Alcorn Braves Spoil Texas Southern's Homecoming with 20-13 Victory

HOUSTON, Texas  --  Sophomore wide receiver LaDarrien Davis raced to the end zone on a 39-yard pass from John Gibbs, Jr. to score the game-winning touchdown vs. Texas Southern this evening.

The Braves battled with the Tigers the entire game and came out with the victory, 20-13, to spoil the Tigers homecoming.

The Braves offense got off to a slow start going three and out on their first drive of the game but picked it up the pace on their next drive after forcing a Texas Southern punt.

After back-to-back incompletions, Gibbs, Jr. was able to find Jarvis Turner for a 13-yard strike to give the Braves a first down. The next play Joe Price picked up 15 yards to give the Braves another first down. Gibbs, Jr. completed two more passes while senior running back Arnold Walker rushed four times for positive yards to set up a Haiden McCraney 40-yard field goal to put the Braves up 3-0.

On the ensuing kickoff, Texas Southern returner Erick Mitchell fumbled the ball on the return and Tavoris Doss recovered the ball in TSU territory.

The Braves capitalized on the Texas Southern turnover with McCraney nailing a 27-yard field goal to make the score 6-0 with 6:04 left in the first quarter.

Texas Southern took the lead when Daveonn Porter pounded his way into the end zone to give the Tigers a 7-6 at the 2:48 in the first quarter.

Texas Southern added three more points to the scoreboard on a 30-yard field goal by Eric Medina to increase their lead to 10-7.

Late in the second quarter, Gibbs, Jr. connected with Anthony Williams III and he blazed down the sideline for a 32-yard touchdown giving the Braves the lead once again 13-10 with 4:05 to play before the half.

The Braves allowed Texas Southern to drive down the field and come away with 44-yard field goal with just .01 second on the clock before halftime. The scored with both teams headed to locker room was knotted at 13-13.

Not too much action happened in the third quarter which left the score tied at 13-13.

In the fourth quarter, the defense shut down the Texas Southern offense forcing the Tigers to back-to-back three and outs which set up the play of the game.

A bad punt by the Texas Southern gave the Braves excellent field position and on third down Gibbs hit Davis across the middle for a 39-yard touchdown.

Texas Southern had two more opportunities to score after the Braves go-ahead touchdown. Medina missed a 46-yard field goal and quarterback, Homer Causey was sacked by Deion McNair and fumbled the ball. Damon Watkins recovered the fumble which ended the game.

Walker rushed a season-high 130 yards on 23 carries. Gibbs completed 15 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns.

The Braves defense was led by junior safety Devon Francois, who made a couple of hard-hitting tackles in the Braves victory, recorded a game-high 11 tackles. Damon Watkins racked up six tackles, two tackles for a loss, and a sack. Watkins also forced and recovered a fumble.

Up next for the Braves (6-2, 4-1) is a trip to the "Bluff" next Saturday to take on the Southern Jaguars for their homecoming. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

COURTESY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

North Carolina A&T Aggies' offense sputters again

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — A trip home wasn’t enough to cure all that ailed N.C. A&T’s football team.

The Aggies’ offense couldn’t get anything going until the final drive, and Delaware State came away with a 12-7 win in a sloppy MEAC game Saturday at Aggie Stadium.

The Hornets never trailed, and by the time A&T finally found the end zone with 1:57 to play, it was all but over.

It was the Aggies’ third straight loss after a 3-0 start.

“It was a heartbreaking loss. As you could see, we couldn’t quite establish anything,” A&T coach Rod Broadway said. “... We weren’t very good this week.”

The Hornets’ defenders had been good in its previous two games, but A&T made things easy for them in the first half.




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WSSU finds its stride in second half, rolls past St. Aug’s 35-17

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RALEIGH, North Carolina  — It turns out Winston-Salem State can also grind out a win when it has to.      

On a dreary, overcast afternoon, Winston-Salem State won its sixth straight with a 35-17 win over scrappy St. Augustine’s at Sanderson High School in front of just over 4,000.                 
The Rams (6-1, 2-0 CIAA Southern Division) also won their 21st straight CIAA game but had to dig in to hold off the Falcons (3-4, 1-1).

"There was a little adversity in the first half and we only had the ball four times but you have to give credit to St. Aug’s,” Coach Connell Maynor of WSSU said. “We knew they would be tough…. So, we had to match their intensity — and we did that in the second half.”

The Rams, who came in averaging 45 points a game, led just 7-3 at halftime but found some rhythm with their offense in the second half thanks to a solid running game.

Maurice Lewis, a junior running back, led the way with 90 yards on 15 carries. His first touchdown was a 40-yard scamper in the first quarter that staked the Rams to a 7-0 lead.



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HU Pirates Force Late Turnovers, Win Battle of the Bay

NORFOLK, Virginia  -- The Hampton University football team forced two turnovers in the fourth quarter at a cloudy Dick Price Stadium on Saturday, capitalizing and beating rival Norfolk State 27-17 in the Battle of the Bay.

It marked the first time since 2005 that the road team won in this rivalry. Hampton has now won back-to-back games after opening the season with five straight losses.

The Pirates (2-5, 2-1 MEAC) broke a 17-17 tie with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter, after freshman Anthony Prevost (Chesterfield, Va.) nailed a 40-yard field goal. Norfolk State took over on the next drive, but sophomore Denzel Heath (Charlotte, N.C.) picked off a pass from Omari Timmons near mid-field and returned it to the Spartans' 13-yard line.

Three plays later, junior Jorrian Washington (Los Angeles, Calif.) punched it in from two yards out to give the Pirates a 27-17 lead with 2:14 left to play.

Norfolk State gained big yards in its first two plays of the next drive, but senior Carvin Johnson (New Orleans, La.) picked off Timmons just short of the goal line on the next play to give the ball back to Hampton.

Washington gained 22 yards on the next three plays to ice the game.

Washington rushed for 119 yards on 23 carries, recording 100 rushing yards in a game for the first time in his collegiate career. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry in picking up Hampton's first 100-yard rushing effort of the season.


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Freshman quarterback Bryan Bailey (Woodruff, S.C.) went 19-for-27 in the air for a career-best 263 yards and a touchdown. It was the first time this season a Hampton quarterback eclipsed the 200-yard mark in passing yards.

Wide receivers Leon Shorter (Fort Pierce, Fla.) and Twarn Mixson (Charlotte, N.C.) each caught four passes and eclipsed 100 receiving yards – Shorter had a team-high 111 yards through the air, and Mixson had 105 receiving yards.

The Pirates amassed a season-high 451 yards of total offense.

The Pirates took the game's opening drive 51 yards in 10 plays before Prevost got Hampton on the board with a 27-yard field goal at the 11:47 mark of the first quarter to put the Pirates up 3-0.

Norfolk State (2-5, 2-2 MEAC) answered with a touchdown drive early in the second quarter, when Timmons scored on a 16-yard run with 11:42 left in the first half to give the Spartans a 7-3 lead.

Hampton took a 10-7 lead with 3:19 left in the half, when junior Morris Brailsford (Westbury, N.Y.) capped an 11-play, 70-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

The Pirates took that lead into the half.

The Spartans opened the second half with a 10-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard field goal from Cameron Marouf at the 9:37 mark of the third quarter to tie the game at 10-10.

Hampton drove on its next drive, but wound up turning the ball over on downs. The Pirates then forced the Spartans into a three-and-out, before Hampton needed just three plays to find the end zone again. Bailey hit Mixson for a 32-yard strike, giving Hampton a 17-10 lead with 5:11 left in the third quarter.

Timmons rushed into the end zone from 11 yards out with 14:40 left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17-17.

Senior Delbert Tyler (Monroeville, Pa.) led the Pirates defense with 13 tackles, while Johnson added 11 tackles. Sophomore Joshua Thorne (Oxon Hill, Md.) had two sacks. The Pirates intercepted Timmons three times on Saturday, including twice in the final quarter.

The Pirates will return to action on Saturday, taking on Delaware State at Armstrong Stadium at 1 p.m. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.


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FSU Broncos Stampedes Johnson C. Smith, 35-26

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  -- Fayetteville State (4-3 overall, 3-1 CIAA) stampeded through Johnson C. Smith with 488 offensive yards in their 35-26 win at the Irwin Belk Complex.

Quarterback Derrick Bryant (Carrboro, NC), who had his first career start, threw for 418 yards on 24-of-38 attempts; with three touchdowns. Two Broncos combined for 304 yards. Tavon Gatlin (Virginia Beach, VA) finished with 145 yards with eight receptions and one touchdown. Dwayne Lorrick (Washington, DC) had seven catches for 159 yards and a score. Gatlin hauled in a 68-yard touchdown pass for the longest of the game while Lorrick pulled in a 65-yard mark. Colon Bailey, Jr. (Manteo, NC) scored two rushing touchdowns with a net 40 yards gained.

Johnson C. Smith (4-3 overall, 2-3 CIAA) had 412 yards of total offense. Back-up quarterback Andrew Alexander completed 13-of-20 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. Terrell Hutchison caught seven passes for 95 yards; along with Fred Scott, who also had seven with 92 yards.

The Golden Bulls struggled throughout the game with the Bronco defense. The secondary had a big night; picking off four interceptions. JCSU also failed on two two-point conversion attempts.


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Fayetteville State was the first to hit the scoreboard with a 20-yd pass from Bryant to Christopher Hubert (Apex, NC) at 10:14 in the 1st quarter. FSU started the scoring drive with an interception by Kwamere Bailey (Manteo, NC). Bryant converted a 3rd-and-10 situation with an 18-yard strike to Lorrick.  

Johnson C. Smith replied back on the following drive with LeAnder Barney's two-yard run. Keahn Wallace put the Golden Bulls in scoring position with a 27-yard pass to Scott on a 3rd-and-15 play. Wallace finished 9-of-16 for 82 yards; but also accounted for two thrown interceptions.

The Broncos answered the response with a three-play scoring drive for 75 yards. Bryant delivered a 65-yard bomb to Lorrick that advanced the Broncos; 14-7.

On FSU's first possession of the second quarter, Colon Bailey, Jr. squeezed in his first touchdown with a two-yard run that energized the Broncos at 21-7. Lorrick and Gatlin had 31 receiving yards each which set-up the score. The drive covered 80 yards in ten plays.

The Golden Bulls scored prior to halftime with Barney's 13-yard rush; but his two-point conversion attempt was foiled which left the score 21-13 with 1:07 left in the half.

Johnson C. Smith moved the chains on their first possession after intermission from the Fayetteville State 41-yard line into the red-zone. Through eight plays, JCSU landed at the FSU five-yard line with a first-and-goal situation. The Bronco defense stood its ground and stopped the Golden Bulls on fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line.

Four plays later with 6:14 left, Bryant successfully found Gatlin streaking down the middle with a 68-yard pass for a 28-13 lead.

Alexander pieced together two scoring drives to bring JCSU with two points of the Broncos; 26-28. He capped a seven play 77-yard scoring drive with a one-yard quarterback keeper with two minutes left in the third quarter. His two-point conversion pass was unsuccessful.

After the Broncos failed on a fourth-and-two conversion, Alexander drove the Golden Bulls 70 yards for a 33-yard scoring play. The quarterback completed the pass to Chris Patterson and Erik Amaya made the PAT kick.

Feeling the pressure of games past, Fayetteville State quickly responded with a 75-yard drive for the winning 35-26 score. Colon Bailey ran the clock and ball 36 of the 75 yards. His final ten yards was for his second TD. Bryant connected with Lorrick for 20 yards and Gatlin for 11 yards on the drive.

The Bronco defense put an end to JCSU's comeback efforts when Michael Johnson snatched his second interception of the game for a touchback. Johnson has now matched last season's performance of four INT's. Courtney Tate led all with ten total tackles and one sack for eight yards.

Fayetteville State will host St. Augustine's for homecoming next weekend in Luther Nick Jeralds Stadium. The Broncos will defend its second place standings against the 3-4 Falcons; who are 2-2 in conference play.

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Morgan St. jumps out early, holds off NCCU charge for road win

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Morgan State University dominated the first quarter of play then held off a persistent North Carolina Central University squad the rest of the way as the visiting Bears spoiled the Eagles' homecoming celebration with a 34-22 road win in front of a sellout crowd of 11,763 fans packed inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday.

Morgan State (2-5, 2-1 MEAC) scored the first 21 points of the game, all coming in the opening 15 minutes. The Bears amassed 155 yards of total offense in the first quarter, compared to just 20 yards by NCCU (3-4, 1-2 MEAC).

The Eagles, who entered the contest with the best turnover margin in the conference, did not help themselves by turning the ball over four times on the afternoon, including twice in the opening quarter that resulted in touchdowns.

NCCU battled back by scoring the next 10 points in the second quarter on a 9-yard run by quarterback Jordan Reid and a 41-yard field goal by Oleg Parent, but Morgan State responded with a 21-yard field goal by Chris Moller with 30 seconds left before intermission to take a 24-10 lead into the locker room.



In the third quarter, Morgan State took advantage of another NCCU turnover to extend its advantage to 27-10 courtesy of a 26-yard field goal by Moller with 3:19 remaining in the third stanza.

The Bears added to the cushion at 10:45 of the fourth quarter with a 14-play, 66-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Robert Council to make the score 34-10.

NCCU sophomore Adrian Wilkins gave the home fans a ray of hope with a flashy 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to trim the deficit to 34-16 at the 10:29 mark.

With less than six minutes remaining, NCCU back-up quarterback Malcolm Bell engineered a 9-play, 68-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Bell to DeMario Johnson with 4:22 remaining.

On the ensuing drive, Morgan State dashed any chances of a comeback by converting three first downs and running the rest of the game clock for a 34-22 victory.

The Bears finished with 385 yards of total offense, including 288 yards on the ground. Redshirt freshman running back Lamont Brown topped the Bears with 98 rushing yards and a touchdown. MSU quarterback Seth Higgins completed 5-of-8 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game in the second quarter with an injury.

NCCU managed 246 total yards, but only 44 rushing yards. The Eagles also lost 115 yards on an uncommon 13 penalties.

Reid completed 12-of-22 passes for 124 yards, but also threw two interceptions. NCCU senior receiver Lamar Scruggs caught seven passes for 92 yards, while Wilkins had four receptions for 31 yards to finish with 129 all-purpose yards.

NCCU senior linebacker Tazmon Foster, the league's leading tackler, collected a game-high 13 tackles with a sack, while redshirt freshman linebacker Jordan Miles recorded 11 stops and juMSU junior safety Paul Eatman intercepted two passes and tallied five solo tackles, while junior linebacker Cody Acker made four stops, recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass for the Bears.

NCCU returns to action on Oct. 26 to take on Savannah Stativersity in Savannah, Ga.

Box Score            

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hayes, former WSSU star, eager for Sunday’s game against Panthers

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- NFL players don’t like to admit circling a game on the calendar in anticipation of playing a particular opponent.

But William Hayes, a run-stopping defensive end for the St. Louis Rams, couldn’t help but look ahead to Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte. Hayes, a former Winston-Salem State star from High Point, said that playing in his home state is a big deal.

"Absolutely; I knew exactly when that game was going to be played because when you get a chance to play near where you grew up and in front of your family and friends, it’s a great day,” said Hayes, a six-year NFL veteran who was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round in 2008.

Hayes, in his second season with the Rams (3-3), injured a knee injury earlier this season but said he is back to nearly 100 percent after missing two games. He has five tackles and one sack for the season.

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Homecoming Ends On Happy Note As PVAMU Panthers Claim 51-14 Win Over Mississippi Valley State

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- Prairie View A&M capped off a successful homecoming as they exploded for 38 unanswered points in the second and third quarters to claim a 51-14 win before a sold out crowd at Blackshear Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After suffering an early turnover on its opening drive, PVAMU responded on its second drive of the afternoon as freshman Anthony Wiltz ran a punt back 34 yards to the MVSU 16. Junior running back Courtney Brown opened the drive with an 11-yard burst followed by Jerry Lovelocke's five-yard touchdown pass to senior wide out Deandre Cooper with 10:06 on the clock in the first quarter.

MVSU's defense held its ground after the early touchdown and forced the Panthers to punt once and turn the ball over on downs. On the opposite end, the Panther defense played inspired football as they forced MVSU to punt four consecutive times before MVSU jumped on the board with an eight-play, 63-yard drive that was capped off by Patrick Durr's 7-yard touchdown run and Cherchen Galon's PAT for the 7-7 tie in the second quarter.
 

Both teams kept up the defensive battle once again as they traded punts before the PVAMU coaching staff made the game's biggest adjustment early in the second quarter. With MVSU's defense nipping on their heels, the staff made a major adjustment midway through the second quarter and went with short passes and quarterback draws to keep MVSU's aggressive defense at bay. The adjustment worked successfully as they went on a 15-play, 90-yard drive which ended with quarterback De'Auntre Smiley running in from eight yards out. Chris Barrick's PAT was good as the Panthers led 14-7 with 5:24 left in the half.
 

Before the crowd could finish cheering for the last score, junior linebacker Jerome Howard picked off a MVSU pass on the opening play of the drive and ran it in untouched for a touchdown. The PAT was good as the Panthers led 21-7 17 seconds later. Once again, the Panther defense forced its second straight turnover as senior linebacker Korey Alston forced a fumble which was recovered by freshman safety Kenneth Maxwell. Four plays later, Smiley found Cooper for a 34-yard scoring strike as the Panthers went into the half ahead 28-7 following Barrick's PAT.
 

After several games of allowing teams to creep back in despite having big leads, the second half was all PVAMU as Smiley found freshman wide out Nick Pitre for a 20-yard touchdown pass followed by Cooper's third touchdown of the afternoon on an 11-yard pass from Smiley for a 44-7 third quarter lead. MVSU added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter but PVAMU capped it off with its running game as Levon Castillo scored from 17 yards out with 2:35 left to send the homecoming crowd home happy.
 

The Panthers were effective on both sides of the ball as they finished with 532 total offensive yards while allowing a season-low 178 yards to MVSU. Cooper led the way with nine receptions for 96 yards while Lovelocke and Smiley combined to throw four touchdowns and 29 completions on 43 attempts. Junior running back Fred Anderson picked up a team-high 69 yards on nine carries in the second half followed by 57 yards and six receptions from Patrick Gant. Defensively, Howard led the way with six tackles, a half-sack, three tackles for loss and a 23-yard interception return for a TD while

 

 Raheem Cardwell finished with six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
 

PVAMU returns to action next week in the Port City as they'll face Jackson State in a huge SWAC match up in the fourth annual Shreveport Classic. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. inside Independence Stadium.

COURTESY PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

                                                                                    

Jackson State keeps homecoming festivities despite Grambling no-show

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JACKSON, Mississippi  -- Grambling’s decision not to travel to Jackson State for Saturday’s football game did not stop the homecoming festivities on the Mississippi campus.

The music was blaring, the barbecue roasting and good times were all around outside of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning.

It looked like a typical JSU homecoming celebration, complete with gorgeous 70-degree weather, a parade and — of course — a performance by the school’s popular marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South.

The game between Grambling (0-8) and Jackson State (6-2) was canceled and declared a forfeit on Friday after disgruntled Grambling players refused to travel from their Louisiana campus because of issues they have with leaders of the athletic department and the university.

“It’s not the way I really like to win, but I’ll take it,” Jackson State coach Rick Comegy said on Saturday.

“I feel sorry for our kids, the seniors, who are playing their last homecoming game, not having the opportunity to have their families enjoy it like in the past.”

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'I wanted to play:' Jackson State players roll with news of Grambling State's forfeit 

JACKSON, Mississippi  --  Jackson State had its team dinner on Friday, stayed at the hotel and boarded a bus to the stadium on Saturday morning. The players wore dress shirts and ties.

Going through its usual routine, the team treated Saturday like any other game day.

Except it wasn’t.

After days of turmoil, Grambling State forfeited its matchup against Jackson State less than 24 hours before kickoff. The homecoming preparations had already been set, and all the JSU players could do was roll with the news.
“I really don’t know what to say how I feel about it, because it’s very unexpected,” Jackson State quarterback Clayton Moore said. “I woke up this morning, I did my normal pushups. I had my butterflies, but I was like wait, I’m not playing. ... It’s tough. Selfishly, I wanted to play, just for selfish reasons. But my body needed a rest.”

Jackson State’s second string scrimmaged for 30 minutes in front of a smaller-than usual homecoming crowd. In the past few years, JSU homecoming games had an average attendance of 35,000. That wasn’t the case Saturday, even with Jackson State making the event free.

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Southern dumps Pine Bluff for fourth win in five games

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas — Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s recent mastery of Southern is over.

The Jaguars defeated the Golden Lions for the first time since 2009 as Lenard Tillery rushed for a career-high 136 yards and a score, and quarterback Dray Joseph added 231 yards through the air with two touchdowns for a 29-21 victory Saturday afternoon in Southwestern Athletic Conference play at Golden Lion Stadium.

The Jaguars, who had lost three straight to UAPB and have won four of five overall, seized control when Joseph plunged in on a quarterback sneak from a yard out to extend the Jaguars’ lead to 29-21 with 8:34 left.

Southern (4-3, 4-1) came out with a determined rushing attack against the country’s worst rush defense. The Jaguars ran the ball five consecutive times on their second possession before Tillery broke loose for a touchdown run on third-and-1 from the UAPB 26.

The Golden Lions blocked Southern kicker Greg Pittman’s point-after attempt, but Pittman caught the ricochet and rumbled into the end zone to give Southern an 8-0 lead.

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Big plays get Miles back on track in 40-17 homecoming win against Kentucky State

FAIRFIELD, Alabama---Miles had to go back before it could get ahead.

The Golden Bears went back to quarterback David Thomas, inserting the redshirt senior into the starting lineup for the first time this season and the Opelika native led them to a 40-17 homecoming victory against Kentucky State.

Thomas finished with 195 yards and three touchdowns on 10-for-16 passing as the Golden Bears improved to .500 at 3-3 and more importantly 3-1 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

I'm proud of the guys. They bounced back.", coach Reginald Ruffin said of his team, which fell to previously winless Central State (Ohio) on the road last week. "We've had so many injuries and so many disciplinary (problems) that we probably kicked off five guys off the team last week before that Central State game last week. Our guys responded this week, had a great week of practice. And that's all we ask them to do, keep getting better when they step out on the field."

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2-Minute Drill: Miles College 40, Kentucky State 17

WHY MILES WON

The Golden Bears made big plays throughout and Kentucky State didn't.

It was simple as that.

In the first half alone Miles had touchdown passes of 27, 52 and 45 yards and a blocked field goal return for an 87 yard-score. It helped the Golden Bears build a 30-point lead, going into the break.

KEY MOMENT

The game looked like it prove to be competitive after all when Kentucky State kicker Cameron Lee connected on a 23-yard field goal with 8:38 to go in the second. But when the Miles added two touchdowns to tend the first half, any hope KSU might've had was gone.

STARS OF THE DAY

1. Miles College quarterback David Thomas. The senior quarterback made his final homecoming at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni stadium one to remember, finishing the night with 195 yards and three touchdowns against one interception on 10-for-16 passing.

2. Miles College wide receiver Darren Fife. The Cherokee County product Darren Fife didn't touch the ball much. But when he did, he made it count, adding a 45-yard touchdown reception and a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown.

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Tuskegee downs Stillman 35-7 at home to remain undefeated in SIAC play

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- Playing in wet conditions, Stillman fell victim to several big plays in the second half as the SC Tigers fell 35-7 to Tuskegee Saturday afternoon at Cleve L. Abbott Stadium in Tuskegee.

Tuskegee (6-1, 4-0) opened the scoring with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter with Kalee Williams caught a 35-yard pass from Rashad Burkett and scored, giving the Golden Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Stillman (4-3, 3-2) answered when Torrance Moise found Reese Sturgis for a two-yard strike - evening the game at 7-7 with 11:16 left in the first half.

Tuskegee would answer when Burkett found Marquez Gardner on an 18-yard pass play.  Tuskegee took a 14-7 lead into the locker room at intermission.



In the second half, Burkett found Gardner against, this time for a 37-yard scoring play to put Tuskegee ahead 21-7.  Tuskegee would open the lead further in the fourth quarter.  Running back Christopher Anderson found Larry Cobb for a 73-yard scoring play with 8:35 remaining in the game.  Four minutes later, Michael Robinson picked off a Stillman pass attempt and returned it 84 yards for the final score of the game.

Stillman - for most of the contest - outgained Tuskegee.  In the final tally, Tuskegee outgained Stillman offensively 391-374.  Stillman tallied 120 yards on the ground and 254 yards passing.

Moise finished the game with 68 yards rushing on 18 carries while completing 29-of-49 pass attempts for 254 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.  Dondre Purnell had 11 catches for 90 yards while Raymond Coats had five catches for 45 yards.  Defensively, Michael Herrod had eight solo tackles and a pass breakup while Robert Crosby, Cameron Stallings and Marcus Matthews each had six tackles.

The Stillman Tigers will have a short week as they host Central State on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Stillman Stadium.

COURTESY STILLMAN COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama A&M mid-season review: Youth has served to hurt Bulldogs in 2013

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - There is at least this consolation for Alabama A&M's fan base: "We're not Grambling." Or, for that matter, Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The cyclical nature of college football at the FCS level, and particularly in the SWAC with its many recruiting disadvantages, has impacted Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs lost 23 seniors from a good 2012 football team that occasionally underachieved, leaving coach Anthony Jones and his staff with a major rebuilding project this go-'round.

None of the three quarterbacks had taken a snap in an NCAA game before this year and the offensive line started four rookies. There were other key positions on defense to be filled by young players. The Bulldogs graduated a dependable kicker and, on the eve of summer drills, lost a kicker to whom A&M had awarded a scholarship.

That's a reference to last weekend's debacle where officials originally proclaimed A&M the winner, then returned the teams to the field for one last play, and a more egregious call on a ...

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Howard Bison Snap Four-Game Skid With Win Over Florida A&M

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Freshman Athony Philyaw rushed for a career-high 121 yards and two touchdowns and Howard controlled the line of scrimmage as the Bison defeated Florida A&M, 21-10 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Howard.

The Bison (2-5, 1-3 in the MEAC) dominated the game from start to finish en route to amassing a season high 254 yards on the ground.

Howard set the tone from the beginning, taking the opening possession and going 77 yards on only five plays with William Parker capping off the drive with a one-yard plunge at the 12:47 mark. The score was set up by a 62-yard run by Philyaw, the longest of his young career.

The Bison defense held the Rattlers in check and then capitalized on their next possession. The Howard offensive line helped create the drive that went 80 yards and consumed almost five minutes off the clock. Philyaw capped off the drive with a 10-yard run as he ran through and over FAMU defenders en route to the end zone. There was a high snap on the PAT attempt, but the Bison led 13-0 at the 5:53 mark of the first quarter.

"We started the season with question marks about the offensive line," explained Howard Interim head coach Ray Petty. "But I think that they have played well all season and they were exceptional today. They came out in the first quarter and completely dominated the Florida A&M front seven. Our running backs were able to find the holes. They played a big role in keeping the chains moving and chewing up time late in the game."

FAMU threatened to score on its possession, driving 49 yards on 10 plays, but the Bison defense stood tall and forced a 33-yard field goal by Chase Varnadore with just six ticks on the first quarter clock.

The Bison countered at the beginning of the second period, this time going 75 yards in 11 plays with Philyaw scoring his second TD of the day from a yard out. The 6-1, 210-pound freshman scored untouched on the two-point conversion to make it, 21-3 with a little under 11 minutes left before halftime.

"He is going to be a great one," said Petty of his freshman running back. "We keep talking about him and he gets better and better each week. He is only a freshman and the conference is going to have a problem with him."

FAMU (2-5, 1-2 in the MEAC) put together its only drive of the day, 75 yards on 10 plays, using almost six minutes off the clock. Bruce Lemond bolted in from two yards out to close out the scoring for the half and ultimately, the game.

The Rattlers posed some mild threats in the second half, but the Bison thwarted their attempts and used the effective blocking of the offensive line and the running of Parker (20 carries for 61 yards) , Philyaw and quarterback Greg McGhee (11 carries for 57 yards) to control the clock and play keep away. Howard held the ball for almost 34 minutes while converting 50 percent (7 of 14) of its third down conversions.

"We were working consistently all week on our blocking schemes," said Howard center Joshua Matthews, the only senior on the offensive line. "They run a 3-4, so we knew if we controlled the inside, it would be a successful day."

The Bison held FAMU to 227 yards of total offense and three of 10 on third down conversions.

"It was pretty much a simple game plan," said Howard senior cornerback Ademola Olatunji. "Everybody stay in your gap and do your assignment. It proved to be very effective today." Olatunji led the team with seven tackles.

GAME NOTES: This was the first time that Howard has defeated the Rattlers three straight times in the series…McGhee had a career-low 67 yards passing despite completing 10 of 16…Fleck had the longest run of his career, a 27-yard jaunt on fourth down that set up a TD.

NEXT UP: Howard hosts Morgan State for homecoming on Saturday at 1 pm in Greene Stadium while the Rattlers host North Carolina A&T next Saturday at 2 pm.

COURTESY HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON SPORTS INFORMATION

Tennessee State Tigers Clip UT-Martin Skyhawks, 29-15

MARTIN, Tennessee  --  A stout defensive effort from the nation’s No. 1 ranked unit helped the Tennessee State football team defeat UT Martin, 29-15, on Saturday.

 

The Tigers (7-1, 4-0 OVC) only allowed 4.1 yards per play, recorded 12 tackles for loss (five sacks), tallied two takeaways and forced 19 Skyhawk penalties.

Freshman quarterback Ronald Butler led the offense, completing 11-of-19 for 160 yards and one touchdown. Junior Ryan Mitchell was Butler’s favorite target, as the receiver caught five passes for 84 yards and a score.

The contest started with five straight three-and-outs in which the teams combined for a total of two yards. On TSU’s third drive, Butler completed a 33-yard pass to Lavatiae Kelly, but the big play only led to another Tiger punt.

After forcing the Skyhawk offense of the field, TSU finally struck pay dirt with its first play of its fourth series as Butler found Mitchell on a crossing route. A good play-action sucked the UT Martin (4-3, 2-2 OVC) safeties towards the line of scrimmage, and Mitchell was a few steps passed his defender when he caught the ball at the opposing 40-yard line. From there, Mitchell did the rest, beating his man further for the score.

The pass and catch totaled 61 yards and Jamin Godfrey’s point after put TSU up, 7-0, with two minutes to go in the first quarter.

UT Martin’s offense responded on the next drive by moving the ball all the way down to the TSU 31 yard-line. D.J. McNeal fumbled on the ensuing play, and Nick Thrasher recovered, giving the Big Blue offense possession.  The takeaway brought the first quarter to a close with the Tigers up by a touchdown.

The Tiger defense held the Skyhawks to 58 yards of total offense during the first 15 minutes. UT Martin quarterback Jarod Neal was just 2-of-6 for 12 yards and the Skyhawks committed six penalties for 30 yards.

Early in the second period, a fake punt from UT Martin sprung punter James Satterfield for a 21-yard gain – UT Martin’s longest of the game up to that point. The Skyhawks used short passes to ultimately set up a 40-yard field goal attempt. However, TSU’s Anthony Bass blocked the attempt and De’Ante Saunders returned the ball 54 yards for a Tiger touchdown.

The great play on special teams put Tennessee State in the driver’s seat, 14-0, with just over 10 minutes to go before halftime.

The Tigers struck again two plays later as Daniel Fitzpatrick picked off Neal at the 20-yard line and waltzed into the end zone untouched for TSU’s third touchdown of the game.

The interception was Fitzpatrick’s fifth this season and fourth in TSU’s last three games. He is now the FCS leader in interceptions.

The Big Blue defense came up with another key play on UT Martin’s next offensive possession. After two straight negative plays, Bass and Shipley wrapped up Skyhawk running back McNeal in the end zone for a safety. The score was TSU’s 23 point in a nine-minute and four seconds span.

UT Martin had one final chance to score before halftime, but a 68-yard drive yielded zero points, as the clock expired before the Skyhawks could attempt a 25-yard field goal.

The Tiger defense had eight tackles for loss in the first half, three of which were quarterback sacks.

TSU went three-and-out to start the third quarter and UT Martin took advantage with a 10-play, 49-yard scoring drive. Neal found Jeremy Butler on a fade route from 11-yards away to make the score, 23-7, in favor of the Tigers with six minutes gone in the second half.

Tennessee State could not answer on its next series, and was forced to punt. Martin bowled into Leon Holderhead, causing a running into the kicker penalty. On Holderhead’s next attempt, Jeremy Butler fumbled the kick and TSU’s Martine Stevenson recovered at the UT Martin 28-yard line.

The heads-up special teams play set up a 44-yard field goal from Godfery, putting TSU on top, 26-7, with under four minutes to play in the third.

Back-to-back sacks halted UT Martin’s next drive, and the Tigers took over on their own 15-yard line to begin the fourth. Butler engineered an 11-play, 82-yard drive that was aided by a 23-yard run from Broughton to set up a field goal attempt. Godfrey’s kick was deflected, but still went through the uprights from 20-yards away to put Big Blue in front, 29-7.

Broughton, who came into the game as the OVC’s leading rusher, finished the day with 86 yards on 22 carries for a 3.9 average.

The Skyhawks added a late touchdown when running back Trent Garland scored from two-yards out at the 1:33 mark. Garland then added the two-point conversion to make the final score, 29-15.

Tennessee State will go for its eighth straight win on Oct. 26 against No. 3 ranked Eastern Illinois for homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at LP Field.

Final Box

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

XU gets season sweep of Loyola; 1,000 kills for Reuther

TAYLOR REUTHER

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana survived some second-set blues, and Taylor Reuther reached 1,000 career kills Saturday in its 25-14, 11-25, 25-12, 25-18 women's volleyball victory against

The victory was the 11th in a row for the Gold Nuggets (17-7) -- that extended a school record -- and it was their third in as many matches against the Wolf Pack (8-17) this season. Xavier was 0-11 against its city rival in its previous five seasons.

Reuther's kill during the 10th rally of the second set made her the first XU player to reach 1,000 kills. The Nuggets lost that set, but first-year coach Hannah Lawing's pep talk with her junior captains -- Reuther, Chinedu Echebelem and Moira Kirk -- provided a spark for the remainder of the match.

"We were dwelling on past points if we made an error," Echebelem said. "As captains, we have to stick together and keep the team together. If we make an error, let it go."

Not only did the Nuggets stop dwelling on errors, they also reduced their mistakes and forced Loyola into more. Xavier committed 13 errors in the final two sets after making 21 in the first two. Loyola, meanwhile, made 22 errors in the final two sets, eight more than in the first two.

"We regained our focus," Reuther said, "and played together."

Kirk and Reuther had two kills apiece during an 8-0 run which gave Xavier a 10-2 lead in the third. Claudia Haywood ended the set with a kill of a free ball.

Xavier and Loyola were tied at 14 in the fourth set, but two Wolf Pack errors -- one on a serve, the other on an attack -- and Reuther's free-ball kill put the Nuggets ahead to stay. Alexandria Rencher clinched with her third ace to end Loyola's three-match win streak and put a damper on the Wolf Pack's senior-day celebration.

Kirk had 14 kills, two aces and a block. Reuther (11 kills, 12 digs) and Echebelem (10 kills, 13 digs) both had double-doubles. Jodi Chatters had 10 digs, and Rencher had 40 assists, five digs, a block and a kill. Haywood, the Nuggets' most efficient hitter during the win streak, hit .643 with nine kills and no errors in 14 attacks.

Eva Allen had 10 kills, two aces, a block and six digs for Loyola.

Xavier outhit Loyola .289 to .144 and had advantages of 51-37 in kills, 8-6 in aces and 57-53 in digs.

Reuther finished the day with 1,008 career kills and likely will reach 1,000 career digs soon. She has 952.

"I couldn't have gotten 1,000 kills without my teammates' support," Reuther said. "They were a big part of that."

The contest was the finale of a four-team, four-match tournament co-sponsored by Xavier and Loyola. The Nuggets were the only 2-0 team in the event.

Xavier will play four of its next five at home, beginning with a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match against SUNO at 7 p.m. Monday at the Convocation Center. Xavier (6-0) and SUNO (9-1) have the best records in the GCAC, and the Nuggets are responsible for the Lady Knights' only conference loss.

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

Virginia State Nips Bowie State 47-44 in Triple Overtime

ETTRICK, Virginia -- The Bowie State University football team lost a tough triple overtime game on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Stadium, falling by a score 47-44 to host Virginia State University.

The Bulldogs fall to 2-5 overall on the season and 0-4 in conference play.

The Trojans struck quickly to open the game, scoring the games' first three points on a 38-yard field goal by Shawn Hunt (Newport News, Va.) with 10:46 left in the first quarter.

Virginia State's passing game was on point in the first half of play. A pass interference call with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half, gave the Trojans a first down at the Bulldogs five yard line. Three plays later, Jordan Anderson (Houston, Texas) punched it in from two yards out to give Virginia State a 10-0 advantage.

Bowie State put their first points on the scoreboard with 2:17 left in the second quarter following a 33-yard field goal by junior Mario Diaz-Aviles (Washington, D.C.) to close the deficit to 10-3.

On the ensuing kickoff, Bulldogs redshirt sophomore Nkonyeasua Uwandi (Berwyn Heights, Md.) forced a fumble and senior Dwayne Price (Fort Washington, Md.) recovered the fumble in the end zone. Diaz-Aviles added the extra point to tie the game at 10.

The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game after a 22-yard field goal by Diaz-Aviles to send Bowie State into the homecoming halftime with a 13-10 lead.

Redshirt junior Kendall Jefferson (Temple Hills, Md.) busted up the gut of the Virginia State defense for a 19-yard touchdown run to push the Bulldogs lead to 20-10 with 47.9 seconds left in the third quarter.

With 9:07 left in regulation VSU senior quarterback Justin Thorpe (Henrico, Va.) faked a handoff and rushed for an 11-yard TD run. Hunt added the extra point to trim the BSU lead to 20-17.


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The Trojans regained the lead at 24-20 on a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Anderson at the 4:47 mark of the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Garry Cropper (Odenton, Md.) caught a Johnston screen pass and scampered down the Bowie State sideline for a 24-yard score. It was Cropper's first TD reception of his career.

VSU's Hunt drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to send the Trojans and Bulldogs into overtime tied at 27.

Virginia State (6-1, 4-0 CIAA) went on offense first in overtime and Thorpe connected with Jaivon Smallwood (Virginia Beach, Va.) for a 15-yard pass and catch touchdown.

Bowie State junior Keith Brown (Temple Hills, Md.) rumbled 25 yards on the Bulldogs second play from scrimmage in overtime and the Aviles extra point knotted the score at 35 heading into a second overtime.

Johnston threw it up in the right corner of the VSU end zone and freshman Ricardo Smith (Oxon Hill, Md.) out-jumped the VSU defender for a 13-yard touchdown and a 41-34 Bulldogs lead.

Faced with a fourth and five, Smallwood hung in the pocket, which seemed like an eternity, and ran up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown, sending the game into the third and deciding overtime tied at 41 all.

The Bulldogs went ahead 44-41 in the third overtime following a career-long 40 yard Aviles field goal.

However, the Thorpe/Smallwood duo would close it out for the Trojans on a 24-yard pass and catch to lift Virginia State to a 47-44 victory. This marked the third straight year VSU has beaten BSU in overtime. The 91 points were a new combined high between the two teams.

Bowie State accumulated 336 yards of total offense, while Virginia State had 510 total yards.

Brown led the Bulldogs in rushing with a career-high 175 yards on a career-best 32 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Redshirt junior tight end Khari Lee (Baltimore, Md.) caught a team-high four passes for 55 yards.

Bulldogs senior quarterback Jared Johnston (Dumfries, Va.) was 12-for-24 in the air for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Kevaugn Townsend (Fort Washington, Md.) led the Bulldogs with 11 tackles. Senior linebacker Antoine Young (Washington, D.C.) had 10 tackles, including one tackle for a loss.

Leading the Virginia State ground and air game was Thorpe with 182 rushing yards and 259 passing yards, completing 20-of-33 passes and two touchdowns.

The top receiver for the Trojans was Smallwood with eight receptions for 131 yards while tight end Gene Holloman (Virginia Beach, Va.) had five catches for 56 yards and one touchdown.

Ronald Lewis (Virginia Beach, Va.) paced the Trojans defense with a team-high 10 tackles. Andre Rawls (Franklin, Va.) had a good afternoon totaling nine tackles to go along with two tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.

The Bulldogs return home to take on the Panthers of Virginia Union University next Saturday, October 26th at 1 pm in Bulldogs Stadium. This game has been designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Day and anyone that wears pink will be admitted for $5. For additional ticket information, visit the official Bulldogs website at www.bsubulldogs.com.

COURTESY BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton, behind freshman QB, downs Norfolk State

NORFOLK, Virginia -- It was bad enough for Norfolk State that its ineffective offense petered out yet again Saturday.

That it happened against Hampton only made things worse.

Freshman Bryan Bailey completed 19 of 27 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown to lift the Pirates to a 27-17 win over NSU in the annual Battle of the Bay at Dick Price Stadium.

The Spartans (2-5, 2-2 MEAC) saw their final two drives end on interceptions thrown by sophomore Omari Timmons, who came off the bench when starter Nico Flores suffered a second-quarter knee injury.

The Pirates (2-5, 2-2 MEAC) won for the second straight time in the series, which dates back to 1963. In a rivalry that features friends and former high school teammates facing off, bragging rights will stay on the other side of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel.

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Jackson, White help B-CU rout Savannah State, 48-21

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida  -- Normally, Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins would be irate after his team committed four turnovers.

Normally, he’d be incensed to see his team suffer a letdown in the second half.

 

But Saturday’s 48-21 victory over Savannah State was different. The Wildcats jumped out to a 42-7 halftime lead and then rested their first- and second-string players in the second half.

 

“We played some down-the-line guys,’’ Jenkins said. “We know what we have coming in next week, and we want to be 100 percent healthy. That’s the main thing.’’

 

The victory sets up B-CU’s biggest homecoming game in years. The Wildcats (6-1) will host South Carolina State (5-2) at 4 p.m. next Saturday in a contest that could decide the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship. Both teams are 3-0 in the MEAC, while every other conference team has at least one loss.

 

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Week 8: HBCU Football ScoreCard Finals

SATURDAY, October 19, 2013

CIAA
Chowan 14 at Virginia Union 24 (H)
Winston-Salem State 35 at Saint Augustine's 17
Lincoln (Pa.) 14 at Elizabeth City State 56 (H)
Fayetteville State 35 at Johnson C. Smith 26
Bowie State 44 at Virginia State 47 (H) 3 O.T.
Livingstone 21 at Shaw 45 (H)

SWAC
Alcorn State 20 at Texas Southern 13 (H)
Jackson State 1, Grambling State 0 (H) Forfeit
Mississippi Valley 14 at Prairie View A&M 51 (H)
Southern 29 at Arkansas Pine Bluff 21 (H)
Alabama State (open)
Alabama A&M (open)

OVC
Tennessee State 29 at Tennessee-Martin 15

SIAC
Fort Valley State 0 at #13 Washburn 41, Thursday
Central State (Ohio) 37 at Lane 34 (H)
Morehouse 20 at Albany State (Ga.) 42 (H)
Clark Atlanta 0 at Benedict 24 (H)
Stillman 7 at Tuskegee 35
Kentucky State 17 at Miles 40 (H) TV: Bounce TV

OTHER CONFERENCES & INDEPENDENTS
Millersville 30 at Cheyney 12 (H)
Charleston (WV) 31 at West Virginia State 9
Concordia-Selma 14 at Virginia University Lynchburg 57
Lincoln (Mo.) 14 at Nebraska-Kearney 24
Texas College 8 at Langston 34

MEAC
Hampton 27 at Norfolk State 17( Battle of the Bay)
Delaware State 12 at North Carolina A&T 7
Morgan State 34 at North Carolina Central 22 (H)
Howard 21 at Florida A&M 10 (H)
Savannah State 21 at Bethune-Cookman 48 (Bikers Classic)

BOLD: Winner
(H): Homecoming

ESPN Tim Kenow: Grambling football team not bluffing

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Feel the power of the college athlete. Don't believe a group of young men can unite for a cause, stay together and demand change? We don't know how the administration and football staff at Grambling State would have answered that question before this week, but we definitely know the answer now.

The Grambling football team capped its weeklong protest of conditions within the program by refusing to get on the buses for Jackson, Miss., on Friday afternoon. The game has been canceled, and the Tigers' impressive show of solidarity continues.

It's a remarkable and perhaps unprecedented show of force, and it has raised so many issues – from facilities to transportation to the very purpose of college athletics – that it's difficult to decide where to start. State funding for the school has been cut 57 percent since 2007-08, according to the school's fundraising literature. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and the state legislature have cut $269 million from higher education since 2009, the year Jindal turned down federal stimulus funds. Grambling lost $6 million, causing the school's Office of Finance and Administration to say the school has gone from "state 'funded'" to "state 'assisted.'"

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Grambling State players send letter to Administration

GRAMBLING, Louisiana  -- Grambling State football players complained of mold and mildew on equipment and in facilities, having to pay for Gatorade out of their own pockets and even said which assistants they thought would make a good interim coach after the firing of Doug Williams in a letter to the administration obtained by ESPN's Pedro Gomez.

On Friday, Grambling State canceled its football game against Jackson State after Grambling's disgruntled players refused to travel to Jackson, Miss., for the game Saturday.

The letter says "there are certain factors that are hindering us from reaching our goals" and then elaborates on many of them.

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• Grambling State Forfeits

  Grambling State Forfeits

  Stephen A. Smith discusses the Grambling State players' decision not to travel and to forfeit their game against Jackson State because of poor facility conditions, travel policies and a tumultuous coaching situation.Tags: Grambling State, Stephen A. Smith, Forfeits
• Grambling State Won't Play Amid Protest

GSU Football Players' Letter (.pdf)

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Golden Bears Buzz: Kentucky State at Miles College

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WHAT: Kentucky State (4-2, 2-1 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) at Miles College (2-3, 2-1)

 

WHEN: Saturday, 4 p.m. 

WHERE: Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium, Fairfield, Ala. 

 

THIS GAME WILL DETERMINE: There are currently four teams, including KSU, Miles, Stillman and Lane (Tenn.) with one loss in the SIAC West behind Tuskegee, unbeaten in league play at 3-0. Tuskegee hosts Stillman Saturday. Stillman already has a win against KSU and Miles has yet to play Stillman or Tuskegee. So, this game will be huge in what could be a down-to-the-wire race for a spot in the SIAC title game in Atlanta in November. 

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

1. Kentucky State running back Jacquise Lockett. Locket is the best running back in the SIAC and it's not even close. The bruising 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior leads the league in rushing with 728 yards, a number more than 300 better than the league's second-leading rusher, and 12 touchdowns on 104 carries for an average of 121.3 yards per game. 

2. Miles' resolve. The Golden Bears have been up and down in 2013, after going 8-3 and reaching the Division II playoffs for the first time in school history this season. Last week, might've been the low point of the season for Miles when it fell 25-21 on the road at previously winless conference newcomer Central State (Ohio). The Golden Bears can still make a run at a league title but a lot of depends how they rebound against a tough Kentucky State squad. 

 

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Florida A&M Rattlers' roster features a northern flair

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- There is a very good chance that the crowd that shows up for FAMU’s homecoming game on Saturday will hear a few states mentioned over the public address system that might grab their attention.

Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Utah, in particular. Those are the home states of some of the Rattlers who have been contributing lately.

Take a look at the Rattlers’ roster, and the names and home states of the players from up north seem to jump off the page. They are intertwined with more than 60 other players who are mostly from Florida or a nearby state.

Coming from as far north as they have, living in the south took some getting used to. Culture, food and the Southern twang have been the biggest difference they said they’ve had to deal with.

And the weather, too.

“There is no getting used to it,” said junior offensive lineman Ryan Templeton, adding that summertime here is more punishing then he is used to in his hometown Chicago. “You just have to keep pushing yourself.”


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