FAMU Rattlers Drop Season Opener To USF Bulls

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TAMPA, Florida – The Florida A&M Rattlers opened the Coach Alex Wood Era here Saturday with a gutsy effort in their 51-3 loss to the University of South Florida at Raymond James Stadium Saturday night.

While the final score might give the impression of a runaway win for the homestanding Bulls (1-0), FAMU showed some mettle on defense, keeping the Bulls at bay most of the first half before fatigue finally set in.

Head coach Alex Wood feels the game provided an evaluation of several aspects of his team.

“Obviously we’ve got a lot of work to do.  We’ve got to go back and evaluate where that work needs to be. Offense was one of those areas.  We knew coming in what some of our shortcomings were, but until we played we didn’t know exactly where they were,” Wood said.

Offensively, the Rattlers struggled despite matching the Bulls for total plays (72), as they finished with 182 total yards, 170 through the air, while USF piled up 550 yards in offense.

Junior quarterback Kenneth Coleman came on in the second half in relief of starter Carson Royal, who suffered from body cramps, hitting 14 of 29 passes for 135 yards, while finishing as FAMU’s top rusher with 23 yards on eight carries.

Brandon Norwood led FAMU with seven catches for 51 yards, followed by Devondrick Nealy, who had four grabs for 56 yards.



Nealy had an all-purpose night, with two kickoff returns for 53 yards and two punt runbacks for 19 yards.

FAMU’s linebacking duo of Akil Blount (11) and Kashawn Butler (7) led the FAMU defense in tackles.  Blount took positives from tonight’s defeat and looks to reload for next week.  “As the leaders on this team, we’ve got to get our younger guys to concentrate on the next game.  We want to make a much better showing, so we need to go back and focus on what we are supposed to do.  From there, the rest of the game will take care of itself,” Blount said.

At the start, the game quickly turned into a battle of field position, as the Rattlers couldn’t get out of their half.   Emili Nadelman’s 22-yard field goal gave USF a 3-0 lead after the first quarter.

Momentum clearly swung the Bulls way in the second period, as they scored two touchdowns via the Quinto Flowers to D’Errie Johnson connection, the first a 22-yard strike with 7:24 left in the half, and the second, a 45-yarder with 1:16 before the half.

The Bulls came out determined to put distance between themselves and FAMU to start the second half, taking the opening kickoff and driving 66 yards in just three plays in 56 seconds, boosting their lead to 23-0.

FAMU, which had just 23 yards of total offense at the break to 273 for USF, changed quarterbacks in the third period, going with junior Kenny Coleman.

But without any passing game and a ground attack that was stymied by the USF front six, the Rattlers struggled to move the ball, having to punt it away for the  ninth time.

USF went 71 yards in five plays on their next possession, with reserve QB Steven Bench capping the drive with a 62-yard scoring pass to Elkanah Dillon for a 30-0 lead.

The Rattlers second possession saw them pick up four first downs, aided by a 29-yard catch and carry by halfback Devondrick Nealy moved FAMU into the red zone, where Colby Blanton nailed a 21-yard fielder to make it a 30-3 count with 4:35 left in the third.

Turnovers and favorable field position aided the Bulls in their second half blitz, as they scored 21 late points.

Attendance: 30,434.

WHAT’S NEXT: FAMU has an afternoon (2:00 Central) bout with Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 12.


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Miami Hurricanes rout Bethune-Cookman in weather-shortened season opener

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida -- Just when the season opener got electric Saturday night at Sun Life Stadium, the University of Miami and opponent Bethune-Cookman were rushed off the field for 75 minutes because of lightning.

How’s that for wacky?

The sparks that ultimately flew in the weather-shortened game were those by the Hurricanes in their 45-0 victory over the Wildcats.

It was UM’s first shutout since the 2010 opener against Florida A&M, another 45-0 win against another Football Championship Subdivision team.

“I think we played hard,’’ UM coach Al Golden said. “It’s hard to get a shutout, no matter what.’’

The Canes scored 21 points in two minutes and five seconds in the second quarter, and rolled from there in the final two quarters that were cut to 10 minutes apiece.

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2015 Labor Day Classic: Sounds from Texas Southern & PVAMU

Prairie View A&M Panthers Reclaim Labor Day Classic Trophy With 38-11 Win Over TSU

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Willie Simmons era started off on the right foot as the Prairie View A&M Panthers rolled up nearly 500 yards of total offense combined with a stingy defensive effort as they reclaimed the Labor Day Classic trophy after a 38-11 win over Texas Southern at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The Panthers received the opening kick and wasted no time in establishing its presence on the ground as redshirt junior quarterback Trey Green broke several tackles and raced 80 yards for an early 7-0 lead following Owen Hoolihan's PAT.  On their second offensive drive, the Panthers were on the verge of another successful ending but an untimely fumble in the backfield gave the ball back to TSU at its own 21.

 

With Saturday's rivalry in full effect, TSU pulled out its bag of tricks early on as they converted a fake punt on its next possession but the PVAMU defense didn't bend as they forced TSU to punt four plays later.  The Panther offense began to stall after its earlier drives and the momentum began to swing in TSU's favor as they drove deep in PVAMU territory.  However, the Tigers came up short as Eric Medina's 32-yard field goal was wide.

The Panthers had to punt once again but the defense came up big as linebacker Brandon Medina recorded a big interception which ended at the TSU 40.   Redshirt senior running back Courtney Brown moved the Panthers into the red zone with a 26-yard run but the Panthers had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Hoolihan for the early 10-0 lead at the 7:14 mark of the second quarter.

 

TSU responded on its next drive with a pair of big third down conversions to drive down the field but a big sack by defensive end Ahkeem Barton moved TSU out of the red zone as they settled for a 38-yard field goal with 1:48 left in the second quarter.  PVAMU's last drive of the quarter ended with a 54-yard punt by Hoolihan as TSU ran the clock out heading into halftime.

 

The Panther defense set the tone in the third quarter as they forced a punt and the offense began to slowly find its groove as Green connected with Demarquo Lastrappe for huge 37-yard completion on 3^rd-and-13 to the PVAMU 40.  Three plays later, Green found Andrew Michael for a 43-yard reception which eventually turned into a 58-yard gain after a TSU personal foul.  With the ball at the TSU 9, Green connected with Nick Pitre to move closer to the end zone and Green scored from two yards out for a 17-7 lead after the PAT with 9:03 left in the quarter.

 

Redshirt junior defensive end Jamespaul Bryant led the latest defensive charge as he intercepted a TSU pass.  The offense returned with a swagger as the running game began to impose its will as Brown and Johnta' Hebert combined to rush for 47 yards as Hebert scored from 11 yards out en route to a 24-3 lead at the 6:11 mark.

 

After another TSU punt near the close of the third quarter, the offense continued to excel as Green found Nick Pitre for a 7-yard pass in the end zone for a 31-3 lead after the PAT to open the fourth quarter.  TSU would return to the scoreboard with a touchdown and two-point conversion two possessions later but the Panther offense, led by redshirt senior quarterback De'Auntre Smiley and redshirt senior running back Fred Anderson, powered the offense down the field as Anderson scored from a 1-yard out for the game's final score.

 

Prairie View A&M finished with 457 yards (290 R, 167 P) on 76 offensive plays while allowing 291 yards defensively.  Green combined for three touchdowns as he rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries while throwing for 167 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-27 passing.  In his first game in two seasons, Brown led PVAMU with 88 yards on nine carries followed by 55 yards and a touchdown from Hebert and 50 yards and a touchdown from Anderson.

 

Jalan Coleman led the defense with nine tackles and sack while Barton finished with 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

 

The Panthers hit the road next week and will step up in class as they'll face FBS member Texas State at 6 p.m. in San Marcos, Texas.

BOX SCORE

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New Mexico Lobos Roll Over Mississippi Valley State 66-0

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- The University of New Mexico got a school-record tying eight rushing touchdowns and UNM's defense allowed fewer than 100 yards and recorded its first shutout since 2008 as the Lobos opened the season with a 66-0 win over Mississippi Valley State of the FCS.

The win was the largest shutout victory in 65 years, and the largest margin of victory in 55 years. The Lobos rolled up 511 yards while allowing just 74. The game actually opened up with the Delta Devils holding UNM to a three-and-out, forcing a punt. That punt was the only punt of the game as UNM scored on its next nine drives.

UNM opened the scoring with a 28-uard touchdown run from Lamar Jordan, who also went a perfect 7-for-7 passing on the evening. The Lobos then caught a break when a Romell Jordan fumble rolled into the end zone for a touchdown when starting left tackle Reno Henderson fell on the ball. It marked the first touchdown by an offensive lineman in at least 40 years. UNM then scored 17 seconds later after a fumble when Jhurell Pressley darted in, and the rout was on.

Tyrone Owens scored two second quarter touchdowns, David Anaya added one in the third, and Daryl Chestnut's first two career carries went for 64- and 37-yard scores. Travis Green ended the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown on an interception return.

Kicker Jason Sanders, who won the placekicking job in camp, was 9-for-9 on extra points and hit a 28-yard field goal.

TEAM NOTES:
*Attendance, despite a downpour right before the game, was 21,930. UNM's season tickets sales hit 10,277.
*New Mexico's 38 first half points were tied for the ninth-most in school history for any half and tied for the sixth-most in school history for a first half.
*UNM's eight rushing touchdowns tied the school record for rushing touchdowns in a game. UNM had previously done it four other times, the last against San Diego State on October 18, 2008 in a 70-7 Lobo win. It also tied the Mountain West record for rushing touchdowns in a game.
*New Mexico held Mississippi Valley State to 26 yards rushing. The last time UNM allowed fewer than 100 yards rushing was in 2012 when the Lobos held Wyoming to just 55 yards.
*It was the third time Bob Davie's team has scored 66 points (66-17 vs. NMSU in 2013, 66-17 vs. Southern in 2012).

BOX SCORE

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Sights and Sounds: Southern University vs. Louisiana Tech

Southern overwhelmed by Louisiana Tech’s quick strikes in 62-15 season-opening loss

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The kickoff of the season opener between Southern and Louisiana Tech was delayed 12 minutes because of lightning Saturday night.

That’s about the same amount of time it took the Bulldogs to use their own lightning strikes to remove any doubt about the outcome.

Tech needed less than 10 minutes to score the first 17 points and had touchdowns covering 55, 45, 22, 27, 58 and 65 yards in rolling to a 44-point halftime lead. When the season opener for both teams at Joe Aillet Stadium came to a merciful end, the Bulldogs had thrashed the Jaguars 62-15.

“I feel like we lacked effort,” Southern cornerback Danny Johnson said. “We missed tackles, and some of us didn’t do our assignments. We’ve got to get better.”

Johnson said coach Dawson Odums “stayed positive so we can stay positive.”

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Cincinnati Bearcats Wallop Alabama A&M 52-10, As Expected

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Cincinnati Bearcats completely overmatched the Alabama A&M from a talent and strategic standpoint. Perhaps not the latter. I can’t speak for how the Bulldogs prepared for UC tonight and if their schemes were truly better than Cincinnati’s. However, the talent on the field definitely pointed emphatically towards the Bearcats.



So it’s no reason why Gunner Kiel was pulled before the end of the first half in favor of heir apparent Hayden Moore, a redshirt freshman. Kiel had lost a fumble, on just about the derpiest of circumstances, but completed 82% of his passes for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns. So the coaches were pretty confident he was good and warmed up for this season.

Moore came in and directed the offense like a hardened veteran, completing 8/14 passes for 107 yards and a perfectly thrown touchdown passes dropped into the arms of Alex Chisum. The coaches have the foresight to understand that Kiel might not be a Bearcat this time next year so getting Moore reps with the first team offense will only smooth the transition in 2016. And he rewarded their trust with a solid performance, especially from a redshirt freshman.

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Cal Bears Roll Past Grambling State In Season Opener

BERKELEY, California  --  If the Cal football team had designs on making a good first impression to kick off the 2015 season, consider Saturday's 73-14 victory over Grambling State about as emphatic a tone-setter as the Bears could've hoped for.

Jared Goff kicked off his junior season in fine fashion, completing 24 of 32 passes for 309 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Kenny Lawler was Goff's main target as the junior from Pomona, Calif. made six catches for 69 yards and equaled a school record with three touchdown receptions. The Bears amassed 656 yards of total offense and the 73 points are the second-most in program history behind only an 86-point performance against Pacific in 1991.



For all the offensive numbers Cal put up, it was the defense that provided some of the most emphatic lines on the stat sheet. The Bears scored two defensive touchdowns in a game for the first time since Sept. 11, 2010 against Colorado. Cal also intercepted four passes, the Bears' most since they grabbed four against UCLA in 2012, and forced five turnovers for the first time since picking up six in that same game.

"I thought we played well," Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said. "Our players were really excited about having a chance to get out and play and compete this Saturday and I thought they played well. I was proud of them. It got a little sloppy at times and there are a lot of things we need to improve on to become a good football team but I certainly thought it was a good starting point."

The highlights started right off the bat Saturday on a sun-splashed day in Strawberry Canyon. And, it was the defense that set the stage for the good times to come. A three-and-out on Grambling State's opening drive gave the Bears the ball on the Tigers' 41 and it took Cal just three plays to find the south end zone. Running back Daniel Lasco did the honors, rumbling over right tackle for a four-yard touchdown to score the first points of the new season.

Cameron Walker continued the defensive theme when he plucked a ricochet off the back of an unsuspecting Grambling State receiver and returned it 14 yards for his first career touchdown. Darius Allensworth grabbed another interception to put the Bears in plus territory again and Goff found Lawler for a three-yard touchdown.



A blocked punt by Matt Rockett put Cal (1-0) in position yet again and Goff hooked up with Lawler again for a 19-yard touchdown and 28-0 Cal lead. And, with 21 seconds left in the quarter, Devante Downs put an exclamation point on the season's first period with an 8-yard interception return for a touchdown of his own, tying the school record for points in a quarter (Baylor, 2002) and making it 35-0.

"Hopefully it's the first step of our defense getting on the same level as our offense nationally," Walker said. "We've been talked badly about since I've been here, the past three years, so it's finally time to get rid of that and make forward strides."

Goff's rapport with his receivers showed more and more as the first half went on, but it was Lawler who could be found most often in the end zone. His 16-yard touchdown reception with 3:11 left in the first half made it 42-0 Bears and tied him with Keenan Allen for seventh on Cal's all-time TD reception list with 17. Lawler has six TD catches in last two games, dating back to last season.

"Probably every touchdown I threw to Kenny, I wouldn't have thrown three years ago," Goff said. "Those were all timing routes, stuff we've worked on in the offseason. I have to trust him, he has to trust me to throw it to the right spot. He did a great job today."

The Bears carried a 52-0 lead into halftime, their biggest lead at intermission and most points in any half in program history. Touchdown runs by Tre Watson and Jeffrey Coprich and a 63-yard touchdown pass from Chase Forrest to Bug Rivera rounded out the scoring for the Bears. Grambling State (0-1) got on the board with 12:40 left to play when Trevon Cherry found Brandon Byrdsong for a four-yard touchdown pass and added another score a few minutes later when Martez Carter broke free for a 90-yard touchdown run.

Cal returns to Memorial Stadium next Saturday as the Bears host San Diego State at 2 p.m. That game will be televised live by Pac-12 Networks. From there, Cal hits the road for two in a row as it travels to Texas on Sept. 19 and Washington on Sept. 26. The Bears come home to start October when Washington State visits for the Bears' homecoming on Oct. 3.

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Middle Tennessee State rolls over Jackson State, 70-14

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee -- The opening game of the season often brings its share of sloppiness and mistakes.

Earlier this week Jackson State coach Harold Jackson seemed concerned about his team playing its toughest opponent of the season, Middle Tennessee State, in its first game.

"I don't feel good about (having to play the best team first). I kind of like having somebody (to play) that we can get ourselves together," Jackson said. "But we'll take it on as we got it."

The Tigers committed their share of errors on offense, defense, and special teams, and that was the recipe for a 70-14 loss to the Blue Raiders in front of 15,908 fans at Floyd Stadium on Saturday.

"I thought we came into this ballgame ready to play," Jackson said. "Unfortunately, we weren't ready to play. In the beginning of the game they ran with that fast offense, and that wears your defense down. I think that's what happened.

"They rolled in a lot of guys, and we just didn't have enough guys to roll with them."

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Livingstone opens at Benedict in televised game

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ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- Livingstone College’s Blue Bears kick off their football season this afternoon, facing Benedict in the 14th annual Palmetto Capital City Classic. The game will be played at 5 p.m., at Charlie Johnson Stadium on Benedict’s campus in Columbia, S.C. It will be televised on ASPIRE Network, channel 185 on Time Warner Cable.

Livingstone, entering its third year under head coach Daryl Williams, hopes to have a winning season for the first time in 17 years. A win today would be a nice start in achieving that goal.

The Blue Bears were 5-5 last season, but lost its last three games, to strong opponents Winston-Salem State, Fayetteville State and Johnson C. Smith. The team returns a potent offense, but has rebuilt its defense, probably a good thing considering last year, Livingstone allowed nearly 35 points per game.

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Air Force opens 2015 season by hosting Morgan State

Game Notes 

BROADCAST INFORMATION

TELEVISION: ROOT Sports
Marc Stout (play-by-play), Sed Bonner (analyst), Tori Holt (sidelines)
 
RADIO: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, CO; The Fan 104.3 in Denver;
goairforcefalcons.com
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)

NOTES

• Air Force opens the season with consecutive home games.
• The Falcons are 38-19-2 overall in season openers, including a 33-8 mark at home.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is 8-0 in season openers.
• Air Force is 25-16 all-time in non-conference games under coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force has won seven straight home games dating back to 2013.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun has led Air Force to five eight-win seasons.
• Air Force’s schedule has two teams that are nationally ranked. Michigan State is

    No. 5 while Boise State is No. 23.

• Air Force defeated Nicholls State, 44-16, in last season’s opener.

THE SERIES

Air Force and Morgan State are meeting for the first time.

ABOUT MORGAN STATE

Morgan State is an FBS member ... Morgan State was 7-6 overall last season and tied for first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with a 5-2 mark ... The cconference title is the first since 1979 for the program ... The Bears were picked ninth in the Boxtorow FCS HBCU preseason poll ... Morgan State has a league-best 10 players on the preseason all-MEAC team ... Running back Herb Walker, Jr. and offensive lineman Dominique Woods were each selected to the 2015 Boxtorow Preseason All-American team ... Walker led the Bears in rushing last season with 1,408 yards on 233 carries while earning first-team all-league honors ... He was 12th nationally in rushing last season and was a nominee for the Walter Payton Award.

SEASON OPENERS

• Air Force is 38-19-2 overall in season openers, including a 33-8 mark in season openers at home.
• Air Force has won eight straight and nine of the last 11 season openers with the only losses coming at No. 11 Tennessee in 2006 and vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• The Falcons have won 10 of the last 11 season openers at home with the only loss coming vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• Air Force has won 17 straight season openers vs. unranked teams dating back to a 34-21 setback vs. Colorado State in 1994.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is 8-0 in season openers, all eight coming at home.

AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER CALHOUN

Air Force is 25-16 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons are 15-3 at home, 6-9 on the road and 4-4 in neutral site games.

Air Force was 5-0 last season in non-conference games. The Falcons opened the season with a 44-16 win over Nicholls State in Falcon Stadium. Air Force snapped a nine-game road losing streak with a 48-38 win at Georgia State. The Falcons beat Navy 30-21 in Falcon Stadium Oct. 4, won at Army, 23-6, on Nov. 1 and beat Western Michigan, 38-24, Dec. 20 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Air Force has won six straight non-conference games dating back to 2013.

AIR FORCE VS. FCS TEAMS

Air Force is 19-0 all-time against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Head Coach Troy Calhoun is 9-0, including last season’s 44-16 victory over Nicholls State to open the season.

 AIR FORCE AT HOME

Air Force is 36-14 in Falcon Stadium under head coach Troy Calhoun, including a 6-0 mark in 2014. The 2014 season was just the fourth time in school history and second under Calhoun, that Air Force has posted a 6-0 home mark.

LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR’S SEASON OPENER

Air Force defeated Nicholls, 44-16, to improve to 8-0 all-time in season openers under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons ran wild, rushing for a nation’s-best 539 yards. Jacobi Owens led the way with 233 yards on 23 carries to set a school record for rushing yards by a player in his first-career start. Owens averaged 10.1 yards per carry and had three runs of 20 or more yards.

The Falcons broke open a 9-9 tie early in the second quarter with touchdown runs from Broam Hart and Devin Rushing to take a 23-9 halftime lead. Owens helped power the first half outbreak collecting 171 of his yards in the first two quarters. The Falcons made it 35 unanswered points with third quarter rushing touchdowns from Shayne Davern and Rushing, while Paco Solano closed the scoring for Air Force with an 11-yard rushing touchdown to make it 44-9 midway through the fourth quarter. Nicholls added a late touchdown to make up the final margin.

Rushing added 55 yards rushing while quarterback Kale Pearson chipped in with 46 yards. He also hit three of six passes for 19 yards as Air Force finished with 558 total yards. The defense was led by Connor Healy, who had eight tackles in his first-career start. Weston Steelhammer added two sacks, including one in the end zone for a safety to open the scoring for Air Force. The defense gave up just 263 total yards and had five quarterback sacks.

LOOKING BACK AT LAST SEASON

Air Force completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football in 2014. The Falcons finished the season 10-3 overall and had a 5-3 mark in conference play after a 2-10 mark in 2013. The eight-game turnaround is the best in school history and tied with TCU as the best in the country. The Falcons qualified for their seventh bowl game in eight seasons, defeating Western Michigan, 38-24, in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Air Force defeated both Army and Navy to win a record 19th Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy title and its third in the last five years.

The Falcons entered the bowl season as one of just two teams nationally to have beaten two 10-win teams in the regular season. The Falcons beat Boise State and in-state rival Colorado State, who each won 10 or more games. Air Force’s 10-win season is just is sixth in school history. The victory over Boise State was historic, as the Falcons became the first team in the Mountain West’s Mountain Division to beat the Broncos. The victory over Colorado State, who was ranked 21st nationally, marked the highest ranked team Air Force has beaten since 1996. Air Force finished 6-0 at home for just the fourth time in school history.

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Judgment Day: HBCU Football Week One Schedule (Sept. 3 -6)

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Saturday, September 5, 2015

SWAC
Grambling State at California, 5 p.m.   TV: PAC12
Alabama A&M at Cincinnati, 7 p.m.   TV: ESPN3
Jackson State at Middle Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Southern at Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m.
Mississippi Valley at New Mexico, 7 p.m.
Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern, 9 p.m., Labor Day Classic

MEAC
Norfolk State at Rutgers, 12 Noon TV: ESPNN
Howard at Appalachian State, 3:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3
Morgan State at Air Force, 3:30 p.m.
Savannah State at Colorado State, 4 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman at Miami (Fla.), 6 p.m. TV: ESPN3
Shaw at North Carolina A&T, 6 p.m.
Saint Augustine's at North Carolina Central, 6 p.m.
Kentucky State at Hampton, 6 p.m.
Delaware State at Liberty, 7 p.m. TV: ESPN3
Florida A&M at South Florida, 7 p.m.   TV: ESPN3

SIAC
Central State at Alderson Broaddus, 12 Noon
Clark Atlanta at Tuskegee, 1 p.m.
Lane at Concordia-Selma, 3 p.m.
Livingstone at Benedict, 4:30 p.m., Palmetto Capitol City Classic  TV: ASPIRE
Stillman at West Alabama, 6 p.m.
North Alabama vs. Miles, 6 p.m., Labor Day Golden Classic, Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
Kentucky State at Hampton, 6 p.m.
Edward Waters at Morehouse, 7 p.m.
Valdosta State at Albany State, 7 p.m.

GLVC
Lincoln (Missouri) at Langston, 4 p.m.

CIAA
Bowie State at Merrimack. 1 p.m., LIVE VIDEO
Brevard at Virginia Union, 1 p.m.
Lincoln (Pa.) at Cheyney, 1 p.m.,  Annual Battle of the Firsts TV: ESPN3
California (Pa.) at Virginia State, 1 p.m.
Livingstone at Benedict, 4:30 p.m.  Palmetto Capitol City Classic, TV: ASPIRE
Wingate at Johnson C. Smith, 6 p.m.
Shaw at North Carolina A&T, 6 p.m.
Chowan at Fayetteville State, 6 p.m.
Virginia-Lynchburg at Elizabeth City State, 6 p.m.
Saint Augustine's at North Carolina Central, 6 p.m.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Arkansas - Pine Bluff vs. South Carolina State, 3:30 p.m., Orlando, FL, Florida Citrus Bowl, MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE, TV: ESPN

Alabama State at Tennessee State 7:00 p.m., Nashville, NISSAN STADIUM, John Merritt Classic

All Game Times are shown in Eastern Time Zone

WEEK ONE SCORECARD
West Virginia State 59, Fairmont State 34
Delta State 48, Fort Valley State 7
UNC Pembroke 17, #20 Winston-Salem State 7
#16 Georgia Tech 69, Alcorn State 6   TV: ESPN3


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ASU-Howard Football Preview, Kickoff Set for 3:30 at Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday

BOONE, North Carolina -- There is always something a little extra special about the opening game of the college football season and Saturday at 3:30 p.m., when Appalachian State takes the field at Kidd Brewer Stadium for its first contest against Howard, there will be some added inspiration.

App State will be honoring its newest athletic hall of fame class and will be recognizing players from the 1975, 1995 and 2005 teams during on-field presentations.
“You always want to put on a good show for the guys who built the program,” said senior defensive end Ronald Blair.

The hall of fame ceremony will honor legendary coach Jerry Moore and three of his former players, quarterback Armanti Edwards, running back Chip Hooks and tight end Daniel Wilcox. There will also be one special non-football inductee, cross country and track and field standout Leigh Cooper Wallace.

The 1975 football team was the most successful ASU team of its era, posting an 8-3 record and a third-place finish in the Southern Conference as the Mountaineers made the transition into NCAA Division I.

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NSU Spartans Open 2015 Season, Latrell Scott Era at Rutgers

Game Notes  |  Watch Live  |  Live Stats  |  Twitter Updates

NORFOLK, Virginia  --  Norfolk State opens the 2015 season and kicks off the Latrell Scott era Saturday, as the Spartans face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. Kickoff is at 12 noon. It will be the fourth meeting between the teams, but first since Rutgers moved to the Big 10 Conference. The game will be televised live on ESPNEWS.

TELEVISION
This week's game will be televised live on ESPNEWS. Shawn Kenney will call the action, with Al Groh serving as color commentator. The game can also be seen on watchespn.com and via the Watch ESPN app.

RADIO
WGH Star 1310 AM begins its second season as the flagship network for NSU football and basketball games. Ross Gordon will handle the play-by-play duties, with Terrell Ducre' serving as the color analyst. The game can also be heard online at www.star1310.com, accessible by computers or mobile devices.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU is coming off a 4-8 season in which the Spartans finished 4-4 in the MEAC, sixth in the conference standings. The Spartans return 14 starters and 53 lettermen from that squad but also welcome in a new head coach in former Virginia State and Richmond head man, Latrell Scott. Scott replaces Pete Adrian, who retired following a 10-year run with the Spartans following 2014.

Offensively, NSU welcomes back six offensive linemen with starting experience, including senior right guard Mike Phillips and junior center Louis "Tres" Humphrey. Senior receiver Isaac White (48 catches, 664 yards, 7 TD in 2014), a preseason All-MEAC first team wideout, headlines an upperclassman-heavy receiving corps.  Florida Atlantic quarterback Greg Hankerson Jr. will man the controls of the offense, while Old Dominion transfer running back Gerard Johnson leads the ground game.

Defensively, senior linebacker Deon King (106 tackles, 18 TFL, 7.5 sacks) is one of five starters back from a unit which ranked No. 2 in the nation in the FCS in total defense. Linemen Shawn Fauntleroy (33 tackles) and Kevin Williams (19 tackles, 2.5 TFL) bring a veteran presence up front, while safeties Brandon Walker (43 tackles, 8 PBU) and Leroy Parker (29 tackles, 1.5 TFL) and cornerback D'Metrius Williams (22 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PBU) head up a talented secondary.

SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers finished the 2014 season 8-5 overall, 3-5 in its inaugural season in the Big 10. The Scarlet Knights beat North Carolina 40-21 in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit.

The Scarlet Knights return three All-Big 10 players from last year, led by first-team all-conference senior wideout Leonte Carroo (55 catches, 1,086 yards, 10 TD). Redshirt senior Paul James, who scored seven touchdowns in four games last season before suffering an injury, also returns. Rutgers is slated to start redshirt sophomore Hayden Rettig, an LSU transfer, at quarterback.

The Scarlet Knights' defense is led by 2014 Big 10 honorable mention picks Darius Hamilton (45 tackles, 1.5 TFL) and Kemoko Turay (7.5 sacks) along the defensive line.

THE SERIES
• This will be the fourth meeting between the teams, with Rutgers leading the series 3-0.
• The Scarlet Knights have outscored NSU 128-0 in those meetings (2007, '10, '13).
• NSU trailed 3-0 after the first quarter of the 2007 matchup, and 6-0 at halftime of the 2010 contest.

SCOTT USHERS IN NEW ERA OF SPARTAN FOOTBALL
NSU hired Latrell Scott as the 17th head coach in Spartan football history on Dec. 16, 2014. Scott comes to NSU following an outstanding two-year run as head coach at Virginia State University. More on the Spartans' new head man:
• Scott directed the Trojans to a 19-4 record and two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Northern Division regular-season titles in 2013 and 2014.
• The Trojans never lost to a CIAA team under Scott's direction, going a combined 15-0.
• In 2014, VSU went 10-3 overall and won its first outright CIAA championship since 1996.
• Also in 2014, VSU recorded its first-ever NCAA football playoff appearance and victory by defeating Long Island University Post in the first round of the Division II Championship.
• For his efforts, Scott was named the 2014 CIAA Coach of the Year.
• Scott also served as Richmond's head coach in 2010, leading the Spiders to a 6-5 mark.
• He has had winning seasons in all three of his years as head coach, with a cumulative record of 25-9.
• Scott has served as a position coach at James Madison, U.Va., Tennessee, Richmond, VMI and Western Carolina.
• He is a former tight end at Hampton University and a native of Richmond, Va.

SPARTANS PICKED 7TH IN PRESEASON MEAC POLL
The Norfolk State football team was predicted to finish seventh in the preseason poll of MEAC head coaches and sports information directors, and seven Spartans were named to the preseason All-MEAC teams. Senior linebacker Deon King and senior receiver Isaac White were both named to the preseason All-MEAC first team. Senior defensive lineman Shawn Fauntleroy Jr. was voted to the second team, while the quartet of senior defensive lineman Kevin Williams, senior linebacker Lamar Neal, junior safety Brandon Walker and junior kicker Cameron Marouf were all voted to the third team.

North Carolina A&T, one of last season's five MEAC co-champions, was narrowly voted as the favorite to win the conference. The Aggies were followed in the preseason poll by the other four co-champions from last year: South Carolina State was predicted second, Bethune-Cookman third, N.C. Central fourth and Morgan State fifth. Hampton was tabbed sixth and NSU seventh.

LAST MEETING WITH RUTGERS
Paul James rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns, and host Rutgers took advantage of outstanding field position throughout the day in a 38-0 win over Norfolk State on Sept. 7, 2013 at High Point Solutions Stadium in the teams' previous meeting. In the third meeting between the schools, Rutgers' first five scoring drives all began in NSU territory thanks largely to Spartan miscues. A blocked punt set up Rutgers for a short 15-yard drive which James finished with a 1-yard TD run. An NSU fumble was recovered at the Spartans' 19 later in the first quarter, setting up an 8-yard Gary Nova to Ruhann Peele TD pass. James then capped a 33-yard drive set up by a short punt with a 10-yard TD run on the final play of the first quarter for a 21-0 Rutgers lead.

James (25-yard run) and Savon Huggins (1-yard run) scored on third-quarter TDs for Rutgers.

 

Matt Michalec, Asst. AD/Communications

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Defense may give Lincoln hope

LOWER OXFORD, Pennsylvania -- As Lincoln heads into its eighth season since resurrecting football following a 47-year hiatus from 1961-2007, an overriding theme has developed under interim head coach Herb Pickens.

The Lions have faced plenty of adversity on the gridiron in the modern era – winning just 10 of 70 contests. But the LU program is now focused its collective attention on how to more effectively react to the misfortune and hardship that inevitably pops up during every game in every season.

“Our mindset is to expect the unexpected, and keep prevailing through regardless,” said defensive standout Brion Robinson.

“Penalties, turnovers are going to happen – that’s football,” added star runner Stephen Scott added. “What we’ve been working on is being able to persevere through all of that stuff.”



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The Lincoln University Welcomes Back Ray Williams as Head Cross Country & Track and Field Coach

COACH RAY WILLIAMS

LOWER OXFORD, Pennsylvania -- Coach Ray Williams returns to Lincoln after spending a year on the Ole Miss staff as an assistant coach. Prior to Ole Miss, he was the Head Coach at Lincoln for four seasons.

"I appreciate the opportunity that Ross Bjork and Coach Brian O'Neil gave me to serve at Ole Miss last season. Now I am ready to get back on track at Lincoln to advance the legacy," said Williams.

Williams had at least one men's cross country runner on the All-CIAA team and in 2012, Shana Brown (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) was the first-ever female on the All-CIAA squad.  On the track, in 2011 Williams guided Matthew Coston to an 800 Meter Indoor CIAA Champion as well as IC4A qualifiers in the 200 Meters, 800 Meters and 4x400 Relay Team.  During the 2012 season Diane Lindsey became the first student-athlete to qualify for the NCAA Division II national championships while Tarem Cannonier was All-IC4A and ranked in the top 20 in the 400 Hurdles.

Williams arrived at Lincoln back in 2010 from a highly decorated NCAA Division II program at Grand Valley State University. Prior to coaching at Grand Valley, Williams was a men's and women's assistant track & field coach at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., where he concentrated on sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers.

In his years preceding the position at Marquette, Williams served as the Director of Student-Athlete Development and men's and women's assistant track and field coach at the University of Detroit for the 2001-2002 season. During his stint with the Titans, four of his athletes captured conference titles.

Before he joined the Detroit program, he was the assistant women's cross country and track and field coach at Western Michigan in 2000-2001 and from 1997-2000 he enjoyed a productive stint as the assistant track and field coach at the University of Chicago. While at Chicago, he coached a three-time NCAA Division III All-American and two NCAA Division III national qualifiers.

Williams, a native of Chicago, has worked diligently at many national camps throughout his career. In 2012, he was appointed Secretary of the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  He has served as an instructor at the UCLA Speed and Power Camp, directed the Speed and Power Development Camp at Grand Valley State from 2005-2010 and served as the keynote speaker and clinician at the 2010 Chicago Public Schools Track & Field Clinic. Williams completed his Masters in Education at GVSU, and graduated from North Central College in Naperville, Ill., in 1995 with a degree in Urban Sociology.

In addition to coaching, Williams has worked with the Boy Scouts of America, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL). He also served as the Undergraduate Advisor for the Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. at GVSU and currently an active member.

During his undergraduate years at North Central, Williams was a NCAA Division III All-American in the 110 hurdles in 1995, Team Captain, and three-time CCIW Conference Champion. His efforts helped the Cardinals on their way to a Division III Outdoor National Championship in 1994. Williams was also a member of the DC Capitals Track and Field Club teams from 1996-2000.

Williams and his wife, Danyual, have two sons: Daniel and Kamran.

COURTESY THE LINCOLN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Another top-10 for August; Nuggets 2nd at USM

Results:  Men    Women

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi Christopher August for the second consecutive week, and the XU women were runner-up for the second straight year in the Southern Miss Invitational cross country meet Friday.
— Xavier University of Louisiana received a top-10 finish from

August ran 5,000 meters in 17 minutes, 16.69 seconds to place seventh out of 21 men. It was his eighth career top-10 finish.

The Gold Nuggets scored 67 points to finish ahead of Spring Hill, a former NAIA member transitioning to NCAA Division II, and NCAA DI member Louisiana-Monroe. It was the 29th top-2 team finish for the XU women during Joseph Moses' 11 seasons as coach.

Xavier freshman Brianna Pace led the Gold Nuggets and placed 11th out of 28 women. She finished the 5K in 21:58.70.

The other Gold Rush finishers were Darrick Williams (12th place, 19:33.03), Brent Kitto (16th, 21:36.81), Xaiver Latting (19th, 23:48.25) and Felipe Perrier (20th, 23:51.77). Williams, Latting and Perrier all ran faster than they did a week ago.

The Gold Rush scored 67 points and finished third behind ULM, the men's champion, and Spring Hill.
    
Also finishing for the XU women were Dionysia Love (13th, 22:17.34), Zahri Jackson (14th, 22:36.92), Briana Simms (15th, 22:55.10), Hannah Finnegan (19th, 23:36.44) and Clarke Allen (20th, 24:04.66).
    
Individual winners were Isaac Ndirangu (16:50.12) of ULM and Rebecca Ulrich (18:12.90) of Southern Miss. Ulrich repeated as women's champion and led USM to the team title.
    
It was the second meet of the season for both XU teams. The next competition will be Sept. 12 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La., a New Orleans suburb.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia defeats Gold Nuggets

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

BRUNSWICK, Georgia — Xavier University of Louisiana lost 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 to NAIA No. 20 Coastal Georgia in the Gold Nuggets' second match of the Mariner Invitational volleyball tournament Friday.
     
Taylor Reuther had eight kills and eight digs for Xavier (2-4), and CeCe Williams had seven kills and 14 digs. The loss was Xavier's second of the season against a top-25 team.
    
Kyra White had 10 kills for Coastal Georgia (6-1), which outhit the Gold Nuggets .320 to .120. Xavier's hitting percentage and 38 kills were season lows.

The Mariners built a 21-10 lead in the first set and rallied in the second set after trailing five times by five points, the latest at 13-8.

"We showed some flashes of brilliance," XU coach Hannah Lawing said, "but our goal is to be consistent for 75 points."
It was the teams' first meeting.

Xavier lost 19-25, 25-16, 25-14, 22-25, 15-10 to Bethel (Ind.) in the tournament's opening match.
    
Xavier will play Saturday against Martin Methodist at 9 a.m. EDT and 5 p.m. against Bryan. Like Xavier, Martin Methodist and Bryan were 0-2 apiece Friday. Martin Methodist is 0-7 overall.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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from THE EDITOR, DWIGHT FLOYD: 2015 College Football is Here and It Makes You Wanna Sing

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Yes! College football is here and you won’t have to Wake Me Up” to start the season because already “I Feel Good All Over.” It is something about all the people coming together on one accord; the atmosphere of competition. The crisp fall weather, or just the thought of it makes you feel so ”Alive.” Today is a day of hope for many of the FCS teams that have chosen to take on the bigger Division 1 FBS teams like Miami and Florida State. Here are Sportsedit’s games of the week. I’ll have three televisions and one computer going, so I can watch all of them.

Division II Game of the Week
Valdosta State at Albany State
7:00 PM EST

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