Bell's 3 TD passes lead NCCU to win over Howard

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Malcolm Bell threw for three touchdowns to give North Carolina Central a 27-22 victory over Howard on Saturday.

Bell, who threw for 245 yards on 20-of-30 passing, was also the top runner for NCCU, rushing 12 times for 66 yards.

NCCU (2-3, 1-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) drove 74 yards in the final 1:31 of the first half to take a 14-3 lead when Bell hit Delqwan Jackson on a 43 yard scoring strike with :08 remaining.

Greg McGhee had 378 total yards for Howard (1-5, 0-3) as he threw for 291 yards and two TDs, but he was also intercepted twice in the fourth quarter. C.J. Moore got one of those picks when Howard had a first down at NCCU’s 22 with 2:57 remaining.

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SSU falls short in defensive battle to Norfolk State 14-7

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- It’s difficult to win in football when you cannot advance the football on the ground.

An inability to run the football again proved costly to Savannah State as the Tigers dropped a 14-7 decision to Norfolk State on Saturday at T.A. Wright Stadium before an announced homecoming crowd of 5,268.

Savannah State was reduced to one dimension offensively as it finished with only 13 yards rushing on 23 attempts. The Tigers were held to minus-1 yard in the first half by the Spartans, who lead the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in total defense.

The Tigers entered the game next-to-last in the conference, averaging 94.5 yards per game.

It marked the 14th straight loss for SSU (0-4, 0-2 MEAC) and was its 25th straight loss in the conference. Savannah State won the first conference game it played when the Tigers beat North Carolina Central 33-30 in 2011. That was also the Tigers’ last win against a Division I opponent.

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Fayetteville State women's basketball team predicted to win CIAA division

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- The Fayetteville State men and women's basketball teams were picked Thursday to occupy exactly the same spots where they finished last season in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's preseason poll.

The FSU women, who finished tied for first with Shaw in the CIAA Southern Division a year ago, were projected to win the title this season over the Bears. The pick was based in large part on six returning players, including preseason All-CIAA pick Deja Middleton, who helped the Broncos reach the tournament finals.

"Everybody brings their best every night in the (Southern) division, because they want to get to Saturday night (for CIAA Tournament finals),'' FSU coach Eva Patterson-Heath said. "It's very, very competitive. It's difficult to maintain (success) simply because everyone's goals are the same. Everyone wants to win.''

Middleton, a senior center, is a two-time CIAA Defensive Player of the Year who averaged 13.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.8 block shots last season.

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FAMU AD Winslow patient with Holmes despite losses

 KELLEN WINSLOW
FAMU Athletic Director

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Reacting to calls on social media for the termination of head football coach Earl Holmes, FAMU's athletic director Kellen Winslow said his entire department is under scrutiny.

However, Winslow said he is concerned about the Rattlers' 0-4 start and he has met with the second-year coach to discuss his solutions for a turnaround.

"I'm trying to figure it out myself," Winslow said. "I had a conversation with coach Holmes and he is trying to figure it out also."

Winslow, who is entering his sixth month as athletics director, is a NFL Hall of Famer.

"I don't quite get into his business and say how to do this; how to do that," said Winslow. "It seems to me he is making decisions that he thinks he needs to make."

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Charlotte Lucas' Facebook rant about 'minorities' raises eyebrows

NDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  -- A Facebook rant from a prominent Indianapolis figure was raising eyebrows Friday, Call 6 Investigator Rafael Sanchez reported.

Call 6 Investigators obtained a Facebook posting from Charlotte Lucas in which she appears to write disparaging remarks about minorities. Lucas founded Lucas Oil with husband Forrest in 1989 and currently serves as executive vice president of Lucas Oil Products.

"I'm sick and tired of minorities running our country!" Lucas wrote in the post. "As far as I'm concerned, I don't think that atheists (minority), muslims [sic] (minority) nor any other minority group has the right to tell the majority of the people in the United States what they can and cannot do here. Is everyone so scared that they can't fight back for what is right or wrong with his country?"



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WSSU hitting the road to Chowan

MURFREESBORO, North Carolina  -- Winston-Salem State will play its first true road game of the season today at Chowan.

The Rams suffered their only loss so far on Sept. 13, to Valdosta State, in a neutral-site game played in Powder Springs, Ga. — four hours from Valdosta State’s campus. 

Today’s game (7 p.m., WTOB 1380) will match one of the CIAA’s top offensive teams, the Rams, against one of the CIAA’s worst defensive teams, the Hawks.
 

Despite his team’s 25-game winning streak against CIAA opponents, Coach Kienus Boulware said that his Rams aren’t looking past anybody.
 

“Right now, the conference is still wide open, so you don’t know what to expect,” Boulware said. “Any given Saturday, anybody can win, so we have to have that mentality. The team that makes the fewest mistakes usually winds up on top.”

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NCA&T Aggies, SCSU Meet In An Atlanta Showdown

North Carolina A&T (4-1, 1-0 MEAC) vs. S.C. State (3-2, 1-0 MEAC)
Date: Oct. 4, 2014 
Time: 3:30 p.m.   
Facility: Georgia Dome
Series: S.C. State leads, 31-18-2
Media: WNAA, 90.1 FM; Play-by-play – Spencer Gwynn; Analyst – Billy Covington and Al Swann; ESPNU (tape delayed at 10 p.m.); WatchESPN app (live); ESPN3 (live)

 Photo Gallery

Social Media Link

WatchESPN

Game Notes

Aggies Overview:  North Carolina A&T heads into a marquee matchup with the S.C. State Bulldogs in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome this week. The Aggies have their sights on winning a conference title but in order to be the man you have to beat the man and for the past 12 seasons the Bulldogs have been on top. In fact, the Bulldogs come into the game the defending MEAC co-champs after winning their fifth MEAC title in 12 years last season. Ahead of a crucial MEAC game, the Aggies ran into some injury problems last week. All-conference running back Tarik Cohen didn’t play last week at Howard. Quarterback Kwashaun Quick left the game in the second quarter and did not return. Punt returner Khris Gardin also left early along with punter Dominic Frescura. What the Aggies do have is a receiving corps that is getting better and better. In the past two games, the Aggies have completed 34 passes. They completed 39 passes over the first three weeks of the season.

S.C. State Overview: S.C. State has been one of the MEAC’s premier teams over the past decade. At the head of all the success has been coach Buddy Pough who into today’s game 11-1 against A&T. Pough, a former Bulldogs player, picked up his 100^th career win when the Bulldogs defeated Hampton 17-10 last week at Hampton. Pough accomplished the feat in just 145 games coached. Redshirt sophomore Adrian Kollock and fifth year-senior TeDarrius Wiley have shared the quarterbacking duties this season. Kollock is completing 63 percent of his passes, which ranks him 27^th in the nation. He is also averaging 7.6 yards per pass attempt which is the 29^th best total in the country. In the Bulldogs’ win over nationally-ranked FCS Furman, Wiley played the whole game and threw for 92 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldogs’ schedule has also included FBS Clemson and FCS nationally-ranked Coastal Carolina. S.C. State’s defense has been spectacular the past two weeks, giving up a total of just 17 points.

News & Notes:

• A&T is building its team around young players. The Aggies have already played 16 freshmen this season, five of those players are true freshmen. A total of 24 true freshmen have played since head coach Rod Broadway arrived in 2011.
• The Aggies will be playing in their 38^th classic game all-time. A&T is 19-18 in classic games, including their 47-13 win over Alabama A&M in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge earlier this season.
• A&T received three votes in the FCS Coaches Poll, while they received 62 votes in the latest Sports Network Media Poll. The Aggies are ranked third in the Sheridan Broadcasting Black College Poll.
• A&T head coach Rod Broadway (91) and S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough (100) have a combined 191 career wins. This will be the fifth time their respective teams have played against each other with Pough holding a 3-1 record. One of those wins was a S.C. State win over Grambling in the 2009 MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

They said what?

“Coach Broadway and his staff have done a good job of getting that program back to the forefront of our league. They really ought to be 5-0 because they had Coastal Carolina dead to right. They are about as good a team I have seen around here in a while. Both teams are young because they have turned over a good portion of their personnel from last year to this like we have. They seem to be playing very well with some of their new guys and we’re still trying to find our way with ours.”

S.C. State head coach Buddy Pough on playing A&T
“South Carolina State has won something like 12 out of 13 games against A&T, so people ask me if it is a rivalry. I don’t think it is a rivalry when it is one-sided. That’s domination if you ask me. I have a lot of respect for South Carolina State and how they run their program and how they do things. If you look at them on film, they’re well disciplined, well coached and they know what to do on the field. On the other hand, we’re an up and coming program, and we’re getting close. We just need to learn how to win these types of ballgames. One thing I admire about them most is that they have won five championships in the last 12 years.”



COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Game Preview: Prairie View A&M vs. Jackson State

THE SETUP

Jackson State wants to keep the momentum rolling.

After grabbing its first conference victory in overtime at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the Tigers (3-2, 1-1 SWAC) hope to build off that win and see progress in their offense. That starts today, when they host the only winless team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference — Prairie View A&M (0-4, 0-3 SWAC).

But the coaches heeded a warning to their players, reminding them of another winless team they faced two weeks ago in Grambling State. Although PVAM and GSU are two different teams and from the West, PVAM returns a veteran quarterback in Jerry Lovelocke, whom JSU didn't face last season because of injury.

The Panthers, who are facing APR sanctions this year, are coming off a 26-20 loss to Grambling.

3 THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

Another turnover-free performance needed

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Week 6: HBCU Football Schedule

Howard Showtime Marching Band, courtesy of the BGMM Media Team...
ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Alcorn State 33, Alabama State 7  Watch Replay 

Miles 23, Benedict 13

Saturday, October 4, 2014

OVC

Tennessee State at Southeast Missouri State, 2 PM

MEAC

Norfolk State at Savannah State, 2 PM

Howard at North Carolina Central, 2 PM

South Carolina State vs. North Carolina  A&T at Atlanta Football Classic, 3:30 PM, ESPN3

Delaware State at Bethune Cookman, 4 PM

Morgan State at Florida A&M, 5 PM

SWAC

Alcorn State 33, Alabama State 7 (Thursday)

Grambling State at Alabama A&M, 3 PM

Arkansas Pine Bluff at Southern U., 6:30 PM

Prairie View at Jackson State, 7 PM

Mississippi Valley at Texas Southern, 8 PM

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

OTHER CONFERENCES

VUL (Bye Week)

Concordia-Selma at Ave Maria, 12 Noon

West Virginia State at Urbana, 12 Noon

Bloomsburg at Cheyney, 1 PM

Langston at Texas College, 2 PM

Edward Waters at Southeastern U., 2 PM

Lincoln (Mo.) at William Jewell, 7 PM

CIAA

Livingstone at Elizabeth City State, 1 PM

Shaw at Virginia Union, 1 PM

Saint Augustine's at Virginia State, 2 PM

Fayetteville State at Lincoln (Pa.), 2 PM

Johnson C. Smith at Bowie State, 4 PM

Winston-Salem State at Chowan U., 7 PM

SIAC

Miles 23, Benedict 13 Thursday)

Fort Valley State at Tuskegee, 1 PM

Morehouse at Clark Atlanta, 2 PM

Stillman at Lane, 2 PM

Kentucky State vs. Central State at Indianapolis, IN (Circle City Classic), 3 PM

Albany State at Paine, 4 PM

All Times are shown is Eastern Standard Time Zone 

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

DWIGHT FLOYD: Rattlers Make Themselves At Home in FSU’s Tully Gym

DWIGHT FLOYD
THE EDITOR

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It must have felt strange for the winless North Carolina Central University Eagles volleyball team to visit lorida State University’s Tully Gym and play beneath the ACC banner. It did not seem as strange for the home team 5-10 (3-0 conference) Florida A&M Rattlers, who had to travel across town to host the game. Both the Jake Gaither Gymnasium and the AL Lawson Center were unusually busy due to events celebrating FAMU’s Founder’s Day and the appointment of Dr. Elmira Mangum as FAMU’s 11th president.

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Alabama A&M ‘scared to death’ of Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – So much for Grambling’s demise as a football power. In a matter of weeks, Grambling has transformed itself from an 0-3 team to a program that is apparently feared by Southwestern Athletic Conference coaches.

Grambling is 2-0 in the SWAC after securing convincing wins over Jackson State and Prairie View A&M.

Now the Tigers ride a two-game win streak to Alabama A&M to take on the Bulldogs in their final contest of a six-game road trip.

“I’m scared to death. Anytime you face Grambling, it’s going to be a tough football game,” said Alabama A&M coach James Spady, who was a Grambling assistant from 2007-09. “They’re riding high. They’re experiencing some success and to be very honest with you, they’re going to be a very formidable homecoming opponent.”

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Southern University football vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff game capsule

When/Where: Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at A. W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge

Television: The homecoming game won't be televised live on Saturday but will be available on tape delay at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Radio: WYNK 97.7 FM

Coaches: Arkansas Pine Bluff — Monte Coleman (7th season, 32-39). Southern — Dawson Odums (2nd season as head coach, was interim in 2012, 15-12).

About Southern: If the Jaguars' season could be characterized by one word, it'd be inconsistent. Through five games, Southern (2-3, 1-1 SWAC) has neither won nor loss more than one consecutive contest. While that has kept the Jaguars from plummeting in the conference standings, their inability to string together a few wins has kept the defending SWAC champions in the middle of the pack nearly midway through the season.



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Game preview: Fort Valley State at Tuskegee

THE GAME

When: 1 p.m. today

Where: Cleve L. Abbott Stadium

Records: Tuskegee (2-2, 1-0 SIAC); Fort Valley State (3-1, 2-0)

On the air: TV – none. Radio – SteveSoulRadio.com

Twitter: @EthanGBernal, @mgmsports

Hashtag: #TUPride

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1. Persistence paying off: Through the first three games of the season, sophomore running back Hoderick Lowe had struggled to return to the form of his freshman season that earned him All-SIAC preseason honors. Developing his game inside the tackles, and keeping with the game plan, Lowe broke out for 131 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win over Lane.

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Alcorn stomps Alabama State, leads SWAC East

LORMAN, Mississippi – It was suppose to be one of the best matchups of the season in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Instead, it was all Alcorn State.

Behind a stubborn defense and a very strong running attack, the Braves ran past the preseason division favorite Alabama State 33-7 Thursday, taking sole possession of the SWAC East.

And now, Alcorn State (5-1, 3-0 SWAC) controls its own destiny. With just two more matchups with teams from the East, the Braves can clinch the divisional title.

"We have to a short memory," third-year Alcorn coach Jay Hopson said. "We can't celebrate this too long. That is the thing about football. You stack the poker chips at the end of the season, not in the middle."

Still, the Braves continue to build off their 9-3 record from last year. It was the most wins the program won since 1994, when the legendary Steve McNair played.

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TSU Tigers Look for 2-0 OVC Start at SEMO

WATCH LIVE | LISTEN LIVE | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- On Saturday, the Tennessee State football team will compete in its OVC road opener at Southeast Missouri State.

 

Scouting TSU
The Tigers (4-1, 1-0 OVC) are red-hot, in the midst of a three-game winning streak in which their defense has surrendered a total of 14 points. TSU is coming off a, 27-7, victory over Florida A&M in the homecoming game, a contest in which Big Blue scored a pair of touchdowns on defense.

 

Scouting SEMO
The Redhawks are having a rebound year and sit at 3-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. SEMO has won two straight, including a 24-23 upset of then-No.3 Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 20 and a win over UT Martin. Saturday marks SEMO’s homecoming game.

 

Three Keys to the Game

Stop Snyder
Southeast dual-threat quarterback Kyle Snyder has been his team’s biggest impact player so far this season, accounting for 14 total touchdowns (10 with his arm, four from his legs). His 84 points rank him second in the FCS in scoring behind All-American candidate Vernon Adams from Eastern Washington (128 points). The Redhawks go as their quarterback goes, but fortunately, TSU has the No. 3 ranked pass defense (129.4 y/g) and are fourth in the FCS in scoring defense (10.8 p/g). Stopping Snyder will be of paramount importance for the Tigers if they want to improve to 2-0 in conference play.

 

Throw it Towards the End Zone
Tennessee State has gone 10 straight quarters without a passing touchdown and may be without the services of the season starter at quarterback Mike German for the third straight game. The good news for Ronald Butler or whoever the TSU quarterback will be, is that SEMO has allowed 14 passing touchdowns on the year and 83 percent of opponent red zone chances have resulted in points. Last year, the Tigers threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns in 40-16 blowout over the Redhawks at LP Field. SEMO is an improved team since then, but TSU will benefit from a similar production on Saturday.

 

Keep the Streak Alive
The Tennessee State defense has returned one interception for touchdown in three straight contests, all from different defenders. Against Tennessee Tech two weeks ago, Ronnie Vinson’s pick-six was the difference in a 10-7 Tiger win. TSU leads the nation with 10 interceptions on the season and Snyder can get careless with the ball, as evidenced by his six giveaways. The Tigers might need all the easy points they can get as SEMO averages 36.6 points per game, second in the OVC.

 

TSU holds a 12-10 edge all-time in the series and has won three straight. Rod Reed is also 3-1 against the Redhawks, which is his second-best mark versus all Ohio Valley Conference opponents behind Tennessee Tech.

 

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and fans can follow the links above to watch or listen to the contest.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defensive breakdowns concern Morgan State coach Lee Hull

BALTIMORE, Maryland  -- Thanks to redshirt sophomore running back Herb Walker Jr., Morgan State has the 10th-best rushing offense in the Football Championship Subdivision at 259.8 yards per game.

Things, however, are not as good on the other side of the ball.

While the Bears (2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) rank decently in the country in average points allowed (39th at 22.6) and average yards surrendered (48th at 361.6), the defense also ranks 93rd against the run (217 yards per game), is tied for 111th in first downs (118), and ranks 116th in third-down conversion percentage (51.1 percent).

The unit's play has been especially disconcerting when the team needs a defensive stop. In a 29-26 loss to Holy Cross on Sept. 6, the defense gave up five first downs – including one after a conversion on third-and-16 – on the Crusaders’ game-winning touchdown.

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Shouppe reloads FAMU baseball with juco pitchers

COURTESY FAMU ATHLETICS

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- As much as coach Jamey Shouppe and his FAMU baseball players wanted to get to the NCAA playoffs last season, they just didn't have the depth – especially pitching -- to make if through their conference tournament.

So it's easy to understand why Shouppe reloaded with junior college arms to bolster his pitching staff for the upcoming season. For the past two weeks, they've been on display as the team goes through fall workouts.

It's the start of a long road that Shouppe hopes will lead to a better finish than 26-26, which marked the first time since 2003 that the program had a finish at .500 or better.

"We have more choices; a lot more depth," Shouppe said, following Wednesday's practice. "We feel good about a lot of things, but we still have a long way to go; a lot of work to do. We still have guys that we are teaching different things and the guys are giving us everything they have.

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NCCU to take on Tar Heels in Chapel Hill Nov. 14

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- As inconsistent as Roy Williams’ North Carolina Tar Heels have been lately, and as steady as LeVelle Moton’s N.C. Central Eagles were last season, NCCU fans have legit reasons to like the Eagles’ chances when the teams meet at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill on Nov. 14 (8 p.m., ESPNU).

That game in the Dean Dome will be the season opener for both teams, after which the Eagles will swoop around the country to deal with more big-name programs, according to the schedule NCCU’s athletics department released Wednesday.

“My philosophy on scheduling remains the same,” Moton said. “We will not shy away from top competition. We take every challenge head-on, and with the amount of newcomers we have to mix in, this schedule will truly reveal what type of team we have.”

This will be Moton’s sixth year as the head coach at his alma mater, and he’s never had a team as big and tall and long as the one he’ll take into the 2014-15 season.

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Albany State’s Mike White retuns home to face Paine

ALBANY, Georgia — Albany State head football coach Mike White can tell you all the shortcuts between Albany and Augusta, the site of this weekend’s SIAC East Division battle between White’s Rams and Paine College.

While White and his family are firmly entrenched at Albany State, it will be a homecoming for him on Saturday when the two teams meet at 4 p.m.

“It’s always good to go home,” White said. “There’s nothing like getting to see some old faces that I haven’t seen in a while. I’m looking forward to seeing my dad and immediate family and stuff. I’ll see a lot of friends I haven’t seen in a while.”

But playing the Lions, who returned to football this season, will be a challenge. Paine (0-4, 0-2 SIAC East) is still seeking its first victory and would like nothing more than to upend the preseason conference favorites.

Albany State (1-2, 1-0) knows it will get Paine’s best shot.



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Benedict, Miles Battle On TV In "Must Win" Game

Gameday Central

Benedict Tigers at Miles College Golden Bears, 8 p.m. Eastern

TV: CBS Sports Network

Columbia Time Warner: Channel 315, 1537 (HD)

Columbia AT&T U-Verse: Channel 643, 2643 (HD)

Benedict College Cable: Channel 32

Direct TV: Channel 221

Dish Network: Channel : Channel 158

Online:www.ncaa.com

Audio: Stretch Internet

Live Stats

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- Thursday night's televised football game between Benedict College and Miles College should provide viewers with an exciting game, as both coaches have labeled this contest a "must win."

The Tigers, 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the SIAC, are coming off a gut-wrenching 33-30 loss to Fort Valley State last Saturday. The Tigers tied the game with 1:32 left to play, but then missed the extra point. Then the Wildcats moved down the field, getting a 25-yard pickup on a quarterback scramble, and kicked a 40-yard field goal with two seconds left for the victory.

Miles, which played in the SIAC championship game last year, is 1-3 and 0-1 in the SIAC. But their losses were against West Georgia, a nationally-ranked Division II team, Hampton, a Divison I program, and last week lost to defending SIAC champion Albany State 14-7 in a rematch of last year's championship game.

So both teams are looking to get back on the winning track and point to this contest as crucial to stay in the chase for the SIAC championship game.

"They're thinking they're not playing well. But Miles is a very good football team," Woody said. "They're not going to fool us with that. They've played great teams the first four games, and we're expecting a dog fight. We've got to play our best to have an opportunity to win. We've got to go in there with the frame of mind that we've got to win this football game. It's a must win for each team. Both sides know it."

Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said he is focused on trying to get his team to improve and get a win and not the hoopla surrounding the nationally-televised broadcast.

"It's good for the moral of the school," Ruffin said about the television game. "For me, I have to make sure we don't embarrass the institution the way we've been playing. It's more pressure on me to make sure these guys are ready to play a football game rather than be in the limelight and get embarrassed by a good Benedict football team. To me, it's just a game. A conference game and a game we have to win."

Kickoff Thursday night is 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network. The game will also be video streamed over the internet on www.ncaa.com. Benedict will stream audio on Stretch Internet with the Tigers' regular radio crew of Jason James and Brian Morris. The game will not air on WLXC Kiss 103.1. Miles College will also provide live stats.

Woody expects a strong running game out of the Golden Bears. Benedict has been susceptible to the run this season, giving up 193.5 yards per game on the ground.

"We've challenged that defense. They've got to stop the run," Woody said. "They can't come in and run for 200, 250, 300 yards. They just can't do that. We've got to be able to shut that down. They're comfortable throwing the football as well. They're a balanced team, and that's what championship caliber teams are."

Miles' Ruffin is not happy with the play of the Bears, who have lost three straight.

"We're not a very good football team at the moment," Ruffin said. "And that's got a lot to do with me as a head coach. We're just not getting it done special teams, offensively or defensively. We've got to find a way to get us back over the hump. We're on the skids right now and it hasn't been good for Miles."

The Bears, meanwhile, are concerned about stopping Benedict's passing attack. Senior quarterback Cameron Stover has passed for nearly 800 yards in the first four games, and has thrown seven touchdown passes.

"Stover is a well defined quarterback," Ruffin said. "He makes accurate reads and he's got great receivers as well. Coach Woody, being the offensive-minded guy that he is, has really done a good job to build that program. You can tell they have gotten better each year. The biggest thing for us is to coral the running back. They've got a real fast, energetic running back, and when he hits the hole, he can go the distance. More importantly is the quarterback. We've got to get the ball out of his hands and put pressure on him and make him get rid of it. When he has time, he will thread that needle real well. We've got our work cut out for us."

One area Woody wants to see the Tigers do better in is cutting down penalties. After a penalty-free first half against Fort Valley State, the Tigers were flagged 10 times for 93 yards in the second half.

"That's just discipline," Woody said. "We've got to have some discipline. That's the only way you're going to win football games."

COURTESY BENEDICT COLLEGE TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION 

No offense: J.C. Smith needs points

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Football isn’t much fun at Johnson C. Smith.

Injuries and offensive ineffectiveness have contributed to the Golden Bulls’ 1-3 start, which they’ll try to improve at Bowie State on Saturday. JCSU has been outscored 138-39 and two losses have been shutouts. The latest drawback was a 27-26 loss to Virginia Union on Jussie York’s one-handed touchdown catch from 37 yards out on the final play. The Golden Bulls led 26-15 with 6 minutes, 30 seconds left, but couldn’t close.

“It won’t deflate us at all,” JCSU coach Steve Aycock said. “We’re still a team, we’re a family and we’re going to protect the nucleus of our program and that’s the circle we stand in. We will get closer and we will make plays a little different in the next few weeks.”

JCSU has struggled to find ...

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Temple Statue to be Erected at New Sounds Stadium

NASHVILLE, Tennessee-- Mayor Karl Dean unveiled a model of the proposed statue of legendary Tennessee State track coach Ed Temple on Tuesday night at a ceremony held in Bridgestone Arena.Upon construction, the actual seven-foot tall statue will be placed in a plaza outside of First Tennessee Park, the new Nashville Sounds stadium.

 

“It’s on the greenway so it will be in an area where people will be running, and it’s a prominent area,” Dean said to Mike Organ of the Tennessean. “We’re proud of Ed Temple and we want people to know we’re proud of him, and I think that’s a good place for it.”

 

The statue, designed by Brian Hanlon, is expected to be finished in time for the opening of the ballpark in April.

 

Temple was head women's track and field coach at Tennessee State University for 44 years. During his coaching career at Tennessee State University, forty members of the famed Tigerbelle teams have represented their countries in Olympic competition. Coach Temple has led the team to 34 national titles, and eight Tigerbelles have been inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame including Edith McGuire, Wyomia Tyus, and Chandra Cheeseborough, who all attended last night’s ceremony.

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State football: SWAC's best meet in prime time

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  -- Thursday night marks the biggest Alcorn State-Alabama State game in years, perhaps the biggest ever in a series that began in 1934.

Because the two teams are in the same division and the rest of the conference is a step behind in talent and experience, the nationally televised matchup presents a winner-take-all scenario for the two teams chasing a berth in the SWAC Championship Game.

"I don't downplay it," Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. "I'll let (the players) know what it is. The only thing that's the same about this game (as any other) is you still have to block and tackle and somebody's got to make plays, but by no means is this just another game. It's a huge game, a huge step in the right direction for us."

The teams are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the conference in at least six statistical ...


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Homecoming still a big deal for Southern University, Jaguars players

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  --  At most universities, homecoming has lost its luster, at least, when it comes to the current players. Once a big deal for everyone, it's just another game for the guys suiting up on Saturday for the contest.

But not at Southern University. Homecoming on The Bluff is still a major spectacle. It usually draws the biggest crowd of the season and many alumni from around the country. The actual gathering is as big as the game.

The Jaguars host Arkansas-Pine Bluff this weekend for 2014 homecoming at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Southern coach Dawson Odums said homecoming is a dual-edged sword for him and his program. On one hand, it's a chance to bring in recruits and let them enjoy a carnival-like atmosphere on campus. But on the other hand, his players have to balance how they handle it. There is, after all, a key SWAC game to play.

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Southern University football looks to rebound against Arkansas-Pine Bluff this week

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana  -- Alcorn State was, as advertised, a difficult challenge for Southern University. The Braves blew out the Jaguars, 56-16, last Saturday, rolling up 682 yards and 39 first downs.

Southern coach Dawson Odums acknowledged as much during his weekly press conference Tuesday, giving credit to a senior-laden Alcorn State squad. But he also said the Jaguars missed some opportunities early that could have made the score a little more respectable.

He lamented the fact that Southern did little with the four turnovers it forced against the Braves. One of his biggest concerns was Southern's inability to get off the field on third down. Alcorn State was 11 of 15 on third-down conversions and one of one on fourth down.

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