GSU Defense sparks Tigers to victory over MVSU Delta Devils

ITTA BENA, Mississippi | De'Aumante Johnson recorded three first-half interceptions as the Grambling State University defense came up big on Saturday night with a 38-6 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener for both teams at Rice-Totten Stadium.

"We didn't play well," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs. "We had a lot of guys out and sometimes when you have a lot of guys out, it's hard to find that chemistry. I thought we did a good job to keep fighting regardless of the situation. The defense was stellar tonight. They did not only an awesome job of stopping them, but scoring points as well."

After both teams went three-and-out on its first offensive possession, Grambling State's defense came up with the first score of the night with 10:35 remaining in the opening quarter.

On a third-and-eight play, De'Aumante Johnson picked off MVSU quarterback Jett Even and went 35 yards down the right sideline to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.



After another three-and-out for the Delta Devils, Grambling State was driving, but a fumble on the exchange at the MVSU 2-yard line gave the Mississippi Valley State the ball back.

But the Delta Devils (0-3 overall, 0-1 SWAC) didn't have it for long as Even's pass was intercepted by Johnson, his second pick of the day, to set up good field position.

The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) picked up their second score of the night with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter when Marc Orozco booted a 36-yard field goal to extend the Grambling State lead to 10-0.

Grambling State picked up two points on a safety, its second in as many weeks, to extend the lead to 12-0 with 13:44 left in the second quarter.

The Tigers closed out the first half with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.

Orozco kicked a 37-yard field goal with 9:58 left to push the advantage to 15-0 and Geremy Hickbottom connected with Devante Davis for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:43 remaining to extend the margin to 22-0.

Grambling State put the game out of reach with 11:42 left in the third quarter as Nicholas Black ran untouched for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Tigers a commanding 29-0 lead.

A James Crosby 4-yard touchdown run cut the margin to 29-6, but the Tigers blocked the extra point and Johnson returned the ball for the two-point conversion.

Grambling State put the final touches on the night on a Lyndemian Brooks touchdown run to give the Tigers a 38-6 victory.



Turning Point
The defense came to play in the SWAC opener.

The tone was set from the start as Johnson's pick six gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead just four minutes into the contest.

With the offense struggling, the defense picked apart Mississippi Valley State early on as the Delta Devils failed to get a first down in the opening quarter. In fact, MVSU had just eight yards on 13 plays in the opening frame.

Inside the Numbers
· Geremy Hickbottom was 4-of-13 passing for 38 yards.
· Dre' Fusilier rushed four times for 83 yards, including a 53-yard run
· Darrell Clark caught four passes for 30 yards.
· The Tigers finished with 247 total yards of offense, including 195 on the ground.
· Mississippi Valley State registered 254 yards, and was held to minus 82 yards rushing.
· Christopher Fowler threw for 319 yards on 29-of-40 passing.
· Darrion Harper caught nine passes for 122 yards, while Quinn McElfresh added 113 yards on nine catches.
· Ja'Terious Pouncy led the Tigers with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops.
· De'Arius Christmas registered six tackles, including two for a loss of 19 yards.
· De'Aumante Johnson finished the night with four solo tackles, three interceptions and a two-point conversion.

News & Notes
· Grambling State improved to 53-5-2 all-time against Mississippi Valley State
· The Delta Devils picked up their first first down with 8:55 remaining in the first half.
· After starting the season with a loss at Tulane, Grambling State has now won three straight.
· Grambling State came into the game ranked No. 22 in the FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, No. 3 in the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Poll and No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football Poll.
· Saturday night's victory against Mississippi Valley State was the fifth straight in the series as head coach Broderick Fobbs remained unbeaten against the Delta Devils.

Up Next
Grambling State steps out of SWAC play for a week as the Tigers visit Soldier Field on Saturday, Sept. 30. Grambling State will meet Clark Atlanta in the Chicago Football Classic with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Southern plagued by missed tackles in loss to Alcorn State. 'That's what cost us the game'

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Immediately after a 48-31 loss to Alcorn State, senior cornerback Danny Johnson had a pretty clear idea of what went wrong defensively.

“We missed a lot of tackles,” said senior cornerback Danny Johnson. “… I just feel like we’ve got to focus in more on that in practice, everybody’s got to take tackling seriously because that’s what cost us the game.”

It’s not a statistic that is officially tracked, but Southern clearly had difficulty wrangling the Braves, specifically running backs De’Lance Turner and P.J. Simmons, who combined to gash the Jaguars for 332 yards and four scores rushing.

Coach Dawson Odums wasn’t as quick to lay the blame on missed tackles after the game, but he vowed a solution would be on the horizon.

“I’ve got to look at the film and see what’s happening, I couldn’t see it from our sideline,” Odums said. “But we’re going to make some adjustments. We’re going to fix this run defense.”



CONTINUE READING

Alcorn State runs away from Southern in the second half, hands Jaguars 48-31 loss

LORMAN, Mississippi — Southern was looking for a desperation stop, and it found a dagger.

Trailing by 10 with two minutes to go, Alcorn State running back De’Lance Turner sprinted through a hole in the Southern defense on third and 3 and iced the game with a 49-yard touchdown run.

That 10-point lead swelled to 17 and Southern was out of timeouts and chances — and the Jaguars had plenty of chances in a 48-31 loss, their sixth in their last seven tries against the Braves.

The failure to stop Turner on that last defensive play was only the latest missed chance.

“About like what happened during the game,” said Southern coach Dawson Odums. “We missed opportunities.

“We’re going to make some adjustments. We’re going to fix this run defense.”

Alcorn State (2-2, 1-0) took control of the game in the second and third quarters, scoring 31 unanswered points on the strength of a rushing attack that gouged Southern (1-3, 0-1) for 383 yards.

CONTINUE READING

Florida A&M Rattlers Escape Savannah With 20-14 Win

SAVANNAH, Georgia -- A stirring defensive stand in the shadow of their end zone lifted the FAMU Football team past a determined Savannah State squad, 20-14 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday evening at Ted A. Wright Stadium.

The win for visiting FAMU (2-2, 1-0 MEAC) was their first win in a conference opener since 2012, while Savannah State (0-3, 0-1 MEAC) dropped their third straight in heartbreaking fashion within sight of the goal line.

Saturday's contest was hard-fought from start to finish, as the winless Tigers refused to relent for 60 minutes, drawing the game down to the final seconds.

Thankfully for FAMU, the Savannah State run game was neutralized as the Tigers had no time outs with 13 seconds left, and was forced to pass.



FIRST HALF
Both teams opened the game exchanging interceptions, with FAMU's Elijah Richardson picking off a Savannah State aerial, only to have Ryan Stanley toss an interception two plays later.

The Tigers converted the miscue into a 7-0 lead, on D'Vonn Gibbons' five-yard run, which capped an eight-play, 43 yard drive with 6:10 left.

FAMU answered with a 75-yard drive in seven played, capped by Stanley's 38-yard strike to freshman Chad Hunter for the tying score with 1:57 left in the quarter, following Khalil Clark's PAT kick.

The Rattlers dodged a bullet early in the second period, when a high snap on a punt try set the Tigers up on the FAMU 31-yard line. But the FAMU Defense stiffened, forcing the Tigers to punt from midfield.



Stanley then directed a 75-yard march, ending with a 15-yard strike to Chad Hunter for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead with 9:11 left in the half.

FAMU's Defense stepped up the heat in the period, recording a pair of sacks, while limiting the Tigers to just 26 yards of offense on 10 plays.

RB Devin Bowers rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries in the opening half, while Stanley was an efficient eight of 11 passing, for 113 yards and two TDs.

PHOTO GALLERY

SECOND HALF
FAMU opened the secon half with the ball, moving to the SSU 40 before their drive stalled. Punter Chris Faddoul pinned the Tigers on their own 10-yard line.



The Tigers managed five yards before having the punt back to FAMU, which started their next drive from their own 34 yard line, two solid defensive plays led to the Rattler drive stalling, leading to a Faddoul punt.

Starting from thir own 31, the Tigers offense were able managed eight yards before punting back to FAMU, which struggle to mount a ground attack against the Tigers defense. Stanley's third down pass for 25 yards to Chaviss Murphy was just enough for a first down at the FAMU 47.

However a holding penalty and an incomplete pass, stalled the Rattlrs scoring bid, forcing a punt which landed at the Tiger two-yard line.

The Tigers drove 99 yards in 12 plays, capped by D'Vonn Gibbons' 41-yard sprint around right end for a 14-13 count with 11:57 lft in the fourth quarter. After three tries, Giovanni Lugo booted the PAT to tie the count at 14-14.



FAMU responded with a 12-play, 91-yard drive, capped by Tevin Spells, who punched it in from seven yards with 6:11 left. But Khalil Clark's PAT kick was wide left, leaving the Rattlers clinging to a 20-14 edge.

On the ensuing possession, Savannah drove to the FAMU 41, where the two squad exchanged five yard penalties, driving into the red zone with under 40 seconds left.

SSU ran a pair of running plays, with QB Gibbons recovering his own fumble at the FAMU four, then after an exchnge of timeouts, two Savannah State passes were batted away on third and fourth down.

FAMU took possession and ran a kneel down play to end the game.



INSIDE THE NUMBERS: FAMU edged SSU in total yards, 335-304, but the Tigers doubled up the Rattlers on the ground, 242-121....Devin Bowers had a season high 115 yards on 21 csrries, while Ryan Stanley finished 17 of 25 for 214 ysrds and two TD tosses... Freshman Chad Hunter led the Rattlers with six catches for 96 yards and two TDs, while senior Chaviss Murphy has six grabs for 74 yards, making a trio of clutch third down conversion grabs.... Jakaris Wilson led the FAMU defense with 12 tackles, a sack and tackle for loss, while Terry Jefferson added nine tackles and a tackle for loss.

PRE-GAME NOTES
@ T.A. Wright Stadium, the site of this evening's game, was named in honor of the late SSU football coach and athletic director, Theodore "Ted" Wright, who served in the same role at FAMU from 1930 to 1932. It was completed in 1969.

@ FAMU came into the game looking for its first conference opening win since September 2012, when they bested Hampton University, 44-20 in Tallahassee.

@ Contrary to earlier reports, Savannah State will not be exiting Division One before the 2019-20 school year, meaning the Tigers will have two years remaining before a possible drop down.



@ Savannah State starting QB T.J. Bell was injured in last week's game against Montana, and he was expected to be a game time decision, but he was listed as doubtful with a lower leg injury.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Rattlers will play their first home game since their August 26 opener against Texas Southern. next Thursday against defending MEAC champion North Carolina Central (2-1, 1-0 MEAC) in a nationally-televised bout on ESPNU, kicking off at 7:30 p.m.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kentucky State Downs Central State University 34-22 in Circle City Classic

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — Kentucky State University football extended its win streak to 10-games over rival Central State University 34-22 in the 34th annual Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Thorobreds (2-2, 1-0) opened their conference schedule with a win for the second time in three years, the previous being in 2015 against CSU. The Marauders (0-4, 0-3) continue to struggle as they've lost their first three games against SIAC opponents.

KSU struck first and never trailed throughout the contest. Junior kicker Turner Warren connected on two first-quarter field goals from 29 yards and 26 yards to put KSU up 6-0.

As the Thorobreds' defense kept the Marauders docked, the offense capitalized on mistakes, beginning with a second-half touchdown from junior quarterback Paul Campbell to sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Powell for a six-yard score. The 13-0 advantage didn't last long as CSU answered with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, pulling back within six.



KSU responded to the special teams score with a 13 play, 62-yard drive, ending with fake field goal touchdown. As Warren lined up for a 28-yard field goal attempt, he broke to his left after the snap, as junior wide receiver Cort Groathouse flipped the ball to Warren. The Louisville, Kentucky native eluded a tackler for his first career rushing touchdown putting KSU up 20-7.

CSU connected for a 32-yard field goal try, bringing the score within 10, going into the locker at halftime, 20-10.

BOX SCORE

Sophomore running back Brett Sylve, the reigning SIAC Newcomer of the week, started off the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown run following a seven play, 65-yard drive, putting back KSU on top 27-10.

The Marauders fought to bring the game back within reach with a score following the Sylve touchdown, at 27-16, but it was an error by CSU in the fourth quarter, sealing the deal for the Thorobreds.



As CSU searched for a spark, KSU brought pressure causing a bad snap into the Marauders' end zone at the 6:31 mark of the final frame. Senior defensive lineman Donovan Cecil fell on the ball for his first career touchdown. KSU allowed another CSU touchdown in the closing minutes of the quarter, finishing off the Marauders with the victory formation in the last two minutes.

Sylve finished his day with a career-high 158 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Campbell also cashed in a career day with 244 passing yards, on 26-of-39 through the air, and a touchdown.

KSU will look to continue its winning ways on the road at Morehouse College on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 4 pm ET.



KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Benedict Tigers Fall To Fort Valley State In Double Overtime, 31-28

FORT VALLEY, Georgia – The Benedict College Tigers rallied from a 21-0 halftime deficit to tie Fort Valley State University, only to fall to the Wildcats 31-28 in double overtime on Saturday at Wildcat Stadium.

The loss dropped Benedict to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in the SIAC. Both of Benedict's losses have been in overtime on the road. Fort Valley State, the defending SIAC champions, moves to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC.

After both teams scored a touchdown in the first overtime, the Wildcats went on offense first in the second overtime. The Benedict defense held FVSU to a 33-yard field goal by Juan Serna for a 31-28 lead. Benedict took over on offense from the 25-yard line and got a 7-yard run by Deville McClendon on first down, but quarterback Dominique Harris fumbled on second down and the Wildcats recovered to end the game.

"It's a tough way to go out, with a turnover at the end," Benedict head coach Mike White said. "We fought hard to get back in the game. It just wasn't that one play. There were a lot of plays we didn't make today. I just like the way the guys hung in there and fought it out."

Benedict struggled against Fort Valley State's passing game in the first half as Wildcat quarterback Slade Jarman threw for 245 yards on 11-of-15 passing and three touchdowns in the first half. He went 22-of-34 for 358 yards for the game, with four touchdowns and one interception. His first touchdown pass went for 53 yards, then came back with a 45-yard scoring pass when the two Benedict defenders collided with each other and fell, allowing Jeremy Glinton to run into the end zone untouched. Glinton is a former Benedict wide receiver, who caught 20 passes for 378 yards and five touchdowns for the Tigers in 2014. The Wildcats added another 22-yard touchdown pass by Jarman to Tajee Steele with 37 seconds left in the half. That drive was set up by a Benedict fumble.

"It was just poor coverage," White said. "The coverage we called wasn't bad, we just didn't execute it."

Benedict took the second half kickoff and drove 82 yards on just five plays. Trini Charlton put the Tigers on the scoreboard with a 49-yard run. Charlton finished with 89 yards on 10 carries.

An Edward Kirkland interception at the start of the fourth quarter gave Benedict the ball at their own 40-yard line. Facing a fourth-and-six, Harris completed a 10-yard pass to Okechi Ntiasagwe for the key first down at the Fort Valley 13-yard line. Facing another fourth down, Harris threw a 6-yard pass to Myquerris McGrier to cut the lead to 21-14 with 9:58 remaining.

The Benedict defense held on the next series and the Tigers took over near midfield. A 12-yard run by Charlton and subsequent 15-yard personal foul penalty by the Wildcats gave Benedict the ball at the 26. On second down from the 4-yard line, Harris ran the ball in on a quarterback keeper. Tory Mimbs added the extra point to tie the contest at 21 with 5:17 on the clock.

Neither team made a scoring threat over the final five minutes sending the contest into overtime, with Benedict coming up with a big defensive stop on fourth down when Dontavis Hunt broke up a pass.

Fort Valley won the first coin toss and elected to go on defense. The Tigers got a 10-yard run by McClendon and a 15-yard scoring run by Harris for their first lead of the game, 28-21. The Wildcats tied the game when Jarman threw a 9-yard pass to Loren Smothers on third down.

PHOTO GALLERY

In the second overtime, Fort Valley moved as far as the 16-yard line, where Serna booted the 33-yard field goal which proved to be the difference in the game.

Reubyn Walker led the Benedict defense with 13 tackles. The Tigers notched four sacks and had 14 tackles for loss.

"They fought and worked hard and didn't give up in the second half," White said. "We've got to shake it off and see if we can get back up for next week. That's the key, how fast we can get over this."

Benedict returns home next week to take on Central State. Kickoff is 6 p.m. in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

BOX SCORE

BENEDICT COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION

HBCU Football Judgment Day Schedule - Week 4

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

OVC
Tennessee State at UT Martin, 5 PM, ESPN3

SWAC
Grambling State at Mississippi Valley State, 7 PM
Texas Southern at Alabama A&M, 7 PM
Southern at Alcorn State, 7 PM
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Jackson State, 7 PM
Prairie View A&M at Alabama State, 8 PM

MEAC
North Carolina Central 33. South Carolina State 28, (9/21/17)
Bethune-Cookman at Howard, 1 PM
Monmouth at Hampton, 2 PM
Norfolk State at Delaware State, 2 PM
Florida A&M at Savannah State, 6 PM
North Carolina A&T at Morgan State, 7 PM



SIAC
Tuskegee at Findley (OH), 1 PM
Albany State at West Georgia, 2 PM
Benedict at Fort Valley State, 2 PM
Clark Atlanta at Lane, 2 PM
Central State (OH) vs. Kentucky State, Circle City Classic, Indianapolis, IN, 3 PM
Saint Augustine's at Lincoln (PA), 5 PM
Morehouse at Miles, 6 PM

OTHER CONF.
West Virginia State at Shepherd (WV), 12 Noon
Faith at Virginia-Lynchburg, 12 Noon
Cheyney at Bloomsburg, 2 PM
Bacone at Langston, 3 PM
Truman State at Lincoln (MO), 3 PM
Texas College at Wayland Baptist, 3 PM
Cumberlands at Edward Waters, 4:30 PM

CIAA
Fort Valley State at Virginia Union, 1 PM
Johnson C. Smith at Elizabeth City State, 1 PM
Shaw at Bowie State, 6 PM
Winston-Salem State at Virginia State, 6 PM
Livingstone at Chowan, 6 PM



ALL GAMES SHOWN IN EASTERN TIME ZONE

Fourth-Quarter Rally Lifts NCCU Football Over SC State

DURHAM, North Carolina -- North Carolina Central University overcame a 14-point, first-half deficit and scored the only two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to earn a 33-28 victory over MEAC foe South Carolina State University during a nationally-televised ESPNU contest on Thursday night at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

A swarming NCCU defense registered 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including three sacks, while holding the Bulldogs to only 80 yards of total offense in the second half. Junior safety Alden McClellon paced the Eagles with 3.0 stops for a loss with a sack and eight total takedowns. Senior linebacker Reggie Hunter collected a team-best nine tackles with 2.5 hits for a loss and a pass break-up, while fellow linebacker Kenneth O'Neal added eight tackles with 2.0 stops for a loss.

The NCCU defense even contributed in the scoring column, as junior safety Davanta Reynolds halted a S.C. State drive when he returned a fumble 85 yards for a touchdown.

Offensively, NCCU (2-1, 1-0 MEAC) was led by freshman quarterback Chauncey Caldwell with a game-high 91 yards rushing and two passing touchdowns. Caldwell's first pass attempt of the night found senior wide receiver Jordan Fieulleteau in the end zone for a 27-yard score. The Durham, North Carolina native capped the evening with the game-winning 38-yard pass to junior tight end Josh McCoy with 5:24 left in the contest.

Caldwell's heroics may not have been possible if not for sophomore quarterback Naiil Ramadan, who entered the game during a critical drive in the fourth quarter when Caldwell was temporarily sidelined. Ramadan scrambled to his right and fired a strike to senior receiver Jacen Murphy for a 20-yard touchdown.

And while Ramadan proved he's a clutch performer, the right foot of junior kicker Aedan Johnson also proved worthy of the tag. Johnson nailed field goals of 35 and 41 yards to keep the Eagles close in the third quarter, and he converted all three extra-point kicks.

S.C. State (1-2, 0-1 MEAC) was charged by sophomore quarterback Dewann Ford with 223 yards and two touchdowns through the air and a team-high 29 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Linebacker Darius Leonard, the MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, amassed a game-best 12 tackles for the Bulldogs.

The Eagles have now won 16 consecutive conference games and 10 straight at home.

After opening the season with three outings in Durham, NCCU will leave the Bull City for the first time next week to play Florida A&M in a second straight Thursday night ESPNU game on Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

North Carolina A&T Aggies Go After First 4-0 Start In 24 Years

*No. 15/No. 21 North Carolina A&T (3-0, 0-0 MEAC) vs. Morgan State (0-3, 0-0 MEAC)
*FCS Coaches Poll/STATS Media Poll
Date: Sept. 23, 2017
Time: 7 p.m.
Facility: Hughes Stadium (10,000)
Series: MSU leads, 43-37-3
Radio: 1320 AM/93.7 FM WCOG; Play-by-play – Donal Ware, Analysts – Al Swann

OFFENSIVE STARTERS FROM LAST GAME: WR Elijah Bell (6-2, 221, So., Leads the nation in receiving TDs); LT Brandon Parker (6-7, 309, R-Sr., three-time reigning O-Lineman of the week in the MEAC); LG Joshua Mattocks (6-3, 331, R-Sr., entering his fourth season as a starter); C Darriel Mack (6-2, 293, R-Sr., held his own against the FBS Charlotte 49ers); RG Daquan Blake (6-1, 290, Jr., Third-team All-MEAC); RT Marcus Pettiford (6-3, 274, R-So., Returns after one-year layoff); WR Khris Gardin (5-7, 185, Sr., did not have a punt return last week); TE Leroy Hill (6-3, 249, R-Jr., All-MEAC tight end); QB Lamar Raynard (6-4, 200, R-Jr., had his third straight game over 200 yards passing); RB Marquell Cartwright (5-8, 201, R-Jr., scored twice against the 49ers); RB Jamari Smith (5-10, 203, Gr., led the Aggies with four receptions).

DEFENSIVE STARTERS FROM LAST GAME: DE Sam Blue (6-1, 247, R-Jr., second on the team in tackles loss (4));  NG Kadarius Kendrick (6-4, 277, R-So., has filled in nicely at the nose guard position); DT Justin Cate DE s (6-2, 275, Jr., had a career game at Charlotte, 3 sacks, 7 tackles and earned national acclaim); DE Darryl Johnson (6-5, 226, R-So., leads the team in TFL’s (4.5)); LB Julius Reynolds (5-9, 226, R-Jr., recorded seven tackles on Sat.); LB Kiaundric Richardson (6-0, 214, R-Jr., returned as a starter on Sat.); LB Marcus Albert (5-10, 205, R-Sr., led the Aggies with nine tackles, 1.5 for loss); ROV Jeremy Taylor (5-11, 190, R-Sr., had another solid game, seven tackles); CB Mac McCain (5-11, 174, R-Fr., pick-6 game-winner, enough said); FS Tard McCoy (5-9, 191, R-Sr., had seven tackles in the start); CB Timadre Abram (5-10, 168, R-Jr., Posted five tackles vs. Charlotte).

The Game: The quest to reach Atlanta starts in Baltimore on Saturday for North Carolina A&T as they face Morgan State in each team’s Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener. The Aggies are 33-15 in conference play under head coach Rod Broadway. They are 20-4 in conference play over the past three seasons with three of those losses coming to North Carolina Central and the other coming to South Carolina State. Morgan State enters the game without a point scored this season. The Bears’ competition has been difficult, however. The Bears have faced FBS school Rutgers, FCS nationally-ranked foe Albany and crosstown FCS rival Towson to open the season. Where they have lacked in offense, they have excelled in defense. The Bears are fourth in the MEAC in total defense and first in pass defense.

The Aggies are coming off another big win in the Broadway era. During Broadway’s tenure, the Aggies defeated Appalachian State who was in transition to FBS play in 2013. Last season, they defeated FBS institution Kent State in Kent, Ohio. Charlotte became the latest FBS to fall to N.C. A&T on Saturday as the Aggies used a pick-6 from redshirt freshman Mac McCain to down the 49ers 35-31. The Aggies continued to throw the ball well. Redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard was 16-for-26 for 259 yards and a touchdown. Raynard has completed 72.2 percent of his passes on the season and ranks fifth in the nation in completion percentage. He has at least connected with seven different receivers in all three games. The defensive superstars last week were McCain and his two INTs that both led to touchdowns, and Justin Cates he posted three sacks.

News & Notes

• The Aggies are 3-0 for the first time since 2013, they are looking for their first 4-0 start since 1993. Neither season resulted in a MEAC title as the Aggies finished 7-4 in 2013 and 8-3 in 1993.
• A&T is off to a 3-0 start for the 20th time in the 94 seasons of Aggies football. The program is seeking its 15th 4-0 start.
• Redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard has not thrown an interception in his last 118 throws. The Aggies are only one of 16 FCS programs not throw an interception this season.
• The last interception Raynard occurred on Oct. 29, 2016 against Florida A&M. Raynard leads the MEAC in passing yards per game (280.7) and completion percentage (.722).
• The Aggies are only one of 18 teams on the FCS level who are undefeated. N.C. A&T and Tennessee State are the only two undefeated FCS HBCU’s in the nation.

 Opposing Point of View

 “It makes a difference in people’s mind when you’ don’t score points. I am aware of that, I accept that. We’re going to go back to the drawing board and try to figure that out. But we get a fresh start this week. Heading into the MEAC is always exciting, we’re going to be competitive to the best of our ability in every single MEAC game. But at the same time, I don’t know North Carolina A&T is any different than the three teams (Towson, Albany, Rutgers) we just played. They’re pretty doggone good. It’s a tough start in the MEAC, but we’re excited about it. We get a chance to play at home, and we think they give us an opportunity to try to get some things done. It will be a challenge for us. They have good players, they’re big, they’re strong, they’re physical and they play with an attitude.”

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Southern still needs to test Austin Howard's injured knee; does not rule him out for Alcorn State game

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Before Southern can determine the status of senior quarterback Austin Howard for Saturday’s game at Alcorn State, the mailman needs to make an appearance.

SU coach Dawson Odums said earlier this week that he hoped to have an answer on Howard’s status by Thursday — but as of Thursday afternoon, a custom brace for Howard’s injured knee had not arrived.

Without the brace, which was custom-made to fit Howard’s frame, Odums said he wouldn't test Howard’s knee.

“We haven’t been able to test him out. we haven’t been able to run him because you can’t do anything without the brace,” Odums said.

Howard did throw some passes at Thursday morning’s practice, but he was limited to upper-body work.

Odums did not rule him out for this weekend. The Jaguars (1-2) begin Southwestern Athletic Conference play against Alcorn (1-2) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Lorman, Mississippi.

CONTINUE READING

Quintin Guice steps up for Grambling

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – There’s no rushing trust. It takes repetitions, performance and time.

Entering the 2017 football season, it was no secret plenty of fresh faces in the receiver group needed to show they could be relied on by Grambling State coaches and senior quarterback DeVante Kincade through reps at practice, but more importantly, stepping up in these early season games.

The receiving corps lost 81 percent of the receiving yard production off last season’s SWAC and HBCU national championship team, and welcomed back just three players that caught a pass from Kincade. Redshirt junior Devohn Lindsey, the leading Tigers pass catcher from a season ago, suffered an injury in the team’s season opener at Tulane and has missed the last two contests.



Through how he’s looked in practice, sophomore Quintin Guice slid into that starting role for the first time and has quickly caught the eye of his coaches and quarterback after a team-high performance of eight catches for 72 yards this past Saturday versus a good Jackson State defense.

“Guice is hungry,” GSU tight ends coach Darrell Kitchen said. “Every day he comes to practice ready to practice, and then Saturday was just the fruits of his labor. He’s been out there, he’s doing some things.”

CONTINUE READING

Stuck in neutral, Jackson State offense hopes to break through against Pine Bluff

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State’s offense faced several huge questions going into the 2017 season. Among those: Who would play quarterback? Who will step up at receiver? Will the offensive line improve?

More than a quarter of the way into the season, we have some (partial) answers — Brent Lyles, everyone and not yet.

Lyles has been serviceable. He’s completed 52 of his 85 passes for 444 yards and one touchdown. His 104.2 pass efficiency rating is fifth among SWAC quarterbacks, but more importantly, he’s only throwing one interception per 42.5 attempts.

Jackson State players are not being made available for media interviews, so we can’t get Lyles’ take on what’s working — and what’s not — in the Tigers offense. Nor his receivers, for that matter. Nor his offensive line. That leaves it up to our own analysis — with help from Hughes.

First, the numbers.

JSU ranks 113th out of 123 FCS schools in total offense after three games. It is gaining an average of 208 yards of total offense. It ranks 99th in passing, 114th in rushing and the Tigers are tied for 106th in scoring with three offensive touchdowns in as many games.



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Gold Nuggets sweep GCAC awards for 3rd time this year

NEW ORLEANS — This is getting to be a habit for the Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball program.

After sweeping the three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference weekly awards only once in the past two seasons, the Gold Nuggets have stepped up their production in 2017, earning a sweep for the second straight week and the third time in four weeks.

XULA's honorees for Sept. 11-17 are Vivica Price-Spraggins, Attacker of the Week; Tiffany Phillips, Setter of the Week; and Anna Dalla Vecchia, Defender of the Week. Price-Spraggins won for the first time in her career. Phillips and Dalla Vecchia were honored for the second straight week and the third time this season, and Phillips won for the ninth time in her career to extend her XULA record.

Price-Spraggins, a freshman middle blocker/right-side hitter from Chicago and a graduate of Whitney Young Magnet High School, did not commit an attack error in GCAC home victories against Edward Waters and Talladega. She hit .467 for the week with 14 kills in 30 attacks. Against Talladega she became the first XULA player since Moira Kirk in 2013 to hit .400 or better in five straight matches with at least 10 attacks in each match.

Phillips, a sophomore from Gardena, Calif., and a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, had a team-best 41 assists — 25 against Edward Waters — and eight digs.

Dalla Vecchia, a freshman from Vicenza, Italy, had 25 digs and successfully passed 40 service receptions without an error. She also produced three aces and seven assists. Dalla Vecchia has yet to commit a reception error in her college career.

XULA (9-1 overall, 3-0 GCAC) won 25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16 Tuesday at William Carey and will put an eight-match win streak on the line Thursday in a 6 p.m. GCAC match at SUNO. The Gold Nuggets, the six-time defending GCAC regular-season and tournament champion, are the only unbeaten team in GCAC matches.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Sewell, Price extend season dominance of GCAC awards

NEW ORLEANS — Camren Sewell and Taylor Price, Xavier University of Louisiana's standout harriers, have won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runner of the Week awards for the fourth time in as many opportunities this season.

The GCAC awards covered Sept. 11-17.

Sewell, a freshman from Cincinnati and a graduate of LaSalle High School, broke the XULA men's record for 6,000 meters Saturday at the LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge, La. Sewell's time was 20 minutes, 8.1 seconds. The previous mark was 21:08 set in 2010. Sewell finished 45th out of 77 runners and was faster than 19 NCAA Division I runners. XULA is a longtime NAIA member.

Price ran the women's 5K at LSU in 20:08 and placed 28th out of 68 runners. A sophomore from Missouri Park, Texas, and a graduate of Ridge Point High School, Price finished ahead of 30 runners from NCAA Division I. The GCAC award is the ninth of her career.

Next for the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will be a non-scored exhibition Oct. 14 in the UNCF Walk/Run for Education at Audubon Park in New Orleans, then the GCAC Championships Oct. 20 at Choctaw Trails in Clinton, Miss. XULA's men and women are 10-time defending GCAC team champions.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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Gold Nuggets are road warriors in 8th straight victory

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi — Xavier University of Louisiana rolled to its eight straight volleyball victory, a 25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16 decision Tuesday against William Carey.

The Gold Nuggets (9-1) got double-doubles from Kayla Black (18 kills, 10 digs), Eva Le Guillou (23 assists, 12 digs) and Juliana Tomasoni (14 kills, 19 digs), plus a career-best 10 kills from Jaida Dowd.

Black, Le Guillou and Dowd are freshmen.

It was the first time since Aug. 30, 2014, that the Gold Nuggets won a regular-season non-conference match on an out-of-town opponent's court.

"It was a great team effort," first-year head coach Pat Kendrick said. "Adili (Rikondja) and Jaida did a nice job in roles they hadn't played much this season. Kayla and Jules (Tomasoni) had great connections with the setters. Anna (Dalla Vecchia) was very efficient."

Rikondja, normally a right-side hitter, started at middle blocker and finished with four kills and two blocks. Dowd replaced Rikondja on the right side and finished with a flurry, hitting .750 with six kills over the final two sets.

Black produced the most kills in a match by a XULA player this season, and the double-double was her third. Tomasoni matched her season best for digs in her sixth double-double of the season. Le Guillou reached career highs for assists, digs and aces (3).

Black and Tomasoni combined for 21 kills and a .568 hitting percentage in the first two sets.

Also filling up the stat sheet were Tiffany Phillips with 25 assists, Dalla Vecchia with 20 digs — her sixth consecutive match in double figures — and Vivica Price-Spraggins with five kills, three blocks and a career-best five digs.

Megan Zulli had 10 kills and hit .370 for William Carey (7-5), which dropped its third straight. Emma Cotney and Lisa Faolotoi had 13 digs apiece.

XULA outhit William Carey .240 to .199 and had advantages of 56-53 in kills, 8-3 in aces and 6-3 in blocks. Both teams had 79 digs. The Gold Nuggets hit .336 in the sets they won.

XULA, the leader in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference at 3-0, will visit SUNO at 6 p.m. Thursday in a GCAC match. The next home match will start at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 against Dillard at the Convocation Center.

BOX SCORE

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Breaking down Prairie View A&M vs. Alabama State

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas  -- Records: Prairie View A&M 0-2, Alabama State 0-3.

Series history: Alabama State leads 25-7.

Key players: Prairie View - QB Lavell McCullers, RB Dawonya Tucker, LB Anthony Stubbs; Alabama State - QB Kobie Jones, RB Darrel King, S Treyon Garnett

Who has the edge

Offense – Prairie View A&M. Coach Willie Simons is looking for a faster start this week after his Panthers were outscored a combined 64-20 in the first half by Sam Houston and Nicholls. Still, they trailed only 30-24 against the high-scoring Bearkats after Tucker scored on a 19-yard run with 5:59 showing in the third. The Panthers average 5.0 yards per carry behind Tucker (19-107, 3 TDs) and McCullers (22-131, 1 TD).

Defense – Alabama State. Hornets opponents are averaging ...

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One last chance: Southern to face Alcorn State quarterback Lenorris Footman one more time after years of giving Jaguars fits

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana --The first time Kentavious Preston saw Lenorris Footman on a football field, he had no idea who the Alcorn State quarterback was.

Preston remembers it quite vividly.



It was 2015, and it was pouring in A.W. Mumford Stadium. The Jaguars thought they got a break when Alcorn’s starting quarterback, John Gibbs, left the game on the first drive with an apparent injury.

At the time, Gibbs was the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, a perpetual thorn in Southern’s side. Over the previous three seasons, he had led the Braves to three straight wins, scoring six touchdowns and piling up 770 yards of total offense.

The Jaguars didn't know who was waiting for them behind Gibbs.

Over the next 46 minutes, Footman ran for 274 yards and four touchdowns, a SWAC record for a quarterback. He also threw for another two touchdowns on 71 yards.

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Visiting bands welcome again for CIAA games

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- And the band played on….

The bands that are a big part of the HBCU game-day experience will be allowed to play in the CIAA this season.

The athletics directors from all the CIAA schools held a conference call with commissioner Jacqie McWilliams on Thursday morning and decided that home-team athletics directors will make the decision on whether visiting team’s band will play, said Tonia Walker, athletics director at WSSU.

Earlier this year, the NCAA mandated a strict 20-minute halftime would be enforced this season for all divisions of football. That means penalties could be called if bands are not off the field before the start of the second half.

With that in mind, there was talk of the CIAA limiting its halftimes to allowing only the home team’s band to play. But Walker said that won’t happen at WSSU home games this season.

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A Day in the Life of the BGMM (N.C. A&T): Alex Somar, Baritone - Euphonium Section Leader

S.C. State Bulldogs prep for Thursday night ESPNU game at North Carolina Central

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The South Carolina State Bulldogs football team needs to hit the ground running, and passing, and kicking and tackling when they open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play on ESPNU this Thursday night at North Carolina Central.

S.C. State head football coach Buddy Pough realizes the MEAC standings picture could be a lot clearer by the end of this month, once his team plays the league favorites.



S.C. State's next two opponents are in the Top 4 rankings in this week's SBN Sports Network Black College Football Poll and in both the coaches' and media polls from BoxToRow.

The Bulldogs will play in Durham, N.C., against the Eagles (1-1) this week and then play host to unbeaten North Carolina A&T (3-0) on Saturday, Sept. 30. NCCU, the defending conference champion, was picked to finish first again this season, followed by N.C. A&T and S.C. State, at Nos. 2 and 3 respectively.

Coming off Saturday's home-opening 41-0 win against Johnson C. Smith, Pough likes the direction his team is headed, with solid play on defense and special teams supporting an emerging offense.

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HBCU Early Season Half-Time Showcase 2017

Tennessee State football earns second-highest ranking since 1999

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State climbed to No. 20 in both FCS national polls on Monday, which is the second-highest ranking for the Tigers since being No. 1 in 1999.

After defeating Florida A&M 24-13 on Saturday in the Tampa Classic at Raymond James Stadium, the Tigers improved to 3-0 and moved up in both the STATS FCS and Coaches polls.

The Tigers were 22nd in the STATS poll and 24th in the Coaches poll heading into that game.

"What I like about the ranking is that it's not only recognition for the football team and the athletic program, but it also puts Tennessee State on the map," coach Rod Reed said. "You can look in the newspaper and all the other media platforms and see TSU there every day for a solid couple of weeks. It's great marketing for the university."

TSU’s highest ranking ever came in 1999 when the Tigers went 11-0 in the regular season under coach L.C. Cole. That team lost in the first round of the national playoffs to North Carolina A&T.

The best ranking since then came in 2012 when Reed led the Tigers to a 7-0 start. That team climbed to No. 17 in the Sports Network (now the STATS) poll and No. 18 in the Coaches poll.



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SWAC play offers Jackson State clean slate after rough 0-3 start

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Tony Hughes is a sore loser.

He's as frustrated as anyone about the Tigers' slow start to the 2017 season.

"When I was a kid playing marbles, If I started to lose I would take my marbles and go home," he said Monday. "You weren't going to beat me with my own marbles. If it was football, I'd take my ball and go inside or we'd play all day until I wore you down and finally beat you before I'd go home."

That explains his statements from last week, when he called out his critics at his regularly-scheduled weekly press conference.



But Hughes struck a different tone this week. Despite dropping a 36-21 road game at Grambling Saturday, he sounded optimistic as his Tigers (0-3) head into their first home game and SWAC opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

"My statements last week were not aimed at any one person or one particular group," Hughes said. "It was basically my frustration from being 0-3. Sometimes you might say something that comes out that might be offensive... but basically, I love winning, and I hate losing."

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ECSU Vikings Victorious Over FSU Broncos in 20th Annual Down East Vikings Football Classic

ROCKY MOUNT, North Carolina – The Elizabeth City State University football team gained 510 yards of total offense in 79 plays to defeat the Fayetteville State University Broncos, 45-42 in the 20th Annual Down East Vikings Football Classic at the Rocky Mount Municipal Sports Complex, Saturday evening.

With the win, the Vikings improve to 2-1; while FSU falls to 1-2 on the season.

With 8:37 remaining in the ballgame, FSU’s Brandon Smith returned a 90-yard kickoff, tying the game at 42-all. Senior quarterback DeQuan Neal and the ECSU offense marched the ball down the field using 10-plays, 36-yards, and every bit of 5:35 of the game clock to setup kicker Joshua Laverty for the game-winning field goal with 2:50 remaining in the contest.



The Elizabeth City State defense held FSU’s offense on its final drive to claim the moral victory. A back and forth scoring contest, junior running back Gregory Bryan got things started for the Vikings, scoring on a 53-yard touchdown pass from Neal in the opening seven minutes of the contest.

Freshman Greg Williams added a blocked punt that went out the back of the end zone, giving ECSU a slight 9-7 advantage. Laverty recorded a 26-yard field goal with 2:38 remaining in the first quarter, gifting the Vikings a 12-7 lead. The Broncos came rushing back with a score of their own and with 2:15 remaining in the first quarter on a 50-yard run from scrimmage, making it a 14-12 contest.

The Vikings once again answered, when Neal connected with sophomore running back Deshon Saunders on a 23-yard touchdown pass play, taking a 19-14 lead. FSU returned the favor by recording two more touchdowns before the half, taking a 28-19 lead into halftime.



Elizabeth City State’s defense came out of halftime on fire, making two huge stops; which eventually led to points and regaining a 29-28 lead over the Broncos. The Vikings never looked back. A basket catch by sophomore tight end Carlton Evans from Neal gave ECSU a seven point deficit over FSU. The Broncos would drive 66-yards down the field using only one play to knot the game up at 35-all.

Saunders added another score for the Vikings, making it a 42-35 contest. Fayetteville State’s running back Stevie Green was named Offensive Player of the Game after finishing with 255 yards on 23 carries; while ECSU’s Miacah Cooper was named Defensive Player of the Game with 5.5 tackles. Neal finished with four touchdowns, 355 yards passing, on 31 completions in 44 attempts.

The Vikings return home to host Johnson C. Smith next Saturday in Roebuck Stadium. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.



Follow Elizabeth City State Athletics via its official website at: www.ecsuvikings.com to get pre and post-game stories and updates. Also follow us on twitter at: @ECSUVikings and on Instagram: @ecsusports

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N.C. A&T McCain's Pick-6 Leads Aggies to Win Over FBS UNC-Charlotte 49'ers

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Whether it is Boone in 2013 or Kent, Ohio in 2016 or the North Carolina A&T football team’s latest conquest in Charlotte on Saturday night, the North Carolina A&T football team has become adept at going on the road and winning games conventional wisdom says they cannot win.

The Aggies (No. 20 FCS Coaches Poll/No. 25 STATS Media Poll) defeated Division I-FBS and Conference-USA member Charlotte, 35-31, behind a game-winning pick-6 from redshirt freshman Franklin “Mac” McCain III in front of a record-crowd 19,651 at Jerry Richardson Stadium.



It was McCain’s second interception of the game, both leading to touchdowns. The Aggies are now 3-0 for the first time since 2013. In the process, they defeated an FBS for the second straight season (FBS schools are awarded approximately 20 more scholarship equivalents than the FCS level, the level N.C. A&T plays on). N.C. A&T also won at Appalachian State in 2013 when the Mountaineers were making the transition to FBS and last season they won at Kent State.

“For our little ragtag bunch from Greensboro to come over here and play with the big boys and come out with a win is a big deal,” said N.C. A&T head coach Rod Broadway who earned his 50th coaching win at N.C. A&T, making him only the fourth coach in school history with 50 wins at the university. He joined William Bell (51 wins, 1946-56), Bert Piggot (55 wins, 1957-67) and Bill Hayes (106 wins, 1988-2002).

“I thought we really had a chance to distance ourselves a little bit scoring wise at one point,” Broadway continued. “But you have to give them credit, they hung in there and made us earn everything we got.”

N.C. A&T took its biggest lead of the game, 28-10 with 9:33 remaining in the third quarter, thanks to a 1-yard touchdown from redshirt junior Marquell Cartwright. Cartwright’s touchdown was set up by a 22-yard interception return to the 49ers 10-yard line by McCain. The Aggies maintained that advantage until the tail end of the third quarter when the 49ers took only 1:24 to go six plays in 63 yards to score on a 29-yard touchdown pass from former Aggies quarterback Hasaan Klugh to T.L. Ford II as the clock ticked zero to end the quarter.

“That’s the area of the game that really sticks out in my mind,” said Broadway. “We hardly used up any time, and they get the ball with two minutes to go in the quarter and go score. We still have a whole quarter left. We should have been able to take the clock down to 14, 13 minutes left to go in the fourth quarter, so we’ve got to manage the clock and little bit better than we did over the last few minutes of the third quarter.”

The Aggies opened the fourth quarter by advancing the ball to the Niners 42, but they were forced to punt, giving the Niners the ball at their own 10 with 10:27 remaining in the game. The Niners (0-3) kept their momentum going by putting together a 12-play, 90-yard drive that ended with Klugh completing a 4-yard touchdown pass to R.J. Tyler. The Niners converted the two-point conversion to slice the Aggies lead to 28-25 with 6:12 to play in the game.

After taking possession, the Aggies did take 3:48 off the clock before having to punt, giving the Niners possession at their own 16. Six plays later, on a 4th-and-10 from the Charlotte 31, Klugh slipped through the Aggies defense for a 15-yard run. He fumbled toward the end of the run, but it was recovered by teammate Uriah Lemay for a first down. Klugh then completed a 13-yard pass to Lemay to advance the ball to the Aggies 44.



But on the next play, McCain anticipated the sideline throw from Klugh and picked off his pass for a 74-yard INT TD return to give the Aggies a 35-25 lead with 29 seconds remaining.

“I saw the three-step (drop) coming. I trusted what I saw on film and my technique and made a play. It felt good because it’s my first time really getting out there,” said McCain who redshirted last season.

Amazingly, Charlotte scored again on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Klugh to Workpeh Kofa with 13 seconds remaining. But the Niners ensuing on-side kick went out of bounds to end their comeback efforts.

N.C. A&T redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard led the Aggies offensively by throwing for 259 yards and a touchdown on 16-for-26 passing. In addition to his two picks, McCain also had eight tackles. Fifth-year linebacker Marcus Albert led the Aggies with nine tackles and a sack. Justin Cates finished with three sacks.

Saturday did not start well for the Aggies. They fumbled the opening kickoff which led to a 14-yard touchdown run by Klugh. N.C. A&T recovered by scoring the next 21 points as they took a 21-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.

“We did enough to win, but you can see a lot of areas of improvement we can make from this point on,” said Broadway. “We’re a good football team, and if we can stay healthy we have a chance to be a really good football team. But we’ve got to clean some things up. Overall, I’m extremely proud of my guys.”

Conference play starts for the Aggies next week as they travel to Baltimore to face the Morgan State Bears, Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.

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