ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Labor Day is history and football season is at hand in a big way. High school teams have been going strong since late August, college football fans have a had a week to digest the first games and the NFL kicked off its season (for the teams and fantasy leagues) on Thursday night. For many, this is the best time of year.
For South Carolina State football, times are good after an off season of uncertainty about budget cuts. The Bulldog program got always-beneficial national exposure on Sunday when ESPN featured the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Though the game was delayed by lightning and end of the contest was pushed off the primary ESPN network, there were still great moments for the Bulldog program.
S.C. State football legends Willie Jeffries and Donnie Shell, both of whom are today key ambassadors for the Orangeburg institution, were shown and their connections to the storied program were discussed. And S.C. State accomplished the best thing of all for those who had doubts that the school’s fiscal crisis was somehow going to give its team less prowess on the field: winning, and winning convincingly, against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The make matters even better for S.C. State, the Bulldogs come home this Saturday for ...
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Friday, September 11, 2015
Southern Quinn dazzles in 50-13 Southern romp
ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Southern's Willie Quinn is special. He's the SWAC Special Teams Player of the Week, but he's also a spark plug for his team.The diminutive Quinn may be small in statue but he's a giant when it comes to making big plays.
Nowhere was that more evident then Thursday night when Quinn scored three different ways for the Jaguars in their 50-13 win over Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils in Itta Bena, Mississippi.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Quinn raced 39 yards on a punt return to get his scoring started, he then threw an 89 yard touchdown toss to Randall Menard on offense and finally capped his scoring with a 90 yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second half.
The Jaguars as a whole did little wrong as they set the tone moving the ball early on offense behind running back Lenard Tillery's two touchdown runs.
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Southern Jaguars bounce back strong to thump Mississippi Valley
ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- In a span of five days, Southern went from undersized sparring partner for an FBS opponent to its more familiar role as Southwestern Athletic Conference heavyweight.
The Jaguars roared back from a 62-15 season-opening loss at Louisiana Tech last Saturday to blast Mississippi Valley State 50-13 in the conference opener for both teams Thursday night in Rice-Totten Stadium.
Southern began its quest for a third consecutive SWAC West division title by battering the Delta Devils in all three phases in taking a 33-0 lead after a quarter and a half.
“It’s always great when you bounce back with a win,” Jaguars coach Dawson Odums said. “Tonight we hade the right energy and passion. We challenged them all week and they executed better. We did what we wanted to do and that was to win and get better from week one to week two.”
Lenard Tillery ran for touchdowns of 10 and 14 yards on the Jaguars’ first two possessions on his way to gaining 91 yards on 15 carries.
“All week we talked about running the ball to start off,” Tillery said. “We talked about getting off to a good start and we did.”
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The Jaguars roared back from a 62-15 season-opening loss at Louisiana Tech last Saturday to blast Mississippi Valley State 50-13 in the conference opener for both teams Thursday night in Rice-Totten Stadium.
Southern began its quest for a third consecutive SWAC West division title by battering the Delta Devils in all three phases in taking a 33-0 lead after a quarter and a half.
“It’s always great when you bounce back with a win,” Jaguars coach Dawson Odums said. “Tonight we hade the right energy and passion. We challenged them all week and they executed better. We did what we wanted to do and that was to win and get better from week one to week two.”
Lenard Tillery ran for touchdowns of 10 and 14 yards on the Jaguars’ first two possessions on his way to gaining 91 yards on 15 carries.
“All week we talked about running the ball to start off,” Tillery said. “We talked about getting off to a good start and we did.”
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Thursday, September 10, 2015
Quinn tabbed as SWAC's Specialist of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week – Green
Green accounted for three total touchdowns and 248 yards of offense in the Panthers’ 38-11 win over Texas Southern. The redshirt junior threw for 167 yards and a score, and he added 81 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. Green's week 1 output surpassed all of his offensive production from the 2014 season.
Defensive Player of the Week – Barton
Barton was a large part of Prairie View’s defensive play versus Texas Southern, as the sophomore notched five tackles (2.5 TFL) and also collected two sacks for the Panthers defense, which held Texas Southern to 291 total yards of offense in a winning effort. With his efforts, Barton has already tied his 2014 total output in the sack department.
Barton was a large part of Prairie View’s defensive play versus Texas Southern, as the sophomore notched five tackles (2.5 TFL) and also collected two sacks for the Panthers defense, which held Texas Southern to 291 total yards of offense in a winning effort. With his efforts, Barton has already tied his 2014 total output in the sack department.
Special Teams Player of the Week – Quinn
Quinn racked up 197 return yards, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, in Southern’s loss versus Louisiana Tech. For Quinn, it was second kick return score of his career, and fifth overall return for a touchdown. It is also the longest return for Quinn in his career, surpassing a 98-yard return touchdown he notched in the 2013 season.
Quinn racked up 197 return yards, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, in Southern’s loss versus Louisiana Tech. For Quinn, it was second kick return score of his career, and fifth overall return for a touchdown. It is also the longest return for Quinn in his career, surpassing a 98-yard return touchdown he notched in the 2013 season.
Newcomer of the Week – Bobo
Bobo made six stops – all solo – in Jackson State’s loss to Middle Tennessee State. For the redshirt junior, it was his first in-game action of his collegiate career after missing last year due to injury.
Bobo made six stops – all solo – in Jackson State’s loss to Middle Tennessee State. For the redshirt junior, it was his first in-game action of his collegiate career after missing last year due to injury.
Gold Nuggets on road for GCAC match vs. Edward Waters
NEW ORLEANS — For the second consecutive week, Xavier University of Louisiana's volleyball team will travel to the Eastern Time Zone. This time it's for a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference match Friday against Edward Waters.
The match will start at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. New Orleans time) at Adams-Jenkins Sports and Music Complex in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Gold Nuggets (5-4, 1-0 GCAC) seek their fourth consecutive victory. They opened conference Monday with a 25-15, 25-14, 25-21 home victory against Talladega. It was Xavier's 60th consecutive victory against GCAC opponents and its 49th in the GCAC regular season. The Gold Nuggets won each of the last four GCAC regular-season and tournament championships.
Last week Xavier traveled to Brunswick Ga., about two hours north of Jacksonville, and split four matches in Coastal Georgia's Mariner Invitational. The Gold Nuggets started their win streak by defeating Martin Methodist and Bryan on the final day of the tournament.
XU senior libero Darian Harris is the reigning GCAC Defender of the Week and has won both times it's been awarded this season.
Edward Waters (3-4, 0-1) lost its opener to conference member Tougaloo, winning the third and fourth sets before falling 15-11 in the fifth. The Lady Tigers have a pair of victories against Concordia (Ala.) and another against Trinity Baptist in which they served 23 aces.
The Gold Nuggets are 9-0 all-time against Edward Waters, 3-0 in Jacksonville, and have never lost a set to the Lady Tigers. They'll meet again Oct. 8 at Xavier.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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GAME NOTES: NCCU football Plays Durham Neighbor Duke Blue Devils
Complete Game Notes PDF | Game Day Guide
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University "Eagles" vs. Duke University "Blue Devils"
THE KICKOFF
Saturday, September 12, 2015 – Kickoff at 6:04 p.m.
THE SITE
Wallace Wade Stadium (33,941 capacity/Natural Grass) - Durham, N.C.
THE RECORDS
N.C. Central (1-0 overall, 0-0 MEAC); Duke (1-0 overall, 0-0 ACC)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Audio: NCCU Sports Network "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (audio internet stream). Broadcast starts at 5:30 p.m. (Jonathan Duren, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst).
Video: ESPN3 - Broadcast starts at 6:00 p.m. (Alex Faust, play-by-play; Stan Lewter, color analyst). #NCCUvsDUKE
TICKETS
Special ticket packages available. Visit GoDuke.com for details.
QUICK HITS
• Saturday will be the fourth meeting between Durham foes NCCU and Duke (2009, 2012, 2013).
• Both NCCU and Duke are coming off big season-opening victories. The Eagles blanked Saint Augustine's 72-0, while the Blue Devils hit the road to rip Tulane 37-7.
• This will be the first home game for Duke inside newly-renovated Wallace Wade Stadium.
• NCCU received two votes in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 poll.
• NCCU's 72 points scored in week one are the most by an FCS team this season and ranks second in school history. (85 points vs. Fort Jackson, Sept. 21, 1946)
• NCCU's 72-0 win over Saint Augustine's is the first shutout by the Eagles since a 59-0 victory against Johnson C. Smith on Sept. 2, 2010.
• NCCU junior Mike Jones broke the single-game school record with 145 punt return yards on five attempts during the Eagles' season-opener versus Saint Augustine's.
• In the past 35 games (start of 2012 season), NCCU has scored 26 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including two already in 2015.
FLASHBACK TO 2014
• NCCU won a share of the MEAC Championship with a 6-2 conference record.
• The Eagles posted the most wins as a NCAA Division I-FCS program with a 7-5 overall record.
• The Eagles earned the program's first win over a nationally-ranked FCS opponent by defeating No. 24 North Carolina A&T in the final game of the season on Nov. 22.
• NCCU broke the school record for completions in a season with 227, topping the mark set by the 2011 Eagles of 210.
• The Eagles ranked third in the nation (FCS) in turnover margin at +12.0.
• NCCU sophomore Malcolm Bell passed for 1,982 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions, completing 177 of 286 passes.
THE SERIES
This will be the fourth meeting between the Eagles of NCCU and the Blue Devils of Duke University. Duke leads the series 3-0 after a 49-14 win on Sept. 26, 2009, a 54-17 victory on Sept. 15, 2012 and a 45-0 triumph on Aug. 31, 2013, all played inside Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils have out-scored the Eagles 148-31 in the three match-ups.
THE LAST MEETING
(Aug. 31, 2013 - Duke 45, NCCU 0) North Carolina Central University's lone trip to the end zone against Duke University, a second-quarter fumble return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Tazmon Foster, was overturned by instant replay. It was that kind of day for the Eagles. NCCU's offense crossed midfield just once with Duke earning its first shutout since 1989, as the Blue Devils cruised to a 45-0 win during the Bull City Gridiron Classic inside Wallace Wade Stadium. Six different Blue Devils scored touchdowns as Duke amassed 488 yards of total offense, including 257 rushing yards on 49 carries. NCCU posted 184 yards of total offense with 103 yards coming through the air. Duke moved the chains 27 times, while the Eagles managed nine first downs. In NCCU's best drive of the game, the Eagles pushed the ball 51 yards in 11 plays to the Duke 24-yard line at the end of the second quarter, but junior kicker Oleg Parent missed the 41-yard field goal try wide left. Duke led 28-0 at halftime.
THE COACHES
NCCU: Jerry Mack (Arkansas State, 2003) is in his second season as a college head coach. At age 34, he boasts 10 years of coaching experience, including stints with five NCAA Division I programs and two conference championship teams. A native of Memphis, Tenn., Mack has held positions as wide receivers coach at the University of South Alabama (2012-13) and the University of Memphis (2011), as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2010), as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Central Arkansas (2008-09), as wide receivers and tight ends coach at Jackson State University (2006-07), and as an offensive graduate assistant at Delta State University (2004-05). Mack began his collegiate playing career at Jackson State before transferring after one season (1999) to Arkansas State University. He lettered three years at Arkansas State (2001-03) before earning his bachelor's degree in management information systems in 2003. Mack completed his master's degree in physical education from Delta State in 2006.
Duke: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) was named Duke University's 21st head football coach on December 15, 2007. Cutcliffe, born September 16, 1954, came to Duke after serving the previous two seasons as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. His head coaching experience includes a six-year stint at the University of Mississippi from 1999-2004, where he compiled a 44-29 (.603) ledger with five winning seasons, five bowl game appearances and a share of the SEC Western Division championship in 2003. Cutcliffe was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record, including a 31-28 victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl. Cutcliffe has participated in 22 bowl games including the 1982 Peach, 1983 Florida Citrus, 1984 Sun, 1986 Sugar, 1986 Liberty, 1988 Peach, 1990 Cotton, 1991 Sugar, 1992 Fiesta, 1993 Hall of Fame, 1994 Florida Citrus, 1994 Gator, 1996 Florida Citrus, 1997 Florida Citrus, 1998 Orange, 1998 Independence, 1999 Independence, 2000 Music City, 2002 Independence, 2004 Cotton, 2007 Outback, 2008 Outback and 2012 Belk. He owns a 4-2 record as a head coach in bowl tilts with victories over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. As a member of the coaching staff at Tennessee from 1982-98, Cutcliffe helped the Volunteers to four SEC championships, 16 bowl games in 17 seasons and the national title in 1998. His first tenure with the Vols featured the mentoring of quarterbacks Andy Kelly, Heath Shuler, Tee Martin and Peyton Manning.
HARD TIMES AGAINST FBS OPPONENTS
Since departing the NCAA Division II ranks at the end of the 2006 season, the Eagles have lined up against a NCAA Division I-FBS opponent five times, all resulting in losses.
Aug. 30, 2014 at East Carolina (7-52 L)
Aug. 31, 2013 at Duke (0-45 L)
Sept. 15, 2012 at Duke (17-54 L)
Sept. 1, 2011 at Rutgers (0-48 L)
Sept. 26, 2009 at Duke (14-49 L)
NCCU EAGLES NO STRANGERS TO WALLACE WADE STADUIM
Durham neighbors North Carolina Central University and Duke University will meet on the gridiron for just the fourth time on Saturday inside Wallace Wade Stadium, but the Eagles are no strangers to Duke's home field. NCCU has played football contests at Wallace Wade Stadium on six occasions, boasting a record of 2-4. The Eagles made their first known appearance at Wallace Wade Stadium on Nov. 18, 1972, in a game against rival North Carolina A&T that determined the MEAC championship. NCCU edged the Aggies 9-7. Two weeks later (Dec. 2, 1972), NCCU returned to Wallace Wade Stadium for the first Pelican Bowl against Grambling, in an event that was tagged as the National Black Championship game. The Tigers cruised to a 56-6 victory. On Nov. 23, 1974, the Eagles once again defeated rival North Carolina A&T, this time by a score of 29-18. NCCU faced Duke for the first time inside Wallace Wade Stadium on Sept. 26, 2009, and since in 2012 and 2013.
NCCU'S HISTORIC 72 POINTS IN WEEK ONE ARE MOST IN FCS
The 72 points scored by NCCU in its season-opening shutout of Saint Augustine's University are the most tallied by any team in NCAA Division I-FCS in the first week of the season. The scoring output ranks second in school history, trailing an 85-point explosion by the 1946 Eagles against Fort Jackson (Sept. 21, 1946).
EAGLES TURN DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTS
Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 35 games, NCCU has scored 26 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including two in 2015, five in 2014, nine in 2013 and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on 10 punt returns, six kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
JONES BREAKS SCHOOL PUNT RETURN RECORD
During a season-opening win over Saint Augustine's (Sept. 5), NCCU junior Mike Jones (Baltimore, Md.) broke a 46-year-old single-game school record with 145 punt return yards on only five attempts. The previous record was held by Moses Bryant with 140 punt return yards against Livingstone on Sept. 27, 1969. Last season, Jones earned First Team All-MEAC and FCS All-America honors as a punt returner with a 19.1-yard average. He is currently average 21.6 yards per punt return during his NCCU career (20 punt returns, 432 yards).
NCCU PICKED TO FINISH FORTH IN MEAC
Coming off a season with the most wins during the Division I-FCS era with a 7-5 record and a share of the MEAC Championship, NCCU was predicted to finish fourth and received four first-place votes from the league's football head coaches and sports information directors.
EIGHT EAGLES EARN PRESEASON ALL-MEAC HONORS
Eight NCCU Eagles earned a place on the 2015 Preseason All-MEAC Football Teams. NCCU representatives on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are junior quarterback Malcolm Bell (Richmond, Va.), senior offensive lineman Clevonne Davis (Miramar, Fla.) and junior Mike Jones (Baltimore, Md.), who claimed two spots as a defensive back and a return specialist. Garnering second-team honors for the Eagles are senior wide receiver Quentin Atkinson (Raleigh, N.C.), junior center Carl Jones (Nashville, Tenn.) and senior defensive back C.J. Moore (Raleigh, N.C.). On the third team are junior linebacker Jeremy Thompson (Durham, N.C.) and sophomore tight end Jvon Simmons (La Plata, Md.).
FUMBLE! EAGLES RANK SECOND IN NATION IN FUMBLES RECOVERED
NCCU recovered 19 fumbles during the 2014 season, which ranked second in the NCAA Division I-FCS behind Albany-NY (20). NCCU senior defensive end Felix Small (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was the national FCS leader with seven forced fumbles, which is an NCCU single-season record. Linebacker Jordan Miles (Woodbridge, Va.) recovered four fumbles, while safeties C.J. Moore (Raleigh, N.C.) and Theo Livingston (Fayetteville, N.C.) collected three fumble recoveries each.
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University "Eagles" vs. Duke University "Blue Devils"
THE KICKOFF
Saturday, September 12, 2015 – Kickoff at 6:04 p.m.
THE SITE
Wallace Wade Stadium (33,941 capacity/Natural Grass) - Durham, N.C.
THE RECORDS
N.C. Central (1-0 overall, 0-0 MEAC); Duke (1-0 overall, 0-0 ACC)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Audio: NCCU Sports Network "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (audio internet stream). Broadcast starts at 5:30 p.m. (Jonathan Duren, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst).
Video: ESPN3 - Broadcast starts at 6:00 p.m. (Alex Faust, play-by-play; Stan Lewter, color analyst). #NCCUvsDUKE
TICKETS
Special ticket packages available. Visit GoDuke.com for details.
QUICK HITS
• Saturday will be the fourth meeting between Durham foes NCCU and Duke (2009, 2012, 2013).
• Both NCCU and Duke are coming off big season-opening victories. The Eagles blanked Saint Augustine's 72-0, while the Blue Devils hit the road to rip Tulane 37-7.
• This will be the first home game for Duke inside newly-renovated Wallace Wade Stadium.
• NCCU received two votes in this week's STATS FCS Top 25 poll.
• NCCU's 72 points scored in week one are the most by an FCS team this season and ranks second in school history. (85 points vs. Fort Jackson, Sept. 21, 1946)
• NCCU's 72-0 win over Saint Augustine's is the first shutout by the Eagles since a 59-0 victory against Johnson C. Smith on Sept. 2, 2010.
• NCCU junior Mike Jones broke the single-game school record with 145 punt return yards on five attempts during the Eagles' season-opener versus Saint Augustine's.
• In the past 35 games (start of 2012 season), NCCU has scored 26 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including two already in 2015.
FLASHBACK TO 2014
• NCCU won a share of the MEAC Championship with a 6-2 conference record.
• The Eagles posted the most wins as a NCAA Division I-FCS program with a 7-5 overall record.
• The Eagles earned the program's first win over a nationally-ranked FCS opponent by defeating No. 24 North Carolina A&T in the final game of the season on Nov. 22.
• NCCU broke the school record for completions in a season with 227, topping the mark set by the 2011 Eagles of 210.
• The Eagles ranked third in the nation (FCS) in turnover margin at +12.0.
• NCCU sophomore Malcolm Bell passed for 1,982 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions, completing 177 of 286 passes.
THE SERIES
This will be the fourth meeting between the Eagles of NCCU and the Blue Devils of Duke University. Duke leads the series 3-0 after a 49-14 win on Sept. 26, 2009, a 54-17 victory on Sept. 15, 2012 and a 45-0 triumph on Aug. 31, 2013, all played inside Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils have out-scored the Eagles 148-31 in the three match-ups.
THE LAST MEETING
(Aug. 31, 2013 - Duke 45, NCCU 0) North Carolina Central University's lone trip to the end zone against Duke University, a second-quarter fumble return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Tazmon Foster, was overturned by instant replay. It was that kind of day for the Eagles. NCCU's offense crossed midfield just once with Duke earning its first shutout since 1989, as the Blue Devils cruised to a 45-0 win during the Bull City Gridiron Classic inside Wallace Wade Stadium. Six different Blue Devils scored touchdowns as Duke amassed 488 yards of total offense, including 257 rushing yards on 49 carries. NCCU posted 184 yards of total offense with 103 yards coming through the air. Duke moved the chains 27 times, while the Eagles managed nine first downs. In NCCU's best drive of the game, the Eagles pushed the ball 51 yards in 11 plays to the Duke 24-yard line at the end of the second quarter, but junior kicker Oleg Parent missed the 41-yard field goal try wide left. Duke led 28-0 at halftime.
THE COACHES
NCCU: Jerry Mack (Arkansas State, 2003) is in his second season as a college head coach. At age 34, he boasts 10 years of coaching experience, including stints with five NCAA Division I programs and two conference championship teams. A native of Memphis, Tenn., Mack has held positions as wide receivers coach at the University of South Alabama (2012-13) and the University of Memphis (2011), as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2010), as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Central Arkansas (2008-09), as wide receivers and tight ends coach at Jackson State University (2006-07), and as an offensive graduate assistant at Delta State University (2004-05). Mack began his collegiate playing career at Jackson State before transferring after one season (1999) to Arkansas State University. He lettered three years at Arkansas State (2001-03) before earning his bachelor's degree in management information systems in 2003. Mack completed his master's degree in physical education from Delta State in 2006.
Duke: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) was named Duke University's 21st head football coach on December 15, 2007. Cutcliffe, born September 16, 1954, came to Duke after serving the previous two seasons as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. His head coaching experience includes a six-year stint at the University of Mississippi from 1999-2004, where he compiled a 44-29 (.603) ledger with five winning seasons, five bowl game appearances and a share of the SEC Western Division championship in 2003. Cutcliffe was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record, including a 31-28 victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl. Cutcliffe has participated in 22 bowl games including the 1982 Peach, 1983 Florida Citrus, 1984 Sun, 1986 Sugar, 1986 Liberty, 1988 Peach, 1990 Cotton, 1991 Sugar, 1992 Fiesta, 1993 Hall of Fame, 1994 Florida Citrus, 1994 Gator, 1996 Florida Citrus, 1997 Florida Citrus, 1998 Orange, 1998 Independence, 1999 Independence, 2000 Music City, 2002 Independence, 2004 Cotton, 2007 Outback, 2008 Outback and 2012 Belk. He owns a 4-2 record as a head coach in bowl tilts with victories over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. As a member of the coaching staff at Tennessee from 1982-98, Cutcliffe helped the Volunteers to four SEC championships, 16 bowl games in 17 seasons and the national title in 1998. His first tenure with the Vols featured the mentoring of quarterbacks Andy Kelly, Heath Shuler, Tee Martin and Peyton Manning.
HARD TIMES AGAINST FBS OPPONENTS
Since departing the NCAA Division II ranks at the end of the 2006 season, the Eagles have lined up against a NCAA Division I-FBS opponent five times, all resulting in losses.
Aug. 30, 2014 at East Carolina (7-52 L)
Aug. 31, 2013 at Duke (0-45 L)
Sept. 15, 2012 at Duke (17-54 L)
Sept. 1, 2011 at Rutgers (0-48 L)
Sept. 26, 2009 at Duke (14-49 L)
NCCU EAGLES NO STRANGERS TO WALLACE WADE STADUIM
Durham neighbors North Carolina Central University and Duke University will meet on the gridiron for just the fourth time on Saturday inside Wallace Wade Stadium, but the Eagles are no strangers to Duke's home field. NCCU has played football contests at Wallace Wade Stadium on six occasions, boasting a record of 2-4. The Eagles made their first known appearance at Wallace Wade Stadium on Nov. 18, 1972, in a game against rival North Carolina A&T that determined the MEAC championship. NCCU edged the Aggies 9-7. Two weeks later (Dec. 2, 1972), NCCU returned to Wallace Wade Stadium for the first Pelican Bowl against Grambling, in an event that was tagged as the National Black Championship game. The Tigers cruised to a 56-6 victory. On Nov. 23, 1974, the Eagles once again defeated rival North Carolina A&T, this time by a score of 29-18. NCCU faced Duke for the first time inside Wallace Wade Stadium on Sept. 26, 2009, and since in 2012 and 2013.
NCCU'S HISTORIC 72 POINTS IN WEEK ONE ARE MOST IN FCS
The 72 points scored by NCCU in its season-opening shutout of Saint Augustine's University are the most tallied by any team in NCAA Division I-FCS in the first week of the season. The scoring output ranks second in school history, trailing an 85-point explosion by the 1946 Eagles against Fort Jackson (Sept. 21, 1946).
EAGLES TURN DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTS
Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 35 games, NCCU has scored 26 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including two in 2015, five in 2014, nine in 2013 and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on 10 punt returns, six kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
JONES BREAKS SCHOOL PUNT RETURN RECORD
During a season-opening win over Saint Augustine's (Sept. 5), NCCU junior Mike Jones (Baltimore, Md.) broke a 46-year-old single-game school record with 145 punt return yards on only five attempts. The previous record was held by Moses Bryant with 140 punt return yards against Livingstone on Sept. 27, 1969. Last season, Jones earned First Team All-MEAC and FCS All-America honors as a punt returner with a 19.1-yard average. He is currently average 21.6 yards per punt return during his NCCU career (20 punt returns, 432 yards).
NCCU PICKED TO FINISH FORTH IN MEAC
Coming off a season with the most wins during the Division I-FCS era with a 7-5 record and a share of the MEAC Championship, NCCU was predicted to finish fourth and received four first-place votes from the league's football head coaches and sports information directors.
EIGHT EAGLES EARN PRESEASON ALL-MEAC HONORS
Eight NCCU Eagles earned a place on the 2015 Preseason All-MEAC Football Teams. NCCU representatives on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are junior quarterback Malcolm Bell (Richmond, Va.), senior offensive lineman Clevonne Davis (Miramar, Fla.) and junior Mike Jones (Baltimore, Md.), who claimed two spots as a defensive back and a return specialist. Garnering second-team honors for the Eagles are senior wide receiver Quentin Atkinson (Raleigh, N.C.), junior center Carl Jones (Nashville, Tenn.) and senior defensive back C.J. Moore (Raleigh, N.C.). On the third team are junior linebacker Jeremy Thompson (Durham, N.C.) and sophomore tight end Jvon Simmons (La Plata, Md.).
FUMBLE! EAGLES RANK SECOND IN NATION IN FUMBLES RECOVERED
NCCU recovered 19 fumbles during the 2014 season, which ranked second in the NCAA Division I-FCS behind Albany-NY (20). NCCU senior defensive end Felix Small (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was the national FCS leader with seven forced fumbles, which is an NCCU single-season record. Linebacker Jordan Miles (Woodbridge, Va.) recovered four fumbles, while safeties C.J. Moore (Raleigh, N.C.) and Theo Livingston (Fayetteville, N.C.) collected three fumble recoveries each.
COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Game Two Preview: Old Dominion vs. Norfolk State
NORFOLK, Virginia -- Old Dominion University football takes on Norfolk State in the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. on ASN. The game is ODU's 42nd straight sellout at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium.Television
American Sports Network (ASN) will broadcast the game Saturday with Jeff McCarragher handling play-by-play duties and Ken Dunek serving as color analyst. McCarragher served as the play-by-play announcer for NSU football in 2005. Locally, the game can be seen on MyTVZ channels (2 and 502 on Cox Cable, 11 and 511 on Verizon Fios, 2 and 9 on Charter Cable, and 33 over the air). It is also available on DirecTV and DISH Network channel 33. For a complete listing of nationwide TV outlets cadarrying the game, see the link at the top of the page.
Radio
WGH Star 1310 AM is in 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.
• Old Dominion is 5-1 all-time in home openers.
• Sophomore running back Ray Lawry rushed for a career-high 28 times for also a career-best 223 yards in ODU’s season-opening 38-34 win at Eastern Michigan.
• With 1:57 left on the clock, Lawry ran up the middle for a 45-yard touchdown, his fourth of the game, and Tim Ward intercepted a pass to seal the win.
• Lawry’s 223 yards was just one yard shy of the school record of 224 set by Thomas DeMarco in 2009 and just two carries shy of DeMarco’s record of 30. The four touchdowns tied Lawry’s and DeMarco’s single-game record.
• Lawry currently leads the nation in rushing yards and is tied for the lead in touchdowns.
• In his first career start, quarterback Shuler Bentley led the Monarchs to a fourth quarter comeback victory. He started the final drive with a 30-yard pass to Nick England before Lawry’s touchdown run. Bentley was 18-of-32 for 184 and tossed his first career touchdown pass to David Washington.
• TJ Ricks tied his own career-high with 14 tackles and a tackle for loss. Aaron Young had 10 tackles and an interception while Justice Davila had nine stops.
• Senior safety Fellonte Misher recorded eight tackles and three pass breakups. He moved into fourth on ODU’s all-time tackle charts and the three pass breakups his tied for a single-game high.
• The win at Eastern Michigan made the Monarchs 5-2 all-time in season openers.
• ODU Head Coach Bobby Wilder is 53-20 in his seventh year at Old Dominion. The former Maine offensive coordinator led ODU to FCS playoff berths in 2011 and 2012 along with a CAA Championship in 2012.
Second Year Receivers Shine
Last season Jonathan Duhart, Nick England and Marques Little slowly adjusted to the college game. The trio combined for just 30 receptions on the year. On Saturday, they combined for 10 receptions and were ODU’s top three leading receivers. Duhart had a hude 31 yard completion on a third and 12 while England caught a 30-yarder to start the game-winning drive. Little was Shuler Bentley’s favorite target early.
Strong Opening Day Showing For Punters
If not for Taylor Heinicke averaging 47 yards per punt last season, the ODU punting unit would have been one of the worst in the country. On Saturday, Satchel Ziffer and Jarrett Cervi pinned EMU inside their own 20 twice, for a total of four times on six punts. The biggest of the day was saved for last, as Ziffer punted 61 yards to put EMU at their own 14 for their final possession before Lawry’s game-winning touchdown.
Taking it Away
Last year the Old Dominion defense intercepted just five passes. In Saturday’s win at EMU Aaron Young and Tim Ward registered their first career interceptions. Young played in 18 career games before yesterday and had recorded 10 tackles and two pass breakups. He notched 10 tackles and the interception on Saturday.
A true freshman from North Carolina, Ward clinched the win by deflecting a pass and then picking it off. He also recorded three tackles and in the win.
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HBCU notebook: South Carolina State's Javon Hargrave makes statement
ORLANDO, Florida -- The first full week of college football boasted a number of great performances, but few were as notable as Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State's outstanding defensive end. Hargrave had 7 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks to lead South Carolina State in a 35-7 win Sunday over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the 11th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney in Orlando, Florida.
For his efforts in the Bulldogs' season opener, Hargrave, the MEAC preseason defensive player of the year, was named the game's most valuable player and ESPN.com's HBCU player of the week. The 6-foot-2, 295-pound senior showed off his strength and quickness against the Golden Lions' running attack and in the passing game.
For South Carolina State head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough, and others who have followed Hargrave's playing days in the MEAC, this isn't a surprise.
"Javon is a special player," Pough said. "He's just so good. He continues to amaze me. We can't block him in practice. He's in the best condition he's ever been in. It really shows with the way he's covering a lot of ground. He's a heck of a kid, too."
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A&T Preview: Aggies Bringing Defense
Series Record: This is the first ever meeting between North Carolina A&T and North Carolina.Getting To Know N.C. A&T
The Aggies enter the second week of the season looking to maintain the momentum they created in a 61-7 drubbing of Division II opponent Shaw last weekend. A&T posted 413 yards while allowing just 81 yards in the victory.
The Aggies are led by a familiar face in Chapel Hill in former UNC assistant coach and All-ACC defensive lineman Rod Broadway (1974-77). Broadway has posted a 29-17 record as the Aggies’ head coach and picked up the 97th win of his coaching career in the opener against Shaw. He’s turned around a program that was saddled with NCAA sanctions due to low graduation rates when he took over in 2011.
The Aggies went 9-3 in 2014 (6-2 MEAC), clinching a five-way share of the MEAC Title. The Aggies missed out on the FCS Playoffs, however, losing out in a tie-breaker to Morgan State. Junior running back Tarik Cohen was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year for the MEAC. The Aggies averaged 32.3 points per game while allowing 13.9.
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Howard University selects former HBO Executive Kery Davis as Director of Athletics
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Former HBO executive Kery Davis named Director of Athletics at Howard University on Wednesday, the New York Post has learned.
Davis, 57, had served as senior vice president for programming at HBO before leaving the company in early 2014. During his 17-year career at HBO, he helped negotiate some of the biggest and richest fights in boxing history, including matches involving Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Bernard Hopkins and Mike Tyson. Davis is a graduate of Dartmouth College where he played point guard on the school’s Division 1 basketball team. His vision is to combine his experience as a collegiate athlete with his contacts in sports and entertainment to raise the profile of Howard athletics.
“I probably don’t do this job at any place other than Howard,” Davis told the Post when contacted to confirm his appointment. “It was an opportunity to work at a school with a rich tradition and legacy of graduating people who are pioneers in the arts, in civil rights and every other industry; people who I looked up to growing up. So it struck a chord with me. It’s the right challenge in exactly the right time of my life.”
University President Wayne A. Frederick is expected to make the formal announcement at the Washington D.C.-based school on Wednesday. Shelley Davis had served as interim athletic director since January after Louis “Skip” Perkins resigned to pursue other professional endeavors. This will be Davis’ first experience working in intercollegiate athletics. But he’s confident his diverse experiences have prepared him for the job.
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Southern, Valley look to bounce back
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| GAME TIME: 7:30 PM ET/6:30 PM CT OURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE ATHLETICS |
ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- Southern and Mississippi Valley State expect their second game of the season to tell them a lot more about themselves than their first one did.
The Jaguars and the Delta Devils meet in their Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at Rice-Totten Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, just five days after they both were whipped by Football Bowl Subdivision teams in their respective season openers.
Southern lost at Louisiana Tech 62-15 and Valley lost at New Mexico (66-0).
“We got exposed in some areas,” Jaguars coach Dawson Odums said, “but you’d rather have that happen in a nonconference football game.”
Now comes the real deal.
“Everybody is going after the same pie,” Southern linebacker Demetrius Carter said. “We look at it as a playoff game. We need to win this game in order to be eligible for the playoffs. It’s a very important game to win.”
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With 10 players academically ineligible, Morgan State had depth issues vs. Air Force
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State was unable to slow Air Force's offense or get their own going in a season-opening 63-7 loss, a task made more difficult because the Bears went into the game minus several players.On Friday, the university announced that an NCAA review showed shortcomings in mandated academic requirements, and at least 10 players were ruled academically ineligible. That included six five starters: junior running back Herb Walker Jr., redshirt junior wide receiver Thomas Martin, sophomore right guard Matthew Thompson (Perry Hall), senior outside linebacker Joel Scott (Joppatowne), redshirt junior outside linebacker Ta’Quon Jackson and junior strong safety Antonio Jefferson.
The losses forced the Bears to take 40 freshmen and sophomores to Colorado Springs for Saturday’s game, and nine freshmen, sophomores and redshirt freshmen started in that contest. Coach Lee Hull acknowledged that the team was undermanned against the Falcons.
“It was a big impact,” he said Tuesday morning during a conference call organized by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. “Like I said, we brought 40 freshmen and sophomores. We were just short-handed playing a ...
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Morgan State ravaged by academic ineligibility
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State was going to find it difficult to win either of its first two games even with its team fully intact.After the academic ineligibility that jarred the Bears last week, second-year coach Lee Hull and his staff are reworking their lineup to try to keep them competitive following their opening games against Air Force and Illinois State.
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced on the eve of the season opener that an NCAA review showed shortcomings in mandated academic requirements, and at least 10 players were ruled academically ineligible. Included were six starters, all-conference junior running back Herb Walker Jr., redshirt junior wide receiver Thomas Martin, sophomore right guard Matthew Thompson, senior outside linebacker Joel Scott, redshirt junior outside linebacker Ta'Quon Jackson and junior strong safety Antonio Jefferson.
Morgan State, which last season earned a share of the MEAC title for the first time since 1979 and advanced to the FCS playoffs for the first time, fell 63-7 at Air Force last weekend and follows up with a game Saturday night at fourth-ranked Illinois State, the national runner-up last season.
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Commentary: ASU learning how to finish
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Finish.Brian Jenkins had grown accustomed to seeing his Bethune-Cookman teams do that time and time again in winning 46 games in five seasons. So watching Alabama State self-destruct in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 24-14 loss to Tennessee State in Nashville, Tennessee, left him shaking his head in disappointment.
“I was used to teams finishing,” Jenkins said. “We just didn’t do that. I was used to a team staying in the moment and this is new to all these guys.”
They say teams improve the most from Game 1 to Game 2. If that holds true here, ASU should handle the fourth quarter far better Saturday against Alcorn State than it did in its season opener.
Even if they do, the Hornets (0-1) could still wind up falling to the Braves (0-1) before what should be a near capacity crowd at the 26,500-seat ASU Stadium.
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A&T Aggies’ speed to be tested by Tar Heels
The game against North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday is an opportunity to find out.
But is the opportunity coming a year too late?
A&T is a program on the rise. Just look at the records. The Aggies were 1-10 the year before Broadway arrived. They were 9-3 and shared the MEAC title last year, and they were a couple of bad breaks away from 11-1.
The Aggies have been building, and building, and building. And this year — for the first time in a long time — they’re rebuilding, forced to replace more than just a couple of talented seniors lost from the previous season.
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Samford Football Puts In Good Day Of Work For FAMU
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama —The Samford football team practiced for about two hours in shells Tuesday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.
The Bulldogs are continuing to prepare for Saturday's home game with Florida A&M. Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said he thought his team put in a good day of work for the Rattlers.
"I thought we had a good day," Hatcher said. "We had to alter our plan a little bit because we expected some bad weather to come in towards the end of practice, but it never showed up, thankfully and we were able to get the full day in. We lost a little focus at the end, but overall it was a pretty good Tuesday."
Samford enters Saturday's game with a record of 1-0 after earning a 45-16 win over Central Arkansas last Thursday. Florida A&M is currently 0-1 after falling at South Florida by a score of 51-3 last Saturday.
In the win for Samford, several newcomers earned playing time, including freshman wide receiver Kelvin McKnight, who caught six passes for 157 yard and a touchdown. Hatcher praised the work of several of the newcomers who saw action during the contest.
"I thought the bright lights didn't get to them," Hatcher said of the newcomers. "They made plays when they were asked to make plays. I thought they had good pep about themselves and I expect them to do nothing but get better."
Samford will practice again Wednesday afternoon. The workout is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
Samford hosts Florida A&M Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Seibert Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the game locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.
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The Bulldogs are continuing to prepare for Saturday's home game with Florida A&M. Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said he thought his team put in a good day of work for the Rattlers.
"I thought we had a good day," Hatcher said. "We had to alter our plan a little bit because we expected some bad weather to come in towards the end of practice, but it never showed up, thankfully and we were able to get the full day in. We lost a little focus at the end, but overall it was a pretty good Tuesday."
Samford enters Saturday's game with a record of 1-0 after earning a 45-16 win over Central Arkansas last Thursday. Florida A&M is currently 0-1 after falling at South Florida by a score of 51-3 last Saturday.
In the win for Samford, several newcomers earned playing time, including freshman wide receiver Kelvin McKnight, who caught six passes for 157 yard and a touchdown. Hatcher praised the work of several of the newcomers who saw action during the contest.
"I thought the bright lights didn't get to them," Hatcher said of the newcomers. "They made plays when they were asked to make plays. I thought they had good pep about themselves and I expect them to do nothing but get better."
Samford will practice again Wednesday afternoon. The workout is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
Samford hosts Florida A&M Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Seibert Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the game locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.
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Texas State vs. Prairie View: Wednesday Update
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas -- The second edition of the Willie Simmons show recaps his first-ever win as a head coach over TSU in the Labor Day Classic on Sept. 5, 2015 in addition to a preview of this week's opponent in Texas State.
Preparing for the Panthers
SAN MARCOS, Texas -- The Bobcats are preparing for their home opener against Prairie View A&M, the team's second week of the season. Coach Franchione has said that a team's biggest improvement typically comes between weeks 1 and 2 and is hoping this year is no different.
"Today was a good day," Franchione said. "We worked at it hard. Yesterday was a tough day, the first Tuesday after a game being in full pads. I was pleased with today. They worked with a purpose to get better and that's the key. They have to take it on their shoulders and do it."
Knowing Your Competition
Sophomore receiver Demun Mercer is from La Marque, Texas, which is just 50 miles away from Houston. Mercer knows a number of the players on the team and can tell just how much the Panthers have improved from the last meeting in 2013.
"I know those guys pretty well," Mercer said. "One of those guys I played with is a receiver, and I know a guy in their secondary and a couple running backs. Some of the guys I haven't played since high school so I'm really looking forward to playing them. I can say by watching the Texas Southern game last week that they have improved since we last played them."
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Preparing for the Panthers
SAN MARCOS, Texas -- The Bobcats are preparing for their home opener against Prairie View A&M, the team's second week of the season. Coach Franchione has said that a team's biggest improvement typically comes between weeks 1 and 2 and is hoping this year is no different.
"Today was a good day," Franchione said. "We worked at it hard. Yesterday was a tough day, the first Tuesday after a game being in full pads. I was pleased with today. They worked with a purpose to get better and that's the key. They have to take it on their shoulders and do it."
Knowing Your Competition
Sophomore receiver Demun Mercer is from La Marque, Texas, which is just 50 miles away from Houston. Mercer knows a number of the players on the team and can tell just how much the Panthers have improved from the last meeting in 2013.
"I know those guys pretty well," Mercer said. "One of those guys I played with is a receiver, and I know a guy in their secondary and a couple running backs. Some of the guys I haven't played since high school so I'm really looking forward to playing them. I can say by watching the Texas Southern game last week that they have improved since we last played them."
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AAMU Bulldogs to learn from loss to Cincinnati
CINCINNATI, Ohio – Chances are, Alabama A&M won't be playing a school the caliber of the University of Cincinnati this season.
But, following Saturday's 52-10 win by Cincinnati, the Bulldogs will be taking a lot from the defeat.
"This team (Cincinnati) was picked to win the (American Athletic) conference … so we can't be ashamed about today's effort," said Alabama A&M head coach James Spady.
The Bulldogs and Cincinnati were tied at the end of the first quarter, thanks to a 12-yard touchdown pass from De'Angelo Ballard to Tevin McKenzie with 5:55 left in the quarter.
But, the Bearcats erupted for 28 points in the second quarter to take command of the game.
"In the first quarter, there was a lot at stake," Spady said. "Once again, Cincinnati is a great football team Coach (Tommy) Tuberville has a group of coaches who are probably some of the best."
The game was the first in the newly renovated Nippert Stadium and it was delayed by about an hour and a half by storms that rolled through Cincinnati.
Byran Brower was the workhouse of the A&M offense, carrying the ball 19 of the team's 37 rushing attempts for 62 yards. The Bulldogs had 98 yards rushing.
Ballard had 8 carries for 23 yards and was 7 of 20 passing for 87 yards and one interception. Tight end Jonathan Dorsey was his primary target with four catches for 62 yards.
The Bulldogs had 246 yards in total offense on the night.
Cesar Ramon-Diaz kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3:21 left to wrap up the scoring.
Despite the score, Spady said he was confident as the team prepares for its Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule starting Sept. 19 at Prairie View A&M.
"I feel pretty good about our chances going forward and we will continue to compete and learn from this football game," he said.
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But, following Saturday's 52-10 win by Cincinnati, the Bulldogs will be taking a lot from the defeat.
"This team (Cincinnati) was picked to win the (American Athletic) conference … so we can't be ashamed about today's effort," said Alabama A&M head coach James Spady.
The Bulldogs and Cincinnati were tied at the end of the first quarter, thanks to a 12-yard touchdown pass from De'Angelo Ballard to Tevin McKenzie with 5:55 left in the quarter.
But, the Bearcats erupted for 28 points in the second quarter to take command of the game.
"In the first quarter, there was a lot at stake," Spady said. "Once again, Cincinnati is a great football team Coach (Tommy) Tuberville has a group of coaches who are probably some of the best."
The game was the first in the newly renovated Nippert Stadium and it was delayed by about an hour and a half by storms that rolled through Cincinnati.
Byran Brower was the workhouse of the A&M offense, carrying the ball 19 of the team's 37 rushing attempts for 62 yards. The Bulldogs had 98 yards rushing.
Ballard had 8 carries for 23 yards and was 7 of 20 passing for 87 yards and one interception. Tight end Jonathan Dorsey was his primary target with four catches for 62 yards.
The Bulldogs had 246 yards in total offense on the night.
Cesar Ramon-Diaz kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3:21 left to wrap up the scoring.
Despite the score, Spady said he was confident as the team prepares for its Southwestern Athletic Conference schedule starting Sept. 19 at Prairie View A&M.
"I feel pretty good about our chances going forward and we will continue to compete and learn from this football game," he said.
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Former ASU Hornets Start 2015 Season on NFL Rosters
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Two former members of the Alabama State University football team will be on opening day rosters when the National Football League (NFL) opens its regular season this weekend.
Former quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will enter his 10th NFL season this year and his fourth with the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted in the 2006 draft by the Minnesota Vikings where he spent six years of his career.
Jackson and the Seahawks begin their season Sunday, Sept. 13 with a road game at St. Louis. The kickoff has been scheduled for noon.
Two-time all SWAC running back Isaiah Crowell will continue his career with the Cleveland Browns. The second-year pro made the Browns last season as an undrafted free agent and worked his way into the starting lineup.
The Browns will also start the 2015 season on the road when they face the New York Jets Sunday at noon.
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015
2015 Florida Blue Florida Classic Tickets Officially On Sale
The nation's largest HBCU rivalry between the Florida A&M University Rattlers and theBethune-Cookman University Wildcats returns for the 36th year on November 21 in Orlando.
ORLBilled as the nation's largest HBCU sports event, the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats meet the Florida A&M University Rattlers on Saturday, November 21 at the Orlando Citrus Bowl with a 2:30pm kickoff. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN Classic, and tickets are available at Ticketmaster and FloridaClassic.org.
ANDO, Florida -- The countdown officially begins! The Florida Classic Consortium has publicly opened up ticket sales for the 2015 Florida Blue Florida Classic with tickets starting at $15.
“The Florida Blue Florida Classic is always exciting for both universities because of the funds it raises for our scholarship programs and the significant impact it adds to the Central Florida economy,” shares Milton Overton, FAMU Athletic Director. “It’s more than just a game and is part of our multi-layered approach to partner with the community."
In addition to the football game, the weekend lineup of events begins on Friday, November 20 and includes the Florida Consortium Kickoff Luncheon presented by Florida Blue, the Career Expo and Job Fair, and the Florida Blue Battle of the Bands. Game day activities include the pre-game FanFare with activities for the entire family and the McDonald’s Halftime Show featuring the Marching 100 and the Marching Wildcats. FAMU and B-CU will meet for the 70th time and the 36th in the Florida Classic.
“We continue to enhance the game experience to drive value for our fans and position the game to be bigger and better each year,” shares Lynn Thompson, B-CU Athletic Director. “Last year’s game was a thriller with the Wildcats winning in overtime and making that a four game winning streak, and this year’s game will be significant because both teams are playing under the leadership of two new head coaches – Coach Alex Wood with the Rattlers and Coach Terry Sims with the Wildcats.”
The 2014 game was the first played in the new Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium and featured a better fan experience with larger, more comfortable seats with chair backs, an additional six inches of legroom in the lower bowl, multiple club suites and lounges, better concessions, new team facilities, and video displays on each upper deck.
Tickets are on sale now for the game and weekend events and can be purchased online at FloridaClassic.org. Tickets start at $15 with indoor club tickets at $123 per ticket.
Savannah State Releases Women's Basketball 2015-16 Schedule
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- Savannah State University women's basketball team announces the 2015-16 schedule Wednesday, which consist of three teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season. SSU starts off the season with an exhibition game against crosstown rival Armstrong State in the "Battle in the Marsh" on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in Tiger Arena. Last season, the Lady Tigers defeated ASU 96-84 in Tiger Arena.
For the fourth year in a row, the Lady Tigers open the season against Columbia College in Tiger Arena on Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. In the previous three matchups, SSU has defeated CC, including a 106-60 win last season. Overall, the Lady Tigers have won their last 11 openers.
The Lady Tigers host Auburn on Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. Last season, SSU fell to AU 62-56 on the road. The last time SSU hosted an SEC team was last season, when Florida traveled to Savannah and the Lady Tigers won 68-58.
"Auburn's a game that stands out on the schedule, for several reasons," head coach Cedric Baker said. "One, they're an SEC team, two, we played them close last year and three, how often do we see an SEC team come to Savannah and play a school of our size."
Savannah State enters its road schedule with two SEC matchups against Florida on Nov. 24 and Mississippi State on Nov. 29, who made the NCAA Tournament last season. Last season, the Tigers defeated UF 68-58 at Tiger Arena.
"We have a rematch with Florida," Baker said. "That's going to be exciting. We were able to come with a win in that battle last year. We are looking forward to our trip to Gainesville and then of course we will take a trip down to Mississippi State. Mississippi State is a competitive team. They've made their mark in the SEC Tournament last season."
The Lady Tigers host its final home game of 2015 with a game against in-state rival of Georgia Southern on Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. This will be the first time the two teams have played against each other since 2004-05.
"We're excited about getting Georgia Southern back on the schedule and also excited about getting to play them at home," Baker said. "The last time we played them and we defeated them here in Savannah in an overtime win. We shot the lights out of the ball that night. But we are excited about Georgia Southern, 45 minutes up the road. We are excited to reestablish this rivalry."
The next six games are on the road for SSU, starting with Alabama State on Dec. 5, followed by Rutgers, who made the NCAA Tournament last season, on Dec. 13. The Lady Tigers then travel to Jacksonville, Ala., to face Jacksonville State on Dec. 15 and to Oklahoma State on Dec. 27, who made the NCAA Tournament last season.
"We've got to go up to Rutgers University," Baker said. "Vivian Stringer is an icon when it comes to women's basketball. It's an opportunity to expand our brand in that area, which always helps with recruiting. The better kids want to play the better teams. So, we want to send a message that you are going to play at a Division I school, but also you are going to play at a high level and on a big stage. We'll go out to a further distance to Oklahoma State and then we'll get into our conference schedule."
SSU plays its first conference game against Florida A&M on Dec. 31 in Tallahassee, Fla., then travels for a nonconference game against Jacksonville University on Jan. 2 before hosting the next five games. Last season, the Tigers went 2-0 against FAMU, but fell to Jacksonville 45-41 at Tiger Arena.
"Our first conference game will be against FAMU and they have been, out of the MEAC schools, one of the established rivalries we have," Baker said. "That's a game that we look forward on our schedule, a game that we really want to win and we see them twice a year."
The five-game homestand starts with Allen University on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m., followed by N.C. A&T State on Jan. 9 at 4 p.m., the first MEAC home game of the season. The Lady Tigers won 95-47 against Allen last season and went 2-1 against A&T.
N.C. Central travels to Savannah on Jan. 11 at 4 p.m., followed by Maryland Eastern Shore on Jan. 16 at 4 p.m. and concludes the homestand with Delaware State on Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. Savannah State went 1-1 against UMES, including a win in the MEAC championship game; 2-0 against NCCU and 1-0 against DSU last season.
Then the Lady Tigers next four games are on the road, starting with a trip to Hampton on Jan. 23 and Norfolk State on Jan. 25. The final two games on the roadstand is N.C. A&T State on Jan. 30 and Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 2. SSU won the only matchup between Hampton and Norfolk State, but fell to Bethune-Cookman in the only matchup last season.
The Lady Tigers return home with two games against Morgan State on Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. and Coppin State on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. before returning back on the road for two games against South Carolina State on Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. and Howard on Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. Savannah State went 2-0 against CSU and SCSU last season and won the only matchup against MSU and HU.
South Carolina State travels to Savannah on Feb. 27 at 4 p.m., while the Tigers travel to Durham, N.C., for a game against N.C. Central on Feb. 29 at 6 p.m. The Lady Tigers host the final game of the season against Florida A&M on March 3 at 6 p.m.
The MEAC Championship is from March 7-12 at Norfolk, Va., which the Tigers will be defending their title. Last season, the Lady Tigers defeated Coppin State, 66-52, N.C. A&T State, 62-59, and Maryland Eastern Shore, 65-47, to capture its first MEAC championship.
"We'll get a lot of attention going into the conference," Baker said. "There's probably a star by Savannah State on everybody's board that they definitely want to compete and give their team confidence by knocking off the defending champions. We are going to get everybody's best each and every night."
SSU Women's Basketball 2015-16 Schedule
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Tuskegee, Albany State meet in SIAC title game rematch
PHENIX CITY, ALABAMA -- It will be a rematch of last year's SIAC championship game — and perhaps a preview of this year's title matchup — when Tuskegee plays Albany State at 4 p.m. Saturday in Phenix City.
The Golden Tigers captured the 2014 SIAC championship with a 47-41 victory over Albany State, and the two teams are the favorites to win their divisions again this year, according to a preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
"We beat them twice last year, so they definitely feel like they owe us one," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater, whose team also defeated the Golden Rams in the regular season last year 20-12 in the inaugural White Water Classic.
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The Golden Tigers captured the 2014 SIAC championship with a 47-41 victory over Albany State, and the two teams are the favorites to win their divisions again this year, according to a preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
"We beat them twice last year, so they definitely feel like they owe us one," said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater, whose team also defeated the Golden Rams in the regular season last year 20-12 in the inaugural White Water Classic.
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Grambling ready now that ‘playing fields are even’
GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- Grambling’s season opener at California turned out to be exactly what it seemed on paper — a mutually beneficial agreement where both parties head home with something in their pocket.In Grambling’s case, a $600,000 paycheck for a 73-14 drubbing, and in Cal’s case, an easy win to open the season in front of its home fans.
Such is the life of a program like Grambling, or any other Southwestern Athletic Conference or even HBCUs for that matter. With that out of the way, Grambling can now play more competitive football when it welcomes Bethune-Cookman to Eddie Robinson on Saturday for the Tigers’ home opener.
“Absolutely. Now the playing fields are even. You’re playing another team that has 63 scholarships,” Grambling wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph said Monday.
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Recruiting Trail: Floridian Jamari Jiles makes commitment to NCCU
DELTONA, Florida -- Deltona senior Jamari M. Jiles made some news last week when he committed to North Carolina Central.Jiles (6-1, 240) said he chose the school over UMass and Idaho.
“When I took my visit up there, it just felt like home,” Jiles said. “They showed me a lot of love, and, ever since they offered me, they were the school that was on me the most heavy.”
Jiles, who can also play linebacker, said he expects to transition to defensive end at the next level.
And, while he was excited to commit, he said there is one school that could make him reconsider a bit — Central’s MEAC foe, Bethune-Cookman.
Jiles said he has heard from Cookman, and, if the Wildcats offer he will take a look at the school.
He also has offers from Texas-San Antonio, Tennessee Martin, Tennessee State and Coastal Carolina.
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Dallas Cowboys sign former MEAC players Joe Thomas, SCSU and Ayodeji Olatoye, NCA&T to Practice Squad
DALLAS, Texas -- The Cowboys added cornerback Ayodeji Olatoye on Wednesday to fill their entire practice squad roster. Olatoye was an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina A&T State University (by way of Colorado) last year. He spent time with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs since. Possessing a good body frame at 6-1, 195 pounds, Olatoye recorded eight total tackles and had one pass defended as a member of the Chiefs this preseason.
Thomas was an undrafted rookie out South Carolina State that spent last season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad. During his final year at SCS, the young inside linebacker was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 115 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and one interception. He recorded eight tackles and a sack in four preseason games with the Packers this year.
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Thomas was an undrafted rookie out South Carolina State that spent last season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad. During his final year at SCS, the young inside linebacker was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after recording 115 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and one interception. He recorded eight tackles and a sack in four preseason games with the Packers this year.
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