Explosive Offensive Plays Result in Opening Night Victory for Alcorn Braves 50-21

LORMAN, Mississippi -- To kick-off the 25th season at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium, the Alcorn State University football program scored six touchdowns en route to a 50-21 win over Miles College on Saturday evening in the season opener for both teams.

Senior De'Lance Turner registered a pair of touchdowns for the Braves (1-0) including one in the air and one on the ground. He finished with 128 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards. Senior quarterback Lenorris Footman tallied two rushing touchdowns and one throwing. He recorded 241 passing yards and 92 rushing.

Eight different receivers caught a pass in the game for the Braves. Senior Norlando Veals led the way with 81 yards, while junior Marquis Warford hauled in 69. Warford also tallied a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Defensively, sophomore Solomon Muhammad stood out with 10 tackles and a forced fumble. Junior Leishaun Ealey also finished in double-figures with 10 tackles.



Miles (0-1), a Division II program from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), was led by running back Justin Hardy who notched 111 rushing yards and a touchdown.

On the opening drive of the game, the Alcorn defense forced a three-and-out. The Braves offense followed it up with an 11-play, 64-yard drive to leap in front 7-0. The series featured completions to Veals, Warford and junior Charles Hughes. The scoring play was a 14-yard run down the right side by Footman.

Later in the quarter, a punt by sophomore Corey McCullough pinned the Bears at the one-yard line. On the very next play, Muhammad forced a fumble and junior Trae Ferrell pounced on it at the 13-yard line. Alcorn's ensuing offensive drive resulted in Footman's second rushing touchdown, a six-yard spurt through the middle to go up 14-0.

Near the end of the first quarter, Miles' Hardy broke loose for an 83-yard touchdown rush through the right side to make it a 14-7 game with 2:00 left.



Midway through the second quarter, McCullough drilled a 45-yard field goal right down the middle to give Alcorn a 17-7 edge. The opportunity was setup after a 20-yard pass to Turner got the Braves into the Bears territory.

The Braves got the ball back at their own two-yard line with 4:06 left in the half. Completions to Warford and junior Jaquaveon Boles got them out near midfield, and a trio of rushes by Footman put them at the Miles 20-yard line. With four seconds left, Footman threw a screen pass to Turner as he maneuvered his way down the left sideline and into the end zone. Alcorn carried a 24-7 lead at the half.

Miles started the second half on a high note after N'Ktaviou Floyd returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-14.

The Braves quickly responded after Turner zig-zagged his way down the field for an 88-yard touchdown run. He weaved left and right to get past the defense and then outran the secondary for about 40-yards to push the advantage back up to 31-14 at the 14:10 mark.



Alcorn was on the move again mid-way through the quarter after a pair of rushes by Turner resulted in 35 yards to put the team in the red zone. The Braves settled for a 27-yard field goal which was good by McCullough as Alcorn led 34-14.

With 2:55 left in the third, the Bears punted it away to Warford who shook a couple defenders and was off to the races for a 72-yard punt return touchdown. It pushed the lead up to 40-14.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Bears scored on a 47-yard pass from Li'Jon Cordier to Leonard Tyree through the middle which changed the score to 40-21.

Alcorn quickly responded with a big play of its own as junior P.J. Simmons darted for a 64-yard touchdown run down the right side to go back up 47-21 with 13:43 left.

The Braves tacked on a 26-yard field goal by McCullough with 6:53 remaining. It wrapped up a nine-play, 31-yard drive which included a 15-yard pass to Warford and a 13-yard rush by Simmons.

Alcorn will play its first road game next Saturday when it travels to FIU for a 6:30 p.m. (CT) kickoff. It will be the first-ever meeting between the Braves and the Panthers.

NOTES
- Alcorn improved to 70-51 all-time at Spinks-Casem Stadium

- The Braves won their season opener for the second year in a row after defeating Alabama State 21-18 last year.

- Alcorn posted its fifth consecutive home opening victory. The Braves defeated Alabama State 21-18 last season, Mississippi Valley State 55-14 in 2015, Lynchburg 55-7 in 2014 and Edward Waters 63-12 in 2013.

- The contest marked the first-ever meeting between Alcorn and Miles College.

- The Braves dominated in total offense, 582-243 including a 279-76 edge in passing. Alcorn also won the time of possession battle 34:38-25:22.

- With 92 rushing yards, Footman moved up to No. 11 all-time in career rushing in school history with 1,603 yards, surpassing Smith Reed (1961-64). Footman is also No. 11 in career touchdown passes with 22 and 13th in career passing yards with 2,613.

- Turner was one rushing yard shy of his career-high 129 set at Jackson State last season. His 88-yard run in the third quarter marked a career-long, upping his previous best of 69 against Grambling State in the 2016 SWAC Championship game.

- Warford inked 190 all-purpose yards which bested his previous career-high of 186 at Grambling State last year.

- Muhammad's 10 tackles doubled his previous career-high of five at Alabama A&M last season.

- Alcorn's captains were Brooks, Footman and McCullough. Miles won the toss and elected to receive.

Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair

Opening Statement
"What can I say, Coach Ruffin brought a pretty good team here. I felt like they played a hard-fought ball game. On behalf of Braves football, we try and put a brand on what we do. I thought the first half we came out and executed somewhat well, we just had too many penalties. That's not what we teach here at Alcorn. That's not our brand of football and we're not going to tolerate that. It's kind of hurtful to get that many penalties in a ball game. Just think if we didn't get those penalties how the turnout would be. We're going to press that issue all week."

On getting the job done in all aspects of the game
"That's a part of the game plan. Every week we strive to do that as far as passing, running, special teams and playing great defense. We try to do it to perfection every week. We just have to delete some of these penalties. We played a great ball game without those. If we execute the way we should without penalties the outcome would be even better. Though we are definitely happy about the win."

On Lenorris Footman
"He's come out as a leader. As he goes, this offense goes. He had two rushing TD's but in the end zone he has to protect the ball. On that interception, I wish he would have just held the ball and ran it. We would have gotten a lot more yards if he would have just ran. We talked about it as a coaching staff and the things he can do with the football are electrifying and we're going to keep pressing the issue."

On Turner making an extra effort to score right before the half
"That's a big 14-point swing we are talking about there. Before half time you get a chance to score, and after the half we receive the ball for another chance to score again. I think De'Lance did a great job on receiving the ball and that's a thing he does well. Being able to catch the ball out the backfield and what he can do with it after the catch just shows off his athleticism."

BOX SCORE

ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY BRAVES ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

UAPB Defeats Morehouse College 23-10 in Season Opener

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff didn't get off the fast start it was hoping for against Morehouse College on Saturday night, but the end result more than made up for it.

The Golden Lions scored 23 unanswered points in the second half to knock off the Maroon Tigers 23-10 in front of a spirited crowd at Golden Lion Stadium.

Running back KeShawn Williams ran 17 times for 125 yards and 1 touchdown for UAPB (1-0), which scored 17 points in the third quarter to erase a 10-point deficit and win its season opener for the first time since beating Langston 17-14 in 2012.

"I told the team earlier in the week that you can't get two victories until you get one," UAPB Coach Monte Coleman said. "We had some good plays on special team and had some stops on defense when we needed them. Of course, we've got some things that we need to shore up, but it was a great overall team victory for us, and it feels good to get that first one out the way."

The Golden Lions finished with 344 yards of offense, but they can thank their defense for leading the way in putting an end to an eight-game losing streak. Morehouse (0-1) moved the ball effectively in the opening half but was shut down over the final two quarters. The Maroon Tigers finished with 279 yards of offense but had just 74 after halftime. They crossed midfield just twice in the second half, and both were a result of a turnover.

"It got a lot tougher for us in the second half," Morehouse Coach Rich Freeman said. "We missed two field goals in the first half that should've given us six points. But we had two crucial personal fouls penalties in the second half that kept drives alive for [UAPB], and I think those ultimately changed the momentum of the game.

"But you've gotta give [UAPB] credit. They played well on defense, particularly in the second half, and did the things they needed to do to win."

UAPB had four sacks in the second half and forced two turnovers in the fourth quarter to put away a Maroon Tiger team that held their own for much of the game before slowly running out of steam midway through the third quarter. But Morehouse did waste two prime opportunities to jump on UAPB early.

The Maroon Tigers came up empty after Alex Gonzalez missed a 43-yard field following a 12-play, 43-yard drive on their first possession. Morehouse got the ball back on the very next play when Treyvon Lucky recovered a fumble by UAPB wide receiver Paris Mack but eventually turned it over on downs at the Golden Lions' 13-yard line.

The Maroon Tigers managed to cash in two possessions later, though, when Gonzalez nailed a 24-yard field goal with 7:09 left in the second quarter to finish off a 15-play, 67-yard drive. Morehouse had another chance to add on to its lead but had a 34-yard field goal blocked just before halftime.

UAPB, on the other hand, failed to generate much of anything offensively in the first half. The Golden Lions punted on four of their six possessions and turned the ball over on the other two, including an interception by quarterback Brandon Duncan on their final drive of the half. But UAPB's defense never allowed Morehouse to get into the end zone despite giving up chunks of yardage on several occasions.

"Part of our defensive philosophy is to bend but don't break," Coleman said. "It could have been devastating had they punched those scores in. We held them to one field goal out of the times they got into the red zone. That was huge for us because turnovers put us in bad spots at times."

The Golden Lions' defense found themselves on their heels again almost immediately after halftime. Morehouse was forced to punt on the first series in the third quarter but got the ball right back after UAPB fumbled the punt on its own 10-yard line. The Maroon Tigers scored three plays later on quarterback Kivon Taylor's eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Aurelius Smith to push their lead to 10-0.

UAPB finally got going on its ensuing series to get back in the game. Duncan threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jaelen Collins to polish off a six-play, 68-yard with 10:18 left in the quarter.

Jamie Gillan pushed UAPB's lead to 17-10 with a 39-yard field goal with 1:11 remaining in the period. The Golden Lions struck again quickly on its next possession to grab their first lead of the game.

After forcing Morehouse into a three-and-out, Williams sprinted 37 yards for a touchdown on the next play to put UAPB ahead 14-10. Running back Christian Jordon added a 10-yard run with 3:58 left in the game to pad the Golden Lions' lead to 23-10. Morehouse threatened to inch closer late in the fourth quarter after defensive end Voris Bryant returned a fumble 88 yards before being caught from behind at UAPB's eight-yard line, but the Maroon Tigers failed to score on four consecutive plays.

The Golden Lions will be on the road next weekend Saturday Sept. 9, in Arkron, Ohio against Akron Zips at 6:30 PM.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF SPORTS INFORMATION

West Virginia State Yellow Jackets Open Season With 51-28 Win Over Charleston

 INSTITUTE, West Virginia -- The Yellow Jacket football fans attending Saturday's season opener will probably not even remember the wet and gloomy weather.

To them the day could not have been any better.

In his first game as a Head Coach John Pennington gave WVSU faithful something they had not experienced before - a home victory over rival University of Charleston.

And not just a win but a dominating 51-28 performance.

"You just can't really draw it up any better," Pennington said of the start to his head coaching career.
"It's just a dream come true."

For the Golden Eagles it was more of a nightmare. One that began shortly after they kicked off.

The Yellow Jackets took that opening kick and needed just three plays and 1:29 to go 60 yards and take a 7-0 lead.

Senior quarterback Matt Kinnick hit Quinton Gray across the middle about 20 yards downfield and the speedy senior took it the rest of the way for a 59-yard touchdown.

That completion made Kinnick State's all-time leader in passing yards. He would later throw three more scoring passes tying him with former Jacket Kevin O'Brien for the program mark of 51 career touchdown passes.

Kinnick now holds four WVSU career records after setting the marks for total yards and completions last season.

The Yellow Jackets scored on their next two possessions with Kinnink throwing a 32-yard strike to Dionta Brown and a deflected 12-yard toss to Gray, to move ahead 20-0

While the St. Clairsville, Ohio, native was sharp in hitting 22-of-27 pass attempts for 311 yards. He also ran his streak of not throwing an interception to three games and 98 passes going back to last season.

"Considering how bad the conditions were he deserves a lot of credit," Pennington said. "And I don't think we had a ball dropped either."

After the field absorbed a daylong downpour Friday it dried a little as the rain stopped overnight. But a light rain began to fall around game time and turned heavier at the half making for wet footballs and muddy running.

When WVSU went to its ground game though neither the mud nor the Golden Eagles could stop red-shirt freshman Calil Wilkins.

The tough 5-foot-7, 200-pound back out of Maryland started his first college game with his family watching from the stands and he put on a show.

He carried the ball 24 times for 191 yards and a touchdown

"Just watching him in practice and seeing his mindset this year we knew it was just a matter of time," Pennington said. "He has a lot of talent and Coach (Quincy) Wilson has worked a lot with him and done a great job."

While the offensive fireworks were drawing everyone's attention the WVSU defense was turning in a solid performance.

"They did a great job of getting us the ball in good position several times," Pennington said.

Junior defensive back Khave Konte paced the unit with 13 tackles, 12 of them solo, while junior Moises Valcarcel added 12 including one for a 23-yard loss and junior Rob Branch picked off a UC pass.

Throw in a good outing by the special teams including kicker Aaron Ball, punter Kole Patterson, and long-snapper Dakota Booth and fans cannot help but be excited about the coming weeks.

"When all three phases play like that you are going to win," Pennington summed up.

Gray finished the day with six catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns while Zach Pate pulled in five passes for 77 yards.

The win earned WVSU the Kanawha Valley Classic trophy for the first time in its four years of existence.

"It feels good," Pennington said. "Down on the field it was just an incredible feeling."

So how long was he planning to take to enjoy the victory?

"Right now all I can think about is UVa-Wise," he said. "It's a short week, we play them on Thursday so we have to get ready."

That contest kicks off at 7 p.m. at Wise. The Cavaliers won 41-29 at Glenville State Thursday night.

WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Record Setting Day For Trautz and the Cheyney Wolves in 56-28 Win Over Lincoln

CHEYNEY, Pennsylvania – Senior QB Dominick Trautz accounted for a school record six touchdowns, five passing and one rushing to lead the Cheyney Wolves to a 56-0 first half lead en route to a 56-28 victory over the Lincoln Lions in the Battle of the First on a soggy Saturday afternoon inside O'Shields-Stevenson Stadium.

The Wolves (1-0) jumped out to a 35-0 lead after the first quarter with Trautz opening the scoring with a 9-yard run and connecting on a 12-yard pass to Jr. TE Kyle Berlin and two more scoring tosses to R-Fr. WR Brandon Joyner for 20 and to Sr. WR Nigel Wiley for 37 yards, sandwiched around a 1 yard TD run by Fr. RB Damon Williams.

The Lions (0-1) scored 28 second half points on a pair of touchdown runs from Ramese Owens a run from QB Vincent Espinoza and a 41-yard toss from Espinoza to Andre Price to close out the scoring.

Fr. Kicker Alexander Rummel converted all eight of his point after touchdown kicks to establish a new Cheyney mark in his first collegiate game.
Sr. RB Brandon French led all rushers with 79-yards and scored from a yard out to open the scoring in the second quarter.

Cheyney scored on its first six possessions of the game and could have made it seven, but a fumble at the one-yard line went through the endzone for a touchback.

After a Lincoln punt, Trautz connected with Sr. WR Yvesner Ferdinand for a 31-yard score and closed the scoring by finding Berlin again by taking advantage of the 6 foot 7 inch juniors' height with a dart over the middle.

Cheyney forced a three and out to start the game, The Wolves took over on its own 21, and Trautz opened the scoring by capping a 9 play 79 yard drive with a 9-yard run.
The Lions then returned the ensuing kickoff to the Cheyney 28 and a penalty put the ball on the Wolves 14.

On the next play, Sr. LB Jamiel Hines picked off a pass at his own 10 and returned it 82 yards to the Lions 8-yard line.

Two plays later Trautz scrambled and then found Berlin who made a diving catch for a 12-yard score to make it 14-0.

The Wolves defense then forced another three and out and Cheyney took over at the Lions 23-yard line following a 15-yard return by Ferdinand.

Williams, who rushed for over 3,300 yards and scored 32 times in two seasons at Boswell, HS in Fort Worth, Texas, took his first collegiate carry down to the one and scored his first CU touchdown on the following play, to put Cheyney ahead 21-0.

On the first play after the kickoff, Sr. Keyson Dingle recorded a sack and forced a fumble that was recovered by So. LB Phillip Harley at the Lincoln 32.
Three plays later Trautz connected with Joyner for his first career-touchdown from 20-yards out.

After the lions picked up their initial first down of the game, the wolves then forced a punt attempt, but the snap was bobbled and Dingle and Furbush tackled the punter at the Lincoln 37.

Cheyney wasted no-time converting as Trautz found Wiley down the right sideline for a 37-yard score, to make it 35-0 with 2:46 left in the first period.

The 35 points are the most by a Cheyney team ever against the Lions.

Another punt snap issue put the Wolves at the Lincoln 24, capped off by a French 1-yard run to the endzone to open the second quarter.

Trautz finished the day going 15-20 for 230 yards five touchdowns passing and rushed four times for 28 yards and one rushing score in three quarters of work.

Freshman Chad Palmer played quarterback in the fourth quarter, and completed his only attempt for two yards .

Joyner grabbed five passes for a team-high 57 yards and a score, Wiley pulled in three passes for 51 yards and a score, Berlin had three catches for 44 yards and two scores and Ferdinand made two catches for 41 yards and a TD.

Williams rushed 38 yards on eight carries and a TD, and R-Fr. Marcus Sullivan carried 10-times for 26 yards in the fourth.

The defense was led by So. DT Stephen Haynes who recorded seven solo and one assisted tackle including three tackles for loss. R-Fr. DB Terez Franklin was credited with six stops and a recovered fumble.

Sr. LB Chaplin Johnson-Davis recorded six tackles and Dingle made six stops, five for a loss. With two sacks and a forced fumble.

Cheyney is now on the road for three straight weeks, starting with a trip to California, Pa. next Saturday for a contest against the #6 ranked Vulcans at 1:00 p.m.

BOX SCORE


CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY WOLVES SPORTS INFORMATION

No. 22 Langston Lions Open Season With 30-14 Win Over Lincoln

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- The Langston Lions kicked off the 2017 campaign with a dominating 30-14 victory over Lincoln (Mo.) on Saturday, Sept. 2 at W.E. Anderson Stadium. This was the 64th annual Battle of the LU's between both schools.

Langston got on the scoreboard after quarterback Milton Harper (SR/Tulsa, Okla.) hit Taj Johnson (SO/Aurora, Colo.) for a 15-yard touchdown pass, capping a five-play 36-yard drive in the first quarter.

The Lions tacked on two more scores in the second quarter after Tyree Hanson scored on a two-yard run and defensive lineman Tyler Bess (SR/Hollis, Okla.) returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown to take a 20-0 lead into halftime.

On their opening drive of the third quarter the Lions again marched straight down the field, ending with Harper hitting Daylon Person (SO/Watts, Calif.) for a 45-yard touchdown pass to hold a commanding 27-0 lead at the 13:15 third quarter mark.

The first score for the Blue Tigers came courtesy of the defense when they blocked Jaylen Lowe's punt and returned it to the end zone to pull within 27-7 at the 9:23 mark; Langston countered with a 14-play, 56-yard drive which ended with Abraham Lueveano nailing a 19-yard field goal attempt to make it 30-7.

Lincoln collected the final score after Henry Ogala hit Miles Drummond for a six-yard touchdown to make it 30-14.

This is the second-straight season opening win for the Lions, with both victories coming again the Blue Tigers. Head coach Quinton Morgan improves to 13-2 overall as head coach.

In his first start under center at Langston, Harper finished nine-of-20 for 151 yards and two touchdown passes; Taj Johnson led the way on the ground with eight carries for 36 yards.

Michael Andrade (SO/New Orleans, La.) led the aerial attack with three catches for 30 yards.

Defensively, Jamarie Finnie led the Lions with six total tackles, five solo with a 1/2 sack, 3 1/2 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

Langston (1-0) heads to Batesville, Ark. next weekend to face Lyon College. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

Box Score

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS SPORTS INFORMATION

Albany State beats Valdosta State for first time since 2004

ALBANY, Georgia — Valdosta State’s offense got going late to help the Blazers extend a streak that began more than 25 years ago.

Unfortunately for the Blazers, it was much too late to prevent a 29-12 loss in their season opener against the Golden Rams Saturday at Albany State University Coliseum.

VSU has played 306 straight games since it was last shut out in its 1991 season opener against Central Florida, but the Division II active record appeared to be in jeopardy against Albany State.

The Golden Rams held the Blazers to just 92 yards of offense in the first half and 138 yards through three quarters as it built a 20-0 lead, but Valdosta State head coach Kerwin Bell believes the biggest mistakes were made on his team’s first few possessions.

“When you play a team every year like this, and these guys have some talent, now they’ve got a coach that’s got them in shape and they’ve got a good scheme, but I still think a game like this you play every year comes down to the first two or three series in the game for us,” Bell said after the game. “When you play a team like that, you’ve got to show them who is in control again. You’ve got to take advantage of what we had.”

Junior Adam Robles got the start at quarterback for VSU, and he connected with receiver Tshumbi Johnson for a 16-yard gain on the first drive of the game.

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Bowie State Bulldogs Cruise to 48-7 Season Opener Victory at Seton Hill

GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania – The Bowie State University football team opened the 2017 season with a 48-7 road victory at Seton Hill University on Saturday afternoon at Offutt Field.

The victory broke a two-game series skid for the Bulldogs (1-0) who had lost the previous two matchups with Griffins heading into Saturday.

Junior Amir Hall threw for 361 yards and five touchdowns on 23-of-26 passing. Hall, the 2016 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year also accounted for 50 rushing yards, second best on the team.

Junior co-captain Derrick Tate tallied a team-best five solo tackles (six total) while junior teammate John Johnson, IV (Washington, D.C.) and redshirt sophomore Tommar Phillips (Lanham, Md.) added five total tackles each for Bowie State.

Redshirt senior Robert Chesson (Annapolis, Md.) rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries to carry most of the load for the Bulldogs, while junior transfer Lansana Sesay (Bowie, Md.) caught seven passes for a game-high 148 yards in his Bulldogs debut.

As a team, Bowie State amassed 599 total yards of offense (382 passing and 217 rushing) and the Bulldogs defense held Seton Hill to just 151 yards of total (39 passing and 112 rushing). The one glaring negative statistic for Bowie State was penalties as the Bulldogs were penalized 17 times for 175 yards.

"We're very happy to start the season 1-0 but extremely disappointed in the number of penalties we had today", said Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson. When asked what was the most impressive part about the teams play, Wilson said "Our overall effort was outstanding!"

Seton Hill scored the first points of the season as Evan Byrd rumbled 66-yards for the touchdown. Santiago Henao added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead at the 13:55 mark of the first quarter.

Bowie State responded when Hall connected with Clark from 16 yards out with 6:45 to go in the opening quarter. Sophomore Gene Carson (Accokeek, Md.) added the extra point to tie the game at 7-all. The Hall and Clark duo teamed up again at the 3:55 mark, this time for a 62-yard pass, catch and score. Carson's extra point gave the Bulldogs a 14-7 advantage.

The Bulldogs pushed its lead to 21-7, this time on the legs of Hall, as he rushed down the sideline for a 15-yard score with 8:13 remaining in the second quarter. Hall goes deep again, connecting with Sesay for a 57-yard touchdown, pushing the Bulldogs lead to 28-7 over Seton Hill.

Bowie State accumulated 339 yards in total offense in the first half compared to 140 yards for Seton Hill. Penalties were a sore spot for the Bulldogs in the first 30 minutes as Bowie State was flagged 10 times for 95 yards.

Bowie State added six more points early in the third quarter (11:56) when Hall found redshirt senior Kerrick Pollock (Miami, Fla.) wide open in the back corner of the Griffins end zone, extending the Bulldogs lead to 34-7.

Chesson punched it in from 1-yard out and Carson converted the extra point at the 7:29 mark of the third quarter, to give Bowie State a comfortable 41-7 cushion. Redshirt junior Adam Gillis, Jr. scored his first points of the new year, strolling in for a 9-yard rushing touchdown, padding the Bulldogs at 48-7 at the 2:49 mark.

Other top statistical players for Bowie State include redshirt sophomore Geordan Clark (White Plains, Md.) with 85 reception yards and Pollock added 68 reception yards. Redshirt junior Brandon Abrams (Bowie, Md.) finished with 55 rushing yards.

Seton Hill's Byrd was his teams' top offensive player with 67 rushing yards. Noah Davis and Fadan Allen were the Griffins' leading tacklers with seven apiece.

The Bulldogs will hit the road next week when they head to the defending CIAA Champions of Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University to battle the Rams in Bowman-Gray Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. and will be carried live on the ESPN3 app. Winston-Salem State defeated #19 UNC Pembroke 34-31 on Thursday (8/31) afternoon.

BOX SCORE

BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuskegee tops Alabama State in first Labor Day Classic

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Senior safety Jonah McCutcheon returned a 46 yard interception for a touchdown with 10:57 left in the fourth quarter and Tuskegee pulled away from Alabama State for a 14-6 victory in Montgomery at ASU Stadium.

A sellout crowd of 25,442 witnessed the Golden Tigers improved to 2-0 over the Hornets in its fairly new stadium that opened in 2012.



Both teams struggled offensively and played through a scoreless first quarter until TU Quarterback Jamarcus Ezell completed a 55 yard pass to Peyton Ramzy with 1:28 left in the first half to take a 7-0 lead. That score marked the 11th time out of the last 13 games against ASU that the Golden Tigers have scored first.

Ezell finished the evening going 7-of-17 for 139 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Ramzy hauled in 66 yards on a pair of catches on the night.

Defensively, preseason All-American Osband Thompson led the Golden Tigers with 14 tackles, two QB hurries, and one forced fumble. Thompson had 10 of those stops at halftime. McCutcheon and Kevin Dawson each had seven tackles while Darnell Hill and Kenderrius Whitehead totaled six tackles apiece. Terance Leatherwood notched TU's lone sack on the evening.

Punter Dalton Hall came up huge for the Golden Tigers. The Hartsville, South Carolina native punted 10 times for 392 yards landing three inside the 20 yard line. He also finished with a long of 48.

ASU's only score came with 1:26 left in the game when Kobie Jones connected with Alex Johnson for a 3-yd touchdown pass.

The Golden Tigers will face Albany State in Phenix City next Saturday for the annual Labor Day Classic. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. EDT.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY GOLDEN TIGERS SPORTS INFORMATION

No. 25 North Carolina A&T Cruises to Season-Opening Win Over GWU

BOILING SPRINGS, North Carolina -- Despite the loss of legendary running back Tari Cohen, there was perhaps less heartburn concerning the North Carolina A&T football team’s offense going into the 2017 season than their defense. At least the offense returned an All-MEAC quarterback, a conference rookie of the year wide receiver and a running back who had 11 career touchdowns despite being a backup.

For one Saturday night at least, the Aggies have now elevated a lot of concern about their defense. The 25th-ranked Aggies held Gardner-Webb to 114 yards of total offense while compiling 414 yards of offense themselves to down the Bulldogs 45-3 at Spangler Stadium. Then there was All-American punt returner Khris Garden who had five returns for 150 yards including an 88-yard touchdown return for his fifth career punt return for touchdown.

N.C. A&T’s defense was so outstanding, they did not allow the Bulldogs to cross midfield until there was 12:32 remaining in the game. GWU quarterback Tyrell Maxwell, the Big South’s preseason player of the year and the conference’s 2016 player of the year, threw for 34 yards and an interception on 6-for-15 passing. Maxwell, the Bulldogs leading rusher last season, mustered only 11 yards rushing on Saturday.

“We wanted to attack him. We wanted to go at him and make him make quick decisions,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “We knocked them off the ball in the first half and made some things happen in their backfield. Even on passing plays, I thought our guys did a good job of really getting up field and putting pressure on him.



Once we made him one dimensional it became an easier game. I was afraid of him coming into the game because he can make so many plays.”

N.C. A&T quarterback, redshirt junior Lamar Raynard, was a scary sight for the Bulldogs. He threw for a career-high 321 yards to go along with three touchdown passes. He also ran one in to account for four of the Aggies seven touchdowns. In the process, Raynard completed 19 of 22 passes and posted an impressive 253.93 quarterback efficiency rating.

Raynard’s favorite two targets were 2016 MEAC Rookie of the Year Elijah Bell and Appalachian State graduate transfer Jaquil Capel. Bell caught five passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Capel posted five receptions for 91 yards. Redshirt junior running back Marquell Cartwright added 58 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.

“He started right where he left off (last season),” said Broadway. “We were able to spread the ball around quite a bit. We have so many people capable of becoming big-time playmakers for us. I thought Raynard was sharp tonight in getting the ball out of his hand and getting it to individuals where they can catch it.



He has a lot to work with, so he just has to continue to grow and develop as a player and a leader.”

Raynard completed passes to seven different receivers Saturday night. He completed his first five passes and then completed 13 in a row between the second and third quarters as the Aggies scored on five of their six first-half drives. The biggest pass play of the night came on a 61-yard deep ball from Raynard to redshirt junior Malik Wilson for a 19-0 Aggies lead in the first quarter.

It was the longest completion of Raynard’s career. Gardner-Webb was finally able to stop the Aggies on their ensuing drive to force a punt. But even that went sour when on the first play of GWU’s drive, Maxwell threw a pass that ricocheted off the hands of Aggies cornerback Mac McCain and into the arms of inside linebacker Joshua Patrick for an interception.

Two plays later Raynard connected with Bell on a quick out route. Bell turned up field and ran through three GWU defenders on his way to a 35-yard touchdown. He also scored on the two-point conversion to give N.C. A&T a 27-0 second-quarter lead.



The Aggies then put together a 10-play, 94-yard drive capped off by a Bell 8-yard TD reception to end the half. They then complemented that drive by opening the second half with a 16-play, 75-yard drive that ate up 9:15 off the clock before Jaquil Capel finished it off with a 1-yard touchdown run to give N.C. A&T a 39-0 lead.

Despite the success of the offense, the defense and the punt return team, the Aggies did miss four extra points with two of them being blocked.

“I thought we played good in spurts and bad in spurts. I thought we played an outstanding first half. I was a little disappointed in the second half because I don’t think we followed through with a killer instinct. The most disappointing point is that we missed some extra points. Our protection on extra point has got to get fixed.”

The Aggies will face Division II Mars Hill 6 p.m., Saturday at Aggie Stadium. Tickets are on sale at www.ncataggies.com. Follow Aggies football on Twitter (@ncat_football). Follow Aggie Athletics on Facebook (@ncatathletics), Instagram (@ncatathletics) and Twitter (@ncataggies).

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Virginia State Trojans Take Down Norfolk State Football at ABNB Labor Day Classic

NORFOLK, Virginia -- – In front of a crowd of 10,221, the Virginia State University Trojans Football team opened its 2017 season with a 14-10 victory on the road against Norfolk State University .

After a five year hiatus of the Labor Day Classic, the Trojans were able to secure the victory over NSU for the first time since 2005.



FINAL: Trojans 14, NSU 10

Virginia State's quarterback Cordelral Cook (Atlanta, GA) moved the chain for 11-plays and securing a 1-yard touchdown run at the 10:41 mark in the first quarter. The Spartans as safety Bobby Price's interception in the Trojans territory set up a 28-yard field goal by Josh Nardone with 3:46 left in the first quarter. VSU had a strong 7-3 led over NSU at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter favored Norfolk State where NSU punter Taylor Goettie's 32-yard punt pinned VSU at the 1-yard line as heavy rain begin to fall. One play later, Cook fumbled a snap in the end zone and NSU defensive end Nigel Chavis fell on it for a touchdown. The Spartans held a 10-7 lead, which they took into halftime.

Securing the last points of game, Cook ran in a 2 yard touchdown with 5:40 left in the third quarter.

The Trojans outgained the Spartans, 275-214 yards, including a 190-98 edge on the ground. Individually for VSU, Cook finished with 74 yards on a 12-for-19 performance while throwing two interception. Cook also rushed for 22 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Trenton Cannon finished the game with a total of 145 rushing yards for the Trojans.

Virginia State University will return to action next week, as they traveling to take on the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University in a nonconference matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from the Irwin Belk Complex.

For the most up-to-date information on VSU Football please visit www.govsutrojans.com and follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY TROJANS SPORTS INFORMATION

Howard Bison Stun UNLV Rebels In Historic Season Opener

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- In his coaching debut, Coach Mike London and the Howard Football team stunned FBS foe UNLV with a 43-40 victory at Sam Boyd Stadium.

With the victory, HU picked up its first season opening win in more than a decade. Furthermore, Howard earned its first victory over a FBS foe in program history.
 
The win is also marked as one of the biggest upsets in college football history.



Offensively, the Bison amassed 449 yards, including 309 on the ground.
 
In his collegiate debut, freshman quarterback Caylin Newton displayed his duel-threat abilities as he rushed for 190 yards while throwing for 140 yards. The Atlanta native also accounted for three touchdowns (two rushing and one passing).
 
HU scored on the opening drive in five plays, highlighted by a 52-yard run from Newton, 7-0. UNLV answered with two field goals and pulled within one after the first period, 7-6.
 
Early into the second, Newton connected with Kyle Anthony on a 1-yard touchdown, which capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive, 14-6.
 
After UNLV's Evan Pantels drilled a 26-yard field goal, the Rebels were looking for more until junior linebacker David Hudson stripped the ball carrier and Devin Rollins picked up and ran for a 75-yard touchdown, 21-9.
 
UNLV responded, scoring 10 unanswered to close out the half, 21-19.
 
Anthony Philyaw, the league's Preseason Player of the Year, had 133 all-purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns.
 
After intermission, the Rebels' momentum continued as they took their first lead with a 25-yard pass from Devonte Boyd to Armani Rogers, 26-21.
 
With less than seven minutes left in the third, a 1-yard run from Charles Williams ballooned UNLV's lead to double-digits, 33-21.
 
On Howard's next possession, the Bison manufactured a 14-play, 75-yard drive, capped off by a 3-yard run from Philyaw, 33-28.
 
Less than a minute into the fourth, HU regained the advantage after Philyaw's 11-yard run. Newton converted the two-point play and gave the Bison a three-point lead, 36-33.
 
UNLV's Lexington Thomas put the Rebels back in front with a 3-yard run at the 10:12 mark, 40-36.
 
Midway through the fourth, Newton took HU down the field and scored the go-ahead touchdown, 43-40.
 
With time running down, UNLV stopped the Bison on 4-and-1. A play later, Drew Tejchman forced the fumble and Tye Freeland recovered to seal the deal.
 
Defensively, Leland Lassiter recorded a team-best 11 tackles in the victory.
 
For UNLV (0-1), they amassed 564 total offense. On the ground, Thomas rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort.
 
On Sept. 9, HU meets another FBS foe in Ohio where Kent State awaits. Game-time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
 
Season tickets for the 2017 year are on sale now starting at just $110, for all football home games. To purchase season tickets, click here.
 
Furthermore, the Rise Up Bison season ticket package offers fans the option to purchase a football and basketball package at a discounted rate. Access to the football home-opener VIP tent, pre-reception for Bison Madness (men's & women's basketball), and the spring-sport kickoff luncheon. To purchase season tickets, click here.
 
For complete recaps, results and news of Bison athletics, please visit www.HUBison.com.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Money and restrictive schedules have made Classics harder to come by, but Southern athletic director Roman Banks is hopeful that changes

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is not officially termed a “Classic,” but Southern Athletic Director Roman Banks is hopeful he sees a little bit of the Classic mentality out on the Bluff this weekend.

The simplest way he could encapsulate the classic spirit was to say “it’s a big celebration of love in a competitive spirit.”

That competition extends well beyond the playing field for the parties involved.



“Traditionally, HBCUs celebrate themselves a little differently,” Banks said. “People come together and they’re tailgating out there, but also sharing. You get a chance to enjoy my gumbo while I tell you why I’m better than you.”

Banks enjoys these types of affairs. He is hopeful they can be a more frequent occurrence at Southern under his direction.

It is Southern’s first game against a school from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, its fellow HBCU conference, since ...

CONTINUE READING

Hall of Famers and icons: Southern bringing back eight football 'legends' to celebrate return of football season

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana--It won’t matter if there are rain clouds in the area Friday night — the stars will be shining on Southern’s campus.

Eight iconic former Southern football players will be on hand at the F.G. Clark Activity Center on Friday night for an event Southern is dubbing the “Kickoff Extravaganza.”



Pro football Hall of Famers Aeneas Williams and Mel Blount will be there, as will Harold Carmichael, Ken Ellis, Frank Pitts, Rufus Porter, Rich “Tombstone” Jackson and Isiah “Butch” Robinson.

This whole idea was concocted by Southern Athletic Director Roman Banks as a way to celebrate the Jaguars' rich football history.



“Any time you can open your doors up and welcome your athletic alumni back, and recognize them for the hard work they’ve done here, and not only here, but they went off and continued their legacy and represented the university in a grand fashion, that speaks volumes,” Banks said.

“Ultimately what you’re doing is telling your story not only to the fans and the public, but to the student athletes to try and get them to emulate some of the things these guys have done.”

CONTINUE READING

National opportunity: ESPN2 features SCSU Bulldogs in opener at 2:30 Sunday

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- For South Carolina State head football coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough, this could be more than just a working holiday weekend -- and perhaps even better than a relaxing getaway.

It could be a great start to a new season in which the Bulldogs utilize a solid defense and an emerging offense to post wins.

Pough’s team knows all football fans will have one live game to choose from on television Sunday afternoon.

S.C. State plays Southern University at Ace W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

The game will also be aired on 90.3 FM WSSB.

“It’s always fun to be a part of the ESPN package this way,” Pough said, entering his 16th season at the helm in Orangeburg. “I think they put this together at a time where we are the only football game on.

CONTINUE READING

MSU Set To Face Towson Saturday in the 'Battle For Greater Baltimore'

Game to be played at Johnny Unitas Stadium; will be broadcast live on SPORTSfever Television

 Morgan State Notes  |     Towson Notes |    MEAC Notes |   Purchase Tickets |

 MEAC Teleconference Audio  |     GAMEDAYGuide   |  
 Facebook.com/MorganStateBears   |    @MorganStBears

GAME TIME
Morgan State will face Towson in the season opener on Saturday (Sept. 2) at Johnny Unitas Stadium. The Bears open the 2017 season under the leadership of Fred T. Farrier who had the interim tag removed and assumed the full-time position as MSU's head football coach. Towson completed the 2016 season with a 4-7 overall mark and were 3-5 in Colonial Athletic Association play. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast by SPORTSfever Television Network (STN) and WEAA, 88.9FM. The game will mark the first of the "Battle for Greater Baltimore" series between the teams.

TELEVISION
SPORTSfever Television Network (STN) will be broadcasting the game live … Phil Schoener will handle the play-by-play duties with color analyst Emory Hunt. Amanda Kuhl will be handling the sideline reporting. Click here for where to watch.

RADIO
WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Austin Wardin the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org. 

THE SERIES
•Saturday marks the 24th meeting in the series that began with a 34-7 Morgan Sate win on Sept. 1, 1979 at Towson. 
• The Tigers hold a 17-6 advantage in the series vs. MSU.
• SPORTSfever's broadcast of Saturday's game will mark the fourth time the Towson-Morgan game has been televised in the Baltimore area. In 1998, WMAR-TV aired the Tigers' 15-10 win and again carried the 1999 contest. In 2011, ComCast SportsNet telecast the Tigers' 42-3 victory.



QUICK HITS
• Mid-year transfer QB Elijah Staley (6-7, 245) makes his first start as the Bears' starting quarterback. Staley was previously at Tyler Junior College (Texas) where he completed 21 of 36 passes for 373 yards, including 5 TDs during the 2016 season … and prior to that he was at Mississippi State.
• MSU senior RB Eric Harrell ranked second for the Bears in rushing last season with 350 yards (3.4 avg) with a team-high three TDs in 11 games. The running game will also be bolstered by the return of Herb Walker Jr., Nadir Muhammad and Brandon Womack.
• LB Damare' Whitaker was the team's second leading tackler in 2016 with 59 stops, in addition to an interception and forced fumble.
• NT Jai Franklin was named to the 2016 All-MEAC Second Team as a junior. Franklin was a force on the Bears' defensive line where he finished the 2016 season with 50 stops, 13.0 TFL and four sacks.
• DB Carl Garnes was a standout for the Bears secondary a season ago. The Columbus, N.J. native was named to the 2016 All-MEAC Third Team and garnered 35 tackles and a pair of INTs in 10 games played.
• Fred T. Farrier's Bears are predicted to finish 8th in the MEAC's 2017 Preseason Order of Finish. 

A GLANCE AT THE TIGERS
•  Towson finished the 2016 season with an overall mark of 4-7 and a 3-5 conference record. They capped the season with a 32-31 road win against Rhode Island, and finished the season on a 3-game winning streak.
•  Towson returned 14 starters (five on offense and nine on defense) from a team that won ended the 2016 season on a 3-game winning streak.  
•  The Tigers ranked No. 5 in the CAA in total offense (368.7/g), No. 7 in scoring offene (22.1 avg), and led the league in kickoff returns (25.6 avg). Towson ranked T-No. 4 in sacks allowed (14) and finished No. 8 in sacks (20).
•  RB Shane Simpson (5-9,200) was named the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year, ECAC Offensive Rookie of the Year and All-CAA First Team KR after he topped the CAA and ranked sixth in FCS with 166.8 all-purpose yards per game. He led the Tigers on the ground with 784 yards and three touchdowns.
• Sophomore Monty Fenner (6-3,270) leads the Tigers secondary from his S position where he racked up 63 stops with 2 TFLs, 8 pass defenses and an INT.
• PK Aidan O'Neill returns after earning All-CAA Third Team honors as a freshman a season ago. He ranked No. 2 in the league by connecting on 18-of-22 field goals and was perfect in PATs (25-25).

MORGAN STATE vs. TOWSON IN OPENERS
Saturday's game marks the 10th time the Tigers and Bears will meet in the season opener. Towson holds a 5-4 advantage, including a 42-3 victory in the 2011 season opener.

LAST TIME OUT vs. TOWSON
Sept. 3, 2011 -- Grant Enders completed 15-of-19 passes for 197 yards and threw three touchdowns Saturday – two of them to fullback Tyler Wharton  – to lead Towson to a 42-3 victory in front of 9,759 fans.
•  Morgan State suffered its most lopsided loss to the Tigers since a 30-2 loss at Towson in 2006.
•  Tyrone Hendrix returned the opening kickoff 85 yards to help give the Bears great field position. The Bears came away with a 33-yard field goal by Abraham Mercado with 13:10 left in the first quarter.
•  Junior starting QB Donovan Dickerson, who left the game in the 3rd quarter due to injury, completed 6-of-10 passes for 40 yards, including an interception.  Backup QB Robert Council threw for 72 yards on 4-of-10 completions.
•  DT Justin Young and LB Allen Stephens led the Bears defense with 10 tackles apiece. CB Joe Rankin collected his first interception of the season.

PRESEASON PICKS
Morgan State was picked to finish eighth (8th) to MEAC defending champion and Preseason #1 North Carolina Central and #2 North Carolina A&T.

PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Five (5) Morgan State football players were named today to the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's preseason team, which was voted on by the conference head coaches and sports information directors.  Senior defensive lineman Jai Franklin and redshirt senior running back Herb Walker Jr. were second-team selections. Junior defensive backs Carl Garnes and Darius Johnson were third-team picks, along with junior return specialist William King. The five preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 63 lettermen and 19 starters returning for the 2017 Morgan State football season.

BEARS OPEN 119th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 119th season of football and will open the 2017 campaign under head coach Fred T. Farrier, set to enter his first year at the helm without the interim tag, and his fifth year at Morgan State.

RETURN MEN 
The 2017 Morgan State Bears return 63 letterwinners, including 17 starters - 7 on offense, 9 on defense and 1 on special teams.

CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2017 season looking to post their first winning season since going 7-6 in 2014. 

NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2017 campaign against three non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season against Towson (Sept. 2) in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore', followed by a home-opener versus  Albany (Sept. 9). The Bears round out non-conference action at Rutgers (Sept. 16).

THE INAUGURAL 'BATTLE FOR GREATER BALTIMORE' WILL BE FEATURED ON STN
The 'Battle For Greater Baltimore' is a renewal of the sports rivalry between the Baltimore area's only two local universities with a college football program. The competition for local bragging rights begins on September 2, 2017, when the Bears take a short trip over to Johnny Unitas® Stadium to take on the Tigers.
•  The teams are scheduled to play the home-and-home series in 2017 and 2018.
•  "Both programs have a rich history of playing outstanding football and this rivalry is something that our students, fans, and alumni can look forward to each year," said Edward Scott, director of intercollegiate athletics for Morgan. "Our goal is to create an event that is more than just a football game; we see this as an opportunity to rally the Greater Baltimore community."
•  The game will be televised live regionally by SPORTSfever Television Network (STN).

THE 3RD ANNUAL CELEBRATION BOWL 
At stake once again for the MEAC Champion is a postseason berth to the 3rd annual Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, Ga. on Dec. 16 at the brand new Mercedes Benz Stadium. North Carolina Central fell to Grambling State 10-9 in 2016. The all-time bowl series featuring the MEAC and SWAC Champions stands at 1-1.
• The Celebration Bowl, which showcases the legacy, values and traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will pit the conference champion from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference against the Southwestern Athletic Conference champion. 

ABOUT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is celebrating its 150th year of excellence in higher education. A Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution, Morgan offers more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu. 



MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Alabama State and Tuskegee to meet Saturday for first time since 2012

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- fter a four-year hiatus, one of the oldest rivalries in HBCU football resumes Saturday night as Alabama State University hosts Tuskegee University at ASU Stadium in the Marion Nine Invitational Labor Day Classic.

Kick is set for 7 pm, and the game will be carried on the Hornet Sports Network.

"I am excited for the opportunity to play in this contest," Alabama State head coach Brian Jenkins said. "Every where you go, people always come up and ask about the game no matter what you are doing. It's finally here, and now we get to go out on the field and play.

"I am honored to coach in this game, it is such an historic game. I heard about it when I was a young lad and attended it once or twice when I was young. Now I get a chance to coach in it, it is just exciting. I keep telling our guys to enjoy the moment, this is one of the greatest things that will happen."

The last time the two teams met was in 2012, with Tuskegee claiming a 27-25 victory at ASU Stadium in the final meeting between the two in the Turkey Day Classic. Prior to that contest, the Hornets claimed the 2011 contest and have the most consecutive wins in the series at nine (1983-95).



Alabama State returns 13 starters, with most of those on the offensive line and at wide receiver. The Hornets return their top receivers from a season ago in Nygel Lee (26-357-2 TD) and Willis White (36-337-2 TD), and a host of offensive linemen which include preseason all-conference pick Sam Baptiste.

There are question marks on offense as Jenkins looks to replace a pair of quarterbacks from last season, and 1000-yard rusher Khalid Thomas.

"We like to keep an open competition," Jenkins said. "The guys are fighting it out everyday looking to earn the spots that we have. I like what we have, and we are deep at the spots. We have a lot of potential at the quarterback position and at running back where Alex Anderson has really stepped as a leader. It is a preparation process, our guys have stayed focused."

The Hornets look to rely on returner Alex Anderson (34-158-4 TD); while they will have others options in the backfield that include Ezra Gray and Darrel King. Under center, there are several players who will challenge for the starting role include transfer Darryl Pearson, Jr., Kobie Jones and Jimmy Ferrell. Only one quarterback on the roster returning on the roster has attempted a pass while at Alabama State – David Whitlow.

Defensively, the Hornets must find a way to replace a pair of all-conference performers, but have a wealth of talent coming back that includes the team's second-leading tackler from a year ago in Darron Johnson (66 tackles). Several other of the team's top tacklers also return from last season in Treyon Garnett (45 tackles), Ronnie Scott (42 tackles), Dominique Jackson (41 tackles) and Ishmael Aurismond (38 tackles).

"Our defense has been flying around in camp," Jenkins said. "Our new defensive coordinator, Osita Alaribe, has done a great job getting them prepared."

But it is the atmosphere and the opponent who has everyone talking this week. Jenkins compares this game to a pair of other Classic games that he has played in with the similar feel before the teams take the field.

"The Magic City Classic," he said. "And the Florida Classic. Those type of games, they are similar to this game. But I will say this, I think this game is bigger, I really do. Just to see the reaction of everyone in the community and around the region. You see people and the only thing they want to talk about is the Tuskegee game. I just get that feeling about this game."

Jenkins is well aware of the Tuskegee program and has a lot of respect for them and their head coach, Willie Slater.

"They are a tough football team," Jenkins said. "They know how to win, that's why they are where they are. They are tough. They are big time program and a big time opponent. This will let us know where our program is headed. Watching them on them on film, the first word I said was wow.

"They are well-coached and I have a lot of respect for their head coach. He has been around the game a while, and is a heck of coach. I am humbled to be a part of this contest and be able to share the field."

Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University football, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.

ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS