Grambling wins third straight in SWAC

GSU HEAD COACH BRODERICK FOBBS

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama   -- Grambling quarterback Johnathan Williams accounted for three touchdowns as the Tigers ran away from Alabama A&M in the second half of a 38-28 win in Huntsville, Ala.

The Tigers (3-3, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) start 3-0 in SWAC play for the first time since 2010 and put together their first three-game winning streak since 2011 when GSU won seven conference games in a row en route to a title.

Williams, the only GSU quarterback to attempt a pass, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. He passed for 291 yards on 23-of-37 and an interception while doubling as GSU's leading rusher with 62 yards.

Alabama A&M (2-4, 1-2) opened the fourth quarter with running back Harvey Harris' second touchdown, but a failed two-point conversion allowed GSU to keep a 24-22 lead.

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ECSU Vikings Coast in 59-21 Rout of Livingstone

Boyette Tosses Four Touchdowns in ECSU's First CIAA Win

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- The Elizabeth City State University Vikings rolled up 480 yards of total offense and breezed to an easy 59-21 win over Livingstone College Saturday afternoon at Roebuck Stadium.

In their first trip to Roebuck Stadium since the 2003 season, Waverly Tillar's inaugural year, the Blue Bears entered Saturday's contest as the only undefeated team in the CIAA. However the roles were reversed from the 19-0 shutout Livingstone hung on ECSU eleven years ago.

Stephen Williams led all defenders with a career best 16 tackles, including one and a half for a loss of 6 yards and two fumble recoveries. Zach Taylor also had an impressive outing with 5 tackles including two sacks for a loss of 19 yards.

Livingstone started the game strong going 76 yards on the game's opening drive and an early 7-0 lead on a 10 yard TD pass from Drew Powell to Jalen Hendricks.

On the ensuing kickoff, Lovie Banks-Rose, Jr returned the ball 74 yards to the Blue Bear 13 and four plays later Petey Boone scored from one yard out to tie the game at 7 apiece with 9:38 to go in the opening quarter.

After the ECSU defense stopped the Blue Bears' next drive at their 38 yard line, the Viking offense used a 7 play, 77 yard drive to take a 14-7 lead with 4:45 left in the first quarter. The Viking defensive came up big again forcing two second quarter fumbles (both recovered by Williams) late in the second half, both of which ECSU converted into scores for a commanding 28-7 halftime lead.

An ECSU fumble on the second half's opening kickoff, gave the Blue Bears a short field and one play later, a 13 yard TD pass at the 14:46 mark made the score 28-14. The Vikings responded quickly on their ensuing drive when Kenny King, rushed for a career long 38 yard touchdown to cap a 5 play, 72 yard drive for a 35-14 advantage.

ECSU pushed the lead 42-14 with Will Boyette's fourth touchdown pass of the day, a 22-yard strike to AJ Mundle with 6:37 left in the third quarter. Boyette finished the day with 185 yards on 15-22 passing.

The Blue Bears attempted an onside kick after their third and final score of the day (3:23 in the third quarter) but it failed miserably when the ball took a perfect ECSU bounce into the waiting arms of Jordan Stockton for a 45 yard scoop and score, giving the Vikings a 49-21 lead.

ECSU rounded out the day's scoring montage in the fourth quarter with a 70 yard rush for pay-dirt by Ronald Gray and a 28-yard field goal by Jeff Flores.

ECSU will open up Northern Division play against Virginia State University on the road next Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 2:00pm. Follow us on Twitter @ECSUVikings.

Final Stats

COURTESY ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Reynolds Runs Southeastern Past Edward Waters

LAKELAND, Florida -- Redshirt freshman Jarrell Reynolds made a big mark on the young Southeastern football record books. Reynolds rushed for 385 yards and six touchdowns helping the Fire knock off Edward Waters 51-27 at Victory Field.

Reynolds accounted for all six of SEU’s (3-1, 2-0 TSC) touchdowns, scoring on runs of 12, 40, 47, 58, and 57 yards. He was also the team’s leading receiver with three catches for 68 yards, to give him a total of 453 yards of total offense. His rushing yardage mark, total yardage mark, and rushing touchdowns are all school and conference records.

“It was our offensive line,” said Reynolds. “They moved everybody out of the way and gave me a lot of room to run.”

“Jarrell is quite a remarkable player, and we’re glad to have him on our team,” said head coach Keith Barefield.

After a slow start by the offense, Reynolds scored his first touchdown of the night at the 10:07 mark of the first quarter, taking advantage of an Edward Waters fumble at their own 25-yard line.

The Tigers (2-3, 1-1 TSC) controlled the ball for the majority of the first quarter, but failed to score after the Fire blocked a field goal, and forced a turnover on downs.

Leading 10-7, freshman Caleb Winter connected on a school and conference-record 48-yard field goal to make it a 13-7 advantage with 10:15 left in the half.

Edward Waters quarterback Tyler Mahla did his best to keep his team in the game, rushing for 108 yards and two touchdowns, passing for 331 yards and an additional score. His seven-yard run with 1:01 left in the second quarter brought the Tigers within a score at 20-14 at the intermission.

A touchdown run by EWC’s Diondre Wynn again made it a six-point game, but the fourth quarter belonged to the Fire, as they outscored the Tigers 24-6 in the final frame.

“One of the things we were concerned about coming in was the strength of (Edward Waters’) secondary, and we felt the strength of our team was our offensive line,” said Barefield. “We thought we could have a good day if our line and backs played well.”

The offensive line helped the Fire rush for 430 yards and amass 596 yards of total offense on 68 plays. The defense helped out by creating a pair of turnovers, and recording four sacks.

Southeastern hosts NCAA Division III Birmingham Southern next week at Victory Field at 1 p.m.

COURTESY SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Williams throws for 2 TDs in Bethune-Cookman’s 27-7 win over Delaware State

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Quentin Williams passed for 198 yards and two touchdowns and Michael D. Jones rushed for 132 yards as Bethune-Cookman won its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener, 27-7 over Delaware State on Saturday at Municipal Stadium.

Williams completed 20 of 26 passes but also turned the ball over three times, including an interception that DSU’s Terrick Colston returned 11 yards for the Hornets’ only score of the game with 5 seconds left in the first quarter. It was Williams’ first pick of the season, ending a string of 82 passes this year and 124 passes since last season without throwing an interception.

Jhomo Gordon (26 yards) and Jones (15 yards) each caught TD passes to give the 17th-ranked Wildcats (4-1, 1-0) a 21-0 first-quarter lead.

Running back Anthony Jordan added a score for B-CU on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

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Mangum installed as FAMU president

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- During a morning teeming with pomp and ceremony and faith, Elmira Mangum was installed Friday as Florida A&M University's 11th president.

Mangum, the first female leader in FAMU's 127-year history, deliberately chose Founder's Day – the celebration of the university's creation in 1887 – for her inauguration and swearing-in ceremony with Supreme Court Justice Peggy Quince.



The former vice president for budget and finance at Cornell University emphasized time and again during her address that it is a new season at FAMU. She also surprised the audience with an announcement of a new $5 million gift from FAMU graduate John Thompson, chairman of the board at Microsoft.

"Yes, after nearly 127 years we have the first permanent female leader, but that's not the new season. It's a new season for it's a time of change and transition," Mangum said. "It's the beginning of a recovery and a renewal and of all that is great about FAMU."

Mangum, with her three adult children on stage with her, credited her faith as a guiding force in her life.

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Memphis announces schedule change, will host North Carolina Central December 15

HEAD COACH LeVELLE MOTON
NCCU Men's Basketball

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- On Memphis’ original schedule for the 2014-15 season Josh Pastner’s Tigers were scheduled to host High Point November, with that game fitting in between early-season contests against Wichita State (November 18 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and Prairie View A&M (November 24). However there’s been a change to the slate, meaning that Memphis and High Point will not be playing this season.

Instead Memphis will host reigning MEAC champion North Carolina Central December 15. This sets up a stretch of three games in five days following the completion of the fall semester at Memphis, with this game falling in between home contests against Oklahoma State (December 13) and USC Upstate (December 17).

North Carolina Central finished the 2013
-14 season with a 28-6 overall record, going 16-1 in MEAC play.

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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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