Wins, losses are what matter to Wood with four games left in FAMU's season

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- The games have been closer compared to head coach Alex Wood’s first two seasons at the helm, but for the second season in a row, the Rattlers have two wins through seven games.

In Wood’s first season at the helm, the team had just one win through seven games – it was the only win the team would get in 2015.

There are other metrics involved – graduation, on-field performance, etc. – but at the end of the day, Wood said he, like FAMU fans, judges his team based off wins and losses.

Right now, the Rattlers (2-5, 1-3 MEAC) have too many losses. FAMU will try to stop a three-game skid on Saturday at Hampton (4-2, 3-0 MEAC).

“That’s our business, the bottom line,” Wood said about wins and losses.

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Barlow leads Virginia State back into NCAA D-II Top 25

HEAD COACH REGGIE BARLOW
VSU TROJANS FOOTBALL

PETERSBURG, Virginia -- Virginia State has resurfaced in the national rankings under Reggie Barlow.

The Trojans cracked the AFCA NCAA Division II Top 25 after last week’s 47-35 win over then-No. 14-ranked Bowie State.

Ranked 21st in the poll, Virginia State (6-0, 4-0 CIAA) plays Lincoln (0-7, 0-4) Saturday.

Barlow, who was fired at Alabama State in 2014 as the university’s winningest coach (49-42 in eight seasons), is 15-2 at Virginia State since taking the job in May 2016.

VSU was last ranked Dec. 22, 2014. The Trojans won the CIAA and reached the NCAA D-II playoffs that season with Latrell Scott as its head coach.

The now Norfolk State coach went 19-4 in two seasons at Virginia State.

The Trojans finished 6-4 in 2015, but lost its head coach when Byron Thweatt left after one season to coach linebackers at FCS school James Madison.

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Eruption: ASU celebrates first win of 2017 season

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State finally had reason to rejoice.

Nine days after losing their head coach, the Hornets won their first game of the season, 23-16, at winless Texas Southern last week.

“Those young men erupted,” ASU interim head coach Donald Hill-Eley said during Monday’s SWAC coaches teleconference.

“This was the first opportunity for them to get fruit from their labor of all the conditioning they’ve done since last year. They were very excited and I was excited for them.”

ASU started the season 0-5 after going 4-7 the previous season. Brian Jenkins, who came to ASU after winning 46 games in five seasons at Bethune-Cookman, was fired after losing 24-10 to Alcorn State at home on a Thursday night on ESPNU.

The Hornets went 10-17 in 2 1/2 seasons under Jenkins.

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JSU's Derrick McCall will call offensive plays against Southern

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Tony Hughes finally pulled the trigger Tuesday, elevating wide receivers coach Derrick McCall to co-offensive coordinator and putting him in charge of calling offensive plays going forward.

"I met with each coach individually and we all feel like this is what's best for the team," Hughes said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. "I don't want to go into it much further than that, because we don't want to tip our hand to Southern for this weekend's game."

Hughes did add that he will let McCall make the call on which player personnel he wants to use, saying he and his staff would meet as a group to make final decisions headed into Saturday's 6 p.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium.

Chad Germany, McCall's co-coordinator who was formerly in charge of calling games, will take on the added role of coaching wide receivers and will be responsible for signaling in the plays and making substitution calls on the sidelines.

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Can you dig this? Nuggets improve to 8-0 in GCAC

TOUGALOO, Mississippi — Xavier University of Louisiana's defense, led by freshman libero Anna Dalla Vecchia, sparkled again in a 25-14, 25-13, 25-17 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball victory against Tougaloo.

Dalla Vecchia had 31 digs — 13 in the final set — to tie a XULA match record and help the Gold Nuggets (16-2, 8-0) win their sixth in a row. They knocked the Lady Bulldogs (16-9, 7-3) out of second place.

XULA got double-doubles from Juliana Tomasoni (10 kills, 13 digs) and Tiffany Phillips (21 assists, 10 digs). Tougaloo hit minus-.008 in 125 attacks and became the third XULA conference opponent in the last four matches to finish with more attack errors than kills. No GCAC opponent has hit better than .092 against XULA this season.

The Gold Nuggets will stay on the road and play GCAC opponent Philander Smith at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Little Rock, Ark.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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College Baseball Central Podcast: Talking SWAC and MEAC Baseball with Michael Coker

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- In this episode of the College Baseball Central Podcast, Joe Healy talks baseball in the SWAC and MEAC with Michael Coker of Black College Nines.

The headline from these two conferences in 2017 was obviously the postseason run by Bethune-Cookman. The Wildcats enjoyed a fantastic run in the Gainesville Regional, forcing the eventual national champion Florida Gators to a deciding seventh game before bowing out. Head coach Jason Beverlin has done an outstanding job of building upon the success that the program enjoyed under Mervyl Melendez.



In the SWAC, it feels like the league is fairly wide open. Alabama State it still well-stocked with talent. Texas Southern was a 2017 regional team and always plays well when it counts the most. Jackson State is as consistent as just about any program in the conference, and Grambling won their division last year. And that’s to say nothing of a program like Southern, which made a high-profile head coaching hire in bringing in Kerrick Jackson to replace the legendary Roger Cador.

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Why it’s so important that this football team (NCCU) beat a 1-5 non-conference opponent

DURHAM, North Carolina -- There’s not a lot Jerry Mack hasn’t accomplished in his four years as the head football coach at N.C. Central.

Mack, 36, has won three MEAC championships, becoming the first coach in school history to win 24 games in his first three years. Last season he led the Eagles to their first national ranking as a Division I-FCS program, finishing No. 19 in the FCS Coaches Poll. After N.C. Central’s first outright MEAC title in 2016, Mack led the team to its first bowl game since making the switch to Division I in 2011.



This season, N.C. Central is off to a 4-1 start and is 3-0 in the MEAC. Since starting at NCCU in 2014, Mack has gone 29-12 and 24-3 record in conference play. But for all he has accomplished, Mack, until this past weekend, still had one more thing to check off his list: beating a non-conference opponent.

N.C. Central this past Saturday finally did just that by beating Gardner-Webb (1-5) from the Big South 24-17, in the fifth meeting between the two in-state schools. The win goes a long way in helping the national reputation of N.C. Central, which entered the game ranked No. 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll.

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Unbeaten North Carolina A&T 'on the right track' after seventh victory

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — The seventh win didn’t come easy.

On the road at Florida A&M, playing in front of a standing-room-only homecoming crowd in a stadium that seats 25,500, N.C. A&T looked vulnerable in its 31-20 victory over the Rattlers on Saturday.

The Aggies lost three turnovers, including quarterback Lamar Raynard’s second and third interceptions of the season, and committed a season-high eight penalties for 64 yards.

And yet, it was still win No. 7. The Aggies are 7-0 for the first time since 1943 and just the third time in the program’s 93-year history.

“Man, let’s don’t take these wins for granted,” A&T coach Rod Broadway said today. “Winning is hard. Sometimes we get in a comfort zone where we think this (7-0 start) is the norm. Well, this isn’t normal. These guys are doing something special.”

Now comes the most difficult game of the season. A&T (7-0, 4-0 MEAC) will host Bethune-Cookman (3-3, 2-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Aggie Stadium.

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Grambling State has 'chip on shoulder' entering Alcorn State game

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- When you’re talking champ versus champ, breath’s not wasted on clichés or coach speak.

Fourth-year Grambling State head football coach Broderick Fobbs could’ve doled out the politically correct banter Monday morning at his weekly press conference, where he previewed the reigning SWAC champion Tigers’ big showdown with Alcorn State, the league’s champion the year prior, coming up Saturday at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.

The Braves defeated the G-Men, 49-21, for the title in 2015, and maybe that still doesn’t quite sit well with Fobbs. Or maybe it’s from last season’s SWAC championship game where Alcorn raced out to a 17-0 halftime advantage – a stark difference from the regular season meeting where GSU dominated, 43-18 – before his Tigers roared back to win, 27-20, in the final minutes.

Likely reasoning is a combination of the two. But any way it’s sliced, Grambling State (5-1, 2-0), now ranked 17th in the FCS Coaches Poll, has entered Alcorn State week with a chip on its shoulder.

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JSU AD: Tony Hughes still the right man for the job at Jackson State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State director of athletics Wheeler Brown gave Tiger football coach Tony Hughes a vote of confidence Monday morning, despite the team's 0-6 start.

Reached by phone, Brown said he understands the frustration fans feel towards the program, which is off to its worst start since 1969 following Saturday's 33-7 loss to Division II Tuskegee.

"I don't think the kids or the coaches have quit," Brown said. "I hope we can work to rectify those things that have kept us from being successful on the field, but my support hasn't wavered and at the end of the day, I still think coach Hughes is the man for the job."

The Tigers are set to host Southern University this weekend at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

The athletic department decided to postpone Monday's regularly scheduled football press conference to Tuesday, prompting many to believe there may be a shakeup within the coaching staff.

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The 16th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Returns to Rock Atlanta

Polls are now open for the public to vote for their favorite marching bands to perform in the 16th annual HBOB Invitational Showcase.

TORRANCE, California – Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) will make its highly-anticipated return to Atlanta on January 27, 2018, when eight marching bands from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) take the field to dazzle fans with their music, choreography and pageantry. The polls are now open for the public to vote for their favorite marching bands to perform in the 16th annual HBOB Invitational Showcase.

Beginning today, fans can visit http://www.hondabattleofthebands.com/the-bands and vote daily to help select the eight bands that will perform at the 2018 Invitational Showcase. Voting will close on Friday, October 20 at midnight Eastern.

“For more than 15 years, Honda Battle of the Bands has provided a stage for exceptional marching bands—a hallmark of HBCU culture,” said Stephan Morikawa, Vice President, Corporate Relations & Social Responsibility for Honda. “Honda is honored to celebrate these student musicians and their teamwork, and we look forward to their dynamic performances come January.”

This year’s theme, March On: Dream Together, highlights the distinctive culture of HBCUs—both on and off the field. It is a culture that impacts and inspires far beyond its community. In addition to music education, HBOB celebrates everything from the rich history and traditions of HBCUs to the life-long connections that fuel future leaders.

In the last two years, the HBOB Invitational Showcase has attracted a combined audience of nearly 120,000 fans via the live show and online livestream. Tickets for the anticipated event start at $10 and will be available for purchase on October 16 at HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

In addition to the marching bands, the 2018 Invitational Showcase will also feature the fourth-annual HBCU Power of Dreams Award. Honda established the award to honor extraordinary individuals who are positively affecting the lives of others and moving the HBCU community forward. Members of the HBCU community will have the opportunity to nominate an exceptional individual who is making a difference in the community. Honda will recognize the winner in a ceremony during the event.

For more information on Honda Battle of the Bands and to buy tickets, visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com. To join the social media conversation, use #HBOB and visit the following social media handles for official updates:

Facebook – Facebook.com/HondaBattleoftheBands
Twitter – @The_Honda / Twitter.com/The_Honda
Instagram – @the_honda / Instagram.com/the_honda

About Honda
Honda seeks to be a company that society wants to exist, creating products and technologies that improve the lives of people while minimizing the environmental impacts of its products and business operations to ensure a sustainable future for society. Honda is also committed to making positive contributions to the communities where we do business, to socially responsible business practices and to the promotion of diversity in our workforce. From our involvement in STEM education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to our support of pediatric brain tumor research, and volunteer efforts by Honda associates, including environmental clean-up activities, Honda believes in giving back to the communities where we live and work.

Honda supports a variety of initiatives aimed at advancing education and creating experiences of discovery that help young people see and achieve their own dreams. Honda's partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund is one of many programs demonstrating Honda's commitment to the Latino community and to helping young people access The Power of Dreams.

NCCU Football Defeats Gardner-Webb to Extend Record Home Win Streak

DURHAM, North Carolina  – No. 25 North Carolina Central University amassed 409 yards of total offense, including a season-high 333 passing yards by freshman quarterback Chauncey Caldwell, to lift the Eagles past Gardner-Webb University by a score of 24-17 inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

The nationally-ranked Eagles extend their school record home win streak to 11 games.

Sophomore wide receiver Xavier McKoy made the most of his three catches, finishing with 139 receiving yards, including an 89-yard touchdown on the third-longest pass play in NCCU history.



Senior receiver Jacen Murphy collected a game-high seven receptions for 64 yards, while freshman Nique Martin caught three passes for 66 yards with a 57-yard touchdown.

Defensively, safeties Davanta Reynolds and Alden McClellon topped NCCU with eight tackles apiece. The lone takeaway by the Eagles was a fumble recovery by linebacker De'Niro Laster that was forced by defensive end Kawuan Cox to halt the Runnin' Bulldogs' opening drive of the contest.

NCCU's kicking game played a big factor in Saturday's outcome. Aedan Johnson made a 40-yard field goal and Nathaniel Tilque placed five of his seven punts inside the 10-yard line with a long of 52 yards.

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Gardner-Webb (1-5) was led by senior quarterback Tyrell Maxwell, who accounted for 303 total yards with 138 yards passing and 165 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Linebacker Kenyatta Dunbar recorded 10 tackles with a sack and an interception.

Up next, NCCU (5-1) returns to MEAC action by hosting Norfolk State University on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. The Eagles have won 18 consecutive conference games.

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HBCU Football Judgement Day Scoreboard - Week 7

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

OVC
Austin Peay 21, Tennessee State 17

MEAC
Morgan State 48, Savannah State 28
Hampton 16, Norfolk State 14, Battle of the Bay
Howard 52, Delaware State 23
North Carolina Central 24, Gardner-Webb 17
North Carolina A&T 31, Florida A&M 20
Bethune-Cookman 12, South Carolina State 9

SWAC
Alabama State 23, Texas Southern 16
Alcorn State 34, Prairie View 21
Central State (OH) 40, Arkansas Pine Bluff 35
Alabama A&M 49,  Mississippi Valley 14
Tuskegee 33, Jackson State 7, 5th Quarter Classic



CIAA
Virginia State 47, Bowie State 35
Virginia Union 35, Chowan 10
Shaw 35, Livingstone 14
Fayetteville State 41, Johnson C. Smith 16
Saint Augustine's 17, Winston-Salem State 14
Elizabeth City State 56, Lincoln (PA)18

OTHER CONF.
Langston 44, Texas College 17
West Virginia State 47, Concord 29
Webber International 16, Edward Waters 9
Shippensburg 56, Cheyney 0
Missouri S&T 37, Lincoln (MO) 3

SIAC
Central State (OH) 40, Arkansas Pine Bluff 35
Tuskegee 33, Jackson State 7
Albany State 34, Morehouse 10
Fort Valley State 37, Lane College 14
Miles 35, Kentucky State 0
Benedict 14, Clark Atlanta 3

Late Surge Sparks Albany State Golden Rams To Homecoming Win Over Morehouse

ALBANY, Georgia -- Albany State University rallied from a one point halftime deficit to earn a 34-10 Homecoming victory over Morehouse College before a national audience Saturday afternoon at ASU Coliseum.

With the victory ASU extends its win streak against Morehouse to nine games.

The Maroon Tigers fall to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in SIAC play while the Golden Rams raise their mark to 5-2 and 3-0 in SIAC play.

Both defenses pitched impressive performances on Saturday, especially in the first half where the two teams combined for just 107 yards of total offense. The Maroon Tigers ran 33 plays for just 36 yards while the ASU offense had 25 plays for 71 yards. Albany State and Morehouse made a concerted effort and was successful at shutting down the other team's running game as each finished with just 5 yards on the ground in the first half. Additionally the defenses accounted for their team's first touchdown of the afternoon.

The defensive units also kept the pressure on the game's signal callers; ASU and MHC quarterbacks were sacked a combined 13 times in the contest. The Golden Rams were led by Marquez Thomas' 12 tackles (7 solo) 2 sacks (loss of 15 yards) and two quarterback hurries.

After trailing 10-9 at the intermission the Golden Rams held Morehouse scoreless in the second half. The ASU defense did not allow a third down conversion over the third and fourth quarters and in the final 15 minutes the Golden Rams had two takeaways while limiting the Maroon Tigers to -3 yards rushing.

With 4:47 left in the third quarter, Albany State reclaimed the lead on a 10 play, 66 yard drive with a 3 yard TD pass from Chancellor Johnson to Quadrey Simmons. The Golden Rams broke the game open with an 18 point third quarter, beginning with a 73 yard rushing score by Kelan Fraise with 7:05 remaining. ASU padded their lead, after a two point conversion on a Johnson pass to McKinley Habersham, at 24-10. The Albany State defense forced a fumble on Morehouse's ensuing possession and 2 plays and 25 seconds later Habersham broke for a 49 yard scoring run giving the Golden Rams a 31-10 advantage.

The visitors coughed it up again on their next drive and the Golden Rams capitalized with a 39 yard field goal from Gabriel Ballinas with 2:18 left for the final point spread.

The frenzied finish was antithesis of the first half of play where neither offense could gain any ground, mostly due to the respective teams' defenses. With the exception of a 35 yard field goal from MHC's Fernando Sdelamora at the 4:31 mark of the second quarter, the rest of the first half scoring came from defensive play and a miscue on special teams.

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Jaylin Boyd took a 57 yard interception to the house for the game's first score, before Sdelamora's field goal made the score 7-3 in favor of ASU.

At the 14:06 mark and the Maroon Tigers in punt formation against their own goal line, the snap went out the back of the end zone for a safety and a 9-3 Golden Ram lead. That lead was short-lived however when two plays after they received the free kick, Cameron Mill picked off a pass by Chancellor Johnson and 59 yards later found his way to the end zone to put his team in front 10-9.

Albany State will return to action on October 21st as they travel to take on Clark-Atlanta for the Panthers' Homecoming. The game, which will be broadcast on ESPN3, is scheduled for a 2pm kickoff. Follow us on Twitter @ASUGoldenRams and visit www.asugoldenrams.come for up-to-date information on Albany State Athletics.

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West Virginia State Dominate in Road Win

ATHENS, West Virginia  --  It did not take long for this year's Yellow Jacket football team to show host Concord that scheduling them for a Homecoming opponent might not have been a very good idea.

The Jackets' Dionta Brown took the opening kickoff and ran it back to the WVSU 25.

Senior quarterback Matt Kinnick hit Quinton Gray for a quick seven yards, Brown ran for seven, and then Kinnick connected with Tyrell Henderson on a 1-yard scoring strike to put the Jackets ahead 7-0 just one minute and one second into the game.

The Yellow Jackets never let up on the way to 33-7 halftime lead and 47-29 victory to improve to 4-3 on the season.

The WVSU offense displayed the best balance it has this year picking up 258 yards through the air and 255 on the ground.

Especially impressive was that the ground game with WVSU rushing leader Calil Wilkins.

Wilkins, who is averaging 120 yards a game, twisted an ankle in the previous contest and is listed as day to day.

Juawan Etheredge ran 17 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Brown carried the ball 11 times for 88 yards and a score while Kinnick had 67 yards on just seven runs.

Kinnick was 19-28 throwing for 231 yards. He also caught a 27 yard touchdown pass on s trick play from backup quarterback Austin Hensley for WVSU'S second score of the game.

Gray finished with eight catches for 77 yards.

By the final horn the Yellow Jackets had a whopping 513 yards of offense to the Mountain Lions' 308.

Next up for WVSU is a home contest against West Liberty Saturday.

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North Carolina A&T Aggies Win at FAMU's Homecoming, Improve to 7-0

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- North Carolina A&T needed the type of win it received on Saturday evening against Florida A&M at Bragg Memorial Stadium. Not only for the fact that the 31-20 win in front a homecoming sellout crowd of 25,607 helped the Aggies improve to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. But also, because the win was not cosmetically pleasing.

The Aggies turned the ball over three times, were out gained 171-65 in total offense in the second half and were penalized eight times. But they won, they are in first place in the MEAC and three of their final four regular-season games are at home in Aggie Stadium as they seek their third MEAC title in four years.

“Every great team I've known has had to win a game like this,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “We didn't play our best, we actually played really bad in spots. But despite not playing well, we can come back next week and get better knowing we got a win.”

When the Aggies were good – specifically the second quarter – they were really good. N.C. A&T compiled 159 yards of offense, held the Rattlers (2-5, 1-3 MEAC) to 29 yards and kept the ball 12 of the 15 minutes allotted in a quarter. The Aggies were also 5-for-5 on third-down conversions in the second quarter. Those factors helped the Aggies turn a 7-7 first-quarter tie into a 28-7 halftime lead.

The Aggies got there by putting together two long second-quarter drives. The game’s momentum shifted toward N.C. A&T when Aggies redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard found senior Khris Gardin for a tough 8-yard catch on 3rd-and-6 from the Aggies 40-yard line. Gardin’s catch was followed by graduate tight end Trey Scott’s 18-yard reception to put the Aggies in FAMU territory at the 48.

A 5-yard run by junior running back Marquell Cartwright, a 15-yard reception on a quick slant by sophomore Elijah Bell moved the Aggies to the FAMU 14. Graduate running back Jamari Smith ended the 8-play, 64-yard drive with a 14-yard TD reception on a screen pass from Raynard. The Aggies next drive included 10 plays, 85 yards and ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass to fifth-year receiver Xavier Griffin. It was Griffin’s third touchdown in as many games. Griffin’s touchdown was set up by a rollout pass to Scott for 31 yards.

Jeremy Taylor’s 32-yard interception return set up the Aggies final touchdown of the half as the Aggies took over 1st-and-10 from the FAMU 15. Five plays later, Bell caught a quick slant from Raynard. Raynard threw for 140 yards in the quarter, his second-best quarter in terms of passing yards on the season after throwing for 145 yards in the first quarter against Charlotte on Sept. 16.

“He is getting better every week,” Broadway said about Raynard. “He is really smart, he gets the ball out of his hands well and he makes plays. For us to be successful he has to continue to grow and get better.”

Raynard and the offense didn’t have the ball much in the second half, specifically in the fourth quarter. The Rattlers had the ball for 9 ½ minutes in the fourth quarter and went 3-for-4 on third down conversions. Plus, FAMU made 13 first downs compared to N.C. A&T’s four in the second half.

“We couldn’t get them stopped, especially on third and long,” said Broadway about the Aggies second-half effort. “We had some real dumb penalties that really hurt. Our penalties helped them stay on the field quite a bit, and we have to tackle better.”

Missed tackles on FAMU’s opening kickoff return of the second half gave the Rattlers the ball at their own 45. Three plays later following a 45-yard run from Devin Bowers, the Rattlers would score on a 1-yard touchdown by Bowers to get within two touchdowns at 28-14. The Aggies turned the ball over on their first possession of the second half as Jules Dornevil intercepted Raynard at the FAMU 21. But Aggies linebacker Kia Richardson returned the favor for N.C. A&T by intercepting FAMU quarterback Ryan Stanley. Richardson’s INT return gave the Aggies the ball at the FAMU 14, setting up a 22-yard field goal from Noel Ruiz for the Aggies final points of the game.

Despite putting together two long drives in the second half, the Rattlers were only able to come away with one more touchdown as the Aggies won their sixth straight over the Rattlers. The Aggies are also 7-0 for the first time in 74 years.

Raynard finished his day 20-for-32 for 215 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Bell caught six of those passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Bell is now one touchdown shy of breaking the Aggies single-season touchdown receptions record. Raynard is 152 yards shy of becoming the fifth player in school history to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. Redshirt freshman Najee Reams and fifth-year safety Jeremy Taylor led the Aggies defensively. Reams finished with eight tackles and Taylor had five tackles, an interception and a pass break up.

N.C. A&T will go after 8-0 next week when they welcome the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats to Aggie Stadium for a 1 p.m., Saturday contest. The game will air live on ESPN3 and will be aired on tape delay on ESPNU at 10 p.m.

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Nuggets sweep Edward Waters Lady Tigers to start GCAC 2nd round

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Juliana Tomasoni and Vivica Price-Spraggins both hit better than .500, and Adili Rikondja and Eva Le Guillou both produced career highs to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 25-13, 25-19, 25-10 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference volleyball victory Saturday against Edward Waters.

The Gold Nuggets (15-2, 7-0) maintained their two-match lead in the GCAC loss column against Tougaloo and Dillard. XULA has won five straight and 14 of their last 15 matches.

Tomasoni hit .517 with no errors in 29 attacks and notched her 10th double-double this season — 15 kills and 11 digs, both team highs. Price-Spraggins hit .533 in 15 attacks and had 10 kills to reach double figures for the first time in 11 matches. Rikondja had a career-high five blocks — she had none the previous two matches — and Le Guillou had a career-best 25 assists.

Rikondja and Lauryn Taylor had seven kills apiece. Tiffany Phillips had 14 assists, Taylor had four blocks, and Anna Dalla Vecchia had nine digs.

XULA had a 7-1 advantage in aces. Le Guillou tied her career high with three aces, and Tomasoni and Kayla Black served two apiece.

XULA never trailed in any set. There were five total ties, three in the middle set (3, 4 and 5) and the latest at 7 in the third. Le Guillou served all her aces during a 10-0 run that gave the Gold Nuggets a 17-7 lead in the third. XULA closed the match with a 17-3 run.

XULA hit .320 — 43 kills and 11 errors in 100 attacks — and had 40 digs and six team blocks.
The match was the 300th in XULA's 10 seasons. All-time the Gold Nuggets are 171-129 — 141-56 from 2011 to the present (seven seasons).

The Gold Nuggets returned to XULA late Saturday evening but will be back on a bus next week for GCAC matches at Tougaloo on Monday, Philander Smith on Tuesday and Talladega on Saturday. XULA seeks its seventh consecutive GCAC regular-season championship.

Tougaloo, the GCAC's second-place team at 7-2, has won 12 of its last 14 matches, including all six in conference, since its 25-10, 25-20, 25-11 loss Sept. 9 at XULA.

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Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
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AAMU Bulldogs dominate in win over MVSU

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- In a game where the Bulldogs dominated both sides of the line Saturday, Alabama A&M rolled to a 49-14 win over Mississippi Valley State.

With the win, the Bulldogs head into next Saturday's off day at 3-1 in the conference, 3-4 overall.

Damion May scored two touchdowns and passed for two more scores - both to Isaiah Bailey. He was 10 of 13 for 168 yards.

May hit Bailey on a 12-yard pass and connected on a 47-yard catch-and-run that put A&M up 35-0.

Meanwhile, the defense did its part in adding to the scoring column.



Dylan Hamilton scored on a 52-yard "pick 6" and Mike Mills picked up a touchdown with his 17-yard interception return.

The Bulldogs also recorded eight sacks, led by 2.5 from Vernon Moland. He also had 2.5 of A&M's 10 tackles for loss.

Harvey Harris and Devonte King each had interceptions.

After pulling out to a 35-0 lead early in the third quarter, the Bulldogs saw Valley (1-2, 1-5) cut the lead to 35-14 on scores by Charlie Crenshaw and a 10-yard TD pass from Christopher Fowler to Booker Chambers.

But Mills' "pick 6" early in the fourth quarter ran the score to 42-14.



Marceles Clash pulled down a 78-yard catch-and-run from Dylan Smith for the final 49-14 margin.

The Bulldogs had 179 yards on the ground and 246 through the air.

The defense held MVSU to minus-27 yards rushing while yielding 313 yards passing.

Nick Carden was 7-of-7 in point-after attempts and had punted six times for a 36.7-yard average.

The Bulldogs return to action Oct. 28 in the annual Magic City Classic.

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Texas College falls to No. 8 Langston 44-17 in Oklahoma

TULSA, Oklahoma – Texas College was within striking distance after three quarters, but No. 8 Langston scored a pair of unanswered touchdowns in the final period to beat the Steers 44-17 on Saturday in the Central States Football League.

The Steers pulled within 23-17 with 2:20 left in the third quarter on Vontyne Williams’ 43-yard touchdown run and Markese Denmon’s PAT.

Langston countered with a 30-yard scoring pass from Milton Harper to Glenn Irons with 31 seconds to play in the third quarter.

The Lions took a 30-17 lead into the fourth and added to it with Irons’ 91-yard touchdown reception at the 9:41 mark. Irons finished with 162 yards and two TDs on six catches. Jaylen Lowe, who threw the long TD, capped the scoring with a 1-yard run with 3:18 left.

Texas College was tied 7-7 after the first period, thanks to Dyamond Woods’ 60-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Langston’s Tim Whitfield outrushed Texas College by himself, 175-135, and scored two TDs as the Lions improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in league play.

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BCU Comes Up Golden against S.C. State

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida – Uriel Hernandez kicked four field goals, and Delwaun Beard preserved the Bethune-Cookman victory by blocking a South Carolina State field goal attempt as the Wildcats downed the Bulldogs, 12-9 in a pivotal Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game Saturday afternoon at Municipal Stadium.

The Wildcats actually blocked two Tyler Scandrett attempts – the first eventually being nullified after offsetting penalties – as time expired as Bethune-Cookman (3-3 overall, 2-1 MEAC) won for the first time in recorded history without scoring an offensive touchdown.

With the Wildcats decked out in all gold for the #GoldRush game, Hernandez gave the Wildcats the lead on a 33-yarder with 12:09 left in the fourth quarter. The junior from Homestead, Florida, was 4-of-5 on the day, tying Bethune-Cookman's record for most field goals in a game. Marc McLachlan also kicked four in a 33-30 win over South Carolina State on October 14, 1989.

South Carolina State (2-4, 1-3 MEAC) took a 9-6 lead on Trey Samuel's 4-yard scamper over left guard with 2:50 remaining in the first half, but Scandrett's point-after was blocked by Elliott Miller. The Wildcats answered, and Hernandez kicked a 32-yarder on the final play of the half for a 9-9 tie as the teams headed into the locker rooms.

Bethune-Cookman outgained the Bulldogs, 371-261 in total yards, but were hampered by 19 penalties for 138 yards, including three on its final possession that kept the Wildcats from running out the clock.

Javaunie Francis' 60-yard punt reversed the field, but the Bulldogs put together a late 11-play march that included a fourth down pass completion that put the visitors in position to send the game into overtime.
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Bethune-Cookman dominated the first quarter, outgaining the Bulldogs, 134-9 but only had Hernandez's 34-yarder on the opening drive to show for it.

A 66-yard drive that saw Larry Brihm, Jr. connect with Keavon Mitchell twice and with Tupac Isme for 19-yards set up the second Hernandez field goal, a 37-yarder that made it 6-0 with 14 minutes to play in the opening half.

Brihm rushed for 20 and threw for 46 on the drive that helped Bethune-Cookman tie it at halftime. He finished 22-of-34 passing for 234 yards.

Isme rushed for 37 yards on eight carries, while Jamaruz Thompkins had 11 carries for 35 yards of his own.

Mitchell and Jawill Davis each caught five passes, gaining 44 and 36 yards, respectively.

Marquis Hendrix paced the Wildcats defense with 11 tackles and a sack, while Diquan Richardson had six tackles and his third interception of the season.

Bethune-Cookman meets North Carolina A&T next Saturday in Greensboro, North Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., at Aggie Stadium.

Follow Bethune-Cookman Football on Twitter (@BCUGridIron) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUathletics), Instagram (@BCUathletics), Snapchat (@BCUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/BCUathletics).

BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Morgan Bears Post First Victory, Roll Past Savannah State, 48-28

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Elijah Staley threw three touchdown passes and Morgan State jumped to a 42-7 first-half lead en route to a 48-28 win over winless Savannah State Saturday.

The victory is the first in six games for the Bears (1-5, 1-2 Mid-Eastern).

"It's great to get that monkey off our backs," said MSU head coach Fred. T. Farrier. "For the most part, we paid attention to detail and did the little things. This was a great start to the second half of our season and a good marker for where we are."

Savannah State (0-6, 0-4) took the early lead when D'Vonn Gibbons hit Uriah Oliver on an 83-yard on the Tigers' first play from scrimmage.

Eric Harrell got Morgan State even, punching in from a yard out to cap a 10-play, 75-yard drive, and Staley put them ahead with a 21-yard strike to Amonta Poteat a minute-and-a-half later.

Staley was 14 of 22 for 220 yards while Harrell gained 114 yards on 16 carries. Herb Walker Jr. added 19 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown and Manassah Bailey pulled in five catches for 116 yards and a score.

"It was beautiful," Staley said of the Bears' mixed attack. "The O-line played great and the running game, which had been struggling, was big time. It's hard to beat a team when two guys each go over 100 yards. Watching [Harrell and Walker] do their thing was amazing — and they blocked great, too."

Gibbons completed just 5 of 17 pass attempts, but two went for touchdowns.

BOX SCORE

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuskegee dominates Jackson State in 5th Quarter Classic

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Tuskegee University football team remained unbeaten against opponents from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in a 33-7 win over Jackson State in the 5th Quarter Classic at Ladd Peeples Stadium in Mobile Saturday night.

Tuskegee (5-2, 3-0) scored first when Justice Owens walked into the end zone untouched on a one yard touchdown run on the opening drive. The point after try was no good giving TU an early 6-0 lead.

Javariuss Cheatham, who had not played since week four at Findlay returned and provided a spark catching four passes for a season high 106 yards including a 35 yard touchdown catch from Jamarcus Ezell with 10:42 left in the second quarter.



Jackson State (0-6, 0-2) responded with a five yard touchdown catch just before halftime when Brent Lyles connected with Jordan Johnson making the score 13-7.

The Golden Tigers would strike again on its first possession of the second half when Ezell threw his second touchdown pass of the night on a 15 yard catch by Chardian Johnson.

The highlight of the evening came at the 5:09 mark when Ahmad Deramus found Tyrez McCain wide open who carried three would be defenders into the end zone on a 35 yard touchdown catch extending Tuskegee's lead to 27-7.



Hoderick Lowe would round out the scoring for the Golden Tigers when he scampered for a 41 yard touchdown run capping things off at 33-7.

Ezell earned MVP honors finishing with 183 yards passing completing 10 of his 18 passing attempts and two touchdowns. He also rushed five times for another 77 yards. Davoris Thomas was named Defensive MVP.

Lowe led TU's rushing attack with 94 yards of his own and a score. Osband Thompson led the defense with seven tackles. His first time registering under 10 stops all season long.

Tonight's win marked the third victory in two seasons over a Division I NCAA FCS opponent. TU defeated Florida A&M in last season's classic and Alabama State in this year's season opener.

Tuskegee will face Kentucky State in Frankfurt next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Live coverage on the Tuskegee digital Network will get underway at 1:15 p.m.

BOX SCORE



TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Hampton Pirates Wns Battle of the Bay 16-14 at NSU

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
MARK SUTTON PHOTOGRAPHY

NORFOLK, Viginia -- On a misty afternoon for the 55th annual Battle of the Bay, it would come down to "Thunder and Lightning" for Hampton University to stop a three-game losing streak to homestanding Norfolk State Saturday.

Shai "Thunder" McKenzie scored two first quarter touchdowns, while Yahkee "Lightning" Johnson ran for 115 yards on 27 carries as Hampton held off a last ditch drive from Norfolk State to score a 16-14 win in front of over 6,100 at Dick Price Stadium.

Hampton (4-2, 3-0) scored its first win over Norfolk State under head coach Connell Maynor and maintained a share of first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) along with North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central.

Hampton got on the board on its first drive going 70 yards in eight plays. Delmon Williams hit Aulden Knight on the first play of the game for a 39-yard completion to the Norfolk State 36. Following four Johnson runs and a 14-yard completion to Ronald Bell, McKenzie finished the drive with two runs of three and the final six yards for the first touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 11:24 left.

The special teams unit for Hampton helped set up the next touchdown drive as Harry Freeman IV blocked a Taylor Goettie punt to give Hampton possession on the Norfolk State 24. McKenzie accounted for 14 of the 24 yards on that drive with a four-yard burst finishing it for a 14-0 Hampton lead with 1:22 left in the opening quarter.

Hampton outgained Norfolk State 137-40 in the opening quarter, but the Spartans responded in the second outgaining Hampton 127-16. They scored on the first possession of the second quarter as Juwan Carter found Marcus Taylor with a 52-yard scoring strike as Taylor weaved through several defenders for a 14-7 Hampton lead with 13:32 left in the half. The Pirates did dodge a scoring attempt at the end of the second quarter as a 34-yard field goal went wide right.



The only scoring of the third quarter came after the Pirates drove from their 45 to the NSU two but were stopped on a fourth and goal run by McKenzie. The next play, Oral Varcciann pinned Larry Bishop in the end zone for a safety and a 16-7 Hampton lead with 7:12 remaining.

Norfolk State got within 16-14 on a four-yard touchdown pass from Carter to Taylor with 7:27 left in the game and had two chances down the stretch. After holding Hampton on a three-and-out, the Spartans drove to the Hampton eight before a 25-yard field goal went wide right. Hampton went three-and-out again, but the Spartans had one last chance as a Carter pass at the end of the game was deflected by Dereon Carr for the win.

BOX SCORE

Johnson ran for 115 yards on a season-high 27 carries and McKenzie ended up with 37 physical yards and his two first quarter touchdowns. Williams was 6-of-10 for 100 yards passing, while Bell caught three passes for 50 yards to lead Hampton. On defense, Davonte Spruill and Raheim Huskey had seven tackles each, while Steven Smith Jr. had six.

The Pirates return home for Homecoming on October 21 when they tangle with the Rattlers of Florida A&M University in a 2pm kickoff at Armstrong Stadium.



For more information on Hampton University football, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Central State Marauders beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 40-35

PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- The Central State Marauders spoiled Arkansas-Pine Bluff's homecoming celebration with a 40-35 win over the Golden Lions on Saturday afternoon.

Still in search of their first win, the Marauders opened the scoring with an 80-yard drive highlighted by a 39-yard pass from Trent Mays to Martell Clark. CSU capped off the drive when full back Darius Meadors scored from 1 yard out for his first rushing touchdown of the season.

The Golden Lions answered early in the second quarter as quarterback LeEar Patterson completed back-to-back passes of 36 yards and 34 yards to set up a 1 yard KeShaw Williams touchdown run.

CSU immediately responded on the next offensive possession. Mays connected with Renon Lorenzo for a 36-yard gain. Darian Nelson rushed for 17 yards on the next play. Mays then found Clark for a 13-yard touchdown pass. After a failed extra point attempt, CSU led 13-7 with 11:13 left in the first half.

CSU linebacker Kahari Logan forced a Patterson fumble on the next UAPB possession. Mikey'ion Hunter corralled the loose ball for the Marauders at the Golden Lions' 27-yard line. The Marauders scored on the next play as Mays ran from 27 yards out to put his team up, 20-7, at the 9:52 mark of the second quarter.

The Golden Lions regained momentum thanks to a litany of big plays to end the half. On the ensuing kickoff, Paris Mack returned the ball 57 yards to set up the UPAB offense at the CSU 37-yard line. Four plays later, the offense found the end zone as Patterson crossed the plain from 2-yards out.

After a quick three-and-out from the CSU offense, UPAB struck again when Patterson found Mack through the air for a 65-yard score to take a 21-20 lead with 6:03 left in the second quarter.

On the next UAPB possession, Patterson found Williams for a 59-yard gain. Patterson capped of the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Robert Simms to give the Golden Lions a 28-20 lead at the intermission.



The Golden Lions threatened to extend their lead early in the third quarter. UAPB marched down to the CSU 5-yard line but were unable to come up with any points after a detrimental holding call and a missed 31-yard field goal attempt.

Trailing by 8 late in the third quarter, freshman running back Jerry Lanier provided a spark with a 37 yard run. Mays later found an open Darius Ford for a 20 yard gain to get CSU into UAPB territory. Mays went to Ford again three plays later for a 31 yard gain down to the 1-yard line. Meadors picked his second touchdown of the afternoon on the next play. CSU failed to convert a two-point attempt and trailed, 28-26, with 14:12 remaining.

The CSU defense forced the Golden Lions into a quick three-and-out to give the ball back to Mays and the Marauder offense. Mays jumpstarted the drive with a 22 yard pass to Ford. Mays later found an open Meadors for 44 yards. Running back Terraris Saffold finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown drive to put the Marauders up 33-28 with 10:21 left to play.

CSU seized control with another 83-yard touchdown drive in the late stages of the game. CSU kept the ball on the ground with ten straight running plays. Saffold touched the ball six times for 73 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown to give CSU a 40-28 lead with 1:29 to go.

The Golden Lions added a late touchdown with 11 seconds left but CSU recovered the ensuing onside kick a closed out the game for the first victory of the season.

Mays completed passes to eight different receivers, converting 20 of 36 pass attempts for 334 yards and 1 touchdown. He also picked up 19 yards and 1 score on the ground. Ford finished with a career-best 8 receptions for 117 yards. Saffold led the CSU rushing attack with 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.



Defensively, CSU was led by Isaiah Smith's 9 tackles. Mikey'ion Hunter recorded 8 tackles, 1 sack and a fumble recovery. With the win, CSU is now 1-6 overall.

Patterson led the Golden Lion offense with 333 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. Tashad Charity led UAPB's defensive efforts with 6 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 sack. The loss drops UAPB to 2-5 overall.

The Marauders will return to Wilberforce, Ohio in search of their first conference victory when they host Fort Valley State next Saturday at 1 pm.

Notes
With Saturday's win, CSU snaps a 9-game losing streak dating back to last season
The Marauders collected their first win over an NCAA Div. I program since 2005 (Savannah State)
CSU is now 4-3 all-time against UAPB. The series dates back to the 1972 season.

Next Game
Opponent: Fort Valley State
Date: Saturday, October 21st
Kickoff: 1 pm
Venue: McPherson Memorial Stadium

Coverage
Watch (CSU Coverage) - http://maraudersports.com/watch/
Listen (CSU Coverage) - http://www.gemcitysports.com/radio-1/
Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/centralstate/football
Listen (Online): http://arenasportsnet.com/live/

CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY MARAUDERS SPORTS INFORMATION

MSU Unveiled Statues of Legendary Coaches

Legends Plaza: Hurt and Banks Unveiling & Dedication Ceremony

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Morgan State University unveiled statues of legendary coaches Edward P. Hurt and Earl C. Banks Thursday at Hughes Stadium.

The statues are located between Hurt Gymnasium and MSU's Student Center between the front entrance of Hughes Stadium and the University Student Center, features six-foot bronze statues of Hurt and Banks resting on four-foot pedestals.

Athletic greatness is one of the historical pillars of Morgan State University's worldwide reputation for excellence. The University's new Legends Plaza, inspired by the artistic vision of alumnus George Nock, honors two head coaches who were largely responsible for leading Morgan scholar-athletes to those stellar achievements on the field of play.

Beginning in 1929, Edward P. ("Eddie") Hurt compiled an incredible record of success as Morgan's football, basketball and track and field coach, leading his teams to 33 CIAA championships and producing two Pro Football Hall of Famers and an Olympic gold medal winner. Earl C. ("Papa Bear") Banks succeeded Hurt as Morgan's head football coach in 1960 and added his own chapters to the program's volume on victory. Under Banks, the Bears won five CIAA Championships, went to four bowl games, were unbeaten in three regular seasons and had a 31-game winning streak. They also sent two more NFL players to the Hall of Fame. Both Banks and Hurt placed the highest value on good citizenship and high moral character and demanded that their players meet that standard on and off the field.

Legends Plaza, a nearly 2,000-square-foot enclosure located in the Morgan Commons area. The memorial will also include bronze plaques honoring other Morgan sports legends placed along a 30-foot fence between the two anchoring statues.

MSU Public Relations contributed to this release.