Hampton U. Football Set to Square Off Against Richmond Spiders

HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton University football team will be at home for the second straight week, as they take on No. 22 Richmond on Saturday at Armstrong Stadium. Kickoff will be at 12 p.m.

Game Notes
Live Stats: Click here.
Radio: WHOV 88.1 FM.
Live Video: Pirates Sports Network.
 
Last Time Out: The Pirates (1-0) opened their season with a 35-20 win over Kentucky State this past Saturday – a game in which quarterback David Watford threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns (four of which went to wideoutTwarn Mixson). Richmond (0-1), entering its fourth season under head coach Danny Rocco, fell to Maryland 50-21 this past Saturday.
 
Coach Speak: "You can't duplicate game speed. You know, the pressure of the game – the officials, the other team, the atmosphere … it's a different type of pressure, and it's the first time a lot of our new guys faced that (against Kentucky State). Now we need to look at what we did wrong, and make sure we don't do it again this week."
 
Coach Maynor on Richmond: "(Richmond is) a playoff team every year. Nationally ranked again this year, well-coached, tough … they'll fight you. They know what it takes to win and to win championships. We have to be at our best this weekend … but we look forward to the challenge."
 
The Series: The Pirates are 0-2 against Richmond following last season's 42-17 loss in Richmond, Va. This will be the Spiders' second trip to Armstrong Stadium; the first meeting came in the 2005 Div. I-AA playoffs, when Richmond won 38-10.
 
Pirates at Home: Hampton is 1-0 at home this season after Saturday's 35-20 win over Kentucky State. The Pirates went 2-4 at home last season, with the highlight coming in the form of a 40-35 win over nationally-ranked Bethune-Cookman in the team's home finale on Nov. 13. The Pirates fell 42-14 to William and Mary on Sept. 6, defeated Miles College 34-30 on Sept. 20, lost 17-10 to South Carolina State on Sept. 27, fell 21-13 to Norfolk State on Oct. 18, and lost 38-35 to Morgan State on Nov. 1 of last season.
 
Pirates Against the CAA: The Pirates are 2-13 against teams that currently compete in football in the CAA, with both of those wins coming against James Madison. Hampton is 2-0 against JMU; 0-3 against New Hampshire; 0-2 against Richmond; 0-2 against Rhode Island; 0-1 against Villanova; and 0-5 against William and Mary. The Pirates have never faced Albany, Delaware, Elon, Maine, Stony Brook, or Towson.
 
Pirates Picked to Finish Sixth: The MEAC preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, picked the Pirates to finish sixth this season. In addition, the Pirates landed eight players on the conference's preseason teams, headlined Mixson, defensive lineman Miles Grooms, linebacker Joshua Thorne, and punter Christian Faber-Kinney – all of whom were First Team selections. Four Pirates were named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC: offensive lineman Michael Young, defensive lineman Charles Owens, wideout Rashawn Proctor, and offensive lineman Torrian White.
 
Counting To 1,000: Saturday's game against Richmond will be the 999th in the history of Hampton University football, which means the Pirates' contest on Sept. 18 against rival Howard will be the 1,000th contest in program history. Heading into Saturday's game, the Pirates are 549-415-34 all-time (a .550 winning percentage).
 
Mixson Leading Pirates Receivers: Mixson was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season and was on the conference preseason First Team. In 2014, Mixson led the team and the MEAC in receiving, averaging 68.3 yards per contest. He caught 5.6 passes per game, and Mixson had a team-high 615 receiving yards on the season with six touchdowns. His season-high of 123 receiving yards came early in 2014 against William & Mary. He also had a season-high nine catches in the season opener at Old Dominion, and Mixson ended the 2014 season with a touchdown catch in each of Hampton's last four games. He opened the 2015 season in style against Kentucky State, catching seven passes for a career-high 135 yards and four touchdowns en route to being named MEAC Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Grooms a Force on the Line: Grooms was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into 2015, after being named Third Team All-MEAC in 2014. He was sixth on the team with 52 total tackles in 2014, while also ranking second on the team in tackles for loss (13.0) and third in sacks (5.0). His 10 quarterback hurries were a team high, and Grooms also forced a pair of fumbles last season. He had his best game of the 2014 season on Nov. 13 against Bethune-Cookman, racking up 10 tackles and 3.5 sacks. In Saturday's opener against Kentucky State, Grooms had four quarterback hurries, seven tackles, and 1.5 sacks.
 
Thorne a Tackling Machine: Thorne had 113 total tackles last season, leading both the team and the MEAC while recording 100 tackles for the second straight season. Thorne was a Second Team All-MEAC selection in 2014, and he also led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss – while his 5.5 sacks tied for the team lead. Thorne averaged 5.5 tackles per contest, and twice last season he racked up a career-high 19 tackles: at Delaware State and at North Carolina Central. He also had three sacks and six tackles for loss in Hampton's shutout win over the Hornets. Thorne was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection leading into the 2015 season.
 
Faber-Kinney One to Watch Out For: After being named Second Team All-MEAC in 2013, Faber-Kinney was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season. He led the conference in punting in 2014, averaging 42.9 yards per kick and recording 14 punts of at least 50 yards. The VaSID Second Team All-State selection pinned 10 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and he had a career-long 72-yard punt at Delaware State. Faber-Kinney, who was also a Third Team All-MEAC honoree in the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon, was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into the 2015 campaign.
 
Quarterback Returns Home: For Watford, who transferred to the Pirates from the University of Virginia, Hampton is home. Watford played his high school football at nearby Hampton High, totaling over 3,000 yards as a senior en route to All-District and All-Region honors. He did not throw an interception that season, guiding the Crabbers to an 11-2 record – the only losses coming to eventual state champion Phoebus. In 2012 with U.Va., Watford set a school record with 244 completions, and against Georgia Tech, he completed a school-record 43 passes for a career-high 376 yards. In his Pirates debut against Kentucky State, Watford threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns – four of which went to Mixson.
 
Coaching Staff Changes: Michael Ketchum is but one of the new faces roaming the Pirates sideline this season, coming over from Delaware State to serve as defensive coordinator. Tremayne Henry, who served as defensive coordinator for part of last season, will coach the defensive line in 2015. Marc Bacote also joined the staff, where he will serve as safeties coach, and Bryant Foster has come on board to serve as cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Former Pirate Marcus Wade has also joined head coach Connell Maynor's staff, serving as a graduate assistant.
 
Pirates Wideouts Standing Out: Mixson received all of the accolades, but the Pirates receiving corps boasted two other high-caliber threats on the outside. In fact, two Pirate receivers ranked in the top 10 in the conference in receptions per game last season; Rayshad Riddick was tied for fourth in the MEAC with 4.2 catches per game, whileRashawn Proctor was sixth in the MEAC with 4.1 catches per contest. Proctor is also seventh in the MEAC in receiving yards, averaging 50.0 per game. Proctor caught five passes for 77 in the Pirates' win over Kentucky State this past Saturday.
 
For more information on Hampton University athletics, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State Hornets Football To Host Alcorn State

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State will host reigning 2014 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Champions Alcorn State to open the home portion of the schedule and to open SWAC play.

Like the Hornets, the Braves are entering the game off an opening week defeat as they lost at nationally-ranked Georgia Tech. Alcorn State does have the preseason offensive player of the year, John Gibbs, back to lead their powerful offense. All Gibbs did last season was rush for over 1,000 yards and pass for almost 2,500 yards in picking up the Co-Offensive Player of the Year award.

"I see a good football team and they're not the defending SWAC Champs for nothing," Head Coach Brian Jenkins said. "Jay (Hopson) has done a good job and we're facing a team that is very tough, a team that wants to come in and win just like we want to win. We have to make sure we are on our "A" game and make sure we have focus and complete detail in our style of play."

"I think Gibbs is a phenomenal player he is the best player in the league. When you watch film he does some phenomenal things with the ball. I think he is a good leader off the field. With the little bit of time I got to spend with him at the conference meeting and just talking to him, he presents himself as a true gentleman and whenever you have a young man that does that and brings notoriety to your program in a good way you have to give him respect where respect is due."



The Hornets had a lot of positives to take away from their game against Tennessee State. The defense held the high-powered TSU offense to only 330 yards and held TSU to 14 points on four fourth-quarter turnovers that happened on the ASU side of the field.

After blocking eight kicks last season, ASU started the 2015 season off the right way as Roderick Henderson broke through the Tigers offensive line to block a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. It just happened to be the fourth blocked kick of his career.

Kourtney Berry and Daerius Washington showed why they were the top two leading tacklers on the team last season as both finished with game-high 13 tackles. 11 of Washington's tackles were solo, which made both his solo total and total tackles career-highs.

Offensively the Hornets struggled at time, but still managed over 300 yards of offense, primarily off the arm of Daniel Duhart who threw for 225 yards while completing 20 of his 25 attempts before an early fourth-quarter injury kept him out of the rest of the game.

When speaking of the positives that he took away from the game Jenkins said "that we are going to play football. We are not going to be a push over or lay down. We are going to play to win. I was excited to see our players respond and it didn't matter what atmosphere we were in we came to play football. It's exciting for any coach to see his players fight and play the way we did."

"We played team ball. We made some mistakes offensively and the defense picked right up. We made some mistakes defensively and the offense picked up. Special teams stepped in and did some good things and to see a complete effort from your team you can walk away as a coach feeling good about that."

The game will be carried on the ASU Hornets Sports Network with Duane Lewis bringing you the play-by-play action and former All-SWAC performer Chris Terry providing the color analyst commentary.

For those who want to arrive at the game early and for all the tailgaters, there will be a Hornets Legends Walk beginning at 4 p.m.  It will begin on Harris Drive and come all the way to the entrance to ASU stadium.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Campbell Football hosts Chowan Saturday on Military Appreciation Day

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BUIES CREEK, North Carolina – Campbell University returns to Barker-Lane Stadium Saturday, hosting Chowan at 6 p.m. on Military Appreciation Day.

Watch Saturday's game for free on the Big South Network. Follow live stats via GoCamels.com. For tickets, please visit GoCamels.com/tickets/Football.

It will be Military Appreciation Day at Barker-Lane Stadium, with all active and former military receiving free admission with a valid military ID.

In addition, the Campbell Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and CU Student Veterans Club will welcome the Camels on the field.

At halftime, several Campbell ROTC members will participate in a contracting ceremony.

Campbell (1-0) opened the season with a 41-20 Thursday night home win over Pikeville. Junior running back De'Shawn Jones ran for a school record 189 yards and Kameron Bryant threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead the Camels.

Jones' night included a 60-yard TD run and a 50-yard scamper to set a new school Division I era (since 2008) single-game record. He broke the previous mark of 170 set by Jordan Cramer in 2011 and matched by Kurt Odom one year later. Jones averaged 12.6 yards per run on 15 attempts.

In his first start at quarterback for the Camels, Bryant totaled 205 yards of total offense – 138 through the air and 67 on the ground. The transfer from Appalachian State completed 12-of-19 passes and gained 6.1 yards per attempt on 11 carries.

Campbell improved to 3-5 in season-opening games (4-4 in home openers) since the program's rebirth in 2008.

Ugonna Awuruonye led the CU defense with seven tackles, while Daniel Bostick and Jake Barr added six apiece.

Chowan (1-0), a NCAA Division II and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association member from Murfreesboro, N.C., also began 2015 with a win, defeating Fayetteville State 41-31 on the road.

The Hawks forced four FSU turnovers in the win, despite being outgained 414-331 in total offense. Randall Dixon was 27-for-33 for 249 passing yards with four touchdown passes and an interception in the win. Kaine Lombard hauled in seven passes for 71 yards and two scores, while Tyree Lee totaled 91 yards with a TD on nine carries.

Cornell Duncan tallied eight tackles, including 2.0 for loss, while Vincente' Stafford added seven stops with an interception.

Next up for the Camels will be their first trip away from Buies Creek, heading to Presbyterian on Sept. 19 for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The contest will be CU's final nonconference outing before starting Pioneer Football League play at Butler on Sept. 26.

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COURTESY CAMBELL UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Coleman expects more from UAPB's defense

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- Just before Arkansas-Pine Bluff began fall practice, Coach Monte Coleman stood in front of his team and read to them from a few sheets of paper.

On the paper were defensive statistics from last season, which explained rather clearly the route UAPB took a 4-7 season a year ago. It made clear UAPB's standing as the worst defense statistically in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, ranking last in points allowed (39.2 per game) and ninth in total yards allowed 453.8 per game.

"It was embarrassing," linebacker Willie Duncan said. "We were last in almost every category. That's motivation for us every day."

The Golden Lionslost 35-7 to South Carolina State in the season opener Sunday, but Coleman said he saw signs that suggest the Golden Lions' defense can get back on track heading into Saturday night's home opener against Division II Morehouse College in Pine Bluff.

UAPB limited South Carolina State to 336 yards of total offense and to 3.7 yards per rush. Coleman said he was pleased overall with the defense despite the final score, considering the Bulldogs were aided by three interceptions thrown by the Golden Lions, including one that was returned for a third-quarter touchdown.



CONTINUE READING 

Tale of the Tigers: Five things to know about B-CU's opponent, Grambling State

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Here are five things you need to know about the Grambling State Tigers, B-CU's opponent on Saturday.

1. SERIES HISTORY: While Grambling State has gotten the better of the Wildcats over the years, winning 11 of 13 all-time meetings, B-CU scored a 36-23 win last September in Daytona Beach. The victory snapped an eight-game skid for the Wildcats in the series dating back to 1954.

2. HBCU POWERHOUSE: Grambling State has a rich football tradition with 24 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships, most recently in 2011, and 14 Black College National Championships. In his 55 years running the program, the late Eddie Robinson won 408 games, becoming the first NCAA coach to top the 400-win mark. Notable alumni include Pro Football Hall of Famers Charlie Joiner and Willie Brown and Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams.

3. CRUSHED BY CAL: The Tigers were roughed up in their season opener at California, surrendering 73 points and 656 yards of total offense.

CONITNUE READING

MEAC: NFL Hall of Fame

45 years of empowering student-athletes

Norfolk, Virginia -- Take an inside look at our former MEAC Football athletes who have been enshrined in NFL history.


ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

Injuries to FAMU’s offensive line stalling offense

TALLAHASSEE, Florida  -- Florida A&M’s offense was stagnant against South Florida, and head coach Alex Wood is saying he’s hoping for the return of key pieces of the offensive line to help remedy an unit that picked up 182 yards of total offense in its first game.

Keonte Cash and T.J. Jones, both starters on the offensive line’s left side, were out against Bulls. Wood added redshirt junior left tackle Ryan Templeton, who started in place of Jones, played through a foot injury on Saturday.

If Templeton is unable to go against Samford on Saturday, the redshirt freshman Loubens Polinice is next up for the Rattlers’ line.

FAMU will have gone through all offensive line reserves on its two-deep if Polinice has to play.

“Hopefully we’ll at least get our left tackle back,” Wood said after FAMU’s 51-3 loss to the Bulls.



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Crump Named SAU Interim Head Women's Basketball Coach

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- Jarita Crump was named interim head women's basketball coach at Saint Augustine's University (SAU) on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. She replaces former Head Coach Rachel Bullard, who resigned last month to spend more time with family.

 

"We are really pleased that Coach Crump has accepted the interim head coaching position," SAU Athletic Director George Williams said. "We wish Coach Bullard well in her future endeavors."

 

Crump, a native of Raleigh, N.C., has been the SAU assistant coach since 2012 and was also on the Lady Falcons' basketball staff during the 2010-2011 season. She is excited about her first head coaching position.

 

"I want to thank my athletic director, Coach George Williams, and President Everett B. Ward for giving me this opportunity," Crump said. "I look forward to guiding the Lady Falcons even higher this year."

 

The Lady Falcons won four of their five consecutive CIAA Highest Grade Point Average Awards in women's basketball with Crump on staff. During the 2010-2011 season, the Lady Falcons earned a 19-11 overall mark and reached the CIAA Tournament semifinals with Crump as assistant coach.

 

Before starting her college coaching career, Crump was the head varsity girls basketball coach at Word of God Christian Academy from 2008 to 2010. During her tenure at Word of God, the girls basketball team won its first state title in 12 years in 2010, and finished as state runner-up in 2009. Word of God, a private school located in Raleigh, N.C., never lost a conference game under Crump, who was a two-time conference coach of the year winner. Crump was the assistant girls basketball coach at Word of God from 2006 to 2008.

 

During her collegiate playing days, Crump was a basketball and academic standout at Campbell University from 1998 to 2002. She helped the Lady Camels win the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) championship in 2000 and the Atlantic Sun regular-season title in 2001. The Lady Camels advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament after winning the TAAC title.

 

At Campbell, Crump was named to the All-Conference Academic Team three consecutive years and was a recipient of the Don Phelps Memorial Most Improved Player Award in 2001. In 2003, Crump graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in trust management with a minor in financial planning. She also earned an MBA at Campbell that year.

 

As a prep player, Crump won all-conference honors in basketball and track & field at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, N.C. She led Sanderson to a conference basketball championship in 1997 and won the Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award at the school. She also was named Raleigh Sports Club Student-Athlete of the Week and was selected to The News & Observer Old Reliable Team in basketball during her high school career.

 

COURTESY SAINT AUGUSTINE'S UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kent State Flashes Host Delaware State Saturday in Opener

ESPN3    Game Notes  Golden Flashes Radio

KENT, Ohio  -- Kent State welcomes Delaware State for its 2015 home opener Saturday at 6 p.m. The Golden Flashes have won two of their last three games at Dix Stadium, including a 27-24 victory over Akron to close out the 2014 season. The Flashes will be looking for their 13^th consecutive victory over an FCS opponent.

Game Day Festivities

• The game will be followed by Portage County's largest fireworks display of the year presented by AMETEK.
• Just prior to kickoff, the Kent State Aviation Flight Team will perform a flyover
• Official tailgating begins at 4 p.m.
• Student tailgate will include a cornhole tournament
• The West Gate of Dix Stadium will feature two live bands during tailgating
• At 4:30, fans can come to the main entrance to welcome the Golden Flashes into the stadium
• Discounts on select food and drinks are available at concession stands during Happy Hour (4:30-5:30)
• The Family Fun Zone with rock wall, inflatables and other activities will be on the northwest side of the stadium
• Sunglasses will be given to the first 500 students
• Two thousand freshmen will get t-shirts to run onto the turf, as the Golden Flashes take the field
• Earlier in the day, President Warren will be on hand for the dedication of the Adam S. Hamilton West Entrance of Dix Stadium at 1 p.m

Facts In A Flash
• The Flashes returned their top 11 tacklers from 2014, including junior safety Nate Holley, who ranked third in the FBS in tackles per game (12.5).
• Kent State returned the bulk of its offensive line from 2014, which has not allowed more than one sack in its last eight games.
• Junior QB Colin Reardon ranks 4th in career completions (429) at Kent State, and sixth in both career passing yards (4,579) and TD passes (26).
• Junior left tackle Reno Reda was chosen to wear number 54 this season, to carry on the legacy of former teammate Jason Bitsko.
• The Flashes held Illinois to 3-of-13 on third down conversion attempts.
• Redshirt freshman Raekwon James made his debut as a kick returner at Illinois, highlighted by a 43-yard return in the first half.
• In his last home game, junior running back Nick Holley had a career best two-touchdown game with 95 rushing yards on 14 carries against Akron.
• Senior safety Jordan Italiano was tabbed Smartest Player in College Football by NFL.com this summer. The pre-med/biochemistry major carries a 3.979 grade point average.
• Kent State returned six Academic All-MAC selections and five MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes.
• Senior Anthony Melchiori ranked 12th in the nation in punting average in 2014, helping the Flashes rank 16th in net punting. 
• Sophomore cornerback Demetrius Monday has an interception in each of his last two games.
• With the Illinois game originally scheduled for Friday night (lightning), the Flashes have had postponements in each of their last two road trips, dating back to Buffalo, last November.



ALL-TIME SERIES
In the only two meetings between the two programs, Kent State defeated Delaware State in back-to-back seasons in 2007 and 2008.  Both matchups came in the month of September at Dix Stadium and resulted in convincing wins for the Flashes, 38-7 and 24-3 respectively.

TV/Video/Radio
Saturday night's game can be seen on ESPN3 with Dave Wilson (play-by-play) and Marcus Ray (analyst).  All Kent State games can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the sixth year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky.  Matt Miller is the sideline reporter.  iHeartRadio can be heard on a computer, smart phone or tablet.

WebSite, Twitter & Youtube
For Kent State football stories, statistics, photos, video and more, visit KentStateSports.com.  For daily football updates follow @kentstathletics and @kentstfootball on Twitter and Kent State Golden Flashes Football on Facebook.  For an extensive video library visit GoldenFlashesTV on YouTube.

Game Captains
In a change from previous years, the Flashes did not name captains prior to its season.  Each week, game captains will be named, while season captains will be named at the end of the year.
Game one: Anthony Melchiori, Anthony Pruitt, Reno Reda and Nate Terhune.

Home Momentum
Kent State finished the 2014 season with a dramatic 27-24 victory over archrival Akron, denying the Zips of bowl eligibility.  With a minute to play in the game on a third-and-goal at the five, Colin Reardon found Chris Humphrey in the back of the end zone for the game-winning TD.   Jordan Italiano sealed the win with an interception at midfield.

Getting Broken In
Twenty three players made career debuts for the Golden Flashes at Illinois.  Freshman lineman Stefano Millin, redshirt freshman Raekwon James and sophomore defensive lineman Anthony Johnson each made their first career start.

Costly Mistakes
The Flashes had touchdowns called back on penalties in each half against the Illini.
All four Kent State turnovers in the first half led to Illinois touchdowns, three of which came on one-play drives.



COURTESY KENT STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

SCSU football in early-season national spotlight

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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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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Quinn tabbed as SWAC's Specialist of the Week

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  – Prairie View A&M quarterback Trey Green and defensive end Ahkeem Barton, Southern wide receiver Willie Quinn and Jackson State defensive back Derrick Bobo have been recognized by the Southwestern Athletic Conference as football players of the week for their outstanding performance in competition during Sept. 3-6.

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.

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.

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.

 

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
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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

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.

COURTESY OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
COURTESY NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMAITON

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

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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