4th Quarter Surge Lifts NSU Over Morgan State, 45-32

BALTIMORE, Maryland – Baltimore native Aaron Savage ran for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 11-yard score in the fourth quarter, and Isaiah Winstead's 24-yard TD reception later in the period sealed Norfolk State's 45-32 win over Morgan State in the season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Hughes Stadium.

One week after the Spartans (4-7, 4-4 MEAC) saw a fourth-quarter lead slip away in a last-second loss at Howard, the Spartans surged in the final period Saturday, outscoring the Bears (1-10, 1-7) 15-0 in the final 15 minutes.

Savage's 11-yard TD run with 9:55 left to play and the ensuing two-point conversion pass from Juwan Carter to George Wahee gave NSU a 38-32 lead. The Bears answered by driving to the NSU 23 on the next possession, but NSU forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back midway through the period.

NSU then marched 77 yards in 10 plays for another score. Carter connected with his classmate and former high school teammate Winstead on the back-breaking 24-yard TD play on a 3rd-and-14 play with 2:02 remaining in the game. Winstead caught the pass near the Bears 10-yard line, spun away from a defender and picked up a block downfield en route to his third touchdown reception of the year.

Cornerback J.T. Wahee's interception in the end zone ended the Bears' final drive and allowed NSU to run out the final minute of the game.

The first half saw the Bears control the time of possession and total yardage, yet the Spartans led 21-20 thanks to touchdowns by their offense, defense and special teams units. MSU led 8-0 after its second possession ended with a 12-yard TD pass from DeAndre Harris to Daylin Baldwin and Harris' two-point conversion pass to Amonta Poteat.

The Spartans answered less than three minutes later. Poteat fielded a punt by NSU's Taylor Goettie at his own 31, and after running backwards, was stripped by reserve linebacker Tim Flood. Chuma Awanna scooped up the fumble and returned it 20 yards for the score to bring NSU within 8-7 with 4:27 left to play in the opening quarter.

Herb Walker's 8-yard TD run at the 11:13 mark of the second quarter pushed the Bears' lead to 14-7. But the Spartans scored two touchdowns in an 11-second span midway through the quarter to regain the lead. Freshman C.J. Jones scored on a 4-yard run with 7:27 left before halftime to tie the score. On the first play from scrimmage on the Bears' next possession, NSU cornerback Aaron Chandler scored on a 30-yard interception return for a 21-14 NSU lead at the 7:16 mark.

The teams continued trading points in furious fashion. DuShon David caught a 7-yard TD pass just before the half to bring the Bears within 21-20 going into the locker room. NSU took its first possession of the second half and drove 65 yards in eight plays, with Savage scoring from 1 yard out to push the lead to 28-20.

But the Bears scored touchdowns on both of their third-quarter drives. Manassah Bailey caught a 34-yard TD pass from Harris to slice NSU's lead to 28-26. But on the two-point conversion try, J.T. Wahee intercepted a pass by Harris and returned it nearly 100 yards for a defensive two-point conversion, pushing NSU's advantage to 30-26.

The Bears kept coming. Harris finished off a 10-play, 64-yard Morgan drive with a 2-yard TD run to give MSU a 32-30 lead with 54 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

But the Spartans executed on offense and defense to near perfection in the final period. Savage churned out 42 of his 76 rushing yards and Carter went 5-of-6 for 64 yards and also ran for 31 more yards as the Spartans cashed in their first two possessions of the final period. The NSU defense, meanwhile, forced two turnovers, one on downs, to finish off the Spartans' 11th straight win on the field over MSU.

MSU held a 438-276 edge in total offense. Savage ran 15 times for 76 yards and notched his first collegiate two-touchdown game. He scored all three of his touchdowns this year in the final two games. Jones, meanwhile, rushed eight times for 40 yards and Carter rushed for 30.

Carter also completed 14 of 22 passes for 139 yards, with Winstead leading the Spartans with four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.

Walker rushed for 139 yards and a score for the Bears. Harris passed for 187 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 79 and another score for MSU. But he was intercepted twice and fumbled once, part of a four-takeaway day by the Spartans.

J.T. Wahee and Nigel Chavis both had 11 tackles to lead the Spartans. Wahee and Chris Lee both had two tackles for loss, with Lee also notching a sack in his final game as a Spartan. Linebackers Anthony Smith (nine) and Kyle Archie (six), two more NSU seniors, combined for 15 stops and three pass breakups in the win.

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Jackson State knocks off SWAC East champ Alcorn 7-3 in Capitol City Classic

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Jackson State's defensive leaders had walked from the field at Veterans Memorial Stadium having played their hearts out in losses all season.

They were determined Saturday would be different, and it was.

The Tiger defense bent but never broke in the annual Capitol City Classic, and Jackson State handed the SWAC East champion Alcorn Braves a 7-3 loss.

"Nobody gave us a chance," JSU coach Tony Hughes said. "Nobody but us. We fully expected to come in here and win this game."

The Tigers closed the season by winning three of their last four games under Hughes, who wrapped up his second season at 3-8 overall and 3-5 in SWAC play - a record identical to his first year.

His defense played a splendid game in the season finale against their bitter rivals, despite giving up 339 yards of total offense.



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SSU beats S.C. State, 34-10, to end season

SAVANNAH, Georgia – Savannah State's football team defeated South Carolina State, 34-10, in both teams' season finale Saturday. It was the Tigers' third victory in their last four games, all Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference contests, after earlier beating Delaware State and Norfolk State.

A T.A. Wright Stadium of 3,015 celebrated Senior Day/Community & High School Band Day by watching SSU beat S.C. State for the first time since a 14-9 win in 2001. SSU (3-8 overall, 3-5 MEAC) improved to 2-18 in the series against S.C. State (3-7, 2-6).

"Hopefully, this gives us some momentum going into the offseason that we can carry into recruiting and also into the offseason workouts," SSU second-year head coach Erik Raeburn said. "We talked about how many true freshmen we've played all season. They showed me these last four weeks they have the talent to compete in the MEAC. But we've got to develop in the weight room and get more physical. Man, if we do that, we've got a really good, young nucleus to build around."

SSU took a 7-0 lead on freshman running back Jaylen McCloud's 6-yard touchdown run with 10:21 left in the first quarter, and Giovanni Lugo kicked the first of his four extra points, to cap a 10-play, 68-yard drive.

SSU made it 14-0 with 6:15 left in the first quarter when freshman quarterback D'Vonn Gibbons connected with junior tight end Paris Baker for a 90-yard touchdown. Gibbons held onto the ball until the last possible second and he was drilled by an S.C. State defender a split-second after he threw it. Baker, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound graduate of Savannah's Jenkins High School, caught the ball despite double-coverage by defenders and rumbled about 45 yards to the end zone.

"I saw him stop in his route and come back to me so I threw it," said Gibbons, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound graduate of Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain. "I wasn't worried about the hit. I was just worried about delivering the ball."

Sprawled on the turf, Gibbons said he heard the roar of the crowd and knew something good happened.

"I peeked my head up at the end of the play and I was like, 'Oh, he's still running!" said Gibbons, who finished 13-of-23 passing for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

As Baker lumbered toward the end zone, he used the sun of the afternoon game as a guide.

"All I was doing was looking at my shadow (on the turf)," he said. "I saw my shadow, and my shadow only, so I just kept running."

During S.C. State's ensuing series, SSU senior defensive back Juwuan Tolbert, after dropping a potential interception, made up for it on the next play by picking off S.C. State quarterback Dewann Ford's pass.

SSU's ensuing drive ended when Gibbons fumbled and S.C. State linebacker Damu Ford recovered at the Tigers' 31-yard line. The Bulldogs cut the score to 14-7 on Dewann Ford's 24-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Baxley with 1:25 left in the first quarter. Tyler Scandrett kicked the extra point.

"I thought this was maybe their most solid performance this season," Raeburn said of SSU's defense. "They played excellent against Delaware State as well. I thought they really played well (today). The only touchdown, (S.C. State) got the ball in good field position. That doesn't excuse giving up a big pass play. But other than that, they played really physical all day."

Late in the second quarter, SSU's Gibbons connected with senior wide receiver Cameron White for a 51-yard gain to S.C. State's 29-yard line. Three plays later, Gibbons found senior wide receiver Tino Smith for an 8-yard gain that extended the drive. Three plays after that, Gibbons connected with senior wide receiver Steven "Tyler" Hagan for a 10-yard pickup that kept the chains moving. SSU decided to attempt a 28-yard field goal on third down and Lugo made it to put the Tigers up 17-7 with 19 seconds left before halftime. SSU's 10-play, 69-yard drive took 2:21 to complete.

With 8:34 remaining in the third quarter, S.C. State cut it to 17-10 on Scandrett's 29-yard field goal, capping a 14-play, 57-yard drive that took 6:26 off the game clock.

With 6:18 to go in the third quarter, SSU junior defensive back Darrell "Vanquez" Bonner forced S.C. State quarterback Dewann Ford to fumble and freshman Jeremiah Bundrage recovered for the Tigers at the 50-yard line.

SSU's Gibbons connected with junior wide receiver James Kicklighter, a graduate of Savannah's Windsor Forest High School, for a 47-yard gain to the Bulldogs' 3-yard line. SSU settled for a 22-yard field goal by Lugo that made it 20-10 with 4:28 remaining in the third quarter.

After S.C. State's drive ended with a punt, SSU's White made an acrobatic catch for a 25-yard gain to the Bulldogs' 5-yard line, ending the third quarter. On the next play to start the fourth quarter, Gibbons threw a 5-yard touchdown strike to Smith that made it 27-10. The Tigers' six-play drive covered 52 yards. During the touchdown pass, Gibbons again held onto the ball until the last possible second before enduring another vicious hit.

"He took some shots," Raeburn said of Gibbons. "They're good on defense. It's a combination. It's some poise and a lot of courage. It's hard to stare down, when you know you're going to take a shot, it's hard to hang in there and deliver the ball, and he did it a bunch of times today.

"He's done a great job," Raeburn continued. "He's really improved every week. The plan was to redshirt him and give him some time to develop in our program but he got thrown into the fire and he really responded. I'm so proud of the way he progressed."

With 5:27 to play, SSU faced a fourth-and-goal from S.C. State's 2-yard line. The Tigers elected to go for it but Gibbons was sacked for a 6-yard loss and the Bulldogs took over on downs. But two plays later, SSU sophomore defensive back Terrance McCray intercepted S.C. State's Dewann Ford and returned the ball for a 27-yard touchdown, making it 34-10 with 5:15 to go.

SSU's White finished with three catches for 90 yards. Hagan, a graduate of Guyton's South Effingham High School, made three catches for 17 yards. Baker finished had two catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, SSU was led by defensive end Stefen Banks, who made a team-high 10 tackles, including three sacks. Banks, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound junior from Columbus, Ohio, made four tackles for losses of 26 yards and forced a fumble.

"We just wanted to come out and set the tone early," Banks said. "Last year, they came out and set the tone on us. We wanted to make sure that we came out with the gas pedal down."

SSU committed only one penalty for 15 yards compared to S.C. State's 11 penalties for 79 yards. The Tigers were 4-of-5 on red zone scoring opportunities, while the Bulldogs were 1-of-1.

"Part of (SSU's strong finish) was all these young guys that we're playing just getting some experience, growing up a little bit," Raeburn said. "The older guys hung in there and kept the faith. I'm really proud of them how they played today but also the way we finished the season."

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Norfolk State needs to think boldly about its future following Hampton's departure from MEAC

NORFOLK, Virginia -- Give Hampton University President William Harvey credit for thinking big. Historically black colleges and universities tend to remain in their comfort zones, and that means in HBCU athletic leagues.

Only one Division I HBCU school currently competes outside of the Mid-Eastern Athletic or Southwestern Athletic conferences: Tennessee State, which joined the Ohio Valley in 1986.

Harvey announced Thursday that Hampton will become the second to compete in a league with majority-white schools when it joins the Big South Conference in July. It’s a move with deep implications not only for HU, but also the MEAC and Norfolk State.



Harvey has been Hampton’s president for almost four decades, and has always been something of a dreamer and innovator. That’s why Hampton, which does not have a medical school, opened the region’s first proton therapy center, which uses an advanced technology to fight cancer.

Reaction to Hampton’s move to the Big South on social media has been mixed. Many alumni are happy the Pirates are moving up. And although it’s only a marginal step up, the Big South has better football and basketball, and a better TV presence, than the MEAC.

But other fans are miffed, wondering why Hampton officials believe they have to leave an HBCU league to better themselves.

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Hampton caps winning season with victory over Howard

HAMPTON, Virginia -- Senior Yahkee Johnson rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns to push Hampton to a 20-17 win over rival Howard on Saturday afternoon at Armstrong Stadium.

Delmon Williams added 83 yards and a touchdown on the ground and passed for 150 yards as the Pirates (6-5, 5-3 in MEAC) picked up their third straight win over the Bison.

The Pirates win deprived Bethel High graduate Mike London of a pleasant homecoming. London, who led Richmond and Virginia, is in his first year as the head coach at Howard.

Hampton’s Dereon Carr intercepted Caylin Newton as time expired to preserve the victory. Howard started its final possession at its 20 with 1:32 to play, but the Bison could only advance to its 42. Steve Smith and Darius Commissiong sacked Newton in the final series, which ended with Carr’s interception at the Hampton 32.

Hampton led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run by Johnson, who started the scoring with a 2-yard score in the first quarter. Newton answered with a 1-yard touchdown with 8:14 to play in the game to pull within 3 points, but that was as close as Howard would get.

The Bison (7-4, 6-2) gained 416 yards of total offense, but the Bison struggled to find the end zone. Newton — younger brother of Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton — passed for 259 yards but was intercepted twice. He rushed for 26 yards and a score. He entered the game leading the MEAC in rushing with 102 yards per game.

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#7 West Georgia denies #2 Virginia State 35-9 in first round of NCAA Playoffs

ETTRICK, Virginia -- One of the Trojans’ best-ever seasons by the numbers has drawn to a close.

West Georgia quarterback Willie Candler engineered four of his team’s five touchdowns to lead the visiting #7 Wolves past #2 Virginia State Football 35-9 in the first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

“We just had some breaks go our way, we made some key plays at the right time, interception there early in the second half that set up a big score for us,” said West Georgia head coach David Dean. “I thought our defense played very, very good against an offense that scores a lot of points, and offensively we put together drives at the right time and we were able to capitalize on some mistakes that they made and put some points on the board.”

After the Trojans went 10-0 for the first time in the program’s history and won their 12th CIAA Championship over Fayetteville State 42-19, their 2017 campaign concluded on a final mark of 10-1.

“We were really glad to be able to host a playoff game here. I’m proud of our team. I thought they played the game the right way,” said Virginia State head coach Reggie Barlow. “They have overcome a lot all season, and it’s been a great season for us. I’m proud of them, and unfortunately it had to end this way. We give West Georgia a lot of credit. They were a good team, well-coached, played hard, and they were able to pull it out today, but I’m proud of our guys.”

The Wolves were able to shut down Virginia State’s all-time leading rusher Trent Cannon, limiting him to 65 yards on 21 carries.

“They had a good team. Their defensive line was good,” Cannon agreed. “I had a couple of opportunities, I could’ve made it happen, but I don’t regret anything. We played hard as a team.”

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PVAMU Panthers Football Wins At Incarnate Word

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The Prairie View A&M University football team posted a 42-28 win at Incarnate Word Thursday night at Benson Stadium.

QB Neiko Hollins completed 23 of 35 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to Darius Floyd, who had a career-high 11 receptions for 148 yards. Floyd also had 109 yards on three kickoff returns.

After a three-and-out on the opening possession, Prairie View A&M (5-5) scored on three straight possessions. Floyd took a screen pass 48 yards for a touchdown to give the Panthers a 7-0 with 10:40 to play in the opening quarter.

DeVohn Reed's fumble recovery led to a touchdown on the ensuing possession. Hodge's 11-yard touchdown reception in the back corner of the end zone gave the Panthers a 14-0 with just over five minutes to play in the first quarter.



In the second quarter, Caleb Broach's three-yard scoring run ended a nine-play, 88-yard drive to give PVAMU a 21-0 lead with 11:23 to play until halftime.

Following an Incarnate Word touchdown, Prairie View A&M came right back with a touchdown of its own. A 50-yard kickoff return by Floyd set up a seven-play, 46-yard scoring drive. Floyd's 28-yard touchdown reception on fourth and two gave the Panthers a 28-7 lead with 3:31 to play until halftime.

Incarnate Word (1-10) would rally to tie the score at 28-all late in the third quarter before the Panthers regained control.

On the ensuing play from scrimmage following the kickoff, Dawonya Tucker sprinted 72 yards for a touchdown to put Prairie View A&M back in front at 35-28 with 34 seconds remaining in the quarter. Tucker rushed for 97 yards on only four carries.

The Panthers put the game away in the fourth. A 49-yard scoring pass from Hollins to Hodge was the final margin for PVAMU. Hodge caught six passes for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Panthers will end the 2017 season at Saturday, Nov. 25 in the Labor Day Classic at Texas Southern at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at pvpanthers.com/labordayclassic.

Next Game: at Texas Southern, 11/25/2017 - 6 p.m.

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