#1-Ranked Virginia Union Panthers Crush Lincoln 66-27

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Virginia Union University, ranked #1 in the Heritage Sports Radio Network HBCU poll, scored 50 straight points in the second half to cruise to a 66-27 win over Lincoln (Pa.) University on Saturday, October 10, in Lincoln University, Pa.

VUU's Hakeem Holland opened the game by returning the kickoff 93-yards for a touchdown, then added three more rushing TDs on the day, including a 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Holland would rush for a career-high 186 yards in the game. Holland also had 173 yards in kickoff return yardage.

Virginia Union's Shawheem Dowdy completed 10 of 22 passes for 144 yards and three touchdown passes. The game marked the third time this season that Dowdy has passed for three or more touchdowns in a single game. Dowdy has passed for 12 touchdowns this season, the most by a Panther quarterback since Lamar Little passed for 14 TDs in 2008. The school record for most passing touchdowns in a single season is 28, set by Little in the 2007 season.

VUU's Rodeshawn Joseph picked off two passes, including returning one 50 yards for a touchdown. This marked the first time this season that a Panther defensive player has had two interceptions. The last VUU player to have two interceptions in a single game was Charles Davis against Fayetteville State University in 2014.

Virginia Union's Paulin Miano and Joseph Blanks had recovered two sacks apiece, with VUU have a total five sacks as a team. Miano also led Virginia Union with nine tackles. VUU's Joshua Fasavalu and Kameron Mack both recovered a fumble.

The Panther defense also continued to shine against rushing offense. Already leading the nation statistically in rushing defense, the Panthers held Lincoln to 59 total offensive yards.

On the offensive side of the ball, VUU racked up 534 total offensive yards, the fourth-highest in school history. It was the most total offensive yardage for a Panther team since VUU set a school-record of 623 yards against Norfolk State University on October 24, 1992.

Virginia Union had 390 total rushing yards, the eighth-highest in school history, and the most since VUU set a school-record of 490 yards against Virginia State University in 2009.

The win raised VUU's record to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in the CIAA. The Panthers are tied for first place in the Northern Division of the CIAA with Bowie State University. Lincoln fell to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the CIAA.

Virginia Union returns to Hovey Field for Homecoming 2015 on Saturday, October 17, when the Panthers face Chowan University at 1:00 p.m. in Richmond, Va.

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Virginia State Trojans Outlast ECSU Vikings for a 24-23 Win

ELIZABETH CITY, North Carolina  -- The Virginia State University took a 24-23 win over the Elizabeth City State University Vikings on Oct. 10, outlasting them in the first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Northern Division matchup of the season. An unsuccessful 48 yard kick by the Vikings gave the Trojans the close win.

The victory gives the VSU a 4-2 overall record, 2-1 in the CIAA conference, 1-0 in the Northern Division.

The Trojans set the bar high in the first play of the game with a 74 yard pass completion from junior quarterback Tarian Ayres (Dillwyn, VA) to senior wide receiver Jaivon Smallwood for a VSU touchdown. VSU held the Vikings down the remainder of the first quarter.

ECSU rallied back in the second quarter with a touchdown with 7:20 on the clock. Freshman linebacker TyVaughan Kirby-Johnson (Richmond, VA) stepping in with a block as the Viking attempted their goal kick. Kirby-Johnson's quick thinking kept the Trojans in the lead, 7-6. A VSU fumble turned the ball over to ECSU with 7:04 in the quarter. On the 4^th down and 9 with 6:04 left before halftime, the Vikings secured a 34 yard touchdown, bring the score to 13-7. The Trojans regrouped after 10 plays and clinched a 25 yard touchdown by sophomore running back Trenton Cannon (Hampton, VA). Things were looking up for VSU until ECSU made a 42 yard field goal to bring the score to 16-14, with the Trojans down going into halftime.

The Vikings made the first touchdown of the third quarter with an 81 yard pass with 5:59 on the clock. The Trojans were not going down without a fight and pressed their way to the end zone with a 1 yard run by junior running back Kavon Bellamy (Hampton, VA). At the conclusion of the third quarter, the Trojans trailed 23-21.

Putting VSU back in the lead was sophomore kicker Mathew Hillquist (Glen Allen, VA). Hillquist's 42 yard kick with 14:06 remaining in the game would eventually give VSU the win. ECSU took a chance to steal the game with 0:05 left on the clock with a 48 yard field goal attempt, but was unsuccessful.

Ayres was 10- for-21 in pass completions with 202 yards and a single touchdown. Cannon led the Trojans with 150 rushing yards and a single touchdown while Smallwood tallied 114 receiving yards and a touchdown.  Junior linebacker Geo Feggins (South Hill, VA) earned a career high with 14 total tackled in a single game, of which 13 were solo tackles. Hillquist secured a career high with his longest field goal of 42 yards.

Mark your calendars, the Trojans will take on the Bulldogs of Bowie State University on Saturday, Oct. 17 for VSU Homecoming 2015. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. in Rogers Stadium.

The Virginia State Department of Athletics annual 1,000 cans, 1 goal campaign initiative is underway. Canned food items collected will be donated to the local food banks. The Department encourages all fans, alumni, faculty and friends to bring a canned food item to all of the home volleyball and football games this season.

For more football information to include homecoming and tailgating, visit, govsutrojans.com, call 804-524-5030, or follow Trojans Athletics on Twitter @VSUsports.

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Late Touchdown Lifts WVSU to Homecoming Victory

INSTITUTE, West Virginia -- The West Virginia State University football team won its first home game of the season in the most dramatic of fashions in front of 2,911 fans during a warm Homecoming Saturday at Dickerson Stadium at Lakin Field.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Kinnick hit freshman Tyrone Barber for a touchdown from 9 yards with 55 seconds remaining to lift the Yellow Jackets to a 32-29 Mountain East Conference victory over Notre Dame, giving State its fourth win in six games of 2015.

State (4-2, 4-2 MEC) averaged 18 points in home losses to Urbana (30-23) and Charleston (34-13), compared to 54.3 in road wins against Fairmont State (59-34), West Virginia Wesleyan (52-31) and UVa-Wise (52-45). The 32 points is the most State has scored at home in 14 games since Anderson took over in 2013.

"I think it's just a mindset," Anderson said. "We finally addressed that and talked about it. We needed to will that to happen. We needed to play well at home, and we did. This team's just going to have to fight and claw and scratch for everything they get. Two weeks in a row that's what they've done.

"Nobody on that sideline thought we were going to lose. That's why we won."

Anderson's team, which has doubled its win total of 2013 and 2014 combined, led 17-16 at halftime but failed to score in the third, trailing 22-17 with 15 minutes left. State finished with 497 yards of offense with only 57 coming in the third, but 128 in the fourth.

The Yellow Jackets were revived early in the final quarter when Notre Dame (1-5, 1-5), punting on fourth down at its own 5, saw the ball snapped over the head of 6-foot-6 punter Anton Vrebac and out of the end zone. The safety cut the lead to 22-19.

Return man Dionta Brown brought back the ensuing free kick 59 yards to the Notre Dame 19, leading to the second of three Barber scores to return the lead back to the hosts.

Notre Dame answered with a Malik Grove 79-yard pass to wide receiver Mitchell Shegos, who caught the ball at the Falcons' 28-yard line and outsprinted the defense for a 29-25 Notre Dame lead.
State linebacker Jesse Umah forced a fumble from Grove on the Falcons' next possession. The Yellow Jackets were forced to punt from the Notre Dame 37, but an offside penalty against the visitors gave State 1 yard to gain for a first down. A Barber run gave State a first down at the 34.
WVSU and Notre Dame traded scoreless possessions with the Yellow Jackets reaching the Falcons' 13 where the hosts came up short on a fourth-and-8 with 3:13 on the clock. Three plays netted 3 yards for Notre Dame, which punted the ball back to the hosts.

State started the game-winning drive with two timeouts and 47 yards separating its first winning streak since opening the 2008 season with five victories.

Kinnick, who leads the MEC in passing yards per game and is tied for second in touchdown passes, was 4-for-7 for 46 yards on the drive to conclude a two-touchdown, 370-yard day.

"This started back in fall camp when we talked to these guys about believing in each other and buying into each other," Anderson said. "Knowing that everybody has bought into being a State football player. That belief fosters itself and just goes."

Grove, who leads the MEC In total offense, threw for three touchdowns and 335, with 79 of those coming on one play in the third.

Barber ran for 102 yards on 22 carries and two TDs, while catching seven passes for 61 yards and another score.

State's Quinton Gray and Notre Dame's Mitchell Shegos came into the game first and second respectively in the league at catches per game. Gray caught seven for 131 yards and Shegos had five for 154 yards and two scores.

Linebacker Mitchell Rowell led State in tackles with 13.

The Yellow Jackets return to action on Saturday, Oct. 17 when it visits undefeated Shepherd in a noon contest.

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By RICH STEVENS
WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Ram Ramblings: Living, breathing history of WSSU football on display

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- There was a lot of history walking around Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Coach Kermit Blount was back on the sidelines – for Johnson C. Smith. Bill Hayes was walking around in the stands being Bill Hayes. And Pete Richardson was one of seven inducted into the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame this weekend. That’s a lot of wins and a lot of history.

By my count the three former WSSU coaches combined for 33 years and 221 wins and eight CIAA titles. According to the WSSU media guide the Rams have on record 410 wins in school history so the combination of Hayes, Richardson and Blount make up more than half of those victories.

Blount, 57, is trying to carve out his niche at Johnson C. Smith and is in his first season there.

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WSSU gets its groove back

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State found its swagger in a 37-22 rout of Johnson C. Smith in front of around 3,000 at rainy Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

In a season that hasn’t had much go right, the Rams didn’t do a lot that was wrong.

“We just had a great week of practice, and it all kind of came together today,” said wide receiver Rashan Williams, who caught one touchdown pass from quarterback Rod Tinsley. “We listened to the coaches, we prepared like we needed to, and it all worked out.”

The Rams (2-4, 2-1 CIAA) beat the Golden Bulls (1-5, 0-3) for the 15th straight time and it may have resurrected their season. The victory was also their first in the Southern Division portion of their schedule.

Coach Kienus Boulware of the Rams watched the offense have its best game of the season, piling up 481 yards. Tinsley went 17 of 27 passing for 234 yards with three touchdown passes to go along with two interceptions.



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Fayetteville State holds onto a 36-29 Divisional Win over Shaw

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- The Fayetteville State University football team defeated Shaw University 36-29 for their first CIAA Southern Division win of the season on Saturday, October 10th at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium. FSU improves to 3-3 overall and 3-0 in the conference, while the Bears fall to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the CIAA.

The Broncos' defense set the tempo and established the first score of the game. On the opening kickoff, FSU picked up a safety by tackling the Shaw returner in the end zone on a bobble. Neither offense produced points in the first quarter.

Fayetteville State ignited in the second quarter, outscoring the Bears 21-7 before the break. Terrance Shambry threw an eight yard touchdown pass to Sherman Ragland to give Shaw a 7-2 lead. From there, the Broncos exploded out the gates with three unanswered scores. Senior running back Andre Montgomery (Goldsboro, NC) got the first TD on a 12 yard run up the right side.

Senior quarterback Derek Bryant (Carrboro, NC) threw for the next two touchdowns in the second. He completed a 10-play, 60 yard with a six yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Tavon Gatlin (Virginia Beach, VA). Just before time expired in the quarter, Bryant connected with fellow senior wide receiver Chris Hubert (Apex, NC) on a one yard touchdown slant.

The Bears faced a 23-7 deficit at halftime. Freshman wide receiver Gedari Liverman (Elizabeth City, NC) scored his second TD of the season off a 24 yard pass from Bryant. Trailing 30-7, Shaw finally responded. Shambry capped a seven play drive with a 27 yard touchdown pass to Danny Webster.

Bryant answered for the Broncos with his fourth touchdown of the contest. This time Bryant connected with sophomore wide receiver Avery Redden (Fayetteville, NC) on a six yard TD toss. The throw completed a 13-play, 87 yard drive and tabbed Redden for his first touchdown of the season. FSU took a 36-14 lead into the fourth quarter.

Shaw mauled their way back into the game in the fourth. Shambry threw two TD passes and the Bears defense recorded a safety of their own. Although Fayetteville State allowing 15 unanswered points in the final quarter, the Broncos preserved the win.

Bryant completed 29-of-45 pass attempts for 262 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Montgomery had 85 yards on 16 carries and a TD. Hubert added 73 yards on 10 catches and a score.

In addition to Bryant, Gatlin, Hubert, and Montgomery, Fayetteville State Athletics recognized 14 other senior football student-athletes. Safety Kwamere Bailey (Manteo, NC), defensive end Christopher Diggs (Hamlet, NC), safety Michael Fogg (Raleigh, NC), center Trebor Jackson, Jr. (Goldsboro, NC), defensive back Darius Jeffers (Wallace, NC), center Brian Jones (Miami, FL), nose tackle Rendall Mash (Charlotte, NC), linebacker Thomas Perry (Windsor, NC), running back Corbin Rascoe (Windsor, NC), defensive back Marcellus Riley, Jr. (Washington, D.C.), defensive end Ernest Robinson III (Cheltenham, MD), linebacker LaDarius Rouse (Winston-Salem, NC), defensive back Jalen Sowell (Monroe, NC), and defensive back Juwan Thomas were all acknowledged pregame with their family and loved ones for Broncos Senior Recognition Day.

FSU will travel to Charlotte, NC to face Johnson C. Smith University for their second divisional game of the year. The Broncos will clash with JCSU on Saturday, October 17th at 3:00 p.m. inside the Irwin Belk Complex.

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KSU Loses Homecoming Game to FVSU Wildcats

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- The opportunities were there for Kentucky State University’s football team against Fort Valley State University Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium.

But it was the execution that lacked in a 35-10 Thorobred defeat to the Wildcats in their homecoming game.

“Offensively we just didn’t execute which is unfortunate because I felt this was one of our better weeks of practice and we just didn’t execute,” KSU head coach Josh Dean said. “We didn’t finish off plays.”

Kentucky State had the ball in FVSU territory on nine different drives and was able to score just twice for 10 points. The Thorobreds turned the ball over six times (four interceptions and two fumbles) and allowed nine sacks.

“The opportunities were there, we just can’t afford to go backwards,” Dean said. “We have to score touchdowns. We have to put ourselves in better position where we can get points and we didn’t do that.”

The Wildcats jumped out to a 21-0 lead with quarterback Malcolm Eady throwing three touchdown passes, one each to Jevon Bell, Drelon Freeman and Alexander Morgan.

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