Norfolk State at Kentucky

Norfolk State (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0)
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Where: Commonwealth Stadium (Capacity: 68,000)
TV: WMYO-58, FSN South (11:30 p.m., delayed.
Radio: WHAS-840.
Series: First meeting.
Coaches: Norfolk State -- Pete Adrian (17-17, fourth season); Kentucky -- Rich Brooks (26-35, sixth season).

Keys to the game
UK's offensive line, already adjusting to some new faces, will be without its steadiest veteran, Garry Williams, who will miss today's game with a knee injury and snap a string of 26 straight starts. That could be significant against Norfolk State's 3-4 defense, which presents an unusual look for the UK offensive line.

Key stats
Norfolk State is 0-1 all-time against Football Bowl Subdivision teams, losing 59-0 at Rutgers last season. UK is 88-23-6 all-time in home openers. The Cats are seeking their 11th straight win against a nonconference opponent.

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SIU Salukis open season with Hampton Pirates

Hampton (1-0) at Southern Illinois (0-0).
WHERE: McAndrew Stadium, Carbondale, Ill.
WHEN: 7 p.m. ET
RADIO: 88.1FM.

The SIU football team heads into its first game under new head coach Dale Lennon with a slight disadvantage. It hasn't played a game yet.SIU opens its season against Hampton University (1-0) Saturday at 6 p.m. in McAndrew Stadium. And while the team remains confident in its abilities to execute a solid game plan, there are concerns that Hampton's one game experience could give them a slight edge.

"That they have had that first game under their belt is a concern for me," Lennon said. "Anytime they have that first game, they can identify those first game mistakes and it is just a luxury that we don't have." Typically, coaches agree that teams make the most improvements between week one and week two of a given season. Besides getting first game jitters out of the way, teams are also given a chance to identify strengths and weaknesses and improve upon them during the following week of practice.

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A&T's new offensive mantra: The Creed

WINSTON-SALEM STATE AT N.C. A&T
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Records: Winston-Salem State 0-0; N.C. A&T 1-0
Location: Greensboro, N.C. (Aggie Stadium - 21,500)
Webcast: http://www.ncataggies.com/
Radio: WNAA - 90.1 FM in Greensboro, N.C.
The Series: Aggies lead, 35-11

NCA&T AGGIE GAME NOTES vs. WSSU

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The N.C. A&T Aggies' offensive playbook is a thick, bound volume filled with cryptic terms and X's and O's and lines and arrows of outrageous fortune. Its core isn't quite that obtuse. "This is the beginning of a new day," fullback Eugene Parnell says, beginning another narration of The Creed. "God has given us this day to use as we will. We can either waste it or use it for good. What we do today is important, for we have exchanged a day of our lives for it. We want it to be for good, not bad; for gain, not loss; for success, not failure; in order that we never regret the price that we pay for it."

The Aggies' offensive players, who scored 44 points in last week's season-opening win over Division II Johnson C. Smith, repeat the motto before every practice and every game under direction from John McKenzie, their first-year coordinator.

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Alcorn State at Grambling State

Alcorn State (0-1) at Grambling State (0-1)
WHEN: 6 p.m., Robinson Stadium (19,600)
TV: ESPN Classic (There will be a delayed taping of this matchup on ESPN Classic at 9 pm).
Radio:KPCH 99.3 FM (No Webcast)
SERIES: Grambling leads, 37-18-3
LAST MEETING: 2007, Grambling 31, Alcorn State 10
COACHES: Grambling, Rod Broadway (second season, 8-5, 41-16 overall); Alcorn, Ernest T. Jones (first season, 0-1)

Grambling took its lumps last week in its season opener falling 49-13 to Nevada. The young Tigers gave up 426 rushing yards and scored one offensive touchdown. The Alcorn State game puts Grambling on a more level playing field. Alcorn State fell to Southeastern Louisiana last week, 36-28, and returns 12 starters from last year’s 2-8 campaign. Both teams will be looking for a 1-0 start in SWAC play.

KEYS TO VICTORY: Grambling had great trouble running the ball against Nevada, finishing the game with just five net rushing yards. The Grambling offensive line needs a much better performance against Alcorn State. Sophomore quarterback Greg Dillon is still learning the ropes, and if Grambling can’t run the ball it puts too much pressure on Dillon.

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SCSU to face 'Big' Stanley Wright and Benedict this evening

Benedict College (1-0, SIAC- Div. II) at South Carolina State (0-1, MEAC, Div. I FCS) 6 pm.
LAST OUTING: S.C. State lost 17-3 to Central Florida (FBS); Benedict def. Morehouse 7-3.
SERIES RECORD: S.C. State leads 25-8
HEAD COACHES & RECORDS: SCSU’s Oliver “Buddy” Pough (47-22 overall, 33-12 MEAC), 7th season; Benedict College’s Stan Conner (2-9 overall) 2nd season.
Location: Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Orangeburg, S.C. (Capacity: 22,000)
History Note: The last time Benedict College played at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in 1999, a stadium-record 24,577 fans watched as S.C. State won 26-23.
LIVE INTERNET AUDIO PLAY- BY- PLAY OF S.C. STATE vs. BENEDICT, Click Here to Listen (6 PM TODAY).

COLUMBIA, SC -- When it comes to Benedict College football, “Big Stan” can refer to two people. There’s Stan Conner, who’s entering his second season as Tigers’ head coach, and then there’s 6-3, 350-pound offensive guard Stanley Wright. The Holly Hill native has not only been a mainstay for Benedict, playing all three positions (center, tackle and guard) on the offensive line, but also a positive influence.

The Bulldogs played respectable football last week against FBC UCF.
“He’s a talent,” Conner said. “Stan is concerned about being at the top of his game and he’s a leader both on and off the field. “And it’s not always vocal. He works. He comes to practice and when he’s out there, he’s always doing what he supposed to do. He’s one of the guys who does a lot of communicating on the line and that’s why we’ll move him sometime. We had to move him to center one time. He’s a guy that if we need somebody, we’ll put Stan there.”

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B-CU ready for fast Alabama State

Alabama State at B-CU
WHERE: Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, FL (Capacity:10,000)
WHEN: 4 p.m. today
RECORDS: Alabama State 0-1, B-CU 0-0
RADIO: WELE (1380 AM)
Weather: Mostly Clear Temp: 81°F Hum: 74%

DAYTONA BEACH -- If preparation is the key to success, then the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats should do well in their season-opener today at Municipal Stadium. The Wildcats have had today's opponent, Alabama State, on their minds throughout camp. "They're going to spread us out, but we've seen it a lot," junior strong safety Brent Davis said this week. "We've been working on it all during camp. We always practice for the team immediately in front of us, so other than going over the basics, we've been working on Alabama State."

The non-conference game is scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m. Alabama State is coming off a 30-20 loss to B-CU's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Florida A&M. B-CU apparently learned a good bit from that game. "They're very fast and quick," senior left tackle Reubin Mordecai said. "The defensive line has very quick guys. The whole team moves like defensive backs. They run to the ball a lot. They always have all the men to the ball. They run a lot of blitzes."

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UAPB Golden Lions face another challenge

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Henderson State
WHERE Carpenter-Haygood Stadium, Arkadelphia
WHEN 6 p.m. today
RECORDS Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0-1 (Div. I -FCS/SWAC) ; Henderson State 0-1 (Division II/GSC)
COACHES Monte Coleman (0-1 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff ); Scott Maxfield (18-15 at Henderson State)
SERIES Henderson State leads 10-3
RADIO KDEL-FM, 100. 9 (Arkadelphia ), KELDAM, 1400 (El Dorado ), KILX-FM, 104. 1 (Mena ), KUAP-FM, 89. 7 (Pine Bluff )
INTERNET BROADCAST/Live Audio, Live Stats: www.hsu.edu/athletics

CLICK HERE FOR HSU vs. UAPB Game Notes

PINE BLUFF, AK — First-year Arkansas-Pine Bluff Coach Monte Coleman said he wanted to raise the profile of his football program, and so far he’s getting his wish. People in Arkansas have been talking about the Golden Lions this week, albeit for all the wrong reasons.

While not quite on par with Arkansas State beating Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, UAPB’s season-opening 21-7 home loss to Division II Arkansas-Monticello grabbed its fair share of attention. This was a program two years removed from playing in its conference championship game and starting the season with optimism to spare, only to fall to a bottom-rung Gulf South Conference program that had won six games in the past three seasons.

So the loss qualified as a shock, one that still stings as the Golden Lions prepare for a much more highly touted Gulf South opponent in Henderson State.

UAPB Musical Marching Machine of the Mid-South (M4) and the Golden Girls dancers are ready for a great season of performances.

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Howard - Georgetown: Start of Something Big?

Howard senior LB Endor Cooper










CLICK HERE to view the 2008 Howard football media guide

Howard vs. Georgetown - Live Webcast
SUNDAY- September 7, 2008 at 1:00pm ET
View the webcast on this page LINK at 12:50pm ET.
CLICK HERE - WEBCAST LINK: http://hbcuproperties.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=147

Excerpt:

Howard Athletic Director Dwight Datcher is thinking big. While some area football fans might be satisfied that Georgetown and Howard are finally playing each other, Datcher wants the a four-game series between the schools that begins Saturday to be merely the beginning. Whether or not this game develops into a fiercely contested rivalry played at bigger venues remains to be seen. For now, Saturday's matchup at Greene Stadium brings together the only two division I-AA teams in the District and marks the first intra-city game between two division I teams since Georgetown played George Washington on Nov. 25, 1950 at Griffith Stadium.

Though just a little more than three miles separate the schools and each have fielded a football squad for more than a century, this will be the first time they will meet on the field. According to Datcher, who was associate director of athletics at Georgetown before coming to Howard in January 2006, conversations about these two schools playing each other in football have been going on at least 10 years. Now after more than a decade of discussion, the date is finally set.

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New-look Valley defense pitched shutout in opener

Mississippi Valley State is halfway home — if 2007 is the measuring stick. And it probably shouldn't be. The Delta Devils are one game away from equaling their win total from last year after a 38-0 victory over Texas College last week. The squad which ranked No. 9 in the SWAC in both scoring defense (29.6 points a game) and total defense (354.6 yards a game) pitched the shutout, allowed just 192 yards and picked off three passes. Valley only had eight interceptions in all of 2007.

"Defensively, we had a lot of changes," MVSU coach Willie Totten said. "We went and got some junior college guys and some very quality high school guys ... where we released a lot of guys. "I like the way they were running to the football. Guys are going where they're supposed to go and doing their assignments."

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Morgan State vs. Towson This Saturday!

Morgan State football head coach Donald Hill-Ely will lead the Bears into battle Saturday against the cross-town rivals Towson University. With a 30-37 record, Hill-Ely is the third winningest coach in school history behind legendary coaches Eddie P. Hurt and Earl C. Banks.

College football has officially returned in Baltimore, as the Morgan State Bears will take on the Towson Tigers this Saturday, 6 p.m. at Johnny Unitas Stadium. With just five miles between each school, MSU and Towson hold a recent tradition of playing at least one of their first two games of the season against each other, and this Saturday will mark the 21st matchup between the neighboring rivals.

Last season, quarterback Sean Schaefer completed 20-of-40 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns to help Towson claim their third consecutive win over Morgan, fourth win in the last five years. Towson leads the overall series between the two schools, 15-5. The key for Morgan to break the three-game losing streak will be to contain Schaefer, who completed 29-of-47 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns last week in their 41-13 loss against Navy.

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So who are these Norfolk State guys, anyway?

Here are the particulars for tomorrow's opponent:

Norfolk State is the one and only FCS school (only one is allowed) on Kentucky's schedule. The Spartans finished last year 7-2 in their conference (Right behind 10-0 Delaware State) and 8-3 overall. Another school in their conference you may have heard of is Hampton, the former home of basketball transfer Matthew Pilgrim. Having lived in the Norfolk/Newport News/Hampton area for several years, I am familiar with all these colleges and their communities.

Norfolk State has traditionally been a cellar-dweller in the MEAC, although they have recently undergone a bit of turnaround in their football program. Last year's 7-2 mark was their best in many years, despite having the second-toughest strength of schedule in their conference, and the toughest among the top two. Their current head coach, Pete Adrian, took over in 2005, and in two short years turned Norfolk State from a doormat into a very competitive football team, and they were ranked for the first time ever in the FCS (#23 at one point last season). Adrian is continuing to bring talent into the program, as his 2007 recruiting class was ranked 6th among Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

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SU deals with short work week

The regular traveling need for the Southern University football team is three buses and an equipment truck. Thursday, though, the team had a fourth bus in its entourage.
That extra bus was for family members of coaches and administrators to get them to Nashville, Tenn., where Southern (0-1) will play Tennessee State (1-0) on Saturday night. This is a small part of making do after a hurricane.

Southern coach Pete Richardson did not want to leave behind his coaches’ families, many of whom are still without power in the wake of Hurricane Gustav. Concern for the families of the coaches and the players, along with the totality of a hectic week begun by Gustav’s Monday landfall, caused Richardson and new SU Chancellor Kofi Lomotey to meet Wednesday night after practice. Officials from both schools chatted that night, but in the end Richardson was able to agree to play the game, despite his misgivings.

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FAMU's Marching 100 to perform in halftime show for the Miami Dolphins

PHOTO GALLERY: Marching 100 Practices in preparation for Sunday's Miami Dolphin show

Florida A&M's band, The Marching 100, will take advantage of one of a few invitations they have recently received since their numbers have expanded to a whooping 420 members.

Sunday, the hundred has been invited to perform during the halftime show of the NFL's Miami Dolphins opening game. Michael Scott, FAMU's head drum major, said this invitation and the others the band has received shows at least one thing. "It shows hard work pays off," he said.

OT loss sting Rattlers

Rattlers rally, only to fall to Delaware State late

PHOTO GALLERY: FAMU 28, Delaware State 35 (OT)

DOVER, DE — You might think the FAMU football players would be beating themselves up today. They had rallied to tie defending MEAC champion Delaware State at 28-all and force the game into overtime, only to see the Hornets escape with a 35-28 win. Despite the heart-breaking defeat, head coach Joe Taylor and his players were anything but distraught late Thursday night.

Not all losses are created equal. "It was a gallant effort," Taylor said. "I'm proud of these guys. They gave an outstanding effort. I saw enough tonight to let me know we're going to be OK. Because of tonight we will be better." What Taylor saw was the beginning of a two-quarterback system that he hopes will be the Rattlers' calling card in the weeks to come. Curtis Pulley, a redshirt junior who transferred from the University of Kentucky just three weeks ago, came off the bench to spark FAMU.

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MEAC teams concerned about Hurricane Hanna

Excerpts:

FAMU coach Joe Taylor inherited a decidedly young team when he took over the football program at the end of December. Linebacker and captain Vernon Wilder is the only senior on FAMU's two-deep depth chart. This is marked contrast to Delaware State, FAMU's opponent Thursday night. Five of the Hornets' front six players on defense are seniors, with junior right end Tyron Hurst the only non-senior. On offense DSU started four seniors and five juniors. Senior quarterback Vashon Winton entered Thursday's game with a 25-8 record and a 20-3 mark in MEAC.

The Hornets also had the services of former FAMU running backs coach Renato Diaz. He came to DSU after working under former FAMU coach Rubin Carter.

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FAMU falls in OT to defending MEAC champs DSU

It's a bird, it's a plane; heck gnaw--it's the DSU Swarming Hornets!

With last year's success and national TV audience, DSU can't take a step back

PHOTO GALLERY: DSU vs. FAMU

DOVER, DE -- There are only so many chances to seize an opportunity. Delaware State has waited an eternity for this one, with a football team that is coming off a season like no other in the school's history. That's why the Hornets have to continue the success from last season, when they reached the playoffs for the first time and finished 10-2.

There is so much riding on it -- fan support, alumni support, administration support, national TV exposure, continued construction on campus. It is all tied to DSU's success in football. That's what made the Hornets' opener Thursday against Florida A&M so important. And their 35-28 overtime win so exhilarating. DSU senior quarterback Vashon Winton knew this. He ran for four touchdowns and threw for another. But the victory wasn't secured until defensive back Jerome Strums intercepted a pass when Florida A&M had the ball.

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Attendance: 6,216 Alumni Stadium, Dover, DE (Capacity: 7,000).

TSU, Southern won't delay Merritt Classic

Saturday's John Merritt Classic between Tennessee State and Southern is still on. For much of the day and night Wednesday the game at LP Field was in limbo because of the trouble Southern has experience din the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav. The storm left the Jaguars' practice field soaked, but they practiced two hours Wednesday. It was Southern's first practice since losing last Saturday at Houston 55-3.

After practice, Southern Coach Pete Richardson worried about his team. "I expressed my concerns … to the administration,'' Richardson said. "My concern is getting my team properly ready to play and also for the families of the players and coaches."
The decision to play finally was made at 9:45 p.m.

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Jefferson will start at QB for WSSU

Winston-Salem State has its starting quarterback. Coach Kermit Blount and offensive coordinator Nick Calcutta decided this morning that redshirt freshman Tienne Jefferson will start Saturday's season-opener at N.C. A&T. Jefferson won the job after an extremely tight race with Jarrett Dunston, a redshirt junior.

Jefferson, a 6-1, 200-pounder from Washington, D.C., spent one year at Fork Union Military Academy before coming to WSSU and was all-conference in football and basketball. He redshirted at WSSU last season but was in uniform for every game and relayed in signals after getting the plays from Calcutta.

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FAMU Rattlers ready to strike Hornets!

Detroit Mayor Pleads Guilty, Will Resign

RAW VIDEO: Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick at Hearing

CHICAGO--Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) pleaded guilty this morning to two felony perjury charges and agreed to resign from office, a stunning fall for a politician who was once considered one of Michigan's most promising leaders.

Kilpatrick admitted in Wayne County Circuit Court that he lied twice under oath. He agreed to leave office within 14 days, serve 120 days in jail and pay a $1 million fine. He also pleaded no contest to assaulting a police officer.

"Yes, I lied under oath," a somber Kilpatrick in a hearing carried live on television in Detroit and nationwide on cable channels. Detroit voters elected Kilpatrick twice, only to see city business paralyzed by his March indictment and his fierce determination to beat the charges. He once promised a "full and complete vindication."



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