Monday, October 14, 2013

In the FCS Huddle: OVC, MEAC Trust Change Is In the Air

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (SportsNetwork.com) -- Is this finally the year? That's what teams in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Ohio Valley Conference have been asking themselves for too long.
 
They're hoping the first half of the season suggests the FCS playoffs will be different - for whomever comes out of their respective conference.
 
But they might have an idea already the way OVC front-runners Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State and MEAC leaders Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State are playing this season. All four could be postseason-bound.
 
Both conferences are steeped in tradition, but, incredibly, a MEAC team has not won an FCS playoff game since 1999 and the OVC has been shut out since 2000.
 
UT Martin coach Jason Simpson said at OVC media day that the lack of playoff success is the "thorn in our (the conference's) side right now." South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough says success in the playoffs "is at a real, real high level. Until as a (MEAC) league we all get there, I don't know if any individual can rise above it enough to hang in the league with the CAA and with the Southern Conference and those kinds of leagues."
 
Coaches in both conferences point to ...
 

WSSU Running-back duo is double trouble



WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- The tailback position for Winston-Salem State has turned into a two-headed monster of Maurice Lewis and Patrick Mputu that has left opponents plenty scared.

"It’s not a problem for me," Coach Connell Maynor of the Rams said about having two quality running backs. "It’s a problem for our opponents."

Lewis, a junior, and Mputu, a senior, were on full display in Saturday’s 44-17 win over Johnson C. Smith at Bowman Gray Stadium. With the Golden Bulls focusing on taking away the Rams’ vertical passing game, Lewis and Mputu took turns grinding out the yards in yet another lopsided CIAA victory.

"The running backs had a little rough start to the season but now that we are getting our rhythm back, we are starting to move the ball," said Lewis, who had 113 yards rushing on Saturday and needs just 37 yards to reach 2,000 for his career. "We are showing people that we can pass and run the ball."



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TSU's Fitzpatrick Named OVC Defensive Player of the Week

Daniel Fitzpatrick #46
(COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS)
NASHVILLE, Tennessee  –-  On Sunday, the Ohio Valley Conference named Tennessee State safety Daniel Fitzpatrick its Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Fitzpatrick keyed the Tennessee State defense and the Tigers went on the road and topped No. 24 Jacksonville State 31-15. It marked only the second-ever victory for the team over JSU.
 
Fitzpatrick had a team-best eight tackles (seven solo) and made a pivotal interception in the fourth quarter as the Tigers won their sixth straight game to improve to 6-1 on the season.
 
Two plays after TSU had taken a 24-15 lead, Fitzpatrick intercepted Kyle West and returned the ball to the JSU 32-yard line; five plays later the Tigers scored another touchdown to put the game out of reach.
 
Overall the Tennessee State defense limited Jacksonville State to a season-low 292 yards, including just 21 rushing yards on 34 attempts (JSU had entered the game as the No. 1 rushing offense in the OVC).
 
Fitzpatrick is second on the team with 36 total tackles (28 solo) and is tied with David Van Dyke with four interceptions. 


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Sunday, October 13, 2013

Virginia Union Panthers Run Over Lincoln 28-21

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania  -- Virginia Union University's offensive line, led by Joshua Stalls, opened up holes as the Panthers amassed 359 rushing yards in their 28-21 win over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 12, in Lincoln University, Pa.

VUU's Eric Shaw led the Panther ground game by collecting 116 yards on 22 carries.  Quarterback Shawheem Dowdy helped his own cause by rushing for 83 yards on nine carries.

All of Virginia Union touchdowns came on the ground.  Dowdy rushed for one score while Damon Kelly rushed for another.  VUU's Terrence Malone rushed for a TD and was joined by quarterback Kenneth Graham for another score.

The 62 total rushing attempts were the most by a VUU team since the Panthers carried the ball 65 times against Virginia State University in 2009. (The record for most carries in a single game is 72, set against Elizabeth City State University in 1983.)

VUU's Troy Krepich continued his hot streak.  He had two punts for 81 yards and went 4-for-4 in extra points.  Krepich is now 13-for-13 in extra point attempts.

VUU's Jabari Neeley and Willie Bailey both picked off Lincoln passes in the game.

Overall, the Panther defense allowed just 40 yards rushing.

Union got on the board first when Kelly took it in from one yard out with 1:42 left in the first quarter.  Dowdy made the score 14-0 when he bulled his way in from one yard out with 7:10 left in the half.

Although VUU and Lincoln were tied 14-14 at halftime, Malone broke the tie when he rushed in from four yards out with 4:36 left in the third quarter.  Graham scored the eventual winning touchdown when he scampered in from six yards out with 12:11 left in the game.

VUU is now 2-4 overall and 2-1 in CIAA play.  Lincoln falls to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the CIAA.

Virginia Union now returns to Historic Hovey Field for Homecoming 2013 when the Panthers meet Chowan University at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, in Richmond.

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Darnell Evans Powers Shaw Past Fayetteville State 44-34

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina  -- With the final seconds ticking off the clock, Shaw University's Darnell Evans strode down the sideline, slapping hands with each of his teammates, tears in his eyes.  Seconds before, Evans had picked off his third pass of the afternoon and returned it for a touchdown to cement a Shaw comeback, giving the Bears a 44-34 win over Fayetteville State Saturday at Jeralds Stadium on the FSU campus.
 
Decked out in pink tape and wristbands in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Evans explained his emotion.  "October's always a big month for me.  My aunt passed away from breast cancer, so this month really means a lot to me."
 
He continued, "And I shook my team's hands - I love every single one of my teammates.  They come to work every day - it's hot, it's raining.  I just wanted to congratulate them because we did it as a team.  Even though big players made big plays, that's football.  We did it as a team."
 
The Bears, who improve to 3-3 on the season and pick up their first win - against two losses - in the CIAA, trailed 31-12 with 11:37 left in the third quarter, but outscored the Broncos 32-3 to close out the game - propelled in large part by Evans' play.
 
Without taking a snap on the offensive side of the ball, Evans amassed 293 total yards on kickoff, punt and interception returns.  The Bears had 183 yards rushing and 167 through the air.   In addition, Evans had six pass break ups.
 
After allowing the Bronco touchdown that gave FSU the 31-12 lead, the Bear defense shut down FSU, allowing them only two long drives -- one which resulted in a field goal, and one that closed out the game without a score.
 
"The defense is a second half team," said Evans.  "Every time we get in that second half, we know it's over with.  We get in the lock down - nothing's going down.  I definitely felt the comeback coming.  The offense moved the ball a little bit and that's all we needed them to do.  And then we get our stops and that's it."
 
The offense did move the ball, although Evans' play often meant the Bears had a short field in front of them.  Shaw had one drive of 50 yards in those last 26 minutes of game time - the rest were 42 yards or shorter.
 
"We've been in games in the second half and haven't had much offense," said Shaw head coach Robert Massey.  "That was our goal - to be a lot more effective offensively.  We wanted to stay away from the stupid penalties.  We had a few, but in the end of the day we did what we needed to do."
 
Shaw fell behind early, trailing 17-0 with less than three minutes gone in the second quarter after Jemeryn Jenkins hit Kasunn Williams for a 76-yard touchdown pass.
 
Shaw responded with a long drive - a drive extended by a critical FSU roughing the passer penalty - that finished with a nine-yard strike from Quinshon Odom to David Jordan for the touchdown.  The extra point sailed wide right to make the score 17-6 with 5:31 left in the half.
 
On the ensuing kickoff, the Broncos fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Shaw's Paul Maple, giving Shaw a short field at the FSU 35.  The Bears covered 25 of those yards before the drive stalled and George Mulumba hit a field goal to trim the FSU lead to 17-9.
 
Jenkins then drove his team down the field, culminating with a 44-yard completion to Williams for a 24-9 lead with 1:21 left in the half.
 
Shaw started running a fast-paced offense - which they employed through much of the second half as well - with Odom making two critical completions to Kowaski Kitchens of 18 and 17 yards to advance Shaw to the Bronco 13.  Mulumba hit the field goal as time expired to send the teams to the locker room with Fayetteville State leading 24-12.
 
After a Shaw three-and-out to open the second half, Fayetteville State mounted a long drive largely on the back of a roughing the punter penalty.  On the next play, Jenkins hit Antonio Allen for 42 yards, leaving only four to the goal line, which Marquavius Alston covered in a rush to give FSU the 31-12 lead.
 
After a 47-yard kickoff return by Evans on the ensuing kick, Shaw started at midfield and Odom and Marquise Grizzle combined to move the Bears to the goal line, with Grizzle powering over the line for a one-yard touchdown run.  The PAT was missed, leaving the Bears trailing 31-18.
 
On the third play of the next FSU drive, Jenkins put up a ball that Evans pulled down and returned for 18 yards, giving Shaw another short field.  Marquise Grizzle then carried the ball five times in the drive for a total of 42 yards, but it was Odom who covered the last yard into the end zone to trim the FSU lead to 31-25.
 
The Bear defense drove Fayetteville State backwards on the Broncos' next possession, then Shaw's Evan Strange blocked the punt, driving it through the end zone for a safety, narrowing the margin even further as the score now stood at 31-27 Fayetteville State.
 
On the ensuing free kick, Evans found a seam and broke open a 66-yard return, ending at the FSU nine-yard line.  The Shaw offense stalled, but Andres Magallon came in and knocked the field goal through, trimming the FSU lead to one at 31-30 with 23 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
On the second play in the next drive, Jenkins again found Evans.  The Shaw DB returned it to the FSU four-yard line as the clock hit zero on the third quarter.
 
As the fourth quarter opened and with Shaw near the goal line, the Shaw kicking game again failed as Magallon sent the field goal attempt wide, leaving the score at 31-30 in favor of the Broncos.
 
The Broncos then responded with their longest drive of the game, covering 62 yards in 14 plays.  But as Fayetteville State approached the Shaw goal line, the Bear defense stiffened and FSU was forced to take the Antonio Mayo field goal to extend their lead to 34-30.
 
Before the momentum could swing fully back to FSU, though, Evans had something more to say.  His 68-yard return of the ensuing kickoff put the Bears deep in Bronco territory.  Grizzle and Odom rushed their way through the 22 yards with Odom hitting a nine-yard run into the end zone to give Shaw their first lead of the game:  37-34.
 
The Shaw defense forced FSU to a three-and-out on their next possession,  but the Shaw offense fizzled after 20 yards and punted back to Fayetteville.
 
On the third play of the FSU drive, Evans again read the route and picked off a Derek Bryant pass, this time returning it 27 yards for a touchdown.
 
"It was a blatant pass play," said Evans.  "The defensive line pinned their ears back.  They did a great job getting that pressure.  It just makes it a field day for us DBs.  I saw the quarterback open up and read his eyes - I'm not supposed to, I'm supposed to be on man, but I just made the play."
 
The TD gave the Bears a 44-34 lead with 1:01 left in the game.
 
Perhaps still celebrating the touchdown, the Shaw defense relaxed enough to allow the Broncos a 61-yard drive, but they did not allow a critical strike for a score as time ran out, giving Shaw the 44-34 win.
 
Grizzle finished the game with 134 yards on 28 carries.  Odom finished 20 for 42 for 167 yards with three interceptions.  Kitchens was the leading receiver with six receptions for 66 yards.
 
On defense, Darius Moffett had seven solo tackles, including two tackles for a loss.  Keith Lomon had six solo tackles.  Evans finished with one solo tackle, six pass breakups, three interceptions, and 293 all-purpose yards.  The three interceptions give him seven on the season.
 
For Fayetteville State, Jenkins finished with 303 yards on a 14 for 36 performance.  He had two touchdowns.  Colon B ailey and Jenkins were the leading rushers with 37 and 35 yards, respectively.  Williams finished with three receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Defensively, the Broncos were led by Marquel Gathers with ten tackles - eight of them solo shots and four tackles for a loss.  Rueben Ortega finished with seven solo hits.
 
Now that the Bears have collected their first conference win, Massey says they have to keep on the winning track going forward.
 
" We're treating every game like a playoff situation," he said.  "Homecoming's next week and it's imperative we win that to stay alive."
 
The Bears' homecoming game is Saturday, October 19 when they host Livingstone.  Kickoff is 2:00 p.m. at Durham County Memorial Stadium.

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Stillman defeats Benedict 35-21 in homecoming win

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama  – Looking to both get a game back in the conference standings and rebound from last week's disappointing loss, the Stillman Tigers defeated the visiting Benedict Tigers 35-21 at Stillman Stadium as the College celebrated Homecoming 2013:  Excellence and Beyond.

In a game the featured two of the top offenses on the SIAC, Stillman boasted an offensive total of 445 total yards (144 rushing, 301 passing) while Benedict tallied 340 yards (65 rushing, 275 passing) in the contest.

After both teams struggled on their opening possessions, Stillman was about to score first when junior Jovontae Thurman ran from four yards out with 50 seconds remaining on the first quarter clock.  Benedict got on the scoreboard when Eduard Hernandez nailed a 42-yard field goal, making the score 7-3.

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Stillman would answer when freshman running back Rovonta Johnson - returning from an ankle injury - scampered 42 yards to make the score 14-3.  Less than three minutes later, a bad snap by the Stillman offense found its way into the hands of Benedict linebacker Martin Epps who ran 45 yards to the end zone.  With the PAT, Stillman led 14-10.

With 1:34 remaining in the half, Stillman quarterback Torrance Moise found Joshua Jackson for an 18-yard strike, extending the Stillman lead to 21-10 at intermission.

When both teams returned from the locker rooms at halftime, junior kick returner/receiver Dondre Purnell took the kickoff 97 yards for a score, making the score 28-10 in favor of Stillman.

After Benedict earned three points on a 23 yard Hernandez field goal, Stillman's Johnson would score his second touchdown of the day, this one from one yard out.  After the Yonwaba Pupuma PAT, Stillman led 35-13.  Benedict would add a late touchdown, but would not get any closer than the 14-point margin.

For Benedict (2-4, 1-3 SIAC), Marcus Graham finished completing 13-of-33 pass attempts for 186 yards while bing sacked four times.  Harlon Samuels caught five passes for 90 yards in the game.  Lorenza Cooper finished with 16 carries for 71 yards.    Brandon Beech led Benedict with 10 tackles

For Stillman (4-2, 3-1 SIAC), Moise finished with 263 yards on 19-of-27 passing while carrying the ball 14 times for 18 yards.  Reese Sturgis caught three passes for 111 yards while Charles Payne caught four passes for 70 yards.  Johnson finished with 11 carries for 58 yards while Thurmon had five carries for 54 yards.  Defensively, Cameron Stallings and Robert Crosby each had nine tackles while Greg Abrams and Peter Dele had six stops.

Stillman will take to the road next week for a rivalry contest against Tuskegee University on Saturday, October 19 at 1 p.m.

Box Score

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KSU's Eric Rawls Interception Secures, 17-11, Victory Over FVSU

FRANKFORT, Kentucky  -- Sophomore defensive back Eric Rawls intercepted his third pass of the game with just 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter to secure a 17-11 victory for the Kentucky State University Thorobreds over the Fort Valley State University Wildcats in a conference football game on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

With just 27 seconds left in Saturday's contest Fort Valley State (2-4, 2-2 SIAC) took over at its own 12-yard line looking to make one final push. On their first play of the drive Fort Valley quarterback Eugene Smith threw a desperation pass down the right side of the field only to have Rawls adjust to the ball and secure the victory for Kentucky State (4-2, 2-1 SIAC) with an interception.

A game changing defensive play was a fitting end to a game that saw the two defenses control the pace of play thoroughout. Both of the defensive units held the opposing offense to less than 200 total yards. Neither offense was allowed to settle into their game plan with the defenses combining for six sacks, five interceptions and 11 quarterback hurries.

Junior linebacker Terry Horton had a game high 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Horton was all over the field collecting five solo and seven assisted tackles as well as 2.0 tackles for a loss of 17 yards.

Horton's biggest impact play of the game came with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Smith dropped back for FVSU on fourth and four. Horton came on a blitz right up the middle and sacked Smith for a loss of 13 yards. That play gave the Thorobreds the ball back with just over two minutes left and allowed them to run the clock down to under 30 seconds.

SIAC leading rusher Justin Lockett was limited by the FVSU defense on Saturday. Lockett finished the game with 78 rushing yards but was continually meet in the backfield by Wildcat defenders. Running backs on both sides were limited with no rusher averaging more than 3.6 yards per carry.

KSU junior quarterback Adam Robinson and junior receiver Clayton Patton Jr. hooked up for the games only offensive touchdown in the game. On the Thorobreds first play from scrimmage Robinson connected on a beautiful pass to Patton who out ran the entire FVSU defense for a 62 yard touchdown with 13:49 left in the first quarter.

Robinson finished the game with 126 passing yards on 6-of-17 pass attempts and one touchdown. Robinson was also picked off twice by FVSU defensive back Thomas Wolfe and sophomore Alex Springs saw some action at the end of Saturday's game.

A major part of the two teams struggle to execute their game plans was the fact that each team picked up 125 yards of penalties each over the course of the game.

At the end of the day, Kentucky State was able to make the impact plays when they really needed them.

After three games in a row at home the Thorobreds will hit the road for a conference match-up against Miles College next Saturday, October 19. That game will be Miles homecoming game and will be televised on Bounce TV.

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Miles Golden Bears Fall on the road to Central State, 25-21

WILBERFORCE, Ohio -- The Golden Bears went on the road and fell to the Marauders of Central State University, 25-21.

MC falls to (2-3, 2-1 SIAC) while Central State picked up there first SIAC win and improves to
(1-5, 1-2 SIAC).

It didn't take long for Central State to get on the board as Tyrez Shipmon picked up a Golden Bear fumble and returned it 28 yards giving CSU the 7-0 first quarter lead.

MC starting quarterback, Demetrice Price, led the Golden Bears on a seven play, 76-yard drive, capped by his three yard plunge tying the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Miles would take the lead on a 57-yard touchdown interception return by cornerback Alexander Francois making the score 14-7.

Just before halftime the Marauders would cut the lead to 14-13 as Priest Shuler ran it in from 11-yards out but the point after attempt was blocked.

Central State would take the lead early in the third quarter when quarterback Michael Wilson found Steven Heard on a 15-yard TD pass giving CSU the 19-14 lead. Wilson would help the Marauders add to the lead on a three yard quarterback keeper for a touchdown extending the lead to 25-14.

The Golden Bears attempted to rally in the final quarter adding a touchdown run by, Denzel Veal, cutting the score to 25-21, but it proved to be a little too late as CSU held on for their first SIAC victory.

Miles College returns to the friendly confines of Albert J. Sloan – Alumni Stadium for Homecoming 2013 next Saturday, October 19th to take on the Thorobreds of Kentucky State University. The contest has been designated as the SIAC Game of the Week and will air to a national TV audience on Bounce-TV. Kick-off is set for 4:00 p.m.  

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Comeback Falls Short for UAPB in Loss to Texas Southern

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas  -- Texas Southern quarterback Homer Causey accounted for over 300 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 41-28 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday at Golden Tiger Stadium. The Tigers improved to 1-5 and 1-4 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with their first win of the season. Meanwhile, defending SWAC champion UAPB is still seeking their first win of the season, falling to 0-6 and 0-4.

Causey rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and passed for another 138 and a pair of scores in the air. He had a 67-yard touchdown run and a 49-yard touchdown pass in the game.
In addition to Causey, running back Daveonn Porter rushed for 156 yards and a 56-yard touchdown scamper to put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter.

As a team, TSU had 355 yards on the ground. They entered the game with less than 600 for their first five games.

UAPB had over 500 yards of total offense, 316 yards on the arm of quarterback Ben Anderson. Anderson through for a touchdown and ran for three more. He finished the game with 86 yards rushing.

Texas Southern took and early lead, surprising UAPB with a 36-yard fieldgoal by Eric Medina and a 12-yard TD strike from Causey to Edward Perkins-Loving. With 7:03 left, TSU had a 10-0 lead.

TSU trimmed the lead with a 9-yard touchdown run by Anderson, but the Tigers answered with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Causey to Malik Cross. The Causey to Cross connection gave TSU a 17-7 lead with 1:35 left in the first quarter.

TSU increased their lead in the second quarter when Causey scored on a 12-yard run. The touchdown put TSU up 24-7 with 4:03 to go in the half. UAPB drove down and scored just before the half to cut the TSU lead to 24-14 at halftime. Anderson capped the 7-play, 55-yard drive with his second touchdown of the game from 4-yards out.

On the first drive of the second half, Causey raced right down the middle of the UAPB defense for his 67-yard touchdown run, giving TSU a 31-14 cushion.

After going scoreless in the third quarter, the Golden Lions got back on the board in the fourth. Anderson scored for the third time, plowing in from a yard out to make it 31-21 with 13:14 left in the game.

A 44-yard Medina fieldgoal gave TSU 34-21 lead, but UAPB got another touchdown on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Cody Swain. With 4:41 left, the Golden Lions were within a touchdown at 34-28. But, on the next TSU possession, Porter raced 56 yards on a 2nd-and-5 to pay dirt with 2:44 left to ice the game.

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Chowan Second Half Surge Spoils Bowie State Homecoming

BOWIE, Maryland -- The Chowan University football team picked up a critical CIAA Northern Division victory over Bowie State University on Saturday afternoon in a 31-21 decision. The Hawks improve to 3-3 on the season and 2-1 in CIAA play while the Bulldogs fall to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the league.

DaSean Martin led the Hawks' offense with 22 carries for 102 yards. Martin scored three of the Hawks' four touchdowns in the win, one receiving and two rushing. Robert Holland had a banner day as well with seven receptions for 100 yards on the afternoon and one touchdown. Dain McFarland completed 11-24 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Jason Ampy led all players in the game with nine tackles (four solo and five assisted).

Keith Brown led the effort for the Bulldogs with 21 carries for 101 yards while Nyme Manns caught seven passes for 159 yards and one touchdown. Jared Johnston was 17-28 in pass completions totaling 247 yards passing.

Bowie State scored 14 unanswered points in the first quarter to take an early lead in the contest. Kendall Jackson capped a six play 65 yard drive with a one yard touchdown run for the first score, and notched a second touchdown rush with 2:32 remaining in the first quarter to lead the effort.

The Hawks responded with a score of their own midway through the second quarter as Martin's two yard rush topped an 11 play, 65 yard drive. Alex Noboa's point after attempt was good, making the score to 14-7. Martin rushed for his second touchdown of the contest in the third quarter with 2:52 on the clock to put the Hawks within reach of the Bulldogs, but Noboa's point after attempt was blocked resulting in Bowie State maintaining a narrow 14-13 lead.

Jared Johnston connected with Nyme Manns on a 57 yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds left in the third quarter to shift the momentum back to Bowie State. Mario Diaz-Aviles' point after was good, extending the Bulldogs' lead to 21-13.

Down but not out, the Hawks regrouped to score 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. McFarland's three yard pass to Holland with 11:08 on the clock followed by a successful two-point conversion with the McFarland-Holland duo knotted the score 21-21. The Hawks forced the Bulldogs to punt on their next drive. Chowan used Anthony Clanton's 59 yard run and McFarland's 18 yard touchdown pass to Martin to take a 27-21 lead. Noboa's point after attempt was good, giving the Hawks a 28-21 advantage.

Devahn Murphy picked off Johnston's pass on the next drive, giving the ball back to Chowan. The Hawks then used Noboa's 32 yard field goal with 2:01 left in the contest to secure the 31-21 win.

The Hawks will conclude their three-game road stand next weekend when they travel to Virginia Union next Saturday. The CIAA Northern Division contest is slated for a 1:00pm kick-off.

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Lane Dragons score game-winning TD with 33 seconds left

JACKSON, Tennessee  -- Derrick Burroughs had seen this before. Plenty of Lane fans have seen it, too.

Up 13 points with eight minutes left, the Dragons gave up two straight touchdowns Saturday to Albany State and trailed by a point with less than four minutes left. Had Lane ruined its chance?

Not Saturday. Chris Rini threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Bradley Landrum with 33 seconds left, and Lane beat Albany State 37-31 Saturday in Jackson.

It was Lane’s second victory ever against Albany State. The first was two years ago in Jackson.

Michael Ruffin’s interception in the closing seconds sealed it for Lane (4-2, 2-1 SIAC).

The Dragons beat Stillman last week by a point. Burroughs’ early Lane teams always seemed to lose such tight, back-and-forth games. This one, so far, seems to win them.

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Jackson State pulls away late for win over Mississippi Valley State

ITTA BENA, Mississippi  —  Jackson State pulled out its fifth straight conference win.

But it was ugly.

A blocked punt shifted momentum JSU’s way Saturday, and the Tigers scored the game’s last nine points, all in the fourth quarter, to survive in-state foe Mississippi Valley State 26-17 at Rice-Totten Stadium.

It’s the first time JSU (5-2, 5-0 SWAC) has started 5-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play since 1995, the last year the Tigers went undefeated in league play.

MVSU (1-5, 1-3) entered the game coming off its first win of the season, something JSU coach Rick Comegy knew would cause problems for his team.



“(Our team) really endured a lot coming in here because we knew the psyche of (MVSU) coming in,” Comegy said. “(We knew) that they were mentally prepared, and we knew we had to fight that coming in because of their big win against Alabama A&M.”

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Lengthy fourth-quarter drive secures win for DSU Hornets



DOVER, Delaware  -- The Delaware State football team gained just 155 yards and committed three turnovers through three quarters Saturday. But when the Hornets got ball at their 39-yard line with 14:07 left, a victory against Norfolk State was still in their grasp.

The Hornets secured it on an 18-play, 61-yard drive, ending with a Cory Murphy 1-yard touchdown run, helping Delaware State eke out a 14-7 homecoming victory over the Spartans on Saturday.

“We converted something like three third-and-longs. I was in the mindset of ‘No matter what, I’m going to buy some time,’ ” Murphy said of the Hornets’ final drive. “If it’s not there, I had to make something happen.”

Murphy connected with Malik Golston and Milton Williams to help Delaware State (2-4, 2-1 MEAC) convert back-to-back third-and-longs to move from the Norfolk State 49 to the 23. Four plays later, Dae-Hon Cheung gained 4 yards on a fourth-and-2 at the Norfolk State 15.

The final conversion came on a fourth-and-inches from just outside the 1-yard line, and Lamar Shaw gained just enough for a first down, setting up Murphy’s touchdown one play later. Hornets coach Kermit Blount had no doubts he was going to go for it on fourth down both times on the winning drive, rather than try a field goal.



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Tuskegee 54, Morehouse 10: Golden Tigers cruise in 78th annual Classic



COLUMBUS, Georgia  -- When coaches talk about playing complete games, Tuskegee’s performance in the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic on Saturday is what they mean.

The Golden Tigers (5-1, 3-0) controlled every aspect of the game, scoring in a number of different fashions, en route to a 54-10 victory in the 78th meeting between the two teams.

They were led by impressive offensive performances from running back Hoderick Lowe and stand-in quarterback Rashard Burkette, who usually plays wide receiver but started under center in place of the injured Justin Nared. Defensively, Aaron Bennett turned in four sacks, and on special teams Travis Lee blocked and returned a punt for a touchdown.

“We’ve been talking all week that we had to have some guys step up for us,” Tuskegee coach Willie Slater said. “I can’t complain.” After Lee put the Golden Tigers on the scoreboard first with his blocked punt, Lowe took over the offense. By halftime, Lowe had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving. His first came on a 29-yarder to cap off a 75-yard drive to make it 13-0. He scored two more inside of six minutes left in the half, a 13-yard pass from Burkette and a 4-yard run with 15 seconds on the clock to give the Golden Tigers a 33-3 lead going into the half.

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    2013 Circle City Classic Battle of the Bands: GSU vs. ASU






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    Former Olympians honored as Alcorn State rolls past Grambling State 48-0 in Circle City Classic



    Indianapolis, Indiana --  If the first and second halves of the Circle City Classic belonged to the Alcorn State Braves on Saturday, it was former Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos who owned halftime.

    Smith and Carlos, honored with the 2013 Major Taylor Award at halftime of the Braves’ 48-0 win against rival Grambling State, each raised a hand high in the air, just as they did during their 1968 Olympic medal ceremony following gold and bronze medal performances, respectively, in the 200-meter dash.

    The gesture sent many of the 22,357 in attendance at Lucas Oil Stadium to their feet amid thunderous applause. The Grambling State marching band played a tribute to the duo, while the medal ceremony was flashed on the scoreboard.

    During the medal ceremony 45 years ago in Mexico City, Smith raised his right, black-gloved fist as a sign of Black Power, while Carlos raised his left fist to represent black unity. The silent protest vaulted the runners — who were expelled from the Games for the gesture which was considered controversial by many at the time — to activists and human rights’ spokesmen.

    Photo Gallery: 30th Circle City Classic game and halftime show



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    Marching bands, dancers wow audience during Circle City Classic Parade

    INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  --  Percussion, horns and shouts echoed across Downtown Saturday as the 30th annual Circle City Classic Parade of performers winded through the streets.

    Marva Shaw, 77, stood along Pennsylvania Avenue to bask in the energy of marching bands and dancers. Ever year, “rain or shine,” she attends.

    “This is a great come together,” she said of the thousands of enthralled spectators lining the route. “I love the rhythm of the drums. That is a great skill.”



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    Circle City Classic Parade 2013


    There was no shortage of skill as band after band — some college, other high school — drill teams and others wowed attendees with intricate choreography, thundering breakdowns, flips, dips and step routines. Groups came from across the state and country to perform in the parade and other competitions this weekend.

    University bands brought some of the loudest cheers during the parade. Grambling members filled half a block and sunk low to the ground. Others sang out during one portion as the percussion line and horns filled a funky break.

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    Virginia State Pounds ECSU 51-28, for 4th Consecutive Win

    ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. -- Virginia State (5-1, 3-0) used a tough defense, steady running attack and timely special teams play to register a 51-28 victory over Elizabeth City State (1-5, 1-2) before 1,876 fans at Roebuck Stadium in Elizabeth City, N.C.

    The win was the fourth straight for the Trojans, matching the longest winning skein since 2010.

    The ball-hawking Virginia State defense returned two interceptions for touchdowns, running back Jordan Anderson rushed for 214 yards and five touchdowns and the Trojans special teams blocked a punt resulting in a field goal.

    Virginia State took the opening kickoff and marched 78 yards in 12 plays, culminating in Anderson's six-yard touchdown run. Shawn Hunt added the extra point to give the Trojans a 7-0 advantage with 9:29 left in the opening quarter. Sean Smith intercepted a pass on Elizabeth City State's second-play from scrimmage, returning it 39 yards for a score less than a minute later upping Virginia State's lead to 14-0. Two minutes later, the Trojans took over on the nine-yard line after a Viking punt. On the first play from scrimmage, Anderson broke loose and rambled 91 yards for Virginia State's third touchdown in the first 7:34 of the game. The extra-point attempt failed.

    Elizabeth City State scored when Petey Boone bulled in from the one-yard line midway through the second quarter, making the score 20-7. With 3:50 left in the half, Virginia State's Devonte Piggott intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards for the score to increase the Trojan margin to 27-7. But the Vikings got on the scoreboard just before halftime on a 16-yard scoring pass from Tyrell Houghton to Lovi Rose-Banks to make the score, 27-14.

    The Trojans scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter to take control. Anderson capped a nine-play, 60-yard play with a 13-yard scoring run and, following a blocked punt, Shawn Hunt booted 32-yard field goal to up the lead to 37-14 at the end of the three quarters.

    Jordan scored fourth quarter touchdowns on runs of three and two yards. Elizabeth City State scored in the final period on a 69-yard pass from Houghton to Montario Hunter in a 51-28 triumph.

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    Alabama State fights through injuries to down Prairie View A&M 48-42

    MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Already down a starting quarterback and right tackle before the game began, Alabama State's depth chart took a few more hits Saturday against Prairie View A&M.

    Star running back Isaiah Crowell, the SWAC's leading rusher, tweaked his ankle with seven minutes to go in the first and backup quarterback Arsenio Favor went down with a knee injury with 14:00 to go in the second quarter, forcing coach Reggie Barlow to burn true freshman's quarterback Quinteris Toppings' redshirt out of desperation.

    But the Hornets' win-loss record didn't endure any affliction as they toughed out a 48-42 overtime victory in a game featuring the SWAC's top two offenses to up their win streak to five and improve their mark to 5-2 (5-1).



    "It was a range of emotions," Barlow said. "We thought, offensively, we would be able to score on them. They are a high-powered offense as well. We did some positive things on defense.

    Unfortunately, with the speed they were moving the ball and making plays, they were able to score. It was a big win for us."

    Two big plays, the first coming from defensive tackle Justin Mitchell and the second from running back Malcolm Cyrus, catapulted ASU to the win which allows them to keep hope alive in the SWAC East race.

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    Alabama A&M falls 20-17 in double overtime at Southern

    BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Alabama A&M's football game at Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Southern University (La.) ended after multiple delays due to severe weather with the Jaguars downing the Bulldogs 20-17 in double overtime on a 37-yard field goal by Southern kicker Matthew Hill.

    The game was delayed with 3:27 to play in the fourth quarter after multiple lightning strikes forced officials to push back the restart time on several occasions.

    When play resumed the Bulldogs took the lead at 17-14 when quarterback Brandon Wells found tight end Toriono Upshaw for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 49 seconds to play.

    Aided by a 39-yard kick return by Southern wide receiver Willie Quinn, the Jaguars drove the ball down to the Bulldogs 16-yard line and Southern kicker Greg Pittman connected on a 37-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime tied at 17.

    A&M gave up both of its touchdowns against Southern about three and half minutes into the contest.

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    Florida A&M Rattlers Tame Tigers 27-14 For First MEAC Win

    SAVANNAH, Georgia – The Florida A&M Football team picked up their first conference win of the season as the Rattlers defeated Savannah state, 27-13 here Saturday night at Ted Wright Stadium.

    FAMU on the season goes to 1-1 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play and 2-4 overall, while SSU dropped their fourth straight contest for a 1-6 record overall and 0-3 in conference play.

    FAMU head coach Earl Holmes was pleased with the team's effort. "I thought up front on both sides of the ball we did an excellent job of getting a body on a body, winning our one-on-ones. We kicked the ball off and guys started fast. Pretty much we've kinda stepped on our own toes by starting slow all season, but guys started fast tonight and we finished strong. ," he said.

    A Kashawn Butler fumble recovery with 11:12 remaining in the first set up the Rattlers' first score of the game as Lemond Buice scored on a 10-yard run with 7:24 left in the quarter, giving the Rattlers a 6-0 lead, after the Chase Varadore, missed PAT.

    Less than two minutes later, Terry Johnson would increase FAMU’s lead as he scored on a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown with 5:23 to go in the first, making the score 13-0 in favor of the Rattlers, after the Varnadore made PAT.

    Casey Glines recorded his second TD of the season as he made an acrobatic catch in the end zone, increasing FAMU’s lead to 20-0, after the Varnadore made PAT with 12:53 left in the second quarter.

    The Rattler defense was key to the win, giving up just one touchdow, with the other SSU score coming on an interception return for touchdown. Holmes felt the defense was the key to the victory. "Defense wins championships. We were putting a lot of blame on the offense, we even had a pick-six tonight, but a good team finds a way to win. I thought the defense dominated up front and done their one-on-ones. We had some balls out there, i think we dropped two interceptions. I think it was a solid effort by the defense," he said.

    SSU would light up the score board in the second quarter as Marquis Smith scored on that 46-yard interception return for TD with 6:13 to in the quarter, cutting FAMU’s lead to 20-7.




    Lenworth Lennon scored the Rattlers' final TD of the game on a 11-yard pass from Damien Fleming with 2:57 to go in the fourth quarter, giving the Rattlers a 27-7 lead, after the Varnadore made PAT.

    SSU would score on their final drive of the contest as Antonio Bostick connected with DeQuan Daniels from seven-yards out with 39 seconds left in the contest for the 27-14 finale, after the McCarty made PAT.

    FAMU was led by Damien Fleming as he rushed for 59 yards on nine carries and passed for 110 yards by completing 11 passes in 18 attempts with two TDs and one interception to finish the game with 169 yards of total offense.

    Buice was the Rattlers' second leading rusher as he rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries with his longest rush being for 21 yards to go along with one TD.

    Adamsen Felix led the Rattler receivers with 27 receiving yards on three receptions with his longest reception being for 17 yards.

    William Smalls led the Rattler defense as he tallied a team-high nine tackles with eight of them being solos, 1.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks on the day. Behind him was Brandon Denmark as he tallied six tackles, and 0.5 tackles for loss.

    The Rattlers were assisted by a nice contingency of Rattlers fans, several of whom traveled from Tallahassee. The team recognized the supportive fans and fed off of it. "

    After the game, I made sure our guys went over to our crowd and let them know we appreciate them. The 12th man always makes a difference and we felt comfortable almost like it was a home game. That's another reason we started fast, because we felt like we were playing in our own back yard. We appreciate the support," Holmes said. It resulted in the largest crowd of the season for Savannah State, at 5,620.

    SSU was paced by Bostick as he rushed for 42 yards on 14 carries, and passed for 99 yards by completing 15 passes in 22 attempts and one passing TD to finish the game with 141 yards of total offense.

    Justin Dixon led the Tigers defense as he tallied a team high 13 tackles and one tackle for loss.

    FAMU will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 19 as they will host Howard University in their annual homecoming game in a 2 p.m. start at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

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    Tennessee State Tigers Out-Game JSU, 31-15

    JACKSONVILLE, Alabama  -- Senior running back Tim Broughton had a career-high 190 yards on 26 carries and the Tennessee State football team defeated Jacksonville State for the second time in school history, 31-15, on Saturday.
     
    The Tiger defense came up big for TSU (6-1, 3-0 OVC), holding JSU to a season-low 292 yards, recording 14 tackles for loss and forcing a pair of turnovers.
     
    David Van Dyke anchored the unit with eight total tackles (five solo) and Anthony Bass contributed a career-high 2.5 sacks.
     
    After a TSU three-and-out to begin the game, Jacksonville State (5-2, 2-2 OVC) used a 21-yard run by Troymaine Pope to get into field goal range. The Big Blue defense stuffed a pair of runs near the red zone, but the Gamecocks got on the board first when Griffin Thomas nailed a 33-yard field goal at the 10:19 mark.
     
    Another Tiger three-and-out on offense allowed the Gamecocks to start their next series at the TSU 48-yard line. JSU picked up one first down, and then attempted a fake field goal four plays later. The Tigers snuffed the pass attempt at the line and Big Blue regained possession.
     
    This time, the TSU offense moved the ball effectively with a career-long 39 yard dash by senior running back Tim Broughton. Mike German capped off the six-play, 71-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to A.C. Leonard. The toss put TSU up, 7-3, with 4:15 left in the first quarter.
     
    JSU countered with a 14-play scoring drive, but TSU’s No. 1 ranked defense held the Gamecocks to a 27-yard field goal from Thomas. The kick trimmed the Tigers’ lead to one at the end of the first quarter.
     
    The Tigers answered with a touchdown to go up, 14-6, as German hit Wesley Samuels on a delayed out-route for a 13-yard score. Broughton, again, was the catalyst on the drive with a 21-yard rush that took the Tigers into Gamecock territory.
     
    Broughton was solid for TSU in the first half, carrying the ball 11 times for 77 yards.
     
    After five straight punts, TSU got the ball with 2:23 left before halftime. German led an eight-play, 71-yard drive in which he completed passes of 12, six, 12, 19 and seven yards. His last pass of the series was complete to a diving Weldon Garlington for his third touchdown pass of the game, and made the score 21-6, going into halftime.
     
    German was 5-for-12 for 54 yards coming into TSU’s final drive of the second quarter. In the last possession he completed all five of his passes for 56 yards.
     
    The Tennessee State defense also did its part in the first 30 minutes, limiting the OVC’s leading rusher DaMarcus James to 10 yards on seven carries. JSU had only 163 yards of total offense in the first two periods and did not score a touchdown in the first half of an OVC game for the first time since 2006.
     
    TSU forced a punt on JSU’s first possession of the third period and the Tiger offense marched 59 yards down the field. From there, Jamin Godfrey’s 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked, leaving the score at 21-6.
     
    After the sides traded punts, JSU took over on its own nine-yard line. Three plays later, JSU’s Eli Jenkins found Markis Merrill for a 76-yard bomb. JSU punched it into the end zone four seconds later, cutting TSU’s lead to 21-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
     
    On the Tigers’ next possession, German was sacked for 15 yards in the end zone, giving JSU two points via a safety. The score cut the TSU lead down to six with over 14 minutes to play.
     
    After the ensuing free-kick, Samquan Evans and Marquaveus Jackson came up with big tackles for loss, forcing JSU to give the ball back to the Tigers.
     
    Broughton had a 20-yard run on TSU’s next possession, but the drive stalled at the JSU 33-yard line. Godfrey came in to attempt a 50-yard field goal and the senior sneaked it over the crossbar for three points. The pivotal kick put TSU up by two scores, 24-15.
     
    TSU notched its third straight sack on JSU’s first play of the Gamecock’s next drive. On the second, Daniel Fitzpatrick intercepted Kyle West and returned the ball 13 yards downfield.
     
    The pick was Fitzpatrick’s fourth of the season and the Tigers have now recorded a takeaway in 20 straight games dating back to 2011.
     
    Five plays later, newly inserted quarterback Ronald Butler found Wesley Samuels wide-open in the end zone for TSU’s fourth touchdown of the game. The pitch and catch widened Big Blue’s lead to 31-15 where it would stay for the remainder of the game.
     
    JSU tried to come back, but Bernell Brooks caught his first career-interception with just over three minutes left to ice the game.
     
    With his 118 yards, German passed Joe Gilliam Jr. for eighth all-time in career passing yards with 5,335. He also moved into a tie for sixth in school history in career passing touchdowns with 41.
     
    The Tigers will carry a six-game winning streak to Martin next weekend for a matchup with the Skyhawks on Oct. 19.
     
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    Gold Nuggets tie XU record with 8th consecutive victory

    HEAD COACH HANNAH LAWING
    Xavier Gold Nuggets Volleyball
    LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- Xavier University of Louisiana defeated Philander Smith 25-20, 25-15, 25-10 Saturday in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's volleyball to tie a school record for consecutive victories.

    The Gold Nuggets (14-7, 6-0) have won eight in a row. The 2011 Nuggets had a pair of eight-match win streaks.

    Xavier also extended its GCAC win streaks -- 28 straight in the regular season and 34 straight overall, which includes conference tournaments.

    Philander Smith is 8-18, 5-3.

    "We were able to run a different lineup today," XU coach Hannah Lawing said. "Everyone got to see the court, and we made some small changes at the net that may be permanent.

    "It wasn't a perfect match for us, but we worked through the mistakes and stayed united and energetic as a team. We are looking forward to another home match, a challenging one, on Tuesday against Mobile."

    Xavier and Mobile will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Convocation Center. It will be one of three XU non-conference matches next week. Xavier and Mobile split a pair of matches this season.

    Box Score

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

    WSSU rolls in second half, wins 44-17



    WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- For a while, Johnson C. Smith gave 16th-ranked Winston-Salem State all it could handle.

    But the Rams started rolling in the third quarter and by the time they finished had

    “We started playing Ram football,” said tight end Jerry Chandler, who caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Rudy Johnson in the decisive third quarter. “We settled down and didn’t panic, and we didn’t make mistakes.”

    The Rams trailed 17-14 early in the third quarter before finding their footing.
    Coach Connell Maynor gave credit to the scrappy Bulls, who used their fast-paced, no-huddle offense to knock his Rams off balance in the first half.

    “You have to take your hats off to them because that’s just their third loss in their last 11 games, and two of those losses were to us,” Maynor said. “Coach (Steve) Aycock is doing a great job, and they played us hard for about two quarters, but we just came out in the second half and executed better, and our defense was there.”

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    PVAMU Panthers Suffer Overtime Blues Once Again

    MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Billed as an offensive shootout entering the game, fans received their money's worth plus more as Prairie View A&M had to endure its second overtime game this season and third time in school history. However, the Panthers came out on the wrong side of the ledger as ASU claimed a 48-42 win at the New ASU Stadium.

    The Panthers struck first to open the game as quarterback Jerry Lovelocke led the team on a 13-play, 97-yard drive which was commenced with a 1-yard run by Lovelocke. Barrick's PAT was good as the Panthers jumped out to a 7-0 advantage. ASU answered PV's score to open its drive as quarterback Arsenio Favor found receiver DeMario Bell for a 40-yard strike. Two plays later, the Hornets tied the game as running back Isaiah Crowell rushed in from six yards out coupled with the PAT.

    After a quick paced opening drive, the Panthers found a faster way to score as Lovelocke found Patrick Gant for a 73-yard strike. The PAT was good as the Panthers led 14-7 nearly 12 seconds later. PV failed to capitalize on a turnover on ASU's next drive and it came back to bite them as the Hornets marched 65 yards in 12 plays to knot the game at 14-all midway through the first quarter.

    Midway through the second quarter, ASU went up by seven as quarterback Quinteris Toppings connected with wide receiver Earl Lucas for a 21-yard touchdown reception. The ensuing PAT was successful as ASU led once again in the quarter. However, the Panthers answered with a 50-yard drive of its own to close within 21-20 as running back Courtney Brown rushed in from a yard out. Barrick's PAT sailed thru the uprights as PV knotted the contest at 21-all with 4:14 left in the half. The score remained the same to close the half as ASU missed a 47-yard field goal as time expired.


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    PV recorded the first big play of the second half with a fumble recovery deep in ASU terrtory. Unfortunately, they failed to capitalize on the play and misfired on a field goal attempt to remain tied. From that point, it was all ASU as running back Malcolm Cyrus recorded an 80-yard touchdown run on the opening play followed by a 1-yard run by Crowell for a 35-21 lead with 8:02 left in the quarter.

    With the quarter winding down, the Panthers reestablished themselves on both sides of the ball and found its groove as Lovelocke found Brown for a 6-yard touchdown pass with seven seconds remaining in the quarter. The PAT was good as the score was huge due to the fact that it cut the deficit to only 35-28 entering the final quarter.
    The defense forced an ASU punt on the next drive and the Panthers went to work once again via the air as Lovelocke found Jacoby Anderson on a well-thrown pass to the corner of the end zone. The PAT was good as the Panthers were back in business with a 35-all score with 9:26 left in the game.

    Alabama State shanked the punt and the Panthers received solid position at Hornet 48 on the next drive. However, on third down and long Lovelocke was sacked and the ball was scooped up and returned 40 yards for the ASU touchdown. The PAT was successful as the Hornets led 42-35 with 7:48 remaining in the contest.

    The Panther offense was forced to punt on the ensuing drive but the defense came up big and returned the favor by forcing ASU to punt. The offense received the ball with 3:32 remaining in addition to being 95 yards out from paydirt. On the potential game-tying drive, PV marched all the way to the ASU 45 and faced a fourth-and-11. On the play, Lovelocke found Jacoby Anderson and Anderson tip-toed to the first down and more as the ball was on the ASU 15.

    With the ball on the ASU 10 and slightly more than 40 seconds left, the Panthers faced fourth down once again and received new life as ASU was flagged for a pass interference call which gave PV the ball as the ASU 4. Three plays later, Lovelocke found Brown once again for a 4-yard scoring strike followed by Barrick's game-tying PAT with 20 seconds remaining. With the ball on ASU's 27 with 15 seconds left, the Hornets opted for overtime as they kneeled the ball to end the half.

    In overtime, the Panthers went three-and-out and missed the 36-yard field goal as it went wide right. ASU drove the ball to the PV 8 and appeared to go for the field goal but changed its mind and sent the offense out after PV called a timeout before the kick. ASU sent out its offense instead and rushed for the touchdown but not after an ASU player jumped on the ball in the endzone after Cyrus fumbled the ball.

    The Panthers gained 685 offensive yards with 533 via the pass and 152 on the ground. Lovelocke passed for a career-high 533 yards and four touchdowns while Brown rushed for 88 yards on 17 attempts with one touchdown. Wide receiver Jacoby Anderson had a career day with 12 receptions for 152 yards. Defensively, linebackers Raheem Cardwell and Chuck Obi had 15 tackles apiece.

    The team returns home next week for homecoming as they'll face Mississippi Valley State at 2 p.m. inside Blackshear Stadium.

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