 p.m. Dec. 30 (Mon.):  at Belhaven, 2 p.m. Jan. 4 (Sat.):  • at Fisk (DH), 5 p.m. Jan. 6 (Mon.):  • at Voorhees (DH), 7:30 p.m. EST Jan. 11 (Sat.):  • SUNO (DH), 5 p.m. Jan. 13 (Mon.):  SPRING HILL, 7 p.m. Jan. 18 (Sat.):  • EDWARD WATERS (DH), 5 p.m. Jan. 20 (Mon.):  • TALLADEGA (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 (Sat.):  • DILLARD (DH), 5 p.m. (2) Jan. 28 (Tue.):  BELHAVEN, 7 p.m. Feb. 1 (Sat.):  • at Tougaloo (DH), 5 p.m. Feb. 3 (Mon.):  • at Philander Smith (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 (Sat.):  • at SUNO (DH), 5 p.m. Feb. 11 (Tue.):  at William Carey (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 (Mon.):  • PHILANDER SMITH (DH), 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 (Sat.):  • TOUGALOO (DH), 5 p.m. (3) March 1 (Sat.):  • at Dillard (DH), 5 p.m. TBA:  GCAC TOURNAMENT IN NEW ORLEANS, TBA March 19-25 (Wed.-Tue.):  Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship, Kansas City, Mo. Home matches (in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS) will be played at the Convocation Center (capacity 3,937), Xavier University campus, New Orleans • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game TBA — To be announced All times are Central except where noted (DH) — doubleheader with Xavier's women (1) — Homecoming (2) — Crosstown Classic (3) — Senior Day Call (504) 520-7329 for ticket information

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

Rivalry Week: Golden Bulls, Wildcats square off at J.C. Smith

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Keahn Wallace hasn’t forgotten his first encounter against cross-county rival Davidson.

In 2011 as a Johnson C. Smith freshman, Wallace completed 11-of-29 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown in Davidson’s 35-7 victory. His counterpart, Jonathan Carkhuff, had a field day, passing for 427 yards and five touchdowns. Two scores went to receiver Lanny Funsten, who caught seven passes for a career-best 195 yards, including a school-record 99-yarder.

“They snuck up on us my freshman year and they beat us pretty bad,” quarterback Keahn Wallace said. “I doubt that will happen this year.”

Wallace and the Golden Bulls will get their chance to prove it Saturday at McGirt Field. Davidson and JCSU have played three times, with Davidson winning the last two. This year, the teams are off to decidedly different starts, with the Golden Bulls 2-0 while the Wildcats are 0-2 after a 34-18 loss to Division II Lenoir-Rhyne last week in Davidson’s home opener.

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Mo. Southern football hosts Lincoln in the MIAA TV Game of the Week

JOPLIN, Missouri -- The Missouri Southern football team will look to go to 3-0 for the second season in a row as the Lions play host to Lincoln University this Saturday in the MIAA TV Game of the Week. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium is slated for 2:37 pm.

The Series: Lincoln won the first two games in the series back in 1969 and 1970, but the Lions have won the last seven in a row. Southern is 7-2 overall in the series and are 4-1 at home, while carrying a 2-1 record in Jefferson City. Southern won 56-14 in 2011 when the two teams played in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis and the Lions won again last year in a rain-soaked 21-14 game that came down to the last play.

The Dish on the Blue Tigers: Lincoln is coming off of a 47-34 win over Division I Grambling State in the Missouri Classic at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The Blue Tigers are 1-1 on the season after dropping a season-opening game at Lindenwood, 24-22.

Offensively, Morris Henderson leads the rushing attack with 28 carries and 236 yards, hitting the endzone three times. Quarterback Jacob Morris is the second-leading rusher on the team with 79 yards and one score. Although Henderson has more yards than Morris, Morris has more carries, having lost 49 yards on sacks. Khirey Draine is the leading receiver for Linclon, having caught nine balls for 93 yards and 10.3 per catch. He has one touchdown. Maurice Woodard has eight catches for 118 yards and Andre Borney has five receptions and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Blue Tigers are led by Kendrick Causey as the senior linebacker has 21 tackles. Brian Smith has 16 tackles, including two forced fumbles and two recoveries. Justis Schulte leads the team with a sack and has nine tackles and one forced fumble.

The Blue Tigers will be back at home next weekend, playing host to Pittsburg State in Jefferson City.

A Victory vs. Lincoln Would: give the Lions eight wins in a row against the Blue Tigers. It would be the second season in a row the Lions had started 3-0. It would be the first time a Southern team had gone 3-0 to start the season in back-to-back years since the Lions did it in each of the 1975, 76 and 77 seasons. The Lions haven't gone 4-0 to start a season since 2002.

The Coaches: Daryl Daye is in his second season as the head coach at Missouri Southern. Last year, he led the Lions to a 6-5 record, the first winning season since 2007. After installing a triple-option offensive attack, the Lions set school records for rushing yards and rushing attempts, while tying a school record for rushing touchdowns.

Daye came back to Southern after serving two seasons with the NFL's Buffalo Bills as Assistant to the Head Coach. He assisted Defensive Coordinator Dave Wannstedt in coaching the inside linebackers and also helped to coach the special teams units. Prior to his stint with the Bills, Daye served for four years with the Lions as the team's defensive coordinator. In 2008, the Lions led the MIAA in pass defense. Southern held its opponents to 172 passing yards per game and recorded 58 tackles for a loss, 15 sacks and recovered all 15 fumbles the team forced.The 2007 MSSU defense helped the Lions to their first winning season in 12 years. The defense led the MIAA in total defense for the 1st time in school history and also led the MIAA pass defense, opponents' first downs, passing efficiency and were ranked second in Opponents third and fourth down conversions. The Lions' defense was ranked 21st nationally in total defense and also broke a 17 year old division II school record with 21 interceptions.

Prior to Southern, Daye worked as special teams coach for the Southern University and also served as head coach at Nicholls State University in Thibodeaux, La., from 1999-2003, and as an assistant at Liberty, LSU and Southern Miss.

Former NFL linebacker and St. Louis Ram Mike Jones is in his second year as a collegiate head coach and in his third season at Lincoln University. He is 3-21 overall in two seasons at Lincoln. Jones spent the past season as linebacker coach at Southern University in Louisiana, where the Jaguars went 2-9. Southern's defense recorded several solid numbers in 2010, including 26 sacks, eight interceptions and 92 tackles for loss.

Before his time at Southern, Jones spent six years at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis, where he spent two years as head coach leading the team to a state title in 2008, when the team went 12-2. Overall as a head coach, he went 18-7.

COURTESY MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS