UTPB Falcons Comeback Runs Out of Time in 26-16 Loss at Texas Southern

HOUSTON, Texas -- UT Permian Basin scored a pair of second half touchdowns and outscored Texas Southern 14-10 in the second half, but its comeback in their season opener ran out of time Saturday night as the Falcons fell against FCS D-I Texas Southern 26-16 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

PHOTO GALLERY

BOX SCORE

Saturday's game started at 9:35 p.m. after a 2:30 delay due to severe weather and heavy rains in the downtown Houston area.

The Falcons first possession of the night stalled out in the red zone after Kameron Mathis picked up a first down on a QB keeper and Marquis Simmons broke out for a 44 yard run down the UTPB sideline.

Texas Southern put together a six play drive to find the end zone with their first possession, scoring on a 39 yard pass as Glen Cuiellette found Bobby Hartzog despite John O'Kelley providing the pressure from the blind side.

The Tigers took advantage of a short field on their second drive, needing to go just 40 yards for a touchdown by Tren'Davian Dickson on a 14-yard diving catch in the corner of the end zone. The Falcons got on the scoreboard on the PAT when they blocked the attempt up the middle and Diameon Brewer scooped it and took it down the field unimpeded to the end zone for two points.

La'Daidreain Glasker provided a big spark for the Falcons in the early moments of the second quarter, recovering a fumble out of Cuiellette's hands on a deep sack to give the Falcons the ball on the TSU 37-yard line.

A 14-yard Adrian Walker rush down to the 3-yard line following a 3rd-down conversion pass to Ben Galaviz put the Falcons in sight of the goal line, but a missed FG turned possession back over to the Tigers.


After Texas Southern scored the first points of the second half on a pass to the back right corner of the end zone from two yards out, the Falcons got their first TD of the night when Sam Allen entered at QB and ran the team down the field, rushing six times for 46 yards, including a two-yard run into the end zone for the touchdown.

Allen scored his second touchdown of the night, connecting with Ben Galaviz down the sideline in single coverage for a 64-yard touchdown. Allen found Kyle McBride wide open in the flat on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt to close within 26-16.

Justin Nicholls forced the defense's second turnover of the game, coming up with a deep jump ball inside of Falcon territory with under seven minutes remaining.

O'Kelley spent his night in the TSU backfield, ending the game with three sacks and 3.5 tackles-for-loss with seven total tackles.

Simmons was the team's leading rusher, carrying the ball 10 times for 78 yards, averaging 7.8 per carry as the Falcons out-rushed Texas Southern 182 to 128 as a team. Allen added 58 yards on nine rushes and Adrian Walker carried the ball five times for 40 yards.

Allen ended the game the Falcons leading passer, throwing for 84 yards on four completions, the bulk coming on his TD to Galaviz. Galaviz ended the night with 78 yards on three receptions and a touchdown.

Quinn Tinley, Chris Hoad and Marquee Allison each ended the game with six tackles for the UTPB defense.

UT Permian Basin is back in action next week, traveling to Marquette, Mich. for a non-conference contest at Northern Michigan. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. local time (noon CT).

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS OF THE PERMIAN BASIN ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Allen University Yellow Jackets Records First Win in 15 Years

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- For the first time in 15 years, Allen University played a college football game.

It made itself at home at the locale of a fellow Yellow Jacket - Irmo High School. Over 500 fans werer in attendance at W.C. Hawkins Stadium to watch Allen face Columbus State University.

The Yellow Jackets led 24-0 at halftime and went on to win 47-3. They play host to Livingstone College on Sept. 8 at W.C. Hawkins Stadium.



CONTINUE READING

Florida A&M routs Fort Valley State, Willie Simmons earns first win

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida A&M beat Division II Fort Valley State 41-7 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.

During the debut of Rattlers coach Willie Simmons, Ricky Henrilus' 1-yard dive with 10:50 left in the first quarter gave FAMU a 7-0 lead. The play was set up when Wildcats punter Eli Mashburn mishandled the snap and the Rattlers recovered the ball at the 8-yard line.

Yahia Aly — who set a school record with six field goals — connected on field goals of 38 and 45 yards respectively to put the Rattlers up 13-0 before the game was suspended with 5:05 before halftime due to lightning.

Upon returning to the field 30 minutes later, Fort Valley State's Lorenzo Smothers struck for a 92-yard run to reduce the deficit to 13-7.

FAMU responded on its next drive and Ryan Stanley threw a 28-yard scoring strike to ...

CONTINUE READING

FSU Broncos Stifles Lions 32-0 on Lincoln’s 10-year Revival Reunion

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pennsylvania – Fayetteville State accomplished something every football program in America set out to do in its season opener.

Win the game!

The Broncos defeated Lincoln (Pa.) 32-0 on a night the Lions celebrated the ten-year reunion of their revival of football. Lincoln, one of the founding members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), put aside football for 48 years before reactivating it in 2008.

Fayetteville State scored four touchdowns with 70 plays and 375 yards of total offense. Collyn Anderson had a stellar night calling the signals with 14-of-22 pass completions for 169 yards and one touchdown.

On the opening drive of the game, the Broncos drove the field for 31 yards and hit the scoreboard (with 10:48 left in the quarter) with a career-best 45-yard field goal by David Lamb.

Immediately after the start of the second quarter (14:35), Darnell Walker crossed the goal line from one yard out to push ahead 10-0 (David Lamb kick). On the pursuing drive, Brandon Smith hauled in a 64-yard pass from Anderson for a 16-0 lead with 12:12 left in the first half.

Stevie Green scored his first touchdown of the season with 6:24 left on the second-quarter clock from the five-yard line. Donsel Jetton led the way to the locker room after scoring an 18-yard touchdown with 3:52 left in the half.

BOX SCORE

Lincoln (Pa.) threated to score before the halftime horn, but the field goal attempt sailed outside the uprights.

Early in the third quarter with 12:27 left, David Lamb nailed a 39-yard field goal for the 32-0 lead.

Jetton led the run-game with 83 yards on ten touches. Green finished with 78 yards on 17 carries.

The Bronco defense limited the Lions to one red-zone visit and 191 yards of total offense. Lincoln had 73 yards rushing and 118 yards passing.

Fayetteville State will travel to Wingate, next Saturday for a 6 p.m. kickoff against the Bulldogs.

FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY BRONCOS SPORTS INFORMATION

Hampton Pirates Cage SU Bears 38-10 in Season Opener

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Hampton held visiting Shaw to nine yards rushing and benefitted from several short field position starts as the Pirates defeated Shaw 38-10 in the season opener on Saturday night.
 
BEHIND THE NUMBERS

• Hampton outgained Shaw 302-191 on the night as the Pirates threw for 196 yards and ran for 106, while Shaw threw for 182 and ran for nine.
• The last play of the game was what put Shaw in positive yards rushing as Joshua Edwards ran for 13 yards in the middle.
• Delmon Williams came off the bench and threw for 142 yards and one touchdown going 13-of-18 with one interception.  Williams also ran for 31 yards and one score.
• The three Hampton quarterbacks spread the ball to nine different receivers as Ronald Bell caught four passes for 57 yards to lead in receptions.  Byron Barney caught a pair for a team-high 66 yards.
• Kapri Doucet and Zion Edmonds shared team-high honors in tackles with six each.  Doucet added a sack and tackle for loss, while Edmonds had a tackle for loss and a pair of pass breakups.
• Shaw actually held a time of possession advantage 31:30 to 28:30, but was hampered by a 1-for-19 performance on third-down conversions.
• The blocked punt by Ohmante Jenkins was Hampton's first blocked punt since Robert Scott, IV swatted one against Morgan State on Oct. 15, 2016.  
• Devin Thurmond's recovery of that blocked punt for a touchdown was Hampton's first since Bruce Perry scored that way against Howard on Sept. 17. 2016.

ATTENDANCE: 7,123 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After forcing a punt from the Shaw 15 late in the first quarter, Hampton got on the board first as Evan Lomax nailed a 37-yard field goal with 1:32 left in the first for a 3-0 lead.
• The defense set Hampton up for a quick score at the end of the first quarter to go up 10-0 as Jayso'n Davidson recovered a fumble at the Shaw 31 with 40 seconds left.  Delmon Williams connected on a pair of passes to Ronald Bell and Alec Dana to put the ball at the Shaw 12 before he covered the last 12 with a scoring run as the clock expired to end the opening quarter.
• Shaw's first possession of the second quarter ended with a punt block in the end zone by Ohmante Jenkins with Devin Thurmond recovering it for a touchdown and 17-0 advantage at the 13:55 mark.
• The Pirates put another seven on the board taking advantage of a short field by forcing a Shaw punt again from its end zone.  Williams found Bell for a one-yard connection to put Hampton up 24-0 with 7:06 left in the half.
• Shaw got on the board as Keon Marsh found Dorrel McClain wide open on a 66-yard scoring strike with 3:08 left for a 24-7 margin.
• Hampton got the opening possession of the third quarter and went on its longest drive going 75 yards in seven plays as Byron Barney finished with a five-yard sweep to lead 31-7 with 12:23 left in the third.
• Shaw's final points started the fourth quarter as Beni Kinsemi connected on a 31-yard field goal at the 14:18 mark for a 31-10 margin.
• Hampton junior Austin Bradley connected with Barney on a 50-yard strike with 8:22 left to cap a 72-yard, four-play scoring drive for the Pirates and the eventual final of 38-10. 

UP NEXT
Hampton goes on the road to take on Monmouth University in New Jersey on September 8 for a 3pm kick.
 
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 STRATEGIC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Strong Defense Powers Lincoln to Season-Opening Win

MEMPHIS, Tennessee - The defense tallied three sacks, made a pair of interceptions and pitched a shutout in the second half as the Lincoln football team earned a 10-7 win over Lane in the season opener for both programs on Saturday (Sept. 1).

The Blue Tigers had five tackles for loss and broke up three passes as Lincoln limited Lane to just 123 yards of total offense and nine first downs. Edwin Durassaint had an interception for Lincoln in the third quarter while Joseph Madrigal made the Blue Tigers' second pick late in the fourth, all but sealing the win with an interception on the Lincoln one-yard line.

Photo Gallery: Lincoln 10, Lane 7

BOX SCORE
Lincoln scored on its first drive of the season, as Fernando Ramirez booted a 44-yard field goal after the Blue Tiger defense helped set the offense up in tremendous starting field position with a sack by Steve Henderson. Hosea Franklin had a 13-yard run to start the drive, then later scored early in the second quarter on the Blue Tigers' second drive on a six-yard reception.

Lane hit a quick 74-yard touchdown pass on its ensuing possession, but the defenses took over from there. Lincoln was led by Amani Nelson with nine tackles, including one for a loss. Durassaint, Victor Williams, Chavon Gross, Isaiah Gray and JaJuan Chambers each made three tackles, with Gray also posting a sack and a fumble recovery.

Quan Mason also had a sack while Gross added a tackle for loss, and both players matched Will Sewelland Austin Harris with two tackles apiece. Thomas Burton broke up two passes, and Mason had a quarterback hurry.

Offensively, Henry Ogala completed 12 passes for 142 yards and the score, while Blake Tibbs led the receiving corps with six grabs for 86 yards. Terry Hunter led the rushing attack with 41 yards, including a big 16-yard gain late in the fourth quarter to help the Blue Tigers run down the clock. Ramirez, meanwhile, averaged 60 yards on three kickoffs.

The Blue Tigers will be back in action in less than a week, as Lincoln travels to Springfield, Mo. on Thursday (Sept. 6) to play Missouri State in a 6:00 p.m. CDT contest.

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS 

Savage, Spartans Pull Away from VSU 34-13 in Labor Day Classic

NORFOLK, Virginia --– Aaron Savage tied his career high with 112 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns, and Norfolk State pulled away with a strong second-half performance to top Virginia State 34-13 in the Union Bank & Trust Labor Day Classic on Saturday night at William "Dick" Price Stadium.

Savage caught a 30-yard touchdown pass in the first half and helped seal the game with a 19-yard TD run in the fourth for the Spartans (1-0), who outscored the Trojans (0-1) 17-0 in the fourth quarter to break the game open.

VSU started quickly, taking the opening kickoff and driving 74 yards in 13 plays for a score. Cordelral Cook capped the drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to TreQuan Reed with 8:39 left in the first quarter.



NSU tied the game just more than four minutes later when Savage hauled in 30-yard TD pass from Carter on a 3rd-and-11 play. Savage tip-toed the sideline in the end zone, keeping his feet inbounds as he fell to the ground and caught the throw from Carter.

Josh Nardone booted a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter, his first of two in the game, to send NSU into the half with a 10-7 lead.

The second half was controlled by the Spartans. Four plays after NSU lost Carter due to an ejection, backup quarterback D'Andre Thomas threw a 15-yard TD pass to Chuma Awanna at the 6:10 mark of the third, giving the Spartans a 10-point cushion.

VSU crept back with 17-13 on Cook's 3-yard TD run on 4th-and-goal with 2:25 left in the third.

But the Spartans were dominant in the fourth quarter. Nardone capped a 10-play drive with a 24-yard field goal to extend NSU's lead to 20-13 early in the period. NSU forced a turnover on downs on the Trojans' next drive when safety Bobby Price batted down a fourth-down pass by Cook.

NSU then drove 58 yards in eight plays, all on the ground, for an insurance score. Cameryn Brent darted through the defense for a 17-yard TD run with 3:52 to play to put the Spartans ahead 27-13.

BOX SCORE

ATTENDANCE: 15,173

On the first play of the ensuing drive, NSU safety Nhyre' Quinerly picked off Cook for the second time. It took NSU just five plays to score again, all runs by Savage. His 19-yard TD burst with 41 seconds left put him over 100 yards for the second time in his last three games.

NSU outgained the Trojans 361-267. Savage ran the ball 24 times for 112 yards and caught two passes for 30 yards. Awanna had a game-high 77 receiving yards on four catches.

Carter was 15-of-27 for 185 yards in less than three quarters of work.

NSU held the Trojans to 82 rushing yards on 27 carries and forced four turnovers. Quinerly intercepted two passes and Nigel Chavis recovered a fumble. Linebackers Quintreil Chung (12) and Dale Craig (nine) paced the Spartans in tackles.

The Spartans are home again next week when they host James Madison, last year's FCS national runner-up, at 6 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

TSU Football Cruises Past Bethune-Cookman, 34-3, in the John Merritt Classic

PHOTO GALLERY

Game 1: Tennessee State 34, Bethune-Cookman 3
Event: The 20th Annual John Merrit Classic
Records: TSU (1-0), B-CU (0-1)
Venue: Nissan Stadium
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Weather: Mostly Clear, 82
Kickoff Time: 6:24 p.m.
Attendance: 14,069

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Powered by 525 yards to total offense and an impressive defensive performance, the Tennessee State football team earned a 34-3 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Friday night at Nissan Stadium in the 20th annual John Merritt Classic.

Chris Rowland, who was voted offensive MVP, finished with 154 yards on seven receptions. He added 64 yards on four punt returns and one rush for eight yards for 226 all purpose yards. 

 Micheal Hughes and DeMarco Corbin had rushing touchdowns, while DeVon Johnson had a touchdtown catch. 

DaJour Nesbeth added the exclamation mark with a 39-yard interception return for a touchdown with just over five minutes to play in the game for a 34-3 lead. LaQuarius Cook picked up an interception earlier in the game for the defense. Blair Edwards won defensive MVP after registering seven tackles, one sack and one pass breakup. 

Freshman kicker Antonio Zita hit two field goals on the night in his collegiate debut.

TSU is back in action on Sept. 8 in Memphis for the Southern Heritage Classic versus Jackson State.

NOTES

• First-time starters for Tennessee State included Demry Croft, Anthony Geter, Raekwon Allen, Mekhi Brown, Christion Abercrombie, Dante’ Ferguson Jr., Te'kendrick Roberson and Nick Harper Jr.
• Captains for TSU were Micheal Hughes, Demry Croft, Thomas Burton, Dell Porter and LaQuarius Cook.
• TSU won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
• Tennessee State is now 8-2 in the all-time series versus Bethune-Cookman.
• TSU improves to 13-6 all-time in the John Merritt Classic.
• Rod Reed is 21-4 in his TSU head coaching career versus HBCUs.
• Reed secured his 50th career win as TSU's head coach. 
• The last time TSU had 200-plus yards rushing and two touchdowns on the ground was in the 2017 season opener at Georgia State.
• TSU’s 525 yards of total offense are the most for the program since posting 577 on Nov. 22, 2014 at Murray State.

 QUOTES

Quarterback Micheal Hughes
(on being 1-0)
“It’s very important. That’s how you want to start the season off. I’m very excited. A lot of guys put in a lot of hard work for this moment. It’s very exciting to start the season off 1-0.”

(on chemistry with Chris Rowland)“Chris and I worked all summer together. He’s a hard-working guys, and he gets open when he needs to, so he did a good job.”

(on putting up 525 yards of total offense)
“That says we’re explosive. We’re in no huddle this year, so it gives us more opportunities - more snaps. It wasn’t a surprise for me. It’s great.”

Linebacker James Green(on the success of the defense)“Tonight’s success on the defensive side was great. Even though they had too many yards for us to be comfortable, we played a good game. We’re going to continue to get better.”

(on the mentality on third down)
“Put a foot on their neck. We weren’t going to let them come back. We were going to continue to play defense and be great. That’s how we’re going to play. We have to have some juice.”

(on the play of the newcomers)“We set the tempo for the season, and we’re going to keep getting better week-by-week. We’re one defense. We’re going to continue helping each other.” 

Safety LaQuarius Cook(on winning the opening game)“That’s big. We came out and played strong. First game so guys had to get the jitters out. We’ve got a lot of stuff we can learn from, but it’s good to get the win.”

(on winning the John Merritt Classic as a senior)“It means a lot. I haven’t lost a John Merritt Classic since I’ve been here. I’m proud to say that.”

(on the strong play of the defense)
“That’s Coach (Garry) Fischer and the guys believing in what we do. We still have work to do. It was alright, but we’re trying to be number one in the nation, so we have work to do.” 

Offensive Lineman Anthony Geter
(on the play of the offensive line)
“I think the offensive line did a great job of pass protecting and run blocking. We’re just doing what Coach E taught us all year. All camp, really, just dominate up front.”

(on switching quarterbacks)
“Sometimes we had issues with getting calls off and getting set, but it’s really no big deal. Both of them played well.”

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Virginia Union Panthers Football Opens with Overtime Win

ICHMOND, Virgina -- It was a win 22 years in the making.

"I remember that game, said VUU Head Coach Dr. Alvin Parker.  "I played in that game (an 18-12 win over Fayetteville State University).  It was Homecoming."

Since then, Virginia Union had lost every overtime game it had played in since 1996. The Panthers ended those struggles as they got four touchdowns from former Hopewell standout Tabyus Taylor, including the game-winner, and defeated Seton Hill, 34-28, in their season opener Saturday at home.


Down by a touchdown with under four minutes to play, the Panthers portrayed resiliency that has been missing in previous seasons, as quarterback Darius Taylor found running back Tabyus Taylor for a 13-yard touchdown reception that tied the game at 28.

Virginia Union was impressive closing out the game. The Panthers were stout on defense in overtime, not even allowing a field goal attempt by the Griffins. Defensive back Tovias Parker came up with his second interception of the day, and he was one broken tackle away from taking it all the way to the end zone.

The Panthers answered on offense in just three plays, scoring on a 2-yard run by Tabyus Taylor to clinch the overtime victory.

"Our mental toughness is way better than it was last year," Parker said. "We are stronger as a team, and we feel like we know what it takes to get the job done."

The Panthers jumped out to a quick start, scoring on their first drive on a 69-yard connection from Darius Taylor to Olu Izegwire. The Griffons answered with a long-distance pass from John Makell IV to Ardell Brown, who finished the game with six catches for 164 yards and three TDs.

The game appeared to be in the early stages of a shootout as both teams easily scored on their following drives. However, after a promising start, the second quarter brought offensive struggles and mental mistakes for the Panthers. Tabyus Taylor scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run for the Panthers with 2 minutes remaining in the half, but those were the last points they scored until Taylor's tying TD with 3:26 left in the fourth quarter.

"Anytime you're dealing with 18- or 19-year-olds, you're going to have ups and downs," first-year Union coach Alvin Parker said. "We played well, but we had a few careless penalties that I wasn't really happy with."

Virginia Union totaled five penalties for 56 yards compared to Seton Hill's two for 12 yards. A costly unnecessary-roughness penalty in the second quarter put Seton Hill in scoring position inside the 5-yard line. A pair of offensive holding penalties deflated drives. Darius Taylor was called for intentional grounding inside of the 15-yard line, resulting in a safety.

Despite the mistakes, Tabyus Taylor remained a constant for the Panthers. The junior running back finished with 176 rushing yards on 25 carries.

"Only thing going through my mind out there was to score," Taylor said. "Coach told me I'd get a lot of reps, and it would be up to me what I did with them. The sky is the limit this season."

BOX SCORE

Coach Parker is optimistic about the direction of the Panthers.

"If we can eliminate some of the penalties and errors, we are going to put ourselves in position to be a very good ballclub this season."

VIRGINIA UNION UNIVERSITY PANTHERS SPORTS INFORMATION

ASU Gray turns the lights out on Tuskegee with overtime run

MONTGOMERY, Alabama --  Alabama State ended a six-year drought when Ezra Gray took a handoff and outran everyone down the left side line to give Alabama State a 26-20 overtime victory over rival Tuskegee in front of 26,222 Saturday night.

The Hornets, who trailed most of the game, sent the game into overtime when Darryl Pearson, Jr. scored on a quarterback keeper with 5:09 remaining in regulation to tie the game at 20-all. Alabama State (1-0) stymied the Tuskegee offense and forced a punt, before running out the clock to force overtime.

Tuskegee (0-1) picked up a first down on their first play from scrimmage, before committing three consecutive penalties pushing the ball back to the Alabama State 43-yard line. After a 17-yard run by quarterback Jamarcus Ezell, the Golden Tigers lined up for a 43-yard field goal attempt. The attempt was blocked by Christian Clark, giving the Hornets the ball for their possession in overtime.



Alabama State wasted little time getting into the end zone, as Gray took the hand off from Pearson and outran three defenders down the sideline for the score. The score sent students and alumni alike over the barriers over the field as the Hornets claimed a win over Tuskegee for the first time since 2011.

The Golden Tigers scored on the first possession of the game when Justice Owens went up the middle from 13 yards out for a 7-0 lead with 12:14 remaining in the opening quarter. After Alabama State marched down the field, the drive stalled and Tuskegee again moved the ball against the Hornet defense – getting the ball down to the one-inch line. However, the Hornet defense stood their ground, and blocked the first of two field goals on the night to keep the deficit at one possession.

Alabama State got on the board for the first time this season with a 68-yard catch and run by Tyrek Allento tie the game at 7-all, before Tuskegee answered with a 35-yard run from Kenny Gant for a 13-7 lead after the extra point was missed.


 
The Hornets got on the board one more time with a 20-yard field from Hunter Hanson with 6:16 remaining in the half, before they tied the game at 13-all with a 25-yard field goal from Hanson.
 
Alabama State won for the first time in six years in the season opener, with the last coming against Mississippi Valley State in 2011 – a 41-9 victory. The win also was the first against Tuskegee since the same season, a season in which the Hornets finished 8-3.
 
The Hornets return to action Saturday at ninth-ranked Auburn, in game that can be seen on the SEC Network Alternate Channel and heard on the Hornet Sports Network. Kick is set for 6:30 pm next weekend.

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

ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

ECSU Cruises Past Central State (OH) in Season Opener

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina -- The first play of Elizabeth City State University Head Coach Anthony Jones tenure was one he'll never forget.  But the Vikings had to buckle down to subdue Central State in a lightning-shortened season-opening, 19-10, in Roebuck Stadium.

GREAT WAY TO START THE SEASON

The Vikings scored on the first play of the season when sophomore defensive back Taeyonn Reynolds stripped the ball from the grasp of Marauder freshman running back Brandon Stevenson at the 35 yard line on the kickoff and raced untouched down the left sideline to put ECSU on the board just 13 seconds into Jones' tenure.  It was a lead that the Vikings (1-0) would not relinquish.

Junior running back Gregory Bryan continued his 2-year dominance of Central.  After rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown in Ohio last fall, he piled up 115 yards on nine totes, highlighted by a decisive 71-yard scoring  on a third-and-10 play to push the Vikings lead to 19-10.  Bryant raced untouched through a gaping hole in the left side of the line, dodged one would-be Central State defender and out-ran secondary to the left side of the end-zone.

Before they could celebrate, the Viking faithful had to sit out a series of lightning delays which stopped the clock with 12:27 remaining until the game was called two hours and 50 minutes later. Prior to the halting of play for lightning, the Viking defense was stifling.  Led by senior linebacker Miacah Cooper with nine tackles (6 solos, 3 assists) including a sack and three tackles for loss, ECSU yielded just 71 yards rushing and 118 passing before Mother Nature interrupted.

"My guys did a great job. I told them that I'm very, very proud of them," Jones said after the contest was called by officials.  "A lot of people don't understand, I got here too late for spring ball, so we didn't have spring ball.  And the first time that I saw most of these guys practice was August 8."

Did the new head coach enjoy the win?

"I know he did.  The smile on his face tells it all," said Cooper.

"We exceeded our expectations," an excited Cooper said about his defensive unit following the game.  "We made big plays, we forced turnovers and flew around the ball.

"It's all about winning, getting the winning environment back here."

It was a defensive struggle until a string of three touchdowns on three consecutive possessions  by the teams preceded the stoppage in play. A 20-yard scoring pass and run from rookie quarterback Kedrick Patterson to freshman wide receiver Jaquarious Bellamy into the right flat was punctuated by a crisp downfield block by junior wide receiver Charles Davis, staking the Vikings to a 10-point edge with 2:48 left in the third period.

After limiting Central to just 45 yards of offense during the third period, the Viking defense was breached when the Marauders marched 71 yards on 10 plays capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Trent Mays to sophomore wide receiver Darius Ford 25 seconds into the final quarter.  That drive trimmed the home lead to just three points because of two missed extra-point kicks by ECSU. But Bryan's touchdown gallop put ECSU back in control and took the wind away from Central (0-1).

The Viking defense, led by Cooper and junior linebacker Vincent Thomas, helped ECSU carry a 7-3 lead into halftime by allowing just 103 total yards and a field goal.  Sophomore defensive back Greg Williams' 27-yard interception return with four minutes left in the opening period and strong stand to limit the Pirates to three points after a first-and-goal to begin the second period spelled the difference.

Thomas and junior linebacker Shawn Bridges dropped Central junior running back Blake McEwen for a 2-yard loss on second down before junior defensive back Jaelan Williams broke up a pass in the end-zone on third down to make the visitors settle for 28-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Trevor Teel with 12:14 left in the half.

Central would not pass its own 41 for the rest of the period.

Senior runningback Chase Byrum added 54 yards rushing  to help the Vikings finished with 166 yards on the ground.  Patterson completed 13 of 27 passes without an interception for 168 yards.  Senior wide receiver Deon Yarborough had game highs of five catches for 82 yards.  Bellamy and junior wide receiver Brandon Joyner pulled in three passes apiece.

Mays connected on 12 of 18 passes for 118 yards while junior runningback Terraris Saffold paced the Marauders' running attack with 49 yards on 17 carries.

The Viking win evened the series against Central at 2-2-1.

ECSU is at UNC Pembroke next Saturday at 6 p.m. for another non-conference contest.

ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS