Florida A&M Rattlers start looking to the future

Holmes says younger players will get their chance

BALTIMORE, Maryland — After spending the last five weeks trying to find a solution to what ails his FAMU football team, first-year head coach Earl Holmes is leaning toward giving young players a shot at trying to help the Rattlers stop their losing skid.

While falling for the fourth consecutive time Saturday, FAMU showed a lot of the same problems that plagued the team since the second game of the season. They missed tackles, dropped balls and quarterback Damien Fleming was intercepted three times.

No position will be safe, Holmes said, frustration ringing in his voice following the Rattlers’ loss in front of a homecoming crowd at Hughes Stadium.

“Of course not,” he said.

“We have to go with some young guys,” Holmes said. “If you look at what we are doing (wrong), the same names keep showing up. The writing is on the wall.



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The 30th Annual Circle City Classic: Alcorn State Braves vs. Grambling State Tigers

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The classic's mission is to support educational achievement, promote cultural excellence, while showcasing the spirit, energy and tradition of America's historically black colleges and universities.

The Circle City Classic® is a joint collaboration between Indiana Black Expo. Inc. and the Indiana Sports Corporation. The net proceeds from the Classic help fund scholarships and support youth initiatives for each organization. Since 1984, over 1 million dollars have been awarded to deserving Indiana natives who pursue higher education.

It was Rev. Charles Williams vision not only to promote educational achievements, but also to create one of the most spectacular African American events in the country to showcase the economic spending power of African Americans. With assistance from the Lilly Endowment along with a host of volunteers, Indiana Black Expo and the Indiana Sports Corporation brought Rev. Charles William's vision to a reality.

On October 13, 1984, the Circle City Classic was born. Jerry Rice and the Mississippi State Delta Devils battled the Grambling State Tigers and legend Coach Eddie Robinson. Entering its third decade, the Classic has evolved from just a football game into a well recognized and well respected organization with year round programs designed to enhance the mental and physical development of our youth. Some of these programs include year round College Readiness Workshops, Coaches Luncheon, Miss Circle City Classic Coronation, Classic Youth Football and Cheerleading Clinic, as well as the scholarship program. The Classic has surpassed the expectations of many through its 25 years.

The goal of the Classic is to honor the legacy of Rev. Charles Williams by continuing to provide opportunities for youth as well as supporting educational achievement and promoting cultural excellence in the community.

Circle City Classic. The Name Says It All.

LB Detrane Lindsey finds his voice at Southern

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana --  On the Southern football team’s practice fields, a distinct voice can be heard echoing through the sessions every day. And it’s not coming from coach Dawson Odums or any of his assistants.

The voice is that of redshirt junior linebacker Detrane Lindsey.

“It might look like I’m trying to get (the team) going, but I actually need them to get me going,” he said. “Whenever they’re alive, I’m alive. Being vocal is a way to get me going.”

Lindsey’s boisterous persona is encouraged by the coaching staff.

“I have a great linebackers coach (in Lorick Atkinson),” Lindsey said. “He told me that I need to be vocal. He told me that’s the best way. That’s what he wants from all his linebackers — to be vocal.”
And vocal he has been, even taking it to the next level. Even though he’s a starter, he volunteers to participate in scout team defensive drills when a player is needed to fill a void.

“Those are my boys,” he said. “I’m not going to leave them hanging if they need somebody.”

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Mixed results so far this season for Southern Jaguars

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  Southern’s start to this season has been somewhat of an up-and-down ride.

The year started off with a 62-13 loss to Houston — a lopsided defeat that could be chalked up to the fact that Southern was an undermanned squad with only 63 scholarship players available compared to that of the 85 allotted to Football Bowl Subdivision Houston.

However, the following week, Southern was hit with a dose of reality as it traveled to Natchitoches to take on Northwestern State.

Before the in-state matchup, senior linebacker Anthony Balancier made an ill-advised comment toward Northwestern State leading up to the game.

The comments were plastered all over the Demons’ football facilities as reminders to what their opponents thought of them.

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Alabama A&M alum, Colts LB Robert Mathis surpasses 100-career sack mark

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  --  Once a fifth-round draft pick, Alabama A&M product, Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Robert Mathis moved into an elite class of pass rushers with two sacks in his team's 34-28 upset of previously unbeaten Seattle Sunday.

Mathis got to Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson twice to eclipse and surpass the 100-sack plateau with his 100th and 101st sacks of his now 11-year and finished the game with six stops.

The 6-foot-2, 246-pound enters a fraternity that includes only 29 other players.



The 32-year old is tied with Houston's Mario Williams and Kansas City's Justin Houston for the league lead in sacks with 7.5 and has 18 tackles through five games.

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SWAC's top offenses to square off when Prairie View comes to Alabama State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State's matchup against Prairie View A&M will feature the SWAC's top two offenses.

The Hornets (4-2, 4-1) lead the league in scoring at 36.7 points per game while the Panthers (4-2, 3-1) are just behind them at No. 2 in the conference with 35.7 points per game.

Both run the increasingly popular fast-paced offense, which utilizes read options and primarily short pass attempts to move the ball down the field.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hornets' new stadium.

"We're going to get prepared to play a very-fast tempo football team," Prairie View coach Heishma Northern said during the weekly SWAC coaches teleconference today. "I was looking at the film this morning, and to tell you how fast they were going, you could see the train crew still moving after they got a first down. So, we have to be prepared."

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LB Ross settling in for Winston-Salem Rams

TERRY ROSS

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- When Terry Ross is old and gray and sitting with his grandchildren, he can enjoy retelling the story of his first college-football game.

Ross, a junior linebacker at Winston-Salem State and a transfer from Marshall, was in the starting lineup as a freshman when Marshall played at Ohio State in 2010.

'"There were more than 100,000 fans there, and it was surreal,” Ross said of the game that had official attendance of 105,000. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that game because that was a big-time game.”

Ross had five tackles in the 45-7 loss and said playing on such a big stage was fun.

"It was quite an atmosphere," he said.

But Ross left Marshall after two seasons and coaching changes in the program and to be closer to his Durham home. He’s now in his first season at WSSU, backing up Carlos Fields, a Division II All-America and the 2012 CIAA defensive player of the year.

Photo Gallery: WSSU vs. BSU

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TSU Travis Williams Adds Two to Coaching Staff

COACH TRAVIS WILLIAMS

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Tennessee State men’s basketball coach Travis Williams has announced the hiring of two new coaches to his 2013-14 staff. Christopher Jordan will be the team’s new director of operations while Jason Slay will become one of William’s assistant coaches.

“

We are excited about bringing on Chris Jordan and Coach Slay to complete the staff,” Williams said. “Jordan brings with him a great amount of experience from a professional level, while Slay is considered one of the top up-and-coming coaches out there right now and has a bright future in this business.”

 

For Jordan, he comes to TSU after spending a year as the director of basketball operations for the NBA Developmental League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants. While with the club, Jordan coordinated all facets of operation, logistics and business associated with the franchise, including daily scheduling, player personnel and basketball analytics.

 

Jordan was also responsible for managing the team’s scouting database along with the video editing and sharing software for the purpose of the NBA Draft. In addition to video editing, he maintained compliance with the NBA D-League and breaking down opponent’s tendencies on the court.

 

Prior to his stint with the Mad Ants, Jordan was the assistant director of basketball operations at Georgia State from 2006 to 2011. He completed his undergraduate degree in Marketing at the university in 2005 and received his Masters in Sports Administration in 2007.

 

Jordan oversees the daily operations of the program, coordinating the team’s travel arrangements, handling equipment, editing video from competitions and monitoring the student-athletes’ academic and athletic progress.

 

“I had the opportunity to follow Coach Jordan’s career and growth over the years and always been impressed with his work both personally and professionally in Operations and he brings the right mentality to the position,” Williams said. “He had stops at the collegiate level at Georgia State and in the NBA Developmental league, so I feel confident that he can handle whatever gets thrown his way.”

 

“Personally, I have known Chris for a long time and was eager to bring him in here. Without a doubt, he has come in and hit the ground running with every aspect of our program.”

 

Slay enters his first season at TSU after serving as the Director of Basketball Operations for Georgia Southern University.  Prior to that, Slay was the top assistant coach at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia, one of the top prep schools in the country.  At Hargrave, Slay coached 10 players that signed national letters of intent to Division I programs. He also served as the team’s director of individual development and summer training.

 

The Tigers of Hargrave finished with a 38-8 record including the National Prep Showcase Elite 8 during the 2012-13 season.

 

Slay also spent four years from 2008-2012 at West Virginia State as the squad’s associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. During that time, the Yellow Jackets won two West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

 

As a player at West Virginia State, Slay was a four-time letter winner and two-year starter. Playing guard, he guided his team to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 three times (2004, 2006 and 2007) and the Yellow Jackets won back-to-back WVIAC Tournament Championships in 2006 and 2007.  He received his undergraduate degree in Physical Education in 2007.

 

“This was a very important hire to keep consistency and chemistry in our coaching staff," Williams said. "There were a number of applicants interested in being an assistant coach at TSU, but my assistant coaches and I felt like Coach Slay was a perfect fit for us,”

 

“Jason has a winning mentality, passion, and I expect him to come in right away and teach, develop, and improve our overall guard and wing play. I think his recruiting experience will pay huge dividends for the program as well... However, I was more impressed with his enthusiasm and knowledge of the game.”

 

Jordan and Slay will join assistants Ben Betts and Rodney Hamilton who came to the program last season. Betts has been promoted to William’s top assistant, with a major emphasis on defense and post player development, while Hamilton has been elevated to the team’s recruiting coordinator and will continue to develop and improve point guard play.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

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 

COURTESY JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION         

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    

COURTESY MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

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

WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

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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