WSSU Rams and BSU Bulldogs will be meeting again on football field

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- It won’t have the feel of the CIAA championship, but the game between No. 19 Winston-Salem State and Bowie State will have a familiar feel.

Thanks to a gap in both programs’ schedule, the two play at 4 p.m. Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium in a designated nonconference game. It won’t count in the CIAA standings, but it will still be an important game.

“It feels like we just got done playing them,” said center Josh Wormley of the Rams.



The Rams (1-0) have beaten the Bulldogs (1-0) in the last two CIAA championship games. In 2015, WSSU upset Bowie State 17-14 in Durham and then last year the Rams won in Salem, Va., for back-to-back titles.

The two programs agreed to play in the nonconference game this season because both were looking for a game. Athletics director Tonia Walker said it will be great for both programs because of the recent history.

“We are excited because we have our Hall of Fame induction this weekend, and we think this will be a very competitive game,” Walker said. “We’re thankful that Bowie State agreed to the game because next year we’ll play them in the (CIAA) regular season.”

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Despite success in Norfolk, MEAC's shopping for possible new basketball tournament site

NORFOLK, Virginia -- The MEAC men’s and women’s basketball tournaments seem to have thrived the last five years at Norfolk’s Scope, but that isn’t stopping the league from asking other cities to bid to host the events .

Norfolk’s contract with the MEAC expires after this season’s tournament.

Commissioner Dennis Thomas confirmed the MEAC has asked for bids, adding, “We’ve had a good response.” He didn’t put a timeline on the decision and declined to say what other cities submitted proposals.

Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander said he understands why the league would seek other bids.

“You should always look at what’s out there,” he said. “They want to see what they can find in the marketplace in the way of revenue and amenities. I think that’s a smart move on their part.”

Still, I’d be surprised if the MEAC leaves Norfolk, whose central location has helped the tournament draw pretty well. The league sold 52,293 tournament tickets here in 2013, and that grew to 74,904 last season, a league record.

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FAMU head coach Alex Wood: Health 'key' for Rattlers moving forward

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- After playing two games in six days – including on game against an FBS opponent following a 12-hour bus ride – Florida A&M’s football team is getting some time to rest.

This week marks the first of two bye weeks for the Rattlers (1-1, 0-0 MEAC). FAMU, which came out of the first two weeks relatively healthy, per head coach Alex Wood, has yet another formidable opponent waiting on the other side of this week off.

The Rattlers will play FCS No. 23 Tennessee State in Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium in the first FAMU Tampa Classic. Tennessee State is coming off a 17-10 win over FBS opponent Georgia State thanks in part to a dual-threat performance from Florida transfer QB Treon Harris.

FAMU's game against Tennessee State is the final nonconference game of the season for the Rattlers.

Wood said the bye week – even though it’s coming before just the third game of the season – is at the “right time” for the Rattlers.

“We’re going to do some prep for (Tennessee State),” Wood said. “We’re also going to look at ourselves and make sure we’re fundamentally sound and that we’re doing all the things right that we can possibly do from that stand point.”

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MEAC Week 1: Head Coaches Teleconference

B-CU Wildcats
Head Coach Terry Sims
MP 3 Audio


DSU Hornets
Head Coach Kenny Carter
MP3 Audio


FAMU Rattlers
Head Coach Alex Wood
MP3 Audio


HAMPTON Pirates
Head Coach Connell Maynor
MP3 Audio


HOWARD Bison
Head Coach Mike London
MP3 Audio


MSU Bears
Head Coach Fred Farrier
MP3 Audio


NSU Spartans
Head Coach Latrell Scott
MP3 Audio


NCA&T Aggies
Head Coach Rod Broadway
MP3 Audio


NCCU Eagles
Head Coach Jerry Mack
MP3 Audio


SSU Tigers
Head Coach Erik Raeburn
MP3 Audio


SCSU Bulldogs
Head Coach Buddy Pough
MP3 Audio

COURTESY MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS

S.C. State Bulldogs look to improve to host CSU after opening loss

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- No time to mope or hang heads low in disappointment.

The South Carolina State football team still feels the sting of Sunday's 14-8 loss to Southern in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Baton Rouge, La. That sting is partially from a season-opening loss, and partially from falling short on opportunities to win late in the game.

It wasn't the way Bulldogs head coach Buddy Pough wanted to start his 16th season leading his alma mater's program. But, with an experienced defense and a talented but unproven offense, the result was somewhat understandable.

"It's been a brutal morning, looking at that (game) tape and seeing some of the mistakes we made," Pough said at his weekly press conference on Monday. "It's just not what I had envisioned. We need to get through that as quickly as possible.

"Sometimes you need to put a win behind you and get better, but maybe you need to get a loss behind you even faster. You can brutalize yourself (mentally) to the point where you don't give yourself a chance to come out of it. You can't get too high or too low in this game. We need to fix what needs to be fixed and get on to the next thing."



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Alcorn State/FIU football matchup will not be played in Miami on Saturday Due To Dangerous Cat 5 Hurricane IRMA

MIAMI, Florida -- There is a strong likelihood that South Florida will be impacted by Hurricane Irma later this week and into the weekend. Irma is a large, category 5 hurricane that should not be underestimated. It is imperative that every member of the community takes this threat seriously and pays attention to updates from the National Hurricane Center.

Employees are expected to report to work on Wednesday; university services will take place as usual. The university will be closed starting on Thursday. All special events on campus, including the Saturday football game at FIU, are canceled.

MORE TO FOLLOW...

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Tennessee State football ranked in two national polls

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State cracked the first FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll at No. 24 and the STATS FCS (media) Poll at No. 23.

The Tigers opened the season with a 17-10 win Thursday at FBS foe Georgia State.
It was TSU’s first win over an FBS team since the Tigers beat Louisville 24-15 in 1984.

TSU was not ranked in either poll in the preseason.

Tigers senior linebacker Chris Collins racked up 12 tackles (9 solos) and was named the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week along with Jacksonville State linebacker Jonathan Hagler.

TSU safety Vincent Sellers, a freshman from Sarasota, Fla., was the OVC Newcomer of the Week. He had 10 tackles, including one for a loss.

TSU plays Jackson State Saturday (6 p.m.) in the Southern Heritage Classic at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Jackson State opened the season Saturday with a 63-0 loss to Texas Christian.



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