Monday, September 25, 2017
Prairie View A&M Defense Dominant In SWAC-Opening Win At Alabama State
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Prairie View A&M University football team opened Southwestern Athletic Conference play with a dominant 34-0 win Saturday night at Alabama St.
The Panthers (1-2, 1-0 SWAC) held Alabama St. (0-4, 0-1) to 127 total yards and only seven first downs, forcing three turnovers and scoring a touchdown of its own as PVAMU recorded its first shutout since Oct. 17 2009, a 38-0 home win over Miss. Valley St. The shutout is the first on the road since a 15-0 win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Oct. 18, 2008.
"It's a conference win, so it's very important in the fact that it's step one to achieving our ultimate goal, which is the SWAC Championship," said PVAMU head coach Willie Simmons, who's teams are now 9-0 in SWAC road games in opposing venues. "I'm proud of the guys, proud of their effort, and proud of the way they came out and responded. It's something to build on. We're definitely happy to be 1-0 in conference play, and ready to get back to work."
Anthony Stubbs forced a fumble on the second play of the game, which was recovered by Ju'Anthony Parker. The first of two Sta'Fon McCray touchdown runs gave Prairie View A&M a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. McCray rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
In the second quarter, a 37-yard interception return by Parker gave PVAMU a 14-0 lead with 6:36 to play until halftime. Later in the quarter, a 61-yard touchdown pass from Lavell McCullers to Markcus Hardy gave the Panthers a 21-0 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, McCray rushed on the first three plays of the second half for 65 yards on the scoring drive, ending with his nine-yard scoring run for a 28-0 lead.
Zach Elder ended the scoring with a 21-yard field goal in the third quarter, and a career-long 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for the final margin.
McCullers completed 14 of 27 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown, as the Panthers gained 409 total yards (234 rushing, 175 passing).
Prairie View A&M football returns home to host Jackson St. Saturday at 4 p.m. at Panther Stadium. Tickets are available online at pvpanthers.com/tickets.
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Sunday, September 24, 2017
North Carolina A&T Aggies Remain Undefeated With Win Over Morgan Bears
BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Only a quarter of the season has past and the No. 15/21 North Carolina A&T football team already has the Football Championship Subdivision world wondering if certain things have ever been done before.
N.C. A&T opened their conference season by crushing Morgan State 49-17 at Hughes Stadium. In the process, the Aggies improved to 4-0 in a season for the first time since 1993. Also during the game, redshirt freshman Mac McCain returned two interceptions for touchdowns, one for 100 yards and the other for 78. He had three INTs for the game, and now has five on the season.
Last week in the Aggies upset win over Charlotte, McCain had the game-winning pick-6 in the closing seconds of the ballgame.
It is not certain if anyone in NCAA history has ever returned three interceptions for touchdowns over two games, but only 27 other players in NCAA FCS history has ever returned two INTs for touchdowns in the same game. McCain is only one INT return for touchdown away from tying the single-season NCAA record, which is four shared by three players. McCain came up short for the single-game record for INT return yards. He had 178 and the record stands at 216 by Brown’s Keiron Bigby in 1984.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I can’t remember somebody scoring three touchdowns in two games off interceptions,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “But he can run once he gets it. He has done some much to improve on his catching and closing in on the ball, so he deserves this success. He is becoming a big-time playmaker for us.”
The Aggies seem to have an abundance of playmakers, and they were on display Saturday night. Redshirt junior running back Marquell Cartwright finished with a career-high 176 yards rushing on 17 carries, which included a 72-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. Graduate running back Jamari Smith added 97 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Sophomore wideout Elijah Bell, the nation’s leader in touchdown receptions, added to his collection by scoring twice. He has seven TD receptions on the season, bringing him four touchdowns shy of breaking the school’s single-season TD receptions record with seven regular-season games remaining. Bell added four receptions for 95 yards to his totals.
Redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard had his normal steady day, finishing 15-for-22 for 158 yards and three touchdowns. Raynard has not thrown an interception in his last 141 throws. But it wasn’t Raynard and the Aggies highly-rated passing game that got the Aggies out to a large lead early. It was the running game.
“We thought if we could break their first line of defense, we had some chances to make some plays,” said Broadway. “They put so many guys in the box, we knew once we got past that first wall, we had a chance to break some long ones.”
After Cartwright’s long one to open the game, the Aggies came back on their second drive of the game and went 53 yards in seven plays, using 28 yards rushing to take a 14-0 lead on a 15-yard touchdown catch from Raynard to Bell in which Bell outjumped the smaller defensive back to score.
After one of their drives finally stalled, the Aggies opened the second quarter by returning to their old ways. They put together a 14-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Smith catching a 9-yard touchdown pass from Raynard for a 21-0 Aggies lead. The Aggies then constructed an 81-yard drive that culminated with Raynard connecting with Bell on a 4th-and-9 for a 31-yard touchdown reception.
“I thought once again the guys played really well early. But for some reason when we get way ahead we want to ease up a little bit and start making mistakes that drive me nuts,” said Broadway. “We still have a lot to get corrected, but overall it was a good win for us.”
An element the Aggies were trying to keep intact to also make the college football world wonder if it happened, was keeping Morgan State (0-4, 0-1 MEAC) scoreless. The Bears had been shutout in their previous three games but looked poised to end that drought at the end of the first half on Saturday. MSU drove the ball to the Aggies 5-yard line. But on 2nd-and-goal with nine seconds remaining in the first half, MSU quarterback Elijah Staley was looking to throw the ball to the corner of the end zone Manassah Bailey. McCain recognized it, left the man he was covering, jumped in front of Bailey and returned the INT 100 yards for an obvious school record.
N.C. A&T went into the locker room leading 35-0. MSU did score their first points of the season a minute into the second half as Staley connected with Brian Gentry for an 83-yard touchdown.
Another road test awaits the Aggies next week as they travel to Orangeburg, S.C., to face the South Carolina State Bulldogs 6 p.m., Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
N.C. A&T opened their conference season by crushing Morgan State 49-17 at Hughes Stadium. In the process, the Aggies improved to 4-0 in a season for the first time since 1993. Also during the game, redshirt freshman Mac McCain returned two interceptions for touchdowns, one for 100 yards and the other for 78. He had three INTs for the game, and now has five on the season.
Last week in the Aggies upset win over Charlotte, McCain had the game-winning pick-6 in the closing seconds of the ballgame.
It is not certain if anyone in NCAA history has ever returned three interceptions for touchdowns over two games, but only 27 other players in NCAA FCS history has ever returned two INTs for touchdowns in the same game. McCain is only one INT return for touchdown away from tying the single-season NCAA record, which is four shared by three players. McCain came up short for the single-game record for INT return yards. He had 178 and the record stands at 216 by Brown’s Keiron Bigby in 1984.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I can’t remember somebody scoring three touchdowns in two games off interceptions,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “But he can run once he gets it. He has done some much to improve on his catching and closing in on the ball, so he deserves this success. He is becoming a big-time playmaker for us.”
The Aggies seem to have an abundance of playmakers, and they were on display Saturday night. Redshirt junior running back Marquell Cartwright finished with a career-high 176 yards rushing on 17 carries, which included a 72-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. Graduate running back Jamari Smith added 97 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Sophomore wideout Elijah Bell, the nation’s leader in touchdown receptions, added to his collection by scoring twice. He has seven TD receptions on the season, bringing him four touchdowns shy of breaking the school’s single-season TD receptions record with seven regular-season games remaining. Bell added four receptions for 95 yards to his totals.
Redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard had his normal steady day, finishing 15-for-22 for 158 yards and three touchdowns. Raynard has not thrown an interception in his last 141 throws. But it wasn’t Raynard and the Aggies highly-rated passing game that got the Aggies out to a large lead early. It was the running game.
“We thought if we could break their first line of defense, we had some chances to make some plays,” said Broadway. “They put so many guys in the box, we knew once we got past that first wall, we had a chance to break some long ones.”
After Cartwright’s long one to open the game, the Aggies came back on their second drive of the game and went 53 yards in seven plays, using 28 yards rushing to take a 14-0 lead on a 15-yard touchdown catch from Raynard to Bell in which Bell outjumped the smaller defensive back to score.
After one of their drives finally stalled, the Aggies opened the second quarter by returning to their old ways. They put together a 14-play, 88-yard drive that ended with Smith catching a 9-yard touchdown pass from Raynard for a 21-0 Aggies lead. The Aggies then constructed an 81-yard drive that culminated with Raynard connecting with Bell on a 4th-and-9 for a 31-yard touchdown reception.
“I thought once again the guys played really well early. But for some reason when we get way ahead we want to ease up a little bit and start making mistakes that drive me nuts,” said Broadway. “We still have a lot to get corrected, but overall it was a good win for us.”
An element the Aggies were trying to keep intact to also make the college football world wonder if it happened, was keeping Morgan State (0-4, 0-1 MEAC) scoreless. The Bears had been shutout in their previous three games but looked poised to end that drought at the end of the first half on Saturday. MSU drove the ball to the Aggies 5-yard line. But on 2nd-and-goal with nine seconds remaining in the first half, MSU quarterback Elijah Staley was looking to throw the ball to the corner of the end zone Manassah Bailey. McCain recognized it, left the man he was covering, jumped in front of Bailey and returned the INT 100 yards for an obvious school record.
N.C. A&T went into the locker room leading 35-0. MSU did score their first points of the season a minute into the second half as Staley connected with Brian Gentry for an 83-yard touchdown.
Another road test awaits the Aggies next week as they travel to Orangeburg, S.C., to face the South Carolina State Bulldogs 6 p.m., Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
GSU Defense sparks Tigers to victory over MVSU Delta Devils
ITTA BENA, Mississippi | De'Aumante Johnson recorded three first-half interceptions as the Grambling State University defense came up big on Saturday night with a 38-6 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener for both teams at Rice-Totten Stadium.
"We didn't play well," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs. "We had a lot of guys out and sometimes when you have a lot of guys out, it's hard to find that chemistry. I thought we did a good job to keep fighting regardless of the situation. The defense was stellar tonight. They did not only an awesome job of stopping them, but scoring points as well."
After both teams went three-and-out on its first offensive possession, Grambling State's defense came up with the first score of the night with 10:35 remaining in the opening quarter.
On a third-and-eight play, De'Aumante Johnson picked off MVSU quarterback Jett Even and went 35 yards down the right sideline to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
After another three-and-out for the Delta Devils, Grambling State was driving, but a fumble on the exchange at the MVSU 2-yard line gave the Mississippi Valley State the ball back.
But the Delta Devils (0-3 overall, 0-1 SWAC) didn't have it for long as Even's pass was intercepted by Johnson, his second pick of the day, to set up good field position.
The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) picked up their second score of the night with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter when Marc Orozco booted a 36-yard field goal to extend the Grambling State lead to 10-0.
Grambling State picked up two points on a safety, its second in as many weeks, to extend the lead to 12-0 with 13:44 left in the second quarter.
The Tigers closed out the first half with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.
Orozco kicked a 37-yard field goal with 9:58 left to push the advantage to 15-0 and Geremy Hickbottom connected with Devante Davis for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:43 remaining to extend the margin to 22-0.
Grambling State put the game out of reach with 11:42 left in the third quarter as Nicholas Black ran untouched for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Tigers a commanding 29-0 lead.
A James Crosby 4-yard touchdown run cut the margin to 29-6, but the Tigers blocked the extra point and Johnson returned the ball for the two-point conversion.
Grambling State put the final touches on the night on a Lyndemian Brooks touchdown run to give the Tigers a 38-6 victory.
Turning Point
The defense came to play in the SWAC opener.
The tone was set from the start as Johnson's pick six gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead just four minutes into the contest.
With the offense struggling, the defense picked apart Mississippi Valley State early on as the Delta Devils failed to get a first down in the opening quarter. In fact, MVSU had just eight yards on 13 plays in the opening frame.
Inside the Numbers
· Geremy Hickbottom was 4-of-13 passing for 38 yards.
· Dre' Fusilier rushed four times for 83 yards, including a 53-yard run
· Darrell Clark caught four passes for 30 yards.
· The Tigers finished with 247 total yards of offense, including 195 on the ground.
· Mississippi Valley State registered 254 yards, and was held to minus 82 yards rushing.
· Christopher Fowler threw for 319 yards on 29-of-40 passing.
· Darrion Harper caught nine passes for 122 yards, while Quinn McElfresh added 113 yards on nine catches.
· Ja'Terious Pouncy led the Tigers with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops.
· De'Arius Christmas registered six tackles, including two for a loss of 19 yards.
· De'Aumante Johnson finished the night with four solo tackles, three interceptions and a two-point conversion.
News & Notes
· Grambling State improved to 53-5-2 all-time against Mississippi Valley State
· The Delta Devils picked up their first first down with 8:55 remaining in the first half.
· After starting the season with a loss at Tulane, Grambling State has now won three straight.
· Grambling State came into the game ranked No. 22 in the FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, No. 3 in the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Poll and No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football Poll.
· Saturday night's victory against Mississippi Valley State was the fifth straight in the series as head coach Broderick Fobbs remained unbeaten against the Delta Devils.
Up Next
Grambling State steps out of SWAC play for a week as the Tigers visit Soldier Field on Saturday, Sept. 30. Grambling State will meet Clark Atlanta in the Chicago Football Classic with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.
GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
"We didn't play well," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs. "We had a lot of guys out and sometimes when you have a lot of guys out, it's hard to find that chemistry. I thought we did a good job to keep fighting regardless of the situation. The defense was stellar tonight. They did not only an awesome job of stopping them, but scoring points as well."
After both teams went three-and-out on its first offensive possession, Grambling State's defense came up with the first score of the night with 10:35 remaining in the opening quarter.
On a third-and-eight play, De'Aumante Johnson picked off MVSU quarterback Jett Even and went 35 yards down the right sideline to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
After another three-and-out for the Delta Devils, Grambling State was driving, but a fumble on the exchange at the MVSU 2-yard line gave the Mississippi Valley State the ball back.
But the Delta Devils (0-3 overall, 0-1 SWAC) didn't have it for long as Even's pass was intercepted by Johnson, his second pick of the day, to set up good field position.
The Tigers (3-1, 1-0) picked up their second score of the night with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter when Marc Orozco booted a 36-yard field goal to extend the Grambling State lead to 10-0.
Grambling State picked up two points on a safety, its second in as many weeks, to extend the lead to 12-0 with 13:44 left in the second quarter.
The Tigers closed out the first half with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.
Orozco kicked a 37-yard field goal with 9:58 left to push the advantage to 15-0 and Geremy Hickbottom connected with Devante Davis for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 1:43 remaining to extend the margin to 22-0.
Grambling State put the game out of reach with 11:42 left in the third quarter as Nicholas Black ran untouched for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Tigers a commanding 29-0 lead.
A James Crosby 4-yard touchdown run cut the margin to 29-6, but the Tigers blocked the extra point and Johnson returned the ball for the two-point conversion.
Grambling State put the final touches on the night on a Lyndemian Brooks touchdown run to give the Tigers a 38-6 victory.
Turning Point
The defense came to play in the SWAC opener.
The tone was set from the start as Johnson's pick six gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead just four minutes into the contest.
With the offense struggling, the defense picked apart Mississippi Valley State early on as the Delta Devils failed to get a first down in the opening quarter. In fact, MVSU had just eight yards on 13 plays in the opening frame.
Inside the Numbers
· Geremy Hickbottom was 4-of-13 passing for 38 yards.
· Dre' Fusilier rushed four times for 83 yards, including a 53-yard run
· Darrell Clark caught four passes for 30 yards.
· The Tigers finished with 247 total yards of offense, including 195 on the ground.
· Mississippi Valley State registered 254 yards, and was held to minus 82 yards rushing.
· Christopher Fowler threw for 319 yards on 29-of-40 passing.
· Darrion Harper caught nine passes for 122 yards, while Quinn McElfresh added 113 yards on nine catches.
· Ja'Terious Pouncy led the Tigers with 10 tackles, including eight solo stops.
· De'Arius Christmas registered six tackles, including two for a loss of 19 yards.
· De'Aumante Johnson finished the night with four solo tackles, three interceptions and a two-point conversion.
News & Notes
· Grambling State improved to 53-5-2 all-time against Mississippi Valley State
· The Delta Devils picked up their first first down with 8:55 remaining in the first half.
· After starting the season with a loss at Tulane, Grambling State has now won three straight.
· Grambling State came into the game ranked No. 22 in the FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll, No. 3 in the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Poll and No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football Poll.
· Saturday night's victory against Mississippi Valley State was the fifth straight in the series as head coach Broderick Fobbs remained unbeaten against the Delta Devils.
Up Next
Grambling State steps out of SWAC play for a week as the Tigers visit Soldier Field on Saturday, Sept. 30. Grambling State will meet Clark Atlanta in the Chicago Football Classic with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.
GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
Southern plagued by missed tackles in loss to Alcorn State. 'That's what cost us the game'
LORMAN, Mississippi -- Immediately after a 48-31 loss to Alcorn State, senior cornerback Danny Johnson had a pretty clear idea of what went wrong defensively.
“We missed a lot of tackles,” said senior cornerback Danny Johnson. “… I just feel like we’ve got to focus in more on that in practice, everybody’s got to take tackling seriously because that’s what cost us the game.”
It’s not a statistic that is officially tracked, but Southern clearly had difficulty wrangling the Braves, specifically running backs De’Lance Turner and P.J. Simmons, who combined to gash the Jaguars for 332 yards and four scores rushing.
Coach Dawson Odums wasn’t as quick to lay the blame on missed tackles after the game, but he vowed a solution would be on the horizon.
“I’ve got to look at the film and see what’s happening, I couldn’t see it from our sideline,” Odums said. “But we’re going to make some adjustments. We’re going to fix this run defense.”
CONTINUE READING
Alcorn State runs away from Southern in the second half, hands Jaguars 48-31 loss
LORMAN, Mississippi — Southern was looking for a desperation stop, and it found a dagger.
Trailing by 10 with two minutes to go, Alcorn State running back De’Lance Turner sprinted through a hole in the Southern defense on third and 3 and iced the game with a 49-yard touchdown run.
That 10-point lead swelled to 17 and Southern was out of timeouts and chances — and the Jaguars had plenty of chances in a 48-31 loss, their sixth in their last seven tries against the Braves.
The failure to stop Turner on that last defensive play was only the latest missed chance.
“About like what happened during the game,” said Southern coach Dawson Odums. “We missed opportunities.
“We’re going to make some adjustments. We’re going to fix this run defense.”
Alcorn State (2-2, 1-0) took control of the game in the second and third quarters, scoring 31 unanswered points on the strength of a rushing attack that gouged Southern (1-3, 0-1) for 383 yards.
CONTINUE READING
Florida A&M Rattlers Escape Savannah With 20-14 Win
SAVANNAH, Georgia -- A stirring defensive stand in the shadow of their end zone lifted the FAMU Football team past a determined Savannah State squad, 20-14 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opener for both teams Saturday evening at Ted A. Wright Stadium.
The win for visiting FAMU (2-2, 1-0 MEAC) was their first win in a conference opener since 2012, while Savannah State (0-3, 0-1 MEAC) dropped their third straight in heartbreaking fashion within sight of the goal line.
Saturday's contest was hard-fought from start to finish, as the winless Tigers refused to relent for 60 minutes, drawing the game down to the final seconds.
Thankfully for FAMU, the Savannah State run game was neutralized as the Tigers had no time outs with 13 seconds left, and was forced to pass.
FIRST HALF
Both teams opened the game exchanging interceptions, with FAMU's Elijah Richardson picking off a Savannah State aerial, only to have Ryan Stanley toss an interception two plays later.
The Tigers converted the miscue into a 7-0 lead, on D'Vonn Gibbons' five-yard run, which capped an eight-play, 43 yard drive with 6:10 left.
FAMU answered with a 75-yard drive in seven played, capped by Stanley's 38-yard strike to freshman Chad Hunter for the tying score with 1:57 left in the quarter, following Khalil Clark's PAT kick.
The Rattlers dodged a bullet early in the second period, when a high snap on a punt try set the Tigers up on the FAMU 31-yard line. But the FAMU Defense stiffened, forcing the Tigers to punt from midfield.
Stanley then directed a 75-yard march, ending with a 15-yard strike to Chad Hunter for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead with 9:11 left in the half.
FAMU's Defense stepped up the heat in the period, recording a pair of sacks, while limiting the Tigers to just 26 yards of offense on 10 plays.
RB Devin Bowers rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries in the opening half, while Stanley was an efficient eight of 11 passing, for 113 yards and two TDs.
PHOTO GALLERY
SECOND HALF
FAMU opened the secon half with the ball, moving to the SSU 40 before their drive stalled. Punter Chris Faddoul pinned the Tigers on their own 10-yard line.
The Tigers managed five yards before having the punt back to FAMU, which started their next drive from their own 34 yard line, two solid defensive plays led to the Rattler drive stalling, leading to a Faddoul punt.
Starting from thir own 31, the Tigers offense were able managed eight yards before punting back to FAMU, which struggle to mount a ground attack against the Tigers defense. Stanley's third down pass for 25 yards to Chaviss Murphy was just enough for a first down at the FAMU 47.
However a holding penalty and an incomplete pass, stalled the Rattlrs scoring bid, forcing a punt which landed at the Tiger two-yard line.
The Tigers drove 99 yards in 12 plays, capped by D'Vonn Gibbons' 41-yard sprint around right end for a 14-13 count with 11:57 lft in the fourth quarter. After three tries, Giovanni Lugo booted the PAT to tie the count at 14-14.
FAMU responded with a 12-play, 91-yard drive, capped by Tevin Spells, who punched it in from seven yards with 6:11 left. But Khalil Clark's PAT kick was wide left, leaving the Rattlers clinging to a 20-14 edge.
On the ensuing possession, Savannah drove to the FAMU 41, where the two squad exchanged five yard penalties, driving into the red zone with under 40 seconds left.
SSU ran a pair of running plays, with QB Gibbons recovering his own fumble at the FAMU four, then after an exchnge of timeouts, two Savannah State passes were batted away on third and fourth down.
FAMU took possession and ran a kneel down play to end the game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: FAMU edged SSU in total yards, 335-304, but the Tigers doubled up the Rattlers on the ground, 242-121....Devin Bowers had a season high 115 yards on 21 csrries, while Ryan Stanley finished 17 of 25 for 214 ysrds and two TD tosses... Freshman Chad Hunter led the Rattlers with six catches for 96 yards and two TDs, while senior Chaviss Murphy has six grabs for 74 yards, making a trio of clutch third down conversion grabs.... Jakaris Wilson led the FAMU defense with 12 tackles, a sack and tackle for loss, while Terry Jefferson added nine tackles and a tackle for loss.
PRE-GAME NOTES
@ T.A. Wright Stadium, the site of this evening's game, was named in honor of the late SSU football coach and athletic director, Theodore "Ted" Wright, who served in the same role at FAMU from 1930 to 1932. It was completed in 1969.
@ FAMU came into the game looking for its first conference opening win since September 2012, when they bested Hampton University, 44-20 in Tallahassee.
@ Contrary to earlier reports, Savannah State will not be exiting Division One before the 2019-20 school year, meaning the Tigers will have two years remaining before a possible drop down.
@ Savannah State starting QB T.J. Bell was injured in last week's game against Montana, and he was expected to be a game time decision, but he was listed as doubtful with a lower leg injury.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Rattlers will play their first home game since their August 26 opener against Texas Southern. next Thursday against defending MEAC champion North Carolina Central (2-1, 1-0 MEAC) in a nationally-televised bout on ESPNU, kicking off at 7:30 p.m.
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
The win for visiting FAMU (2-2, 1-0 MEAC) was their first win in a conference opener since 2012, while Savannah State (0-3, 0-1 MEAC) dropped their third straight in heartbreaking fashion within sight of the goal line.
Saturday's contest was hard-fought from start to finish, as the winless Tigers refused to relent for 60 minutes, drawing the game down to the final seconds.
Thankfully for FAMU, the Savannah State run game was neutralized as the Tigers had no time outs with 13 seconds left, and was forced to pass.
FIRST HALF
Both teams opened the game exchanging interceptions, with FAMU's Elijah Richardson picking off a Savannah State aerial, only to have Ryan Stanley toss an interception two plays later.
The Tigers converted the miscue into a 7-0 lead, on D'Vonn Gibbons' five-yard run, which capped an eight-play, 43 yard drive with 6:10 left.
FAMU answered with a 75-yard drive in seven played, capped by Stanley's 38-yard strike to freshman Chad Hunter for the tying score with 1:57 left in the quarter, following Khalil Clark's PAT kick.
The Rattlers dodged a bullet early in the second period, when a high snap on a punt try set the Tigers up on the FAMU 31-yard line. But the FAMU Defense stiffened, forcing the Tigers to punt from midfield.
Stanley then directed a 75-yard march, ending with a 15-yard strike to Chad Hunter for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead with 9:11 left in the half.
FAMU's Defense stepped up the heat in the period, recording a pair of sacks, while limiting the Tigers to just 26 yards of offense on 10 plays.
RB Devin Bowers rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries in the opening half, while Stanley was an efficient eight of 11 passing, for 113 yards and two TDs.
PHOTO GALLERY
SECOND HALF
FAMU opened the secon half with the ball, moving to the SSU 40 before their drive stalled. Punter Chris Faddoul pinned the Tigers on their own 10-yard line.
The Tigers managed five yards before having the punt back to FAMU, which started their next drive from their own 34 yard line, two solid defensive plays led to the Rattler drive stalling, leading to a Faddoul punt.
Starting from thir own 31, the Tigers offense were able managed eight yards before punting back to FAMU, which struggle to mount a ground attack against the Tigers defense. Stanley's third down pass for 25 yards to Chaviss Murphy was just enough for a first down at the FAMU 47.
However a holding penalty and an incomplete pass, stalled the Rattlrs scoring bid, forcing a punt which landed at the Tiger two-yard line.
The Tigers drove 99 yards in 12 plays, capped by D'Vonn Gibbons' 41-yard sprint around right end for a 14-13 count with 11:57 lft in the fourth quarter. After three tries, Giovanni Lugo booted the PAT to tie the count at 14-14.
FAMU responded with a 12-play, 91-yard drive, capped by Tevin Spells, who punched it in from seven yards with 6:11 left. But Khalil Clark's PAT kick was wide left, leaving the Rattlers clinging to a 20-14 edge.
On the ensuing possession, Savannah drove to the FAMU 41, where the two squad exchanged five yard penalties, driving into the red zone with under 40 seconds left.
SSU ran a pair of running plays, with QB Gibbons recovering his own fumble at the FAMU four, then after an exchnge of timeouts, two Savannah State passes were batted away on third and fourth down.
FAMU took possession and ran a kneel down play to end the game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: FAMU edged SSU in total yards, 335-304, but the Tigers doubled up the Rattlers on the ground, 242-121....Devin Bowers had a season high 115 yards on 21 csrries, while Ryan Stanley finished 17 of 25 for 214 ysrds and two TD tosses... Freshman Chad Hunter led the Rattlers with six catches for 96 yards and two TDs, while senior Chaviss Murphy has six grabs for 74 yards, making a trio of clutch third down conversion grabs.... Jakaris Wilson led the FAMU defense with 12 tackles, a sack and tackle for loss, while Terry Jefferson added nine tackles and a tackle for loss.
PRE-GAME NOTES
@ T.A. Wright Stadium, the site of this evening's game, was named in honor of the late SSU football coach and athletic director, Theodore "Ted" Wright, who served in the same role at FAMU from 1930 to 1932. It was completed in 1969.
@ FAMU came into the game looking for its first conference opening win since September 2012, when they bested Hampton University, 44-20 in Tallahassee.
@ Contrary to earlier reports, Savannah State will not be exiting Division One before the 2019-20 school year, meaning the Tigers will have two years remaining before a possible drop down.
@ Savannah State starting QB T.J. Bell was injured in last week's game against Montana, and he was expected to be a game time decision, but he was listed as doubtful with a lower leg injury.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Rattlers will play their first home game since their August 26 opener against Texas Southern. next Thursday against defending MEAC champion North Carolina Central (2-1, 1-0 MEAC) in a nationally-televised bout on ESPNU, kicking off at 7:30 p.m.
FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
Kentucky State Downs Central State University 34-22 in Circle City Classic
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — Kentucky State University football extended its win streak to 10-games over rival Central State University 34-22 in the 34th annual Circle City Classic at Lucas Oil Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Thorobreds (2-2, 1-0) opened their conference schedule with a win for the second time in three years, the previous being in 2015 against CSU. The Marauders (0-4, 0-3) continue to struggle as they've lost their first three games against SIAC opponents.
KSU struck first and never trailed throughout the contest. Junior kicker Turner Warren connected on two first-quarter field goals from 29 yards and 26 yards to put KSU up 6-0.
As the Thorobreds' defense kept the Marauders docked, the offense capitalized on mistakes, beginning with a second-half touchdown from junior quarterback Paul Campbell to sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Powell for a six-yard score. The 13-0 advantage didn't last long as CSU answered with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, pulling back within six.
KSU responded to the special teams score with a 13 play, 62-yard drive, ending with fake field goal touchdown. As Warren lined up for a 28-yard field goal attempt, he broke to his left after the snap, as junior wide receiver Cort Groathouse flipped the ball to Warren. The Louisville, Kentucky native eluded a tackler for his first career rushing touchdown putting KSU up 20-7.
CSU connected for a 32-yard field goal try, bringing the score within 10, going into the locker at halftime, 20-10.
BOX SCORE
Sophomore running back Brett Sylve, the reigning SIAC Newcomer of the week, started off the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown run following a seven play, 65-yard drive, putting back KSU on top 27-10.
The Marauders fought to bring the game back within reach with a score following the Sylve touchdown, at 27-16, but it was an error by CSU in the fourth quarter, sealing the deal for the Thorobreds.
As CSU searched for a spark, KSU brought pressure causing a bad snap into the Marauders' end zone at the 6:31 mark of the final frame. Senior defensive lineman Donovan Cecil fell on the ball for his first career touchdown. KSU allowed another CSU touchdown in the closing minutes of the quarter, finishing off the Marauders with the victory formation in the last two minutes.
Sylve finished his day with a career-high 158 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Campbell also cashed in a career day with 244 passing yards, on 26-of-39 through the air, and a touchdown.
KSU will look to continue its winning ways on the road at Morehouse College on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 4 pm ET.
KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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