Saturday, September 3, 2016

Eastern Michigan Offensive Onslaught Powers Eagles to Season-Opening Victory Over Mississippi Valley

YPSILANTI, Michigan – A historic offensive performance from the Eastern Michigan University football team powered the Eagles (1-0) to a season-opening 61-14 victory over Mississippi Valley State University Friday night, Sept. 2, at "The Factory" inside Rynearson Stadium. A balanced effort led the Eagles to a 61-14 victory over the Delta Devils (0-1).

The Green and White's point total marked the most scored by EMU since 2004, when it also notched 61 against Central Michigan. The final tally also marked the largest margin of victory in a season opener since 2008.

As a team, Eastern ran away with the win behind a balanced offensive attack featuring 281 rushing yards, along with 198 passing yards. In total, the Eagles posted 479 yards of offense, posting a perfect 9-for-9 mark in the red zone. Leading the charge on the ground was redshirt sophomore Shaq Vann (South Bend, Ind. – John Adams), who posted a final stat line of 156 yards and two touchdowns, the second 100-yard rushing performance of his career. Just behind him, fellow redshirt sophomore Ian Eriksen (Clarkston, Mich. – Clarkston) picked up 97 yards, along with the first two scores of his career.

Through the air, junior Todd Porter (O'Fallon, Ill. – O'Fallon (Western Kentucky – Garden City C.C.))made his first start donning the Green and White, amassing 171 yards passing and three touchdowns. On the receiving side, redshirt freshman Nigel Kilby (Fort Wayne, Ind. – Northrop) caught his first career touchdown and totaled 67 yards. Redshirt freshman Paul Fricano (Rochester, N.Y. – Churchville, Chili)had a great day kicking as well, knocking down a field goal, along with drilling all eight of his extra point attempts, tying for the most in program history, and the most since 2008.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Green and White held the Delta Devils to just 201 yards, including only 23 on the ground, the fifth-least in program history, and the fewest since 2011. The defense also forced three fumbles, securing two of them. Through three quarters, the Eagles held MVSU scoreless, as they were able to muster 14 points in the final frame. Redshirt senior Pat O'Connor (Chicago, Ill. – Saint Rita) made his return to the field following an injury last season, erupting for two sacks and three quarterback hurries on the day. Eastern's leading tackler on the day was redshirt sophomore Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich. – Lapeer East) with 10 total, including two assisted tackles for loss. Redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich. – Bedford Senior) also made his presence known, recovering a fumble.

After a three-and-out by the Eagles to open the game, the EMU defense turned around and forced a quick punt by MVSU to get the ball back early in the first quarter. The EMU offense retook the field and got into rhythm behind stout running from Vann, along with accurate passing from Porter. A 19-yard pass to juniorJohnnie Niupalau (San Mateo, Calif. – San Mateo (College of San Mateto)) for 19 started the drive, while a 14-yarder to junior Sergio Bailey II (La Mesa, Calif. – Olympian (Grossmont College)) brought the Eagles within the 10-yard line. From there, Vann took the ball on consecutive plays, the latter getting into the end zone for the first score of the game, and putting the Green and White ahead, 7-0.

On the next series, the EMU defense swarmed the MVSU backfield, as O'Connor nabbed a sack, which also forced the ball loose within the 15-yard line. After sorting out the pile, redshirt freshman Maxx Crosby(Colleyville, Texas – Colleyville Heritage) came up with the ball, giving Eastern an opportunity to quickly increase their lead. The team did just that, as Eriksen punched the ball in from the five to put EMU up 14-0 with 6:37 remaining in the first.

Like their first series, the defense came up big again on MVSU's next possession, forcing another four and out. After a MVSU punt, the Eagles' offense came out firing yet again, as Kilby erupted for a gain of 34 yards on a pass from Porter over the middle. However, the Eagles couldn't pick up a first down, and elected to go for a field goal, which fell short.

On the ensuing possession, the Delta Devils were able to move the chains for the first time in the game. However, Harris forced another fumble, with the Eagles coming up with it at the MVSU four-yard line. The Green and White quickly capitalized, as redshirt junior Lavonte Robinson (Cleveland, Ohio – St. Edward)found the end zone after a short pass from Porter, which was his first career touchdown throw. With 2:43 to go in the first, Eastern ran to a 21-0 lead over the Delta Devils, which carried over to the second quarter.

At the end of the first and beginning of the second, the Delta Devils continued nickel and diming their way down the field on a series of short passes and rushes. However, after a broken up pass by senior DaQuan Pace (Detroit, Mich. – Cass Tech) and a sack from redshirt senior Mike Brown (Sandusky, Ohio – Sandusky), MVSU was forced to punt, giving EMU the ball at their own 20. On the first play of the drive, Vann found a crease, picking up 18 yards. However, the Eagles couldn't pick up the next first down, forcing a punt at the 44.

After a penalty on the Eagles, the Delta Devils picked up their drive at the 30. MVSU then picked up a first down after a five-yard rush from Booker and a 7-yard pass. Their drive continued, as Bray fooled the EMU defense on an option play, picking up 11. O'Connor picked up his second sack of the game on the next play for a loss of seven. The next play saw three Eagles get into the backfield, forcing a pass to Simms for a loss of four yards and another MVSU punt. The Eagles turned the ball over on the other end on the ensuing possession, as Porter threw his first interception after his intended target fell down.

The defense minimized the damage, forcing the Delta Devils to punt yet again. With less than five minutes to go in the half, Eastern maintained a 21-0 lead. Pinned within their own 10, Eriksen quickly gave the Eagles some breathing room, taking the ball and rushing for 31 yards on the first play of the drive. On fourth and one, the Eagles elected to go for it, with Eriksen bruising his way ahead for seven. Senior Sam Browning (Escondido, Calif. – Escondido (Palomar C.C.)) kept the drive going, catching a pass for 13 to bring EMU to the MVSU 27-yard line. With the clock ticking down to less than a minute in the half, the Eagles went for a shot at the end zone. Although the pass was just out of reach, a MVSU pass interference penalty brought the Green and White to the 13. On the next play, junior Antoine Porter (San Francisco, Calif. – Mission (City College of San Francisco)) found the end zone for his first career touchdown, which was also Porter's second of the game. With less than 30 seconds to play in the half, the Eagles held a commanding 28-0 lead. The Delta Devils decided to let the clock run down, and Eastern went to the locker room holding a 28-point lead.

MVSU opened the second half with the ball, but they were able to do nothing, as the EMU defense forced another three-and-out. After a fair catch from redshirt sophomore Blake Banham (St. Paul, Minn. – Cretin-Derham Hall), the Eagles got the ball at their own 37. Vann started the drive with a 12-yard rush behind solid blocking from redshirt sophomore Jimmy Leatiota (San Jose, Calif. – Wilcox (College of San Mateo)). A Porter pass to Bailey picked up another 13, bringing EMU to the MVSU 32, while Vann bulldozed his way through the line for 21 yards, moving the chains to the eight. Dropping back to pass on third-and-goal, Porter found Kilby in the end zone to put seven more on the board after the extra point from Fricano. This marked Kilby's first career touchdown, and furthered Porter's total to three on the day.

A solid return gave the Delta Devils the ball around the 40, however an illegal block brought the ball back to the nine. After a short rush, another penalty pushed MVSU back to the four-yard line. A sack from redshirt senior Ike Spearman (Saint John, Ind. – Lake Central) and junior Jason Beck (Indianapolis, Ind. – Arsenal Technical) then forced another MVSU punt near the goal line, allowing EMU to get the ball back with good field position at the MVSU 38.

Porter then threw up a fade to Kilby, who came down with it for a gain of 28 despite tough coverage from the Delta Devils. Although the EMU drive stalled, the Eagles still put points on the board behind Fricano's first career field goal, which came from 35-yards out. With three more on the board, the Eagles increased their lead to 38-0.

The stout defense continued on the next drive, as sophomore Jaylen Pickett (Zephyrhills, Fla. – Zephyrhills) forced another MVSU fumble, which along with a penalty, brought the Delta Devils back to the two-yard line. After a near interception from freshman Jalen Phelps (Marietta, Ga.-Hillgrove), MVSU was forced to punt from the three. A delay of game pushed the ball back even further, and the Delta Devils followed by snapping the ball through the end zone, giving the Eagles a safety, their first since 2005, and two more points on the board to make it 40-0.

Following the safety, Banham posted a huge return of 69 yards to give the Eagles the ball at the MVSU four-yard line. On the first offensive play of the series, Banham got the handoff and carried it into the end zone for EMU's sixth TD on the day. With 5:33 to go in the third, the Green and White commanded a 47-0 lead over the Delta Devils.

MVSU was then able to get across the 50 for the second time on the day, but were unable to move any further. After a punt from the Delta Devils, Eastern got the ball back at their 12-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Vann rumbled his way down the field for a huge gain of 58 yards after breaking a few tackles and tip-toeing his way down the sideline. He kept the trend going, picking up another 13 to put EMU into the red zone, after which he picked up his second touchdown of the day. Fricano's extra point then made the score 54-0 in favor of Eastern.

With the clock winding down to zero on the third quarter, the Eagles went into the final frame holding a 54-0 lead. The Delta Devils were then able to get a drive going, getting into EMU territory for the third time. Pass interference penalties kept the drive alive for MVSU, pushing them to the EMU 26. A short pass to Simms gave the Delta Devils another first down, after which Banks caught MVSU's first touchdown of the day.  With 12:28 to go in the half, Eastern still commanded a 54-7 lead.

The MVSU kick off saw redshirt senior Austin Sanders (Ypsilanti, Mich. – Ypsilanti (Michigan State))return the ball 51 yards with blazing speed to the Delta Devils 49. Eriksen continued to bulldoze his way down the field, picking up 34 yards on four tough rushes up the middle to put EMU within the 10. He was then rewarded for his effort, fighting his way into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day, putting the Eagles up 61-7 after the extra point.

The Delta Devils then put together another solid drive, getting to the EMU one-yard line after a pass from Bray to Banks. From there, Bray dove over the line to give MVSU another touchdown, making it 61-14 with 5:35 left to play.

The Eagles promptly responded with a long drive of their own behind shovel passes from redshirt freshman James Pensyl (Land O'Lakes, Fla. – Land O'Lakes) to Antoine Porter, as well as rushes from Banham and redshirt sophomore Alec Hullibarger (Temperance, Mich. – Bedford Senior). Eastern continued to bleed down the clock with consecutive rushes. After taking a knee with 30 seconds to go, the Eagles walked away with a dominating 61-14 victory over MVSU.  

The Eagles continue their 2016 campaign next Saturday, Sept. 10, on the road at the University of Missouri. Kickoff from Columbia is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.

BOX SCORE

EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

FAMU Football Preview: At Miami Hurricanes

Florida A&M vs University of Miami
Saturday, Sept. 3, 6:00 p.m. ET
Hard Rock Stadium (70,000),Miami Gardens, FL
TV: ESPN3. Announcers will be Joel Meyers (PxP) and Rene Ingoglia (Analyst)


RADIO: WHBX-FM 96.1 JAMZ, is the flagship station for the Rattler Radio Network. The Alex Wood Pregame Show will air 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Joshua Jackson (By-Play), Michael Thomas (Expert Analyst) will describe the action.



COACHES’ SHOW: The Alex Wood Show, a 30-minute recap of the week’s action, hosted by Elton Gumbel, will air statewide in Florida on FOX SPORTS ONE (Thursdays at 4:30 p.m.), and on FOX49 in Tallahassee (Thursdays), at 11 p.m.

THE SERIES HISTORICAL
Miami leads the all-time serieswith Florida A&M, 9-1-0, with a 41-7 over the Rattlers in their last
meeting in 2014... FAMU’s lone win came in 1979, 16-13.

THE COACHING MATCHUP
* FAMU’s Alex Wood (Iowa, 1978) is in his 2nd season at FAMU... He has a 26-34 career record as a head coach at James Madison (23-22), Buffalo (2-2) and FAMU (1-10).

*Miami’s Mark Richt (Miami, 1982) is in his 1st year at his alma mater, coming from Georgia, where he was 145-51 in 15 years.

TALE OF THE TAPE: FAMU v. MIAMI (2015 Stats):
FLORIDA A&M
Record... 1-10, 1-7 MEAC
Ntl Rank ..............None
Pts/Game ........... 14.6
Pts Allowed/PG ... 33.5
Rush Yds/Gm .....76.6
Pass Yds/Gm ..... 184.8
Total Off/Gm ......261.5
Total Def/Gm .....469.4

UNIV. OF MIAMI
Record... 8-5, 5-3 ACC
Ntl Rank ..............None
Pts/Game ........... 28.9
Pts Allowed/PG ... 28.8
Rush Yds/Gm ....119.5
Pass Yds/Gm .....281.9
Total Off/Gm .....401.4
Total Def/Gm .....407.2

PLAYERS TO WATCH/FAMU
RUSHING
Devin Bowers, RB
82/430 yds, 2 TD, 47.8 ypg

PASSING
Kenneth Coleman, QB
61/123, 607 yds, 3TD, 4iNT

RECEIVING
Brandon Norwood, WR
49 c/442 yds, 2 TD, 40.2 pg

DEFENSE
Jacques Bryant, DB
52 Tackles (34 solo), INT

PLAYERS TO WATCH/MIAMI
RUSHING
Joe Yearby, RB
205/1002 yds, 6 TDs, 78.2 ypg

PASSING
Brad Kaaya, QB
238/389, 3238 yds, 16 TDs

RECEIVING
Stacy Coley, WR
47c, 689 yds, 4 TDs, 14.7 avg

DEFENSE
Jermaine Grace, LB
76 Tcks (42 solo), 6 TFL/2 Sks
FAMU-MIAMI GAME NOTEBOOK

Rattler Football Turns 109: The FAMU Football Program marks its’ 109th season of varsity play (dating back to 1906) this fall, and the Rattlers’ 560-plus all-time wins place them in the Top 25 in NCAA Division I FCS in both overall wins and winning percentage…. FAMU has 12 national titles and 36 conference pennants to its’ credit since winning its’ first league football crown in 1937…. The program, which won the first-ever NCAA FCS national title in 1978, has won five playoff games all-time, the most of any FCS HBCU.

Year Six In FAMU History: 2016 marks several anniversary milestones in FAMU Athletics and the university at-large… This Fall marks the 70th anniversary of the world famous “Marching 100” Band, founded in 1946 by the late, legendary Dr. Patrick Foster….

On the weekend of September 23-24, FAMU celebrates the 40th Anniversary of its’ Sports Hall of Fame, whose 1976 inaugural class featured the likes of tennis pioneer Althea Gibson, NFL Hall of Fame WR Bob Hayes, College Football Hall of Fame RB Willie Galimore, College Hall of Fame coach Jake Gaither, and Bill Lucas, the first African American major league team executive/general manager….

Speaking of Althea Gibson, it was in 1956 that she won her first major tennis title at the Australian Open…. Twenty years ago (1996), the College Football Hall of Fame inducted its’ first-ever class of small college players, a group which included three-time Rattler All-American guard Tyrone McGriff…

In 1936 (80 years ago), FAMU hired Ohio State All-American guard Bill Bell as its’ head football coach. He would partner two years later with a young coach, Jake Gaither to bring FAMU its’ first national title in 1938. The duo would combine to bring three national titles (1938, 1940, 1942) to FAMU, before Gaither would take the reins in 1945, bringing home six (6) more national crowns…

Rugged Schedule Ahead For FAMU: With FAMU’s storied history has come the proverbial bull’s eye on their backs, as each week, the Rattler gridders have had to take the “A” game of their opponents who sought to get their licks in on the Men of Orange and Green…
   The past four years have been especially tough on the Rattlers, who have won just 11 games during that span, including a one-win campaign a year ago….
   Along with the zeal that opponents bring to every game comes the degree of difficulty of the FAMU schedules year in and year out….
   2016 will be no different as the Rattlers open the season against FBS Miami, followed by a pair of 2015 playoff teams, Coastal Carolina and Tuskegee, both of which advanced to the national quarterfinals as at-large teams….
     The Rattlers open MEAC play against league king pin South Carolina State, which has won 12 of the last 13 games in the series, followed by Savannah State, which will likely be aiming for a repeat of their 37-27 upset of FAMU a year ago…
    The MEAC schedule for FAMU will be daunting all around, as they will face all five of the clubs which tied for the league title in 2014 – S.C. State, NCCU, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T and Bethune-Cookman… The B-CU ‘Cats have especially enjoyed the recent reversal of fortunes on the gridiron against their in-state rivals, having won five straight against FAMU….

Pro Rattler Notes: Six Rattlers are either in NFL Training Camps or on active Canadian League Football Rosters as of this writing…. LBs Brandon Hepburn (Dallas) and Akil Blount (Miami) are vying for spots on the 53-man rosters of their respective NFL clubs. along with wide receiver Brian Tyms (Indianapolis), while North of the Border, the trio of WR Kevin Elliott (Toronto), DL Padric Scott (Winnepeg) and DB John Ojo (Edmonton).

Homecoming for 20 Something Rattlers: Long known as a hotbed for high school talent, Miami and the South Florida area are well represented on the 2016 FAMU Football team... Over a dozen players are of the first year variety as Coach Alex Wood and his staff begin the long rebuilding or rebooting process.... In addition to the young guns, FAMU has several starters from the South Florida area, including senior guard Keonte Cash, center/guard Osman Aguilera, defensive end Calvin Darville, and budding redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Stanley

FAMU, UM crossing paths: The FAMU-UM series has always had a bit of a different flavor than most FBS-FCS matchups.... Before AppState escaped the Big House in AnnArbor with their signature upset over Michigan  in the late 1990s, FAMU’s 16-13 win over the ‘Canes at FSU’s .Doak Campbell Stadium in 1979 was one of the earliest (if not the earliest) upset.... New UM head coach Mark Richt was a freshman on that 1979 Miami team....FAMU coach Alex Wood worked a four-year stint at UM (1989-92) as Receivers coach during which the ‘Canes won national titles in 1989 and 1992.... Current UM Receivers coach Ron Dugans is no stranger to FAMU, as he played his high school ball at FAMU High School, which played its’ home games at FAMU’s Bragg Stadium... Dugans was one of the first FAMU High players to play across town at Florida State... Current Rattler tight ends coach Stephen Field was a member of the UM defensive staff from 2006 to 2008. He also served as head coach at area prep power Miami Northwestern High School (2011-14)....

PRIDE IS AT STAKE IN 2016: The proud FAMU Football Program has endured four (4) straight losing seasons, something which had not happened since the program’s early days in the 1920s... With the excellent recruiting class landed by Coach Wood and his staff last winter now in hand, coupled with their first class of recruits from 2015, expectations of improved play are driving the players and coaches this offeseason.... One factor lighting a bit of a fire under the Rattlers is the fan support they received in 2015 during a tumultous 1-10 season... FAMU finished #11 in Division I FCS in home attendance, averaging over 13,000 fans per home game, including crowds of better than 18,000 for their home opener after an 0-3 start, and 23,000 for Homecoming.

THE CITY OF MIAMI AND FAMU: The Rattlers and the City of Miami have a long-standing relationship dating back to the 1940s, when the fabled Orange Blossom Classic was transplanted into the venerable Orange Bowl Stadium in 1947.... Over the next three decades, the OBC became the true forerunner of the modern day Black College Football Classics, often doubling as the de facto HBCU championship game... Thanks to the massive numbers of FAMU alumni in Dade and Broward counties, FAMU games must see events, especially during the OBC’s heyday in the 1950s and 60s, when HBCU powerhouses like Grambling, Tennessee State, Jackson State, Alcorn and Morgan State dueled with Jake Gaither’s vaunted Rattlers... In 1983, the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored the Classic during its’ 50th anniversary for its’ role in showcasing Black College talent for professional scouts. Numerous players signed pro contracts following those games.

SNAKEBITES: FAMU head coach Alex Wood will be a media star of sorts prior to Saturday’s game as he will tape a “throw back to the studio” spot for The Weather Channel to air during their Saturday coverage.... Fox Sports NFL Sideline veteran Pam Oliver (a FAMU Track All-America in the 1980s) wil be inducted along the members of the 1984 All-America 4x400 relay into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame on Sept. 23.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Rattlers continue their comeback tour next week against aspiring FBS transitioner Coastal Carolina (7:00 p.m.). 


FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

TSU Tigers Host Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the John Merritt Classic


Social Media: #BigBlueRising
Twitter: @TSU_Tigers | Instagram: @TSUTigers
Facebook: Tennessee State University Tigers

The John Merritt Classic
Game 1: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-0) vs, Tennessee State (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016
Location: Nissan Stadium
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m.
LIVE VideoOVC Digital Network (CLICK HERE)
Audio102.1 FM The Light
The Game: Tennessee State plays host to Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the 18th annual John Merritt Classic. This marks the first appearance for UAPB in the JMC. The Tigers claimed a 24-14 victory over Alabama State last year, securing their sixth win in the last eight JMC contests. The Tigers are 12-5 all-time in the JMC.

Last Meeting: TSU has won the only contest they have played since 1947 against the Golden Lions, a 40-13 victory during Homecoming on Sept. 29, 2012, at Nissan Stadium. The Tigers trailed Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 10-0 after the first quarter, but then outscored the UAPB 40-3 to pull away. Michael German threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns, while Telvin Hooks rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns to lead the offense for TSU. The Tigers defeated, then, Arkansas AM&N in 1944 and 1947.

Head Coach: Rod Reed enters his seventh season at the helm of the Tigers. During his time at TSU, he has compiled a 36-34 record, including a 28-19 mark since 2012. Reed is 1-0 versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Tennessee State: The Tigers finished 4-6 a year ago and 1-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play. TSU returns 65 letter-winners including six starters on offense and eight on defense. Junior defensive lineman Ebenezer "Ebo" Ogundeko returns for his second season and was named Preseason All-OVC. Ogundeko finished 2015 with 58 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks earning the OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by the media. Junior linebacker Chris Collins led the team with 79 tackles in 2012. Offensively, wide receiver Patrick Smith returns after catching 54 passes for 996 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season Smith ranked seventh nationally in receiving yards/game (99.6) and 13th in receiving touchdowns. Redshirt-Sophomore O’Shay Ackerman-Carter passed for 1,279 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games. The offensive line returns four starters including preseason All-American Jessamen Dunker.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff:  UAPB finished 2-9 last season, 1-8 in the SWAC and enters its eighth season under head coach Monte Wilson. The veteran coach led the Golden Lions to the 2012 SWAC Championship Game with a 10-2 overall record. The team has had three-straight seasons under .500 since 2012. UAPB was predicted to finish fifth in the SWAC West Division. Willie Duncan III, leads all returnees with 118 tackles (10.7 per game) and 7.5 tackles-for-loss. Wide receiver Willie Young had 50 catches for 597 yards last year.

Television: Ohio Valley Conference Digital Network. John Freeman will handle play-by-play duties while Howard Gentry, Jr. will provide analysis.

Radio: 102.1 FM The Light will carry the game live with Greg Pogue (play-by-play), Albert Dawson (analyst) and Gary Dawson (sideline). Pregame will begin at 2:00 p.m. CT

TSU vs. HBCUs: Tennessee State holds a 394-141-19 record against other HBCUs, good for a .728 winning percentage. Since taking over in 2010, Rod Reed holds a 17-4 against HBCUs for a winning percentage of .810. TSU’s most wins against D-I HBCU opponents are: Florida A&M (29), Southern (27) and Jackson State (27).

The Champs Are Here: The Big Blue’s 1956 team is being honored during the John Merritt Classic. The '56 squad put together a 10-0 record on its way to the Black College National Championship. The Tigers boasted a star-studded roster featuring six players who earned All-America honors during their time at TSU. On their way to the title game, YSU posted four shutouts during the season before beating Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic, 41-39 to win the Black College National Championship. The attendance was listed as more than 40,000 for the game and they were treated to a thriller as TSU won on a last second defensive stand.

Facing the SWACArkansas-Pine Bluff is the first of two SWAC teams on TSU’s schedule this season. The Tigers will play Jackson State on Sept. 10 in Memphis, Tenn. as part of the Southern Heritage Classic.
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Central State prepares to kick off 2016 season against Dayton

WILBERFORCE, Ohio - After an offseason of hard work, Central State University will kick off the 2016 season under the lights of Welcome Stadium this Saturday at 7 pm when the team makes the short trip to take on the University of Dayton.

Coming off a 5-5 mark last season, Central State enters Saturday returning 14 starters from 2015, including four Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's preseason all-conference selections in linebacker Deonate Gary, defensive back Clim Robbins, safety Nehemiah Coward and offensive lineman Aliou Diouf.

Gary, Robbins and Coward highlight a Marauder defense that ranked among the conference's best in sacks, interceptions and turnovers. A new look defensive line includes transfers John Franklin and Andre Pate while senior Artrell McMillan looks to get back to his 2014 All-SIAC form after missing the last four games of 2015. The CSU linebacking corps will rely on its senior leadership in Gary, E'Donovan Stewart, Okoye Bozeman and Anthony Hamm. Gary, who led CSU with 105 tackles last season, talked about motivation leading up to the opening weekend.



WATCH Dayton Flyers vs Central State Marauders at 7 PM Live Stream HERE  Courtesy: University of Dayton

"We have all worked extremely hard and look forward to a great season," Gary says. "For me and the rest of the seniors, we want to go out on a high note. We have had great practice sessions competing against one another and look forward to the start of the season. We were 5-5 last season and let a few games get away from us. Falling short in some of those close games serves as our main motivation to start this year out strong and work even harder to fulfill our potential."

Robbins and Coward lead a Marauder pass defense projected to be one of the top units in the conference. Other key members defending the pass include seniors Lindley Reid, Dashad Tucker and William Isabell. Named to the All-SIAC preseason team as a defensive back and punt returner, Robbins will try to maintain his high level of play going into his senior season.

"We are ready," Robbins says. "This team has an opportunity to do great things this year and we all have to continue to play together and come into every game prepared to perform to the best of our ability."

On offense, the Marauders will feature a new signal caller in Lavon Meeks. Meeks, a junior transfer from Arkansas Baptist, has the ability to move the ball with his arms and with his legs. Meeks talked about the adjustment to a new school, coaches, teammates and the system.

"The Central State community has been very welcoming to me and I feel right at home. I thank the coaches for giving me an opportunity to lead this team," Meeks says. "As an offense, we are capable of doing great things in this system. The coaches have surrounded me with playmakers and an offensive line that I trust. I'm really looking forward to helping this team win."

Meeks' pass catchers include last year's opening day starting quarterback Marquis Wells and a host of new faces including Martell Clark, Tyrone Jones and Jahlil Woods. Arguably the area on the team with the most depth is the CSU backfield. Moses Vines and Isaiah Grooms return to the team while newcomers Darian Nelson, Terraris Saffold and De'Michael Jackson will all have a chance to make a significant impact on the field. Paving the way for the offense will be an offensive line led by seniors Diouf and Devon Radcliffe, who returns after missing all of 2015 due to injury.

Head coach Cedric Pearl, who enters his third season at the helm of the program, expressed the importance of senior leadership and preparation leading up to the season.

"Having been in our system for three years, we rely on our seniors to help mentor our younger guys. Our staff continues to preach focus, discipline, commitment and consistency in every drill, workout and team meeting," says Pearl. "The ultimate goal is to continue to work and get better every day in all three phases of the game. I like the progress our freshmen have made so far and we are confident in their abilities to help this team take the next step. We play a strong team to start the season in the University of Dayton and look forward to the challenge."

Dayton was 10-2 overall in 2015 under head coach Rick Chamberlin. UD was the Pioneer Football League co-champions with a 7-1 conference record. It was the Flyers' 12th PFL crown in the 23-year history of the league. The Flyers went on to make their first appearance in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

UD returns 18 starters from last season. Dayton is led by a trio of redshirt senior captains – linebacker Christopher Beaschler, tight end Ian Palin and center Shane Toub. Six Flyers were named First Team Preseason All-Pioneer Football League, including junior Christian Searles, who was named both as a cornerback and a kick returner.

Notes:

Saturday will be the eighth meeting between Central State and Dayton. The first meeting was back in 1974 with CSU winning 28-25. The teams last played in 2011 with Dayton topping the Marauders, 17-7.

Central State competes as a NCAA Div. II program and a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Dayton is part of the NCAA Div, I Championship Subdivision and a member of the Pioneer Football League.

Fans can listen to Central State University's coverage of the game on the Gem City Sports Network (http://www.gemcitysports.com/radio-1/). Live video will be provided by the University of Dayton (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72lingK5Tiw&app=desktop).

Tickets to Saturday's game can be pre-purchased on the University of Dayton's website.

CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Expectations high as N.C. A&T approaches season opener

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- For the second straight year, N.C. A&T starts the football season picked to finish first in the MEAC.

The Aggies, who have shared the league title the last two years, know expectations are high.
And that’s OK.

“When I first got here (in 2011), we were picked last,” A&T head coach Rod Broadway said. “This is a helluva lot better feeling than that. We’re braced for it.”

A&T opens the season at 6 p.m. Saturday, playing host to Division II St. Augustine’s at Aggie Stadium.
It’s a mismatch. The Aggies were 10-2 (7-1 MEAC) last year and return most of the players who won the inaugural Celebration Bowl and an HBCU national championship. The Falcons have won four games in the last two seasons combined.

“It’s hard to get a lot of information on Saint Aug,” Broadway said. “They’ve got a number of transfers coming in. But football is football. We should be better than them, but that’s why you play the game.

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Simple and fast: Southern's new-look 4-2-5 defense set to debut Saturday at UL-Monroe

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Back in 1997, the defensive coordinator at New Mexico published an article in the American Football Coaches Association summer manual titled “Multiplicity But Simplicity: Why the 4-2-5 defense.”

The name of that defensive coordinator shouldn’t come as a surprise. Gary Patterson went on to take the head coaching job at TCU, where he has been using the 4-2-5 to great effect since 2000.

Even as offenses have evolved into the complex systems they are today, the basic concepts of the 4-2-5 have largely remained the same since Patterson wrote that article.

“During a game, we must look like we do a lot, but only do enough to take away what offenses do best,” Patterson wrote.

That is exactly what Cis aiming to do with its new 4-2-5 defense under new defensive coordinator Trei Oliver.

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Virginia State opens on the road at Lenoir-Rhyne University

COACH REGGIE BARLOW
ETTRICK , Virginia -- Coach Reggie Barlow had the good fortune in 1999 to play on a Jacksonville Jaguars squad that showcased two of NFL’s elite ball carriers — Fred Taylor and James Stewart.

Now in his first season coaching football at Virginia State University, Coach Barlow sees a similar situation, relative to competition, with his own Kavon Bellamy and Trenton Cannon.

“I’ve been blessed,” said Coach Barlow whose Trojans open Saturday, Sept. 3, at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

“In Jacksonville, they called Fred ‘Thunder’ and James ‘Lightning.’ I hate to put the pressure on them, but with us, Kavon is ‘Thunder’ and Trenton is ‘Lightning.’ ”

In 1999, Jacksonville posted a 14-2 regular season record, with Taylor and Stewart combining for nearly 1,700 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Coach Barlow was a receiver for the Jaguars that season under Coach Tom Coughlin.

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S.C. State football speeding up defensive sets for Central Florida opener

ORLANDO, Florida -- South Carolina State football has only faced Central Florida once -- a 17-0 win by the Knights in Orlando in 2008.

But when the two teams take the field to open their respective seasons this Saturday at 7 p.m. in Orlando (ESPN3), unknowns will abound on both sides of the ball.

The Bulldogs will be looking to see how they play without a graduating class from 2015 that included four players (two on offense and two on defense) currently on NFL rosters.

The Knights will be playing their first game under head coach Scott Frost, a former Nebraska and NFL quarterback who previously worked as offensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks.

Fans of both teams surely have more questions than answers about how their 2016 squads will look and perform going into this game.

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from THE EDITOR Dwight Floyd: FAMU @ NC A&T State Football Game Nine Preseason Pick

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It is not that the Aggies are that much better than the Rattlers. On any given day the NCAT Aggies can be beaten.

This will be their homecoming though and they have a stable program under a good coaching staff that has been around for a little while. A loss by the Rattlers will feel like a set-back after a string of victories.

This game will tell the Rattlers how far they have come.

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Morgan State @ FAMU Football Game Ten Preseason Pick

The last two seasons the Morgan State Bears started the season off strong, but didn’t finish the season as strong. They did dominate the Rattlers though in a low scoring affair. They did it in the air and on the ground. 

This will be a tough game for FAMU after a loss to the NCAT Aggies and the coaches will do all they can to ensure the Rattlers are prepared. The crowd will be screaming “defense, defense.” Though FAMU will play Bethune the following week, they won’t be looking ahead. At this point it will be about execution and about heart. 

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FAMU vs Bethune Cookman Football Game Eleven Preseason Pick

It use to be a big deal when the Wildcats beat the Rattlers. Not anymore. This game truly is a rivalry.

The Bethune Cookman Wildcats have won close contests against FAMU the last two years. In 2016 the Rattlers will have the talent level to not only compete, but win. Because it is a rivalry I won’t say why FAMU has the edge.

At half time the Marching 100 will win if you are a Rattler and the Wildcats will win if you are a Wildcat. This will be a dog fight. The Wildcat’s “Let’s Go Wildcats” even seduces Rattler fans. Still, I’ll give the Rattlers the edge for musicianship and having the number one announcer in Joe Bullard.

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XULA's Phillips repeats as GCAC Setter of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball freshman Tiffany Phillips has won her second consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Setter of the Week honor.
     

Phillips, from Gardena, Calif., and a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, averaged 7.93 assists and 2.29 digs per set in four matches during the STU Invitational at Miami Gardens, Fla., this past week. On the tournament's first day she extended to six her school record of consecutive matches with an assist/dig double-double. The streak ended Saturday, one less than the school record for all-type double-doubles.
     

Phillips also produced four kills, four aces and two blocks.
     

Phillips leads the GCAC with 8.03 assists per set and ranks 12th with 2.77 digs per set.
     

The Gold Nuggets (2-8) will play Friday at 11 a.m. against Pikeville (5-1) and 5 p.m. against William Carey (0-3) in the second annual Big Easy Blastoff at XULA's Convocation Center. There will be five matches on the first day, beginning with Southwest (N.M.) (3-1) against SUNO (0-3) at 9 a.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Friday, September 2, 2016

Jackson State Sonic Boom Win Over Las Vegas







Perry sets XULA record, but Nuggets drop 2 at home

2016 ROSTER
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana freshman Amanda Perry set a school record Friday, but the Gold Nuggets lost both matches in their Big Easy Blastoff at the Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets lost 29-27, 25-21, 25-17 to Pikeville, then lost 25-22, 25-22, 21-25, 25-21 to William Carey. The matches were XULA's first at home this season.

There will be four more matches Saturday in the five-team, two-day event. XULA will play Southwest (N.M.) at 11 a.m.

Perry produced 12 digs against Pikeville and 15 digs against William Carey to establish a XULA record of 11 consecutive matches in double figures. Perry began the day sharing the record with Jodi Chatters, who had 10-or-more digs in nine straight matches in 2012.

Leading XULA (2-10) in kills were Juliana Tomasoni with 12 against Pikeville and Hasani Salaam with 14 against William Carey. Terri Drake had eight kills in each match, and Tomasoni had 20 digs against William Carey.

William Carey, a first-year program, and Southwest (N.M.) both went 2-0. The Lady Crusaders defeated SUNO 25-18, 19-25, 25-20, 25-19, and Southwest beat SUNO 25-11, 25-13, 25-13 and Pikeville 13-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-16.

Pikeville will play Saturday against William Carey at 9 a.m. and SUNO at 1 p.m. In the last tournament match, Southwest will play William Carey at 3 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Gold Rush run to 6th place in opener at Mississippi College


CLINTON, Mississippi -- Xavier University of Louisiana's men's cross country team began its 2016 season with a sixth-place finish out of 11 teams Friday in the Mississippi College Season Opener at Choctaw Trails.

The Gold Rush scored 186 points and finished ahead of two NCAA Division I schools, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alcorn State. It was the first time since the 2014 LSU Invitational that the XULA men beat an NCAA DI opponent.

Senior Christopher August was XULA's fastest runner for the sixth consecutive meet dating to the 2015 opener. He ran 5,000 meters in 17 minutes, 59.58 seconds to place 24th out of 74 runners.

The other Gold Rush finishers were Clydarius Everett, 31st in 18:32.81; Oji Wells, 37th in 18:54.31; Darrick Williams, 57th in 21:15.80; and Ammiel Williams, 61st in 21:27.59. It was the first collegiate cross country meet for Everett, Wells and Ammiel Williams.

Spring Hill's David Toups was first in 16:24.44. Mississippi College won the team scoring with 23 points. Xavier placed second out of six HBCU teams.

XULA's women did not compete. Both the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will compete next Saturday (Sept.10) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival at Lafreniere Park in suburban Metairie, La. The men's 5K will start at 7:50 a.m., followed by the women's 5K at 8:25. Loyola (N.O.) is the meet host.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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Jones High products eye big seasons at Bethune-Cookman

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- Don't take their reactions to being named preseason All-MEAC as disingenuous. Ja-Quan Lumas and DeMarcus Womack are quite proud coaches thought highly enough of them to mention them among the conference's elite players.

For both former Orlando Jones High players, however, the preseason designations are simply signs of things to come as they get ready to start the season with Bethune-Cookman on Sunday. The Wildcats face Alcorn State in the SWAC/MEAC Challenge at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN.



"It's all right, but you still gotta play football games, so all that doesn't really matter," said Lumas, a redshirt junior tight end who had nine catches for 143 yards and three touchdowns last season. "It feels good, but at the same time, at the end of the day, we still gotta line up and play ball."

The same is true for Womack, a senior defensive tackle who recorded 20 tackles, 1.5 tackls for a loss and half a sack last season. Womack has taken quite a journey to reach B-CU. He graduated from Jones in 2009, but a brush with the law and subsequent meandering through the judicial process put his college football goals on hold for a while.

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Boyd scores 3 TDs, UNLV Downs Jackson State 63-13

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Johnny Stanton was 10 of 12 for 217 yards and he threw three touchdown passes to Devonte Boyd to help UNLV beat Jackson State 63-13 on Thursday night.

It was the Rebels' first season-opening victory since 2009 when they beat Sacramento State.

On the third play from scrimmage, Boyd caught a pass over the middle and raced for a 56-yard touchdown. After Troy Hawthorne intercepted LaMontiez Ivy's pass on Jacksonville State's first offensive play, UNLV needed just two plays for Boyd to score from 32 yards out.

Jackson State answered with a 75-yard drive ending in a TD to pull to 14-7. But UNLV scored the next 28 points, including senior David Greene's first career TD, for a 42-10 lead at halftime.

Charles Williams ran for 96 yards and one touchdown, and Lexington Thomas added 68 yards and two TDs for UNLV (1-0). Boyd finished with 135 yards receiving.

Ivy threw for 134 yards with one touchdown and one interception for Jackson State (0-1).

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Delaware Blue Hens Run Over Delaware State, 56-14, in Season Opener

NEWARK, Delaware -- Wes Hills made up for a lot of missed time Thursday night in the University of Delaware football team’s 2016 debut at Delaware Stadium. 

Hills, determined to make his return a big one after sitting out all but the 2015 opener while recovering from a broken foot, did just that as the junior running back ran for 212 yards and scored two touchdowns, one on a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, to lead the Blue Hens to a 56-14 victory over in-state rival Delaware State before an appreciative crowd of 17,835. 



The Blue Hens piled up 487 yards of total offense, including 395 on the ground, and a dominating UD defense forced six turnovers and held the Hornets to just 184 total yards in the complete victory.

Delaware downed Delaware State for the seventh time without a loss in this in-state rivalry and in the process captured the 300th victory in the history of 65-year old Delaware Stadium.

“This first game back meant a lot to me,” said Hills, who posted his fifth career 100-yard rushing game and recorded the ninth highest single game rushing effort in Delaware history. “Coach (Dave) Brock and my team put a lot of faith in me and I had no choice but to go out there and give it my all. Being back feels great, being in front of the Delaware fans is an incredible feeling. Nothing beats it.”

The Blue Hens (1-0) drove 74 yards on their first drive and scored on a Jalen Randolph two-yard run just five minutes in to take a quick 7-0. They then promptly got the ball back when defensive end John Nassib intercepted a pass on Delaware State’s second play from scrimmage. Eleven plays later Delaware sophomore quarterback Joe Walker scored on a one-yard dive to push the lead to 14-0.

Delaware never looked back as Hills scored on runs of 13 and 59 yards to push the lead to 28-0 at the break, Randolph scored his second touchdown of the game five minutes into the second half, and Walker added a 25-yard scoring toss to Diante Cherry 24 seconds later to push the advantage to 42-0.



UD backup quarterback Blake Rankin added a 10-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Charles Scarff on the final play of the third quarter and sophomore linebacker Troy Reeder (above left), a Delaware native playing his first game for the Blue Hens after transfering from Penn State, put the cherry on top with a 13-yard interception return for a touchdown 12 second into the final stanza.

“I told the players before the game that I was going to relax and coach and they should go out and just have fun,” said Brock, who evened his four-year mark at Delaware to 18-18. “We have a close-knit group of guys who work hard with and for each other. You could sense that they were going to bring a lot of energy tonight. I am thrilled for them that they did that. The takeaways were fantastic, I thought we played smothering defense, ran the ball the way we want to run the football, and I think our passing game is going to be explosive. I’m excited about building on this and getting ready to go play Lafayette (next Saturday). Wes is a year older and a year stronger. The things he does for this team are contagious. He helps us win in so many more ways than what you see.”

Delaware sophomore Thomas Jefferson, the 2015 Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Rookie of the Year, added 70 yards rushing while Randolph, who missed all but the first three games of the 2015 season himself due to an injury, picked up 55 yards.

In addition to interceptions by Nassib and Reeder, junior linebacker Anthony Jackson picked off two passes. The Hens had just 12 combined interceptions over the last two seasons.

Delaware State (0-1), coming off a 1-10 season a year ago, managed just 35 yards rushing. Quarterback Daniel Epperson hit on 13 of 26 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted four times. Mason Rutherford caught six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.

HEN SCRATCHINGS:
• Delaware’s 56 points were its most since a 59-56 five-overtime loss to Richmond in 2007 and the most on opening day since a 62-21 win over Lehigh in 1993
• The 395 yards rushing were the most by a Delaware team since gaining 443 against West Chester in 2000 and the 487 total yards were the most since a 500-yard effort against Rhode Island in 2013.
• Delaware forced six turnovers on four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. That matched the most takeaways for the Hens since forcing six against Southern Illinois in a 2003 NCAA Tournament first round win
• Delaware is now 300-100-4 all-time (.747 winning pct.) at Delaware Stadium since the facility opened in 1952
• Delaware travels to Lafayette next Saturday, Sept. 10, before a Sept. 17 meeting vs. Atlantic Coast Conference foe Wake Forest on Sept. 24. The Hens won’t return home until Oct. 8 vs. Maine
• Blue Hen freshman walk-on kicker Jake Roth had four touchbacks on kickoffs in his collegiate debut
• Delaware held a huge 22-minute advantage in time of possession

BOX SCORE

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Cheyney Wolves Capture "Battle of the First" and End Streak with 21-20 Victory

LINCOLN, Pennsylvania  – Jr. QB Dominick Trautz connected on a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jr. Marcus Lyles in the first overtime, and Jr. Brendyn Van Demark converted the score to give Cheyney University a seven-point lead. The game was then in hands of a defense that dominated through most of the game,  and when Marvin Easter III knocked down a pass in the endzone on a two-point conversion, the Cheyney Wolves ended a 43-game winless drought with a 21-20 victory in overti

The Wolves held a 21-14 lead in the first overtime when Lincoln quarterback Khari Nquzi connected on a nine-yard td pass to Larquise Hobbs, on fourth and goal from the 9, to extend the game for one more play. With an injured place-kicker, the Lions, who did not attempt a kick during the game, went for the win on the two point-conversion, but Easter III broke up the pass and CU players and fans stormed the field in celebration.

The last Cheyney victory also came on September 1, in 2012 a 34-21 win at Lincoln.

The Wolves got off to a fast start, after forcing a three and out from Lincoln on the opening possession of the game, Cheyney was able to begin its opening drive of the season at the Lions 34 yard line following an 8-yard punt. The Wolves took just six plays to take advantage of the field position and put up the first score of the season on a 6-yard dash to the corner from Brandon French.

Cheyney forced another punt and looked poised to extend it lead, when it marched deep into Lions territory, but the Wolves, could not convert a fourth and five at the Lincoln 20, and turned the ball over on downs.

Once again the defense stepped up and forced a quick punt. With a drive start at the Lincoln 42, the Wolves faced a third and two at the Lions 34 when R-Fr. James Madlock III, who led Cheyney with 92 yards rushing on 15 carries, electrified the crowd with a dazzling tackle-breaking, ankle-breaking run to put the Wolves ahead 14-0 and what looked like on their way to an easy victory.

The Lions had other thoughts, a 59-yard punt return set up Lincoln at the Cheyney 15 and three plays later All-CIAA running back Stephen Scott went in from the two. The Wolves, All-PSAC defensive end Joseph Bryant then stopped Scott on the two-point rush to keep it at a 14-6 Cheyney advantage..

Nzquzi then rumbled in from six-yards out, on the final play of the first half, and converted the two-point-attempt with a completion to Andre Price and the game was tied at 14-14 at the break.

Despite having the ball for over eight minutes on a 16-play opening drive, and for all but six plays in the third quarter, the Wolves could not put any points on the board and the contest remained deadlocked late into the fourth quarter.

It appeared that Cheyney was destined to fall in heart breaking fashion when William Reyes grabbed his second interception of the game off a tipped pass and was heading down the sideline for what looked like the deciding score, but great hustle by the Wolves and a penalty on the Lions gave Lincoln the ball at the Cheyney 29- yard line with 1:11 to play.

Lincoln converted a third and short to move the ball inside the Cheyney 20, but a bad snap on first down set the Lions back and led to overtime.

The Wolves had the first opportunity from the 25, but could not move the ball on the first three plays and face a fourth and 10 from the 25, when Trautz was able to find a seam in the Lions defense and scramble for twelve yards and a first down. Three plays later he put the Wolves ahead to stay with the TD pass to Lyles.

Madlock III rushed for a team-best 92 yards and a score on just 15 carries for a 6.1 yards per carry average, French powered his way to 73 yards and a score, Lyles led the receiving core with four catches for 48 yards and the winning TD reception, Nigel Wiley added 44 yards on three catches and Trautz  threw for 108 yard,s a score and 2 int's.

Scott led all runners with 108 yards, but it took him 31 carries, he also had a team-high 48 yards on four reception.

Brendyn Van Demark was three-for-three on the all-important extra points in the contest.

Jr. Keyson Dingle led the Wolves with 10 tackles, Easter III added nine tackles a fourth quarter interception in the endzone and two pass break-ups. Jr. Jamiel Hines and Fr. Michai Beal recorded six stops each, Bryant added five tackles including a forced fumble and stuffing Scott on a fourth down play and a two-point conversion attempt and R-So. Jordan Richardson also made five stops for the Wolves.

The Wolves are next in action at O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium for the home opener on Saturday, September 10 for a 1:00 PM kick-off against PSAC West opponent California (Pa).
me in the "Battle of the First" at The Lincoln University Thursday night.

BOX SCORE

CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

2016 Lincoln Football Media Guide Now Online!


JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri -- The 2016 Lincoln Football Media Guide, available by clicking on the below link, can now be viewed online.

This 104-page guide contains an enhanced opponent section, more detailed statistical information and even more history than all previous LU guides. This publication also is filled with photos of this year's players and position units and provides information on how the Blue Tigers did in GLVC play last year as well as a previews of the upcoming season.

All information is accurate as of Sept. 1, 2016.


Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
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Thursday, September 1, 2016

He's back ... just in time: Southern DB Bryan Anderson will be in uniform for opener

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern defensive back Bryan Anderson hasn’t played in a real football game since the Jaguars went to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in 2013.

That drought ends Saturday.

Anderson, who originally expected to miss Southern’s season opener at Louisiana-Monroe because of a knee injury, made a surprise recovery and was back on the field this week for practice.

“It feels good to be back out there knowing my knee is 100 percent,” Anderson said. “My job is to get everyone hyped up and amped up. It just feels good to be back with my knee feeling straight.”

Southern coach Dawson Odums said Anderson will not claim the starting spot against the Warhawks after missing the majority of preseason camp, but the junior will play about 15-20 plays.

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DL transfers help beef up Grambling's defense

GRAMBLING, Louisiana — As a graduate transfer with four years of college experience under his belt, Monroe native Blain Winston wasn't looking to rack up statistics during his final year of football. He just wanted to add another ring to his collection.

That's what the Richwood product plans on doing in 2016 at Grambling after transferring from UL Lafayette. Winston, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle, is one of two transfers the Tigers brought in to beef up the line this year.

"I've never been this welcomed before in my life. It's like one big family here at Grambling," said Winston, who is reuniting with high school teammates Martez Carter and Trey Goins. "My whole goal with (defensive coordinator coach Everett) Todd was to come in and try and help them. I knew they already had a good d-line. I just wanted to help them get better."

Grambling lost four key linemen from 2015 — Jamison Goins, Michael Jolivet, Larry Stalling and Jevonta Williams. Collectively, they totaled 11 of the 38 sacks recorded. The Tigers have Samuel Reese, who notched three sacks last year, Donovan McCray and Deangelo Butler-Gaston return on the outside.

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