TSU Men's Golf to Compete at Skyhawk Classic

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee State men’s golf team will travel to play in the Skyhawk Classic on Oct. 7-8. The two-day, 54-hole classic will consist of 16 teams playing the first two rounds on Monday, with the final round on Tuesday. The University of Tennessee at Martin event will be played at the Par-72, 6,685 yard Paris Landing State Park, and part of the Tennessee Golf Trail.

 

The Tigers will face off against Alabama State and Jackson State, as well as Ohio Valley Conference opponents Austin Peay, Murray State and the host, UTM. MSU and the Skyhawks will field two teams for the classic. IPFW, Southern Illinois, Bethel, Christian Brothers, Dalton State, John A. Logan, Lee and Union will round out the field.

 

Head coach Parrish McGrath will send out seniors Andrew Warner and Codie Welborn, along with juniors James Stepp and Matt Campbell. Sophomore Blake Burgett will complete the five-man team. Warner, Welborn and Stepp are competing in their third tournament this season; Burgett will participate in his second straight. Campbell will take to the links for the first time this year.

 

The Tigers finished third at the National Black College Hall of Fame, Inc. Invitational last week. Warner led the squad carding a 5-under, 67.

 

Monday’s opening round will begin with an 8:00am shotgun start. The second round will begin immediately following the first 18-holes of play.

 

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2013-2014 SWAC Preview: Texas Southern is ready to run

HOUSTON, Texas  -- Texas Southern was the best team in the SWAC last season, garnering a 16-2 league record and a regular season crown. Coached by former Indiana and UAB leader Mike Davis, and playing behind burly 6-foot-9 senior Kyrie Sutton, the team would have likely grabbed the SWAC’s auto-bid had they been eligible for the postseason, but NCAA issues had them sidelined, and Southern University made the Dance instead, scaring Gonzaga with a 64-58 near-miss.

This year, Davis and his guys are out from under the ban, and they’ve added troubled big man Aaric Murray as a graduate transfer. If off-court issues don’t interfere, the Tigers have the speed and size to run the table.

The Southern Jaguars can be expected to put up a fight to retain their crown. Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff were the only league teams to beat Davis’ squad last year, and they’ll be the ones likely to make a run at it again this season. We’ll have our eye on Grambling as well, watching to see if they can improve on last year’s 0-28 debacle.

PRESEASON SWAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Aaric Murray, Texas Southern

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Can a Cinderella emerge from the SWAC?

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- On March 21st of this year, Gonzaga – the team that arguably popularized the term “Cinderella” as a signifier for mid-major success against the odds – nearly found the glass slipper on the other foot. The Bulldogs were the No. 1 seed, and the pesky, vastly outgunned Southern Jaguars were hanging around, threatening to become the first No. 16 seed to ever pull the first-round upset. The Zags pulled out the win, but the 64-58 final score sent shock waves around the college basketball world.

That it was Southern putting the irons to a top seed was even more shocking than the final score. The Jaguars earned their auto-bid out of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, the league that came in dead last in the kenpom.com rankings last season, below the Great West and DI Independents.

SWAC teams don’t win much, because SWAC teams have no money. The Jaguars, who nearly made NCAA history a few months ago, ranked 341st out of 344 schools in basketball expenditures in 2012. According to the NCAA, each team that appeared in a tourney game last season earned roughly $242,200 for each March Madness showdown. The Southern basketball budget a year ago was roughly $535,000 total.

What could a SWAC team do with two NCAA units? More?

Winning a game or two in the NCAA tournament isn’t a crazy thought for a low-budget program any more. Remember Norfolk State and Lehigh celebrating 15 over 2 upsets on the same day two years ago? Both schools fall well below the median in basketball budget year-in and year-out. Norfolk State, like Southern is ...

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2013-2014 MEAC Preview: Norfolk State to dance once again

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- Norfolk State, a season after advancing to the Round of 32, went a perfect 16-0 to win the MEAC regular season title last season. Dreams of a return trip to the NCAA tournament were dashed when Adrien Coleman and eighth-seeded Bethune-Cookman took down the Spartans in overtime, 70-68, in the MEAC tournament quarterfinals. Norfolk State had to settle for the NIT, losing to Virginia in the first round.

Head coach Anthony Evans took the vacancy at Florida International in mid-April, once Richard Pitino left for Minnesota. Robert Jones has taken over the program in the interim, and if his team can live up to the hype, Norfolk State will likely remove that interim label as the Spartans for the third straight year are eyeing the NCAA tournament. Norfolk State returns four starters, including reigning MEAC Player of the Year Pendarvis Williams.

The MEAC tournament has been unpredicatable in recent seasons with the last three regular season champions not gaining the automatic berth for the NCAA tournament. Norfolk State is the clear-cut favorite, and will take no one lightly in tournament play following last year’s upset, but the Spartans will have some competition. North Carolina Central finished only a game back of Norfolk State last year, and the Eagles bring back the versatile Jeremy Ingram. Morgan State and Hampton both return four starters. Even towards the middle of the pack, a team like Florida A&M could cause chaos in the MEAC this season with a backcourt of Jamie Adams, Reggie Lewis and Muhammad Abdul-Aleem.

PRESEASON SWAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Pendarvis Williams, Norfolk State

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Duhart, Defense Leads ASU Past Texas Southern

HOUSTON, Texas  --  Daniel Duhart threw for 223 yards and a career-high three touchdowns to lead Alabama State to a 34-2 win over Texas Southern in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) match up. The win was ASU's fourth consecutive win.

Most of the scoring was done in the first half as ASU went into the locker room with a 28-0 lead. The second half saw the Hornets backups get most of the playing time as ASU scored six points on two Alex Lauthan field goals in the second half.

"This was a game we knew we needed to win and the guys came out and played hard," Head Coach Reggie Barlow said. "We played with good energy early on. We were proud of the effort the guys gave."

The story of the game was the Hornets defense holding TSU's offense to -38 yards rushing on 29 attempts. That number was even larger in the first half as TSU had -77 yards rushing.

ASU's defense came up with eight sacks lost 73 yards and the defense registered 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage that lost 102 yards. Seven players registered sacks with Daerius Washington and Ray Heningburg leading the way with two each. Leland Baker led the defense with four stops behind the line of scrimmage and Kourtney Berry had 3.5.

TSU did throw for 262 yards to finish the game with 185 total yards. Their two points came in the fourth quarter when they were able to stop an ASU running back in the endzone.

"In my eyes the defense pitched a shutout tonight," Barlow said. "We gave up a safety there at the end which is unfortunate, but I thought our defense played with a lot of energy. They lined up and were very combative and got to the quarterback. We were able to get a couple of turnovers so we are proud of how they played."

For the sixth time this season, the Hornets were able to hit the 200 yards rushing threshold. Isaiah Crowell led the way with 68 yards on 14 carries. He started the scoring with his six yard scoring run early in the game.

With the game in hand, Crowell sat out the second half while other runners played. Malcolm Cyrus finished the game with 60 yards and Khalid Thomas, in his most extensive action of the season, gained 53 yards on seven attempts.

Duhart finished the game completing 19 of his 29 passing attempts to gain his 223 passing yards. Nine players caught passes in the game with Earl Lucas leading the way with seven receptions for 81 yards.

Duhart's three first-half touchdowns went to two different receivers as two went to Justin Robinson and one to DeMario Bell, which covered 43 yards. The scores came after Crowell's six yard scoring run..

The Hornets defense was outstanding in the first half holding TSU to only eight yards on 27 plays. That includes -77 yards rushing on 15 running attempts.

"This was another building block against a team that was looking for a victory and our guys fought through it," Barlow said. "When you play a team that is 0-4 sometimes you have a mental breakdown and I am proud of these guys for not allowing that to happen."

ASU (4-2/ 4-1 SWAC) will be back home next week, Saturday, Oct. 12 when they host Prairie View A&M at 1 p.m. in New ASU Stadium.

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TSU Tigers Run by Southeast Missouri, 40-16

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- Running back Telvin Hooks had a career-high 159 yards and Tennessee State defeated Southeast Missouri State, 40-16, on Saturday night at LP Field.

Senior Tim Broughton added 95 yards on 14 carries as the Tigers (5-1, 2-0 OVC) piled up 544 yards and recorded their third straight game with at least 40 points.

After the teams traded possesions, quarterback Ronald Butler drove the TSU offense 71 yards down the field for a touchdown. Butler found tight end A.C. Leonard on a crossing pattern and Leonard did the rest, scampering 20 yards for the score.

Butler was 5-of-6 on the series for 57 yards and Big Blue led the Redhawks, 7-3, with 14:08 to go before halftime.

The TSU defense forced another punt on Southeast’s next possession, giving its offense good field position at the TSU 38-yard line. Tim Broughton gained 23 yards on a pair of carries but on the next play, Butler was sacked and the freshman fumbled. Southeast’s Cantrell Andrews picked up the ball and raced 68 yards for a Redhawk touchdown.

On the ensuing point after, Southeast could not handle the snap and TSU’s Michael Murphy ended up the ball. He then tossed it behind him to Antinio Harper and the senior from Huntsville, Ala. ran 80 yards, giving the Tigers two points.

The wild two plays made the score even at nine a side with nine minutes to play in the second quarter.

Michael German came in after the offense’s last miscue and hit Weldon Garlington with a 16-yard touchdown two possessions later.

The scoring toss gave the Tigers a 16-9 advantage, where the score would remain for the rest of the half.

Big Blue outgained the Redhawks 243 to 71 during the game’s first 30 minutes.

TSU received to begin the second half and German was a perfect 3-of-3 until the Tigers got into the red zone. Two TSU runs proved unsuccessful and a pass to Vernon Frett fell incomplete, leading to a field goal attempt. Godfrey drilled the 21-yarder, putting TSU up, 19-9, with 9:22 to go in the third period.

With Godfrey’s kick, he passed Javarris Williams’s 264 points for second place on the school’s all-time scoring list.

Junior safety Daniel Fitzpatrick got his second interception of the season on Southeast’s second play of the second half, and returned it to the 36.

Broughton broke off a run of 14 yards two plays into TSU’s next drive and the senior ended up scoring a four-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-one. Broughton’s run brought the score to 26-9 at the 5:16 mark of the third quarter.

After another Redhawk punt, the Tigers took over on their own 16-yard line. Hooks ran for nine yards on first down, and a perfectly executed screen pass sprung Ryan Mitchell loose for a 75-yard touchdown. The quick strike gave TSU a commanding 24-point lead.

Fitzpatrick got his second pick of the game and fourth of his career on Southeast’s next possession, but Godfrey missed a 43-yard field goal attempt on TSU’s following drive.

Later in the fourth, a great punt by Leon Holderhead and heads-up play by the TSU punt team downed the ball at the Redhawk one-yard line. On the next play, Lewis Washington raced 99 yards for a touchdown.

The run was the longest offensive play in Redhawk history and brought the score to 33-16, with TSU on top.

On TSU’s next possession, Hooks ran six times for 65 yards including a 28-yard touchdown to cap off the drive and end the scoring.

The Tigers limited the Redhawks to 229 yards and Nick Thrasher led the team in tackles with five solo stops.

TSU will hit the road next weekend when the team travels to Jacksonville State on Saturday Oct. 12.

    Final Box

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JCSU convincingly defeats Lincoln 49-10

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- The Johnson C. Smith University football team topped The Lincoln University 49-10 in a conference matchup on Saturday, October 5th at the Irwin Belk Complex. JCSU improves to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the CIAA, while the Lions drop to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Junior running back LeAnder Barney (Erie, PA) broke the game open with a 41 yard touchdown run on the Golden Bulls second offensive possession. The first quarter ended with the Lions still trailing 7-0. In the second, Lincoln capped a 12 play drive with a 23 yard field goal. With the score 7-3, JCSU wasted no time producing more points.

Three penalties against Lincoln on the following JCSU drive helped the Golden Bulls get into scoring position. JCSU went 70 yards in seven plays to get into the end zone with a one yard run from Barney. Barney accounted for 20 yards on the drive, but 30 yards came from Lincoln penalties.

Akeem Jordan broke loose on the next Lions' possession for their only touchdown. Jordan took a pass from Doug Cook 65 yards for the TD. The score cut Lincoln's deficit down to 14-10 with 3:45 remaining in the second quarter. JCSU held the Lions scoreless from that point and went on to produce two more touchdowns before halftime.

First, senior running back Denzel Hartley (Lithonia, GA) dashed nine yards for a touchdown on the next drive. Senior defensive back Damion Miles (Beaufort, SC) intercepted a pass at the LU 36 to shorten Lincoln's next offensive series. Then junior quarterback Keahn Wallace (Miami, FL) connected with junior receiver Avius Capers (Charlotte, NC) for a touchdown reception.

The Golden Bulls held a 28-10 lead heading into the locker room at the half. JCSU pretty much routed the Lions in the second half, outscoring them 21-0. Lincoln gave up three consecutive touchdowns to JCSU off two 14 play drives and one 15 play drive.

JCSU held the Lions to 72 yards rushing without one individual rusher accounting for more than 18 yards. Junior linebacker Jerel Miller (Rock Hill, SC) had a team-high eight tackles (4 solo), including a tackle and a half for a loss and an interception returned 15 yards. Miles had six tackles (5 solo) and an interception.

Wallace completed 28-of-39 pass attempts for 259 yards passing with three touchdowns and no turnovers. He also had 29 yards on the ground. Barney had a MVP performance with 166 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. He carried the ball 15 times for 94 yards and two scores. Barney also had five catches for 72 yards.

Four different receivers had touchdown catches led by Capers. Capers had nine catches for 77 yards and a TD.

Both Cook and freshman Khari Ngozi took snaps at quarterback for Lincoln. Cook finished the game with 164 yards and a touchdown, while Ngozi started things off and accumulated 130 yards completing 6-of-13 attempts. Jordan finished with 146 yards receiving off six catches.

The Golden Bulls will attempt to take their show on the road for a divisional clash against Winston-Salem State University. JCSU will travel to Winston-Salem, NC on Saturday, October 12th to face the Rams of WSSU as their homecoming opponent. Winston-Salem State is the two-time defending CIAA Champions and has not suffered a conference loss in three seasons. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Bowman Gray Stadium.



Box Score 

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Miles Golden Bears Declaw Benedict Tigers, 27-13

COLUMBUS, South Carolina  --  For the second consecutive week junior quarterback Demetrice Price led the Golden Bears to victory, as Miles College defeated the Benedict College Tigers, 27-13, at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

MC improves to (2-2, 2-0 SIAC) while Benedict drops to (2-3, 0-2 SIAC).

After exchanging punts on the first four processions the Tigers drew first blood just before the end of the first quarter as Kenneth Hurley, Jr. ran it in from four yards out giving BC the early 7-0 lead.

The teams continued the defensive battle through the second quarter before the Golden Bears tied the game at 7-7 just before the halftime horn as Price led MC on an 11 play, 80-yard touchdown drive capped by his 5-yard plunge into the endzone.

The teams continued to battle, and after stopping the Tigers on downs, the Golden Bears needed only a minute five seconds to take the lead as Emmett Terry scampered into the endzone from eight yards out putting MC on top 13-7.

MC extended the lead to 20-7 when Price used his legs to strike again this time from 23 yards, closing out a seven play, 67-yard drive that took a little over two minutes.

Benedict College closed that gap when Tavion Wright plunged into the endzone from three yards out cutting the lead to 20-13.

Late in the fourth quarter Golden Bear's All-SIAC safety, Joe Beckham, intercepted BC quarterback Marcus Graham and returned it 30 yards to the Benedict four yard line. It didn't take long for MC to capitalize on the turnover as senior running back Floyd Graves ran it in from three yards out closing out the scoring and giving Miles the 27-13 victory.

The Golden Bears offense was led by Price who finished 14-of-19 passing for 116 yards while also rushing for two touchdowns. MC's trio of running backs Denzel Veal (8 Carries/99 Yards), Emmett Terry (13 Carries/83 yards, 1 TD) and Floyd Graves (9 Carries/41 yards, 1 TD) leading the Golden Bears to 261 yards on the ground.

Defensively MC again was led by Julantate English who finished with a game-high 13 tackles (8 solo) and Antonio Marshall who finished with nine tackles (7 solo).

Miles College returns to action next Saturday, October 12^th as they travel to Wilberforce, OH to take on the Marauders of Central State University. Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.

Box Score    

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2013 Atlanta Football Classic: S. C. State Marching 101 vs. N.C. A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine

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South Carolina State captures Atlanta Football Classic, 29-24

ATLANTA, Georgia  — A year ago, poor special teams’ play proved critical in a 17-7 loss to North Carolina A&T which ended South Carolina State’s streak of consecutive winning seasons.

Saturday at the Georgia Dome, key plays by the special teams sparked a second-half surge by the Bulldogs which ended the Aggies’ 7-game winning streak in a 29-24 victory at the 25th annual Atlanta Football Classic.

Trailing 17-14 in the third quarter, the Bulldogs (4-2, 2-0) scored 15 unanswered points to claim their fourth straight win. It started with a blocked punt by Darius Drummond which resulted in a safety and a career-long 49-yard field goal by Nick Belcher which put S.C. State ahead for good.

Quarterback Richard Cue added a 65-yard touchdown pass to Tyler McDonald in the fourth quarter to close out the scoring run. The Florence native finished 17-28 for 236 yards and two touchdowns to carry the offense which had its difficulties running the football.

“They were great in defending the run,” S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough said. “We knew that and felt that we would have to throw the ball to have a chance at winning. Richard (Cue) had one of his better games throwing the ball and the receivers made some plays.”

N.C. A&T (3-1, 1-1) made a late push with less than three minutes left following a touchdown pass by quarterback Lewis Kindle to Desmond Lawrence. They drove the football to the S.C. State 33 before the Bulldogs’ defense got a sack from Andrew Carter and deflected away three straight downfield passes to force a turnover on downs with 1:05 left.

2013 Atlanta Football Classic Photo Gallery

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Clark Atlanta topples rival Morehouse

ATLANTA, Georgia  -- The new motto for the Clark Atlanta football team is “Trust. Believe. Succeed.”

On Saturday night at rival Morehouse College, the Panthers trusted in their wing-T offense, which had mustered only 21 points in the first three games of the season — all losses. They believed they could overcome three turnovers, two of which led directly to 10 Tigers points. And Clark Atlanta (1-3, 1-2) succeeded in breaking their four-game losing streak to Morehouse with a 21-17 win at a packed B.T. Harvey Stadium.

Clark Atlanta first-year coach Kevin Weston, a longtime defensive coordinator at Tusculum, brought the new motto with him, along with the wing-T. In the Panthers’ first three games of the season the offense hadn’t produced much. But things came together Saturday night, as the Panthers shredded the Morehouse defense for 445 yards, 288 on the ground. Freshman slotback Montavious Taylor (Carver-Atlanta) led the charge with 166 yards on 33 carries, including touchdown runs of 35 and 9 yards, while South Florida transfer Bradley Battles, a graduate student, added 95 yards on 25 carries, and a 5-yard touchdown run.

Meanwhile, the Clark Atlanta passing game, which had been nearly nonexistent, came alive as well, as freshman quarterback Trenton Earl (Stockbridge) completed 12 of 16 passes for 157 yards. Clark Atlanta held the Maroon Tigers’ high-octane spread offense, which had averaged 30 points during Morehouse’s two-game winning streak, to only 177 yards.

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Edward Waters falls 37-20 to Virginia University Lynchburg

JACKSONVILLE, Florida  -- Edward Waters played on its home campus for the first time but fell to 0-6 with a loss to Virginia-Lynchburg (1-4) before an estimated crowd of 1,500 on Saturday. 

The new Edward Waters College Football Field was ready for the homecoming game on Saturday against Virginia-Lynchburg. It was the first game played on EWC campus in the school's 147 year history.

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KSU Thorobreds Earn 49-20 Victory After Weather Forces Cancellation

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  -- Jacquise Lockett rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns before weather ended Saturday's non-conference football game at Alumni Stadium between the Kentucky State University Thorobreds and the Alderson-Broaddus Battlers. The Thorobreds earned a 49-20 victory after rain and lightning forced officials to call the game early.

The Thorobreds (3-2, 1-1 SIAC) were cruising to their third victory of the season before bad weather ended the contest with 1:40 left in the third quarter. KSU had just scored its seventh touchdown of the game on a 1-yard Lockett rush when lightning struck. The teams returned to the field and ran out the third quarter clock before the game was officially ended.

Lockett, who entered the game leading the SIAC in several rushing and offensive categories, added to his totals with 135 more rushing yards on 17 carries and three more touchdowns. Lockett now has 650 yards and 12 touchdowns in five games this season.

Junior quarterback Adam Robinson had arguably his best game of the season going 7-for-14 with 139 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Robinson connected on a 33-yard pass to Troy Churchill and a 26-yard pass to Clayton Patton Jr., both in the second quarter.

Sophomore quarterback Alex Springs also spent some time under center in the second quarter going 2-for-2 with 31 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass to receiver Derek Woodmore. Woodmore finished the game with a game leading 87 yards on three catches.

Senior receiver Jakar Turner was a difference maker on special teams. Turner took an Alderson-Broaddus kick-off and returned it 91-yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. Turner finished with 110 return yards.

The Battlers (2-3) were led offensively by redshirt freshman quarterback Wesley Nesmith who finished the game with 165 yards and a touchdown on 13-for-24 passing. Redshirt freshman Brandon Jones was the leading rusher for Alderson-Broaddus finishing the game with 51 yards on 13 carries.

Next up for Kentucky State is a match-up against Fort Valley next Saturday, Oct. 12. The game is part of the Kentucky State University homecoming weekend. Kick-off is set for 1:30 p.m.

For ticketing information please call the KSU Athletic Department at 502-597-6011.

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Errors cost Stillman College in 28-27 loss to Lane

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama---Nearly 600 yards of offense couldn't undo the damage caused by turnovers and poor special team's play in Stillman College's 28-27 loss against Lane (Tenn.) at Tigers Stadium Saturday.

The Tigers were picked off twice and lost two fumbles, both of which led to touchdowns and had an extra point that could have sent the game into overtime with less than two minutes to play blocked.

"Every time something big would happen, we would something stupid to mess it up," Stillman coach Teddy Keaton said of the back-and-forth battle. "They never just let us get where we wanted to get...The name of this game was turnovers and missed opportunities, in my opinion.

The Tigers (3-2, 2-1) came into the contest leading the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in scoring offense, scoring defense, pass offense, pass defense, total offense, total defense, sacks and interceptions.

Stillman quarterback Josh Straughan finished with 437 yards and three touchdowns on 31-for-46 passing. Wide receiver Dondre Purnell had 188 yards on 14 catches and Reese Sturgis had 187 on nine grabs.



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Monkey Still on the Back: UAPB Lions struggle in clutch again, drop to 0-5

JACKSON, Mississippi  — Until Arkansas-Pine Bluff finds a way to finish a game, it could be a long season in the SWAC. No matter how many opportunities it finds.

UAPB missed out on another game-winning drive when Ben Anderson was sacked on fourth down with 2:05 left. The drive was set up by a lost Jackson State fumble.

Hoping to make a stop and get the ball back, the Golden Lions could not find a way to contain Tommy Gooden.

With 1 minute left, the senior took a third-and-8 carry up the middle and turned it into a 30-yard touchdown run that put away the Lions in a 42-33 Tiger victory Saturday night, extending UAPB’s losing skid to five games to start the season. The attendance was 9,087, relatively low for a rematch of last December’s conference championship won by UAPB.

Gooden finished with a career-high 214 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries. He gained 153 yards in the second half.

“I take my hat off to the young man,” UAPB coach Monte Coleman said. “He took advantage of what they were calling. If you go back and look at the film, 140-something yards of that were missed tackles. That’s part of the game. You miss a tackle, they run for 40 yards. Not taking anything away from him, but we’ve got to get better as a defense tackling. We’ve said that from the very beginning.”

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2013 State Fair Classic Battle of the Bands: GSU vs. PVAMU

Prairie View A&M establishes new high-water mark after third straight victory over Grambling State in State Fair Classic

DALLAS, Texas  -- When a storm cell moved over the Cotton Bowl during the third quarter of the State Fair Classic on Saturday night, with wind howling and rain pouring, officials announced a weather delay could come at any moment.

 

Luckily, the lightning held off until the game’s completion. But had there been a delay, it would have only prolonged the inevitable, as Prairie View A&M rolled Grambling State, 31-3.

 

Prairie View A&M continued what’s become a historic winning streak in the series. Its 31-14 victory in this game last season marked its first back-to-back State Fair Classic wins since 1963-1964. A three-game winning streak establishes a new mark of success.

 

“I think we’re doing things the right way, and we’re headed in the right direction,” Prairie A&M coach Heishma Northern said. “It’s big for Prairie View to beat Grambling three times in a row.”

 

Grambling State (0-6, 0-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference) turned the ball over on its first play from scrimmage, when a slew of Prairie View A&M (4-2, 3-1) defenders knocked the ball from running back Jeremy Runner off a swing pass.

 

Prairie View A&M scored on its first two possessions in the first quarter — a 22-yard field goal and a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jerry Lovelocke to running back Courtney Brown — for a quick 10-0 lead.

 

Grambling State had chances to swing momentum before halftime.

 

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Special teams come through as NCCU drops Howard

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — N.C. Central turned a pair of third quarter Howard mistakes into touchdowns and that proved to be the difference as the Eagles defeated the Bison 37-28 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference showdown at Howard’s Greene Stadium.

NCCU (3-2, 1-0 MEAC) set the tone early, driving 49 yards on its first possession capped by Idreis Augustus’ six-yard touchdown run.

Oleg Parent’s point-after kick was blocked.

Howard (1-4, 0-2 MEAC) countered immediately when Jonathan Booker caught a 20-yard scoring strike from Greg McGhee to make it 7-6.

The Eagles returned the favor and regained the lead, 13-7, when Dequadis Tucker scored from 17 yards out early in the second quarter.

But the Bison answered late in second quarter when McGhee threw his second touchdown pass of the day, this one to Stewart Hartman for nine yards to take its final lead of the game 14-13.

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Tuskegee defeats Fort Valley 21-13 in rematch of 2012 SIAC title game

FORT VALLEY, Georgia - Tuskegee defeated Fort Valley State in their fifth consecutive road game to start the 2013 season by a score of 21-13 Saturday, in a rematch of the 2013 SIAC Championship Game.  With the victory came a possible momentum-shifting moment in the 2013 season, as Tuskegee experienced the ultimate agony after being initially exuberant upon taking a lead that they wouldn't surrender in the second quarter.

 

Tyree fumbled a pitch from quarterback Justin Nared but was able to run the pigskin in from 36 yards out to give the Golden Tigers a 14-7 lead.  However, starting Junior Nared sustained a serious injury on what looked to be on his throwing shoulder, and he did not play a down in the game's final two and a half quarters.

A quick drive to start the second half gave the Golden Tigers a 21-7 lead, as Michael D. Thornton ran in the game-clinching touchdown from two yards out.  Jonquez Sanders scored on an eight-yard touchdown run for the Wildcats late in the game, but Tuskegee was able to run the remaining 4:13 in regulation off of the clock.

 

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Fayetteville State Clipps Chowan 35-29 in Triple Overtime

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -- Fayetteville State (3-2 overall), riding a two-game win streak, clipped the Hawks of Chowan (2-3 overall) 35-29 in triple overtime at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium. CIAA Quarterback of the Week Derek Bryant (Carrboro, NC), once again took over the game with 324 passing yards on 22-of-33 attempts and three throwing touchdowns. Juwan Moye hauled in seven receptions for 165 yards and two scores.

"It was an emotional rollercoaster for the most part; but our guys hung in there. We talked about it all week that they (Chowan) were going to be a good football team coming in. I told the guys that it was probably going to come down to the wire; and tonight it did," Head Coach Lawrence Kershaw recaps.

"We were tired of losing in the second half; we came to a conclusion that we have to finish the game. Coach always talks about momentum changers. They are going to have their ups and downs; but we have to keep playing ball and doing what we were told to do", adds junior linebacker John Brown, who finished the game with four tackles for a combined loss of 30 yards.

Fayetteville State gained 587 total yards on offense. The Broncos gained 146 on the ground with 41 attempts and 441 yards through the air. Fayetteville State decreased its penalties to seven for 62 yards.

Chowan (1-1 CIAA) had five turnovers (two fumbles and three interceptions) and were whistled for seven penalties for 164 yards. The Hawks had 330 yards of total offense; which came from 301 yards of passing and 29 yards of rushing.

Fayetteville State, which has a rich history of producing teachers, dedicated today's game to all of the educators in Cumberland County and around the world during the National Educator Appreciation Day. The Broncos, 2-0 in conference play, also donned pink articles within its uniform to help raise the awareness of breast cancer.

The Broncos stalled on its first drive of the game but found the end zone with its second opportunity. On a four-play 75-yard drive, Jemeryn Jenkins slipped would-be tacklers and advanced the ball 49 yards down the field for his longest rush of the season. With the ball on the 24-yard line and facing the red zone, Andre Montgomery dashed up the middle for the first score of the game with 10:47 on the clock. Antonio Mayo nailed the extra point.

The FSU defense forced Chowan into its second three-and-out drive which provided the offense with its third attempt on its own nine-yard line. A pass interference call moved the line of scrimmage to the Broncos 22-yard line. Jenkins continued with the pass attack to move the chains. The starting QB connected with Juwan Moye for 32 yards and FSU's second 1st down of the drive. He found Tevin Clay for another 1st with a 10-yard reception. On the pursuing play, the two linked up again for 18 yards and finally from 11 yards out for the Broncos second touchdown of the game. As the holder for extra-point kicks, Moyer kept the snap for a two-point conversion and 15-0 lead. The nine-play drive covered 91 yards in a little over five minutes.

Late in the second quarter, Chowan scored with 1:19 left before intermission. Willie Hickman snatched a Jenkins pass at the 41-yard line and returned it for a pick-six. Alex Noboa kicked the extra point which led to the 15-7 halftime score.

The Hawks evened the score at 15-15 near the top of the third quarter. Chowan started its successful drive with 10:56 on the clock and the ball on its 18-yard line. Cameron Stover threw the long ball to Robert Holland who ran 45 yards to the Broncos seven-yard line. Dain McFarland finished the drive with a two-yard pass to Ryan Nolan with 7:06 left in the quarter. The drive lasted 11 plays and covered 82 yards.

Derek Bryant took over FSU's offense after the thrown interception in the second quarter and remained under center after intermission. Bryant led the Broncos first drive of the fourth quarter from its four-yard line down to Chowan's 20. The drive accumulated 172 yards but ended without putting points on the boards. FSU missed a 38-yard field goal with 9:14 left in the game.

Fayetteville State gained an advantage with 38 seconds left in the game.

Bryant threw a 20-yard completed pass to Dwayne Lorrick which advanced the score to 22-15. The 79-yard drive took five plays.  Chowan faced 34 seconds left in the game and the ball on its 40-yard line. McFarland threw to Holland for a 21-yard gain and ball placement on the Broncos 39-yard line. McFarland found Nolan for 24 yards which advanced the line of scrimmage to FSU's 15. The Hawks stopped the clock with five seconds left and caught a break on the following play with a pass interference call that placed the ball on the two-yard line with two seconds left.

The Broncos secondary missed an assignment which led to McFarland throwing a touchdown pass to the wide open Holland. The made extra point knotted the score at 22 at the end of regulation.

Chowan faced 34 seconds left in the game and the ball on its 40-yard line. McFarland threw to Holland for a 21-yard gain and ball placement on the Broncos 39-yard line. McFarland found Nolan for 24 yards which advanced the line of scrimmage to FSU's 15. The Hawks stopped the clock with five seconds left and caught a break on the following play with a pass interference call that placed the ball on the two-yard line with two seconds left. The Broncos secondary missed an assignment which led to McFarland throwing a touchdown pass to the wide open Holland. The made extra point knotted the score at 22 at the end of regulation.

Fayetteville State deferred after winning the coin toss which gave Chowan the first possession in overtime. On the Hawks first play, Travis Scales intercepted McFarland pass in the end zone. The Broncos, facing fourth-and-three, missed a 35-yard field goal that sent the game into double-overtime. With the next possession, Bryant completed a nine-yard pass to Antonio Allen to one-up the Hawks 29-22.

The last time Fayetteville State faced extra periods in Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium was in 2009 when the Broncos lost the inaugural Two Rivers Classic to UNC Pembroke.  The one-score advantage vanished when Chowan's Mcfarland threw a six-yard score to Holland. On the second play of the third overtime period, Simeon Marshall intercepted the ball which ended the Hawks chances.

With hopes of ending the game, Bryant incited pandemonium with a ten-yard pass to Juwan Moye which became the game winner.

Final Stats

COURTESY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

MVSU Delta Devils get Revenge upsetting A&M on Homecoming 28-9

NORMAL, Alabama  -- Head coach Anthony Jones could only hang his head as he watch a second straight homecoming loss at the hands of another Mississippi team.

Alabama A&M loss Homecoming 2013 28-9 to Mississippi Valle State University for the second straight year in a row and a first against the Delta Devils since 2006.

The Bulldogs completed a season low four passes on 22 tries between two different quarterbacks. Brandon Wells, who started the contest, finished three of 16 for 56 yards while Chris Leachman went one of six for 21 yards. Wells threw four interceptions partially due to a broken finger while Leachman totaled one turnover after trying to score on a Hail Mary. Well's also ran the ball eight times for 20 yards.

Ball State transfer Barrington Scott rushed for a season high 159 yards on 22 carries with a long of 25 yards. This was his third game with 20 plus carries and his second with 100 plus yards. Brandon Eldemire went 57 yards on 10 touches and the only score for AAMU. Coming off an ACL tear in the spring, Brendon Johnson carried the ball three times for 26 yards.

"When I fumbled the ball I got rolled up on my legs which caused me to let the ball go," Scott mentioned. "No matter what I did it's another loss which does not feel good."

A&M was never in the game offensively posting only one double digit drive and four out of 16 drives that went eight plays or more. Of the 16 drives five ended in interceptions, six ended in punts, while one ended in a fumble, a missed field goal and downs. Eldemire's TD was the only drive that finished with a score.

After the Maroon & White won the toss and chose to defer, Valley scored after three plays to take a 6-0 lead. The Delta Devils then increased their lead after a pick allowed Valley to take a 12-0 lead in the first quarter.

A&M finally got things started when MVSU's punt returner Kenneth Dabney fumbled a punt and recovered it in the end zone giving A&M their second safety of the year.

Valley then scored again on a pick six by Avery Boykins for 52 yards. The Bulldogs finally got things going on Brandon Eldemire's 14 yard rush to put A&M within striking distance 18-9. Unfortunately Valley would add to their lead with a 37 yard field goal to give the Delta Devils a 21-9 advantage at halftime.

The third quarter was played with no one scoring but the fourth showed Valley was the dominate team after another touchdown to seal the deal and give them their first victory of the season.

"Offensively we had our opportunities but we didn't take advantage of them," Jones commented. "A lot of people blame the QB when you lose and congratulate him when you win, that's what comes with the position. We tried different things to help the passing game but we still couldn't make plays."

"When you don't take advantage of your opportunities and don't give yourself a chance then you will not win," said Jones. "We didn't do that today and that's why we didn't win."

A&M falls to 2-4 overall on the year and 2-2 in the Eastern division conference of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

The Maroon & White will hit the road for the remainder of October. First up is a date with the Jaguars of Southern University on Saturday, October 12^th, at 6:00 p.m.



COURTESY ALABAMA A&M UNIVESITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Howard Mistakes Doom The Bison in Loss to NCCU

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Greg McGhee and Jonathan Booker put on an impressive offensive play, combining for three touchdowns, but too many mistakes, including two on special teams, proved to be too much to overcome as Howard dropped a 37-28 decision to North Carolina Central in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Greene Stadium.
               
It was the first home game of the season for the Bison (1-4, 0-2 in the MEAC), who entered the game with a five-game win streak.  But the Eagles (3-2, 1-0 in the MEAC) set the tone early by scoring on their first possession.  Idreis Augustus capped off an eight-play drive with a six-yard run.  The PAT attempt was blocked but NCCU held a 6-0 lead. 
              
Howard countered on its first possession when McGhee engineered a 13-play, 78-yard drive that used almost five minutes off the clock.  Booker caught a 20-yard strike from McGhee as the Bison led, 7-6.
               
NCCU came back with another short drive that set up by one of its fine special teams plays on the day.  Dequadis Tucker scored from 17 yards to make, 13-7 early in the second quarter.     
          
But McGhee was not to be outdone.  The junior put together another drive, this time 64 yards on 10 plays.  It ended with McGhee connecting with Stewart Hartman on a 9-yard hookup.

It was Howard's last lead of the game. 
              
It was there that the Eagles began to take control.  With less than two minutes remaining in the half, NCCU's Jordan Reid drove his team 52 yards in 10 plays to set up a 48-yard field goal at the half to give NCCU the lead for good at 16-14 at intermission.
               
The Eagles used that as a momentum builder.  The defense forced the Bison to turn over the ball on downs.  Howard's John Fleck hit a 46 yard punt that Adrian Wilkins field at his own 11, found a seam in the Howard defense and raced 89 yards for the score. 
              
NCCU was not finished.  After Howard had to settle for a field goal attempt on its next possession, the Eagles struck again with a big play on special teams.  Fleck's field goal attempt was blocked and returned 50 yards by Tim Thaniel for a TD that opened a 30-14 advantage at the 5:52 mark of the third quarter. 
              
"We had a lot of missed opportunities," lamented Howard head coach Ray Petty.  "We had a missed field goal and our special teams just wasn't as good as theirs today." 
              
Added NCCU interim head Coach Dwayne Foster.  "We talked all week about special teams and the importance of making something happen in the kicking game.  Whether it was get a big return, block a punt or field goal, these guys stepped up to the challenge of making something happen."  
             
Howard appeared to wake up when McGhee went to work, this time taking his team 90 yards in 15 plays, finishing it off with a 20-yard strike to Booker for their second hookup. 
              
But NCCU was not to be denied.  The visitors put the game away when Reid scored on a 54-yard scamper with 4:24 remaining.
               
The Bison would add a late touchdown when McGhee and Booker got together for the third time on the day from 19 yards out.  McGhee accounted for 366 yards of total offense, going 31 of 48 for 328 yards and a career-high four TD passes.  Booker grabbed a career-high 10 passes for 154 yards and three TDs. 
              
"Overall, tempo was pretty high.  We got line up the way and were moving the ball okay.  But we didn't win and that's what matters.  We fought through all four quarters but we have got to make corrections because we have to get a win." 
              
The Howard defense held the Eagles to 269 yards of total offense, but the Eagles offset that with 270 yards of return yards and three blocked kicks.
               
"We did not ensure protection on the special teams," said Petty. "We did some good things on defense and we moved the ball and scored some points but the two special teams mistakes in the third quarter were crucial because we were never able to recover from it.  We have to find a way to bounce back."    

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

WEEK 6: HBCU Football Schedule and ScoreCard Finals

Saturday, Oct 5, 2013


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OVC
Tennessee State 40, Southeast Missouri State 16

MEAC
Norfolk State 26, Savannah State 24
Morgan State 34, Florida A&M 21 (Homecoming)
North Carolina Central 37, Howard 28
Bethune-Cookman 21, Delaware State 7
South Carolina State 29, North Carolina A&T 24 Watch Replay 

SWAC
Mississippi Valley State 28, Alabama A&M 9
Alcorn State 57, Warner Southern 0 (Homecoming)
Prairie View A&M 31, Grambling State 3 at Dallas
Jackson State 42, Arkansas Pine Bluff  33 
Alabama State 34, Texas Southern 2 

CIAA
Virginia Union 32, Livingstone 25
Virginia State 14, Shaw 10
Winston-Salem State 56, Bowie State 21
Elizabeth City State 26, Saint Augustine’s 25
Johnson C. Smith 49, Lincoln (Pa.) 10
Fayetteville State 35, Chowan 29, 3 OT

SIAC
Kentucky State 49, Alderson-Brodus 20
Miles 27, Benedict 13
West Texas A&M 72, Central State (Ohio) 0  (Homecoming)
Lane 28, Stillman  27
Tuskegee 21, Fort Valley State 13
Clark-Atlanta 21, Morehouse 17


OTHER CONFERENCES & INDEPENDENTS
Ave Maria 48, Concordia-Selma 34 (Homecoming)
Mercyhurst 63, Cheyney 14
Urbana 62 West Virginia State 10 (Homecoming)
Virginia University-Lynchburg 37, Edward Waters 20 (Homecoming)
Emporia State 52, Lincoln (Mo.) 14 (Homecoming)


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Williams sparks B-CU to 21-7 win over Delaware State

DOVER, Delaware  -- After a sluggish first half, Bethune-Cookman needed a spark. So, Quentin Williams provided it.

 

The quarterback came off the bench to start the second half and led 21st-ranked B-CU to a 21-7 victory over Delaware State in its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener Saturday in Dover, Del.

 

“This definitely was a big win today,’’ said safety Nick Addison, whose interception with 4:33 left iced the win for the Wildcats (4-1, 1-0), their 14th in a row against MEAC competition. “We needed this to help us get momentum.’’

 

Williams ran for a 31-yard touchdown and connected with Eddie Poole on a 15-yard TD pass. Williams completed all four of his passes for 86 yards.

 

Poole had four catches for 103 yards, including a 50-yard reception that set up his touchdown grab with 4:40 remaining.

 

“It was good for us to find a way to get it done in the second half,’’ B-CU coach Brian Jenkins said.

The Wildcats went into halftime tied 7-7 and looking for a way to stop the Hornets’ passing attack.

 

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NSU Spartans Survive Late Field Goal Try, Top Savannah State 26-24

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Cameron Marouf  kicked the go-ahead 33-yard field goal with 1:10 left, and the Spartans deflected Savannah State kicker John Barron's 49-yard field goal attempt with 2 seconds left to hold on for a 26-24 win over the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Dick Price Stadium.

Barron's field goal was tipped at the line by NSU linebacker Lynden Trail and fell harmlessly into the end zone as the Spartans improved to 2-3 overall, 2-0 in the MEAC. The Tigers dropped to 1-5 overall, 0-2 in the MEAC.

Trail had another monster game, finishing with 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two pass breakups. For the second straight week, he made a substantial impact in other areas of the game, catching a touchdown pass for the second game in a row in addition to his blocked field goal at the end.



The Spartans got all they wanted from Savannah State. After a scoreless first quarter, the Tigers struck first on a 26-yard field goal by Barron with 12:46 left in the second quarter. On their next drive, Antonio Bostick capped a four-play, 48-yard drive with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Moore. SSU went for a two-point conversion and failed, keeping the score at 9-0.

SSU began both of its first-half scoring drives in NSU territory after the Spartan offense was backed up deep in its own end and had to punt.

 Box Score

Photo Gallery

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