Grambling State Tigers 27, Jackson State Tigers 17

GSU wins second straight game

JACKSON, Miss. — There wasn't much offense to speak of. For the second Saturday in a row, Grambling didn't need it. GSU beat Jackson State 27-17 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in a rematch of the last pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship Games. The win was sparked again by Grambling end Christian Anthony, the SWAC's defensive player of the year. Late in the first period, Anthony reeled in his third interception in two weeks, then rumbled 30 yards for his second touchdown of 2009 — and the first TD of the night.

Grambling defeats Jackson State

JACKSON, Miss. — Frank Warren ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns as Grambling State beat Jackson State 27-17 today. Grambling State (2-1, 1-0 Southwest Athletic Conference) relied on its defense to build a 20-3 halftime lead. The Tigers’ defense recorded two safeties and defensive end Christian Anthony intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. The Tigers recovered five Jackson State fumbles and intercepted one pass. Warren scored on an 18-yard run in the second quarter and added a 45-yard touchdown run in the fourth. The Grambling State defense allowed Jackson State no yards rushing on 43 carries.

Is it still a rivalry if Grambling owns Jackson State?

JACKSON, Miss. — By record, this game isn’t a rivalry. Jackson State simply hasn’t beaten Grambling enough over the past three seasons. Coming into Saturday’s afternoon scrum at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, JSU had won just once through five meetings in this series since Rick Comegy took over. Jackson, after falling 27-17, is now 1-and-5 over that span.
JSU hasn't topped Grambling in a regular-season game since 2004, and hasn’t won consecutive games over GSU since 1998-99.

JSU Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band








Photo Galleries: Grambling vs. Jackson State

Tigers hurt cause

On a cloudy Saturday afternoon at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, there was at least one bit of sunshine (albeit a small one) for the Jackson State faithful. At least this worst-than-it-sounds 27-17 loss to SWAC nemesis Grambling doesn't count in the league standings. Other than that, there wasn't a whole to cheer about for the announced crowd of 10,905 who watched JSU fall to the G-Men for the sixth time in the last seven meetings, including last season's SWAC championship game. Although the score wasn't as one-sided as that 41-9 setback in Birmingham last December, the game was - at least in the first half when Jackson State managed just 18 yards of offense and fell into a 20-3 hole.

Transfer Johnson finding niche with Tigers

Jackson State defensive back Anthony Johnson, a Mississippi State transfer, experienced a bit of deja vu Saturday. Well, almost. It was late in the second half when Johnson picked off a pass in his own end zone and appeared headed for a 100-yard, momentum-swinging interception before being hit from the blind side after racing for 45 yards. It was just two seasons ago when Johnson did the same thing for MSU, returning a pass 104 yards (the longest in school history) right before the half to help the Bulldogs knock off Alabama. "I had a little flashback there," Johnson said. "I felt like I should have never given up the play a little earlier so I had to redeem myself. It was just a redeeming play."

Photo Gallery: Jackson State - Grambling

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Southern Jaguars 21, Tennessee State Tigers 17

Southern University Coach Pete Richardson at expanded A.W. Mumford Stadium.

Fired up Jaguars defense

While Southern University’s offense found stiff competition Saturday night against Tennessee State, the Jaguars defense roughed up the visiting Tigers even more. After playing opponents from different levels of college football the first two weeks of the season, Southern found itself on even footing against Tennessee State, and the Jaguars defense made sure their offense had all the chances needed to pull out a 21-17 win. “Tonight, we played a team on our level, and we knew it would be a dogfight,” Southern defensive coordinator Terrence Graves said. “These guys stepped up and made big plays. This is a testament to them and things to come this season.”

Photos: Southern 21, TSU 17

Jaguars get intense victory

Saturday night in A.W. Mumford Stadium, the Southern football team played hard, if not always sound. Yet as the offense huddled with 6:30 remaining, then Jaguars needed to score against a tough Tennessee State defense. Otherwise, the Jaguars’ three-hour struggle was destined to become a loss. So, as they geared up for what would become their fourth-quarter game-winning drive in front of 12,247 fans, quarterback Bryant Lee gave his teammates a simple message: Play with one heartbeat. “It was really intense in there,” tailback Brian Threat said. “A lot of yelling like, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get it. We’ve got to get amped up.’ We all came together, got amped up and executed well.”

House answers call, stars at safety

Free safety Jason House and strong safety Demetric Rogers started for the second straight game Saturday in Southern’s 21-17 victory over Tennessee State, stepping in for regular starters Anthony Wells and Gary Chatman. Wells is recovering from two knee surgeries and a pulled hamstring, which he suffered during the first half of SU’s season-opening loss at Louisiana-Lafayette. On Saturday, he walked the sideline in his game jersey and jeans. Chatman, who sprained his right ankle in the ULL game, dressed out Saturday but did not play.

Too many 3-and-outs

Tennessee State quarterback Calvin McNairl didn’t want to come off the field without a score. Tennessee State’s defense had just denied Bryant Lee enough yardage for a first down on fourth-and-1 inside the red zone and it was time for his Tigers to go to work. At the time, TSU was ahead by three and a touchdown would have made it a two-score game. With 8:20 left to play, the Tigers took over at their 16-yard line. McNairl hoped this drive would be different from five others that ended with three-and-outs. The worst case scenario? The Tennessee State quarterback hoped for a field goal. What he got was two decent gains from Preston Brown. But on third-and-3, the Tigers went backward as Brown was stopped for a 2-yard loss.

Southern uses late rally to defeat TSU

BATON ROUGE, La. — Tennessee State allowed Southern to go on a late fourth-quarter drive that led to a 21-17 Tigers loss on Saturday night. "We just gave up some big plays. Our offense had the chance to get some first downs and run the clock out," Tennessee State Coach James Webster said. "We just didn't get it done." TSU, which scored just two offensive touchdowns in its first two games, managed 255 yards of offense and squandered two scoring chances inside the Southern 20. But the Tigers (1-2) took a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter.

New TSU starter shows he's a leader

Now that he's the starting quarterback, Calvin McNairl is sending a message in more ways than one to Tennessee State's football team. Not only is the former Henry County star now talking about his ability to lead the Tigers, but he is also proving it on the field. He was the most valuable player in last week's 14-7 Southern Heritage Classic win over Jackson State and has carried himself with more resolve this week as TSU (1-1) prepared to visit Southern (1-1) at 6 tonight. "When Calvin first got here he wouldn't say, 'Boo,''' TSU Coach James Webster said. "But now he's talking. He's telling his offensive teammates where they need to be, what they need to do. The guys have responded and it's made a difference."

TSU's defense gets in groove

Tennessee State Coach James Webster hates to say I told you so, but…Webster did warn of the offensive struggles his team has experienced and told his defensive players to be prepared handle a heavier load. "I said that our defense was going to carry this football team until our offense could jell,'' Webster said. "I fully expected that." While the offense showed improvement in Saturday's 14-7 win over Jackson State, the defense is being counted on heavily as the Tigers (1-1) prepare for Saturday's game at Southern (1-1).

Attendance: 9,300 @ Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA.

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TSU Aristocrat of Bands vs. SU Human Juke Box

Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands and the Sophisticated Ladies 9/18/09 @ Baton Rouge, LA

Hampton Pirates 24, North Carolina A&T Aggies 14

Hampton deals A&T its first loss of season

GREENSBORO — Hampton hasn't needed extra motivation against N.C. A&T in recent years. The Pirates' averages of 46.6 points and 32-point margins of victory during five straight wins hardly necessitated it. But after reading some comments made by members of Aggies this week, Don Rose clipped out the statements anyway and passed them around the Pirates locker room. "I know with coach (Alonzo) Lee, I know he does a lot to motivate his team or whatever," Rose said. "But a lot of times by doing that, we just took advantage of it. We don't need that to necessarily get us going, but it was a little fire."

Watch Replay : ESPN 360 -- HU vs. NCA&T Game

HU awakens in second quarter, wins 24-14

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Hampton University needed some extra effort this time, but the final result looked familiar.After devouring North Carolina A&T by an average of 32 points in their previous five meetings, the Pirates scrapped through early offensive struggles Saturday before bouncing back with several momentum-swinging plays to pick up their sixth straight win over the Aggies, 24-14 at Aggie Stadium.Hampton quarterback Herb Bynes completed 11 of 20 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns in his first start of the season. HU (2-1, 1-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) rolled up 333 yards of offense against a defense that had given up a total of 391 in its first two games.

Bynes throws 2 touchdown passes to lead Hampton to 24-14 victory ...

Herbert Bynes threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns to lead Hampton to a 24-14 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday night.Bynes hit Damon McDaniel on touchdown passes of 62 and 23 yards and LaMarcus Coker rushed for 112 yards on 24 carries for the Pirates (2-1, 1-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). McDaniel finished with five catches for 104 yards.Brand Roundtree scored on a 5-yard interception return for Hampton's other touchdown with 12:27 left in the game.

IMPROVEMENT STILL EVIDENT DESPITE LOSS

Hampton head coach Don Rose predicted the change in the days leading up to Saturday’s Hampton-North Carolina A&T football clash. “It is no longer as it once was; when you travel to play North Carolina A&T, you have to be ready to play,” Rose said in a Hampton press release early in the week. Saturday’s 24-14 win, though Hampton’s sixth straight in the series, could mark a shift in recent Pirates vs. Aggies history. Unlike some of the previous contests, the 2009 clash was competitive throughout. From 2006-08, Hampton outscored the Aggies 151-35. The Pirates’ average margin of victory in those three games was 38 points.

Attendance: 13,502@Aggie Stadium, Greensboro, N.C.

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William &Mary 27, Norfolk State 15

Late rally not enough for upset-minded NSU

They kept playing. They did some nice things in the downfield passing game for the first time in this young season. They allowed just six points after halftime. Anyone looking for positives from Norfolk State's 27-15 loss to William and Mary on Saturday night could take some comfort from those developments. As a building block, the game could have some value, as the Spartans head into the MEAC portion of their schedule. As a straight-up match-up, however, the game showed that NSU still has much ground to make up to compete with one of the top teams in the Football Championship Subdivision.

On a night when they were going to need to play error-free ball - or close to it - to have a chance at the upset, the Spartans (1-2) again made too many mistakes, especially early, falling behind 14-0 before some of the crowd of 10,005 had settled into their seats. It was 21-0 at the half, and 27-0 at the start of the fourth quarter. NSU ran just four plays in the entire third quarter, as No. 5 William and Mary (3-0) strung together a pair of long drives.



In W&M game, NSU shows needs to play consistently

Not that anybody thought suspense was in the forecast Saturday evening when William and Mary met Norfolk State at Dick Price Stadium. This one was your basic mismatches. The final score - 27-15 - doesn't do justice to the visitor's domination. One of Jimmye Laycock's best teams in his long career, William and Mary isn't overly dependent on the pass, as previous Tribe editions have been, and features a defense that is stronger than any from Williamsburg in years. Just ask U.Va. It was too much for Norfolk State, which, after its loss to North Carolina A&T last week, came into the game a work in progress. One thing Norfolk State couldn't afford to do was fall behind W&M early. But that's exactly what happened.

Archer leads William and Mary past Norfolk State

NORFOLK - If this is how R.J. Archer plays injured, watch out. Archer, William and Mary's senior quarterback who played with a brace on his injured left knee, directed two early touchdown drives that put the Tribe ahead to stay in a 27-15 victory at Norfolk State on Saturday night on his way to 153 passing yards and three touchdowns. Archer, who took a seat after the Tribe's initial possession of the fourth quarter, finished 15-of-20 after completing his first five passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns as William and Mary, ranked No. 5 in the country, opened the season 3-0 for the first time since 1998.

Tribe defense brings Spartans to near halt

The Tribe outgained Norfolk State 137 yards to 7 in the first quarter, running 21 plays to the Spartans' eight and not allowing Norfolk State to complete a pass while taking a 14-0 lead on a pair of touchdown passes from R.J. Archer. The Tribe also intercepted a first-quarter pass, amassed eight first downs to the Spartans' one and had the ball for nearly six minutes longer.

Rolling the dice
Jimmye Laycock probably hasn't been called a riverboat gambler often in his 30 years at William and Mary, but he went for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 23. Punter David Miller took the snap and rolled to his right for a rugby-style kick, but finding no defender within 15 yards of him, kept going, picking up 10 yards and keeping alive a touchdown drive. Laycock said Miller usually has the option to do that, but as he watched the play unfold, the coach had just one thought: "He better make it. And that was probably what went through his head, too."

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FAMU defense crucial to its success

Florida A&M football coach Joe Taylor got a little commercial during his post-game news conference when he was acknowledging his defense for shutting out Howard University for three quarters. "They know they're like American Express," Taylor said after his team improved to 3-0 with Thursday's victory. "We're not going anywhere without them." That's for sure. FAMU will need every bit of the stubbornness its defense showed Thursday night in defeating the Bison 48-10. The Rattlers face Tennessee State next Saturday in the Atlanta Classic, followed by games at the University of Miami and at South Carolina State against the defending MEAC champion Bulldogs.

Depth at running back helping Rattlers

Joe Taylor has consistently spoken about the depth he has at running back. Thursday's game against Howard was yet another example of the bevy of backs Florida A&M can send into the game at any time as five different people had carries on the evening.This time it was Philip Sylvester, who saw his first action of the 2009 season in the Rattlers, who was the first to strike. On his second carry of the season, Sylvester found an opening along the left edge and finished the run with a 10-yard touchdown. Sylvester's touchdown added the first six points in what turned out to be a 48-10 victory for FAMU.

'Sky' sees bit of himself in Pulley

Jay Walker must have felt a little dejavu Thursday night behind the ESPNU microphone. On the day that Walker made his debut as a transfer quarterback at Howard University, a monsoon drenched the place. Howard lost, though not as badly as things turned out here Thursday night. Walker was in Tallahassee for his alma mater's matchup against FAMU as an analyst for ESPNU. The field was drenched from midday rain, though the rain let up for most of the game. Walker had a good view of FAMU quarterback Curtis Pulley, who directed the offense to 333 yards in a 48-10 victory over the Bison. Walker couldn't help but see a mirror of himself on the field Thursday night. Here's some perspective:

Hardee keeping FAMU on track

Even as a child Teresa Hardee wanted to be a numbers cruncher. She got her wish — and then some. Hardee, Florida A&M University’s chief financial officer, makes decisions daily on a budget of $421 million. She oversees between 300 and 400 people. A native of Loris, S.C., Hardee came to FAMU more than two years ago to fix a financially troubled university. The 44-year-old was asked to lead the university’s financial side by FAMU President James Ammons, who initially hired her as an internal auditor when he was chancellor at North Carolina Central University in Durham. The state’s auditor general recommended Hardee to Ammons — who needed an internal auditor to clean up a university plagued with poor financial audits.

In Tally, LeRoy Vann is the MAN

Wow, what more can you say about FAMU’s sensational return specialist LeRoy Vann, who just happens to be a Blake grad? On Thursday, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior DB ran back two punts for touchdowns in a 48-10 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win over archrival Howard. Vann first raced 40 yards for a score on the slick field in the first quarter. In the third, he bobbled a Howard punt, then recovered, darted left and raced 66 yards for another TD. As if that wasn’t enough … Vann also returned two kicks for TDs a week earlier. That’s just sick. Vann’s two TD returns against Howard allowed him to tie an NCAA Division I-AA career mark for punt returns for touchdowns (seven) with Northern Iowa’s Kenny Shedd (1989-92).

Video: FAMU Football Player Talks About Shooting

Nearly two weeks after FAMU running back LaVante Page was shot after leaving a home game, he was back with his teammates at Bragg Memorial Stadium. But this time, he was standing on the sidelines.

2009 FAMU Marching 100 vs. Delaware State

Florida A&M Rattlers 48, Howard Bison 10

LeRoy Vann adds 2 more returns for TDs as FAMU blasts the Bison

Just over two minutes were left in the third quarter when the dancing began in the stands at Bragg Stadium on Thursday night. There was plenty to celebrate by then, as FAMU was well on its way to a 48-10 victory over Howard University that insured the Rattlers would win three straight games to start a season for the first time in nine years. A national television audience saw this one on a night that LeRoy Vann returned two punts for touchdowns and quarterback Curtis Pulley connected with receiver Kevin Elliott twice in the first half to give the Rattlers a commanding 34-10 lead at halftime. Trevor Scott punctuated the first half with a near-record 51-yard field goal.

Attendance: 7,668 Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL (ESPNU Live)

Florida A&M easily handles Howard 48-10

LeRoy Vann scored on two punt returns for the second straight week and Florida A&M beat Howard 48-10 on Thursday night. Vann, who scored on returns of 40 and 66 yards, ran back two punts for touchdowns against Winston-Salem State last week. The senior has returned seven punts for touchdowns during his career, tying a Football Championship Subdivision record set by Northern Iowa's Kenny Shedd between 1989-1992. The Rattlers (3-0, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) built a 34-10 halftime lead, highlighted by Curtis Pulley's touchdown throws to Kevin Elliott of 46 and 35 yards. Pulley finished with 182 yards passing.

Penalties still plaguing Rattlers

As much as FAMU football coach Joe Taylor and his staff tried all week to get the Rattlers to cut down on penalties, there were plenty of whistles against both teams Thursday night at Bragg Stadium. Coming into the game against Howard University, the Rattlers had been penalized 18 times for 166 yards in two games. The Rattlers were called for six more infractions for 55 yards against the Bison, who had five for loss of 35 yards halfway through the game. One of the most glaring penalties was a 15-yard penalty that put the Bison on FAMU's 23 after Fabian Wilson was whistled for a late hit. The Bison ended the drive with a 38-yard field goal by Denis Wiehberg.

Photo Galleries:
FAMU 48, Howard 10
FAMU vs. Howard first half
FAMU Pre game photos
FAN CAM - FAMU vs. Howard University
FAMU 21 Delaware State 12

Transfers finding a home at FAMU

Offensive lineman Brandon Curry couldn't have been happier. The big day had finally come for him to sign a college scholarship. He was off to Marshall University. Just like he'd been made to believe — a Division I school was where he belonged. But Curry didn't play one down in a game and he is now at FAMU, a much smaller school. He understands now that a small school might not have been a bad choice at first. The voices wouldn't let him, though, when he came out of Boyd Anderson High School.

"It's the hype," he said. "In high school, everybody is praising you for going to that big school. People don't understand that's it's D-I but that might not be the fit for you." Each year, hundreds of football players make the same move like Curry after signing with a big school. Why they leave depends on who you ask, but most would say it's over a lack of playing time. A philosophical difference with a coaching staff also is another popular reason.

FAMU's Vann running through records

Last season, Florida A&M University football return man LeRoy Vann (Blake High) was named first-team All-American. How could he top that for his senior season? Well, his performance last Thursday night was all-world. When the Rattlers defeated Winston-Salem State 34-10, Vann scored on punt returns of 95 and 80 yards, while continuing to rewrite the record books. It was the first time a FAMU player had two punt-return touchdowns in a game. It gave Vann the FAMU career mark for punt-return touchdowns with five, surpassing All-American Howard Huckaby (1986-89), who had four punt returns for scores (all in 1988). Vann's 95-yarder tied the FAMU record for longest punt return (Leroy Hardee against South Carolina State in 1958).

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FAMU Marching 100 Half-Time Show vs. Howard Bison 9/17/09

UAPB DEFENSE TOPS IN THE SWAC — WANTS TO STAY THERE

Last game: UAPB Golden Lions 45, Langston 30

Every season, Arkansas-Pine Bluff sets a goal of having the top defense in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Every season the Golden Lions have made strides in accomplishing this goal. After their defense finished last in the 10-team league in total defense in 2006, the Golden Lions moved up to eighth in 2007 and a respectable fourth place last season. Now, through the first two games of the 2009 season, the UAPB defense is the No. 1 ranked defense in the SWAC, surrendering only 203.5 yards per game in its first two outings. “Our goal is at the end of the year to have the No. 1 defense in the SWAC and one of the No. 1 defenses in the country,” said first-year defensive coordinator Alonzo Hampton. “All we want to do is to keep continuing on it.”

Hampton has laid out a plan to help the Golden Lions do just that. It involves using UAPB’s depth on defense to rotate players, thus keeping everyone fresh to pursue the football and stop the run. In two games, the Golden Lions (1-1) have done a good job of the latter. Facing two of the better running threats they’ll see all season, UAPB’s defense limited Arkansas-Monticello quarterback Scott Buisson —the reigning Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year — to only 19 yards on 11 carries. Then, last week, Langston’s Carlos Ross was limited to only 65 yards on 12 carries. Senior defensive end Jared Dorn, who is third on the team with 11 tackles, said stopping a team’s rushing attack makes the opponent one-dimensional and thus easier to contain.

UAPB Set to Host Community Day

On Thursday, October 1st the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Football team will host Alcorn State at 6:00 pm at Golden Lions Stadium in a game that will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The UAPB Department of Athletics in conjunction with Wal-Mart has tabbed the game "Community Day". Various free health screenings will be available on the stadium grounds at Community Day. In addition all fans that bring a canned good to the game will be admitted into the stadium for $5. Children and youth ages 0-18 will be admitted into the game free of charge with a paying adult (limit 5 children per adult). The UAPB Athletics Department has also received confirmation that Nerjyzed Game Studios will be at the contest on Thursday night allowing football game enthusiast a free chance to play its newest version of Black College Football 2010 on its BCFX Tour Bus which is equipped with 12 flat screens televisions.

Golden Lion Stadium and Fieldhouse

UAPB may drop UAM from schedule

Arkansas-Pine Bluff might drop Arkansas-Monticello from its schedule after losing to the Division II school for the second consecutive season. The Division I Golden Lions, who play in the Football Championship Subdivision, fell 27-3 to the Boll Weevils on Saturday. UAPB lost 21-7 in last year's matchup. Although the teams are supposed to play again next season, UAPB athletic director Skip Perkins indicated his school might buy out of the game. Perkins said it was a "lose-lose situation" for UAPB and that he can understand why the Arkansas Razorbacks don't want to play in-state schools.

UAPB OVERCOMES MISTAKES, BIG PLAYS TO PICK UP FIRST WIN

There were stalled drives, a rash of penalties and an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that made it so the Golden Lions headed into halftime trailing an NAIA team on their home field.But, unlike in a loss to Division-II Arkansas-Monticello last week , UAPB stood up and fought back. It used turnovers and big plays of its own to put a pesky team away.The Golden Lions scored their first touchdown of the season on their first drive of the second half Saturday, and Kevin Thornton returned two interceptions for touchdowns to complete the 45-30 come-from-behind win over Langston (Okla.) University. That point total tied the most for the Golden Lions since a 2006 win over Southern, and it brought a much-needed, early-season win to UAPB.“I was very proud of them,” UAPB coach Monte Coleman said. “We go down, they get the football, it could have been a good opportunity to do what we did last week. We can’t afford that.”

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Tennessee State Tigers 14, Jackson State Tigers 7

TSU QB Calvin McNairl scores over hapless JSU.

Tennessee State's streak reaches 7 victories in Southern Heritage ...

MEMPHIS — The Jackson State football team went over 55 minutes without scoring a single point inside the Liberty Bowl on Saturday. But, amazingly, with seven seconds remaining on the clock, JSU still had a shot. That shot, from the arm of Dedric McDonald, fell harmlessly to the turf as Jackson State fell 14-7, its seventh straight loss to Tennessee State in the Southern Heritage Classic. "It had nothing to do with them, we just weren't clicking," JSU starting QB Mike Mosley said. "It's really frustrating, we're much better. I just don't know."

The day was horrid for a JSU offense that was starting its second quarterback in as many weeks. A third, McDonald, entered the game just before halftime after Mosley injured his shoulder. McDonald took his team to the brink, and was a dropped touchdown pass away from tying the game at 14 apiece. "I don't know," JSU coach Rick Comegy said when asked about the offense. "The film will tell us."

Photo Galleries: JSU - TSU

Win caps big week for TSU quarterback

Quarterback becomes a dad, is named MVP...
MEMPHIS — Calvin McNairl stood at midfield, holding his most valuable player trophy, after leading Tennessee State to a 14-7 win over Jackson State in the 20th Southern Heritage Classic on Saturday night. But when asked what had been the best part of his week, it was a tough decision for the Tigers sophomore quarterback. Earlier in the week, McNairl became the father of a baby girl. Then, he was named TSU's starting quarterback, replacing Dominic Grooms, who suffered a severe hamstring injury in last week's season opener.

Finally, in his first start since 2007, McNairl not only won the game, but also he was awarded the MVP trophy in front of the 43,306 who turned out at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. ''God works in mysterious ways,'' McNairl said. ''It's been a long week. This has been the best week ever. I can't explain how much this week means.'' TSU had to hold on at the end, as Jackson State reached the Tigers' 3 in the final seconds. McNairl rushed 14 times for 101 yards and a touchdown while completing four of 11 passes for 43 yards.

TSU turns to McNairl at quarterback

Tennessee State will turn to its third quarterback of the season Saturday, with Calvin McNairl stepping in as the starter against Jackson State at the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis. McNairl, a sophomore from Henry County, will replace Dominic Grooms, who started in Saturday's 24-7 loss to Alabama A&M and suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter.
Grooms was replaced by sophomore Jeremy Perry. McNairl started the last four games as a freshman in 2007 when Antonio Heffner was hurt. McNairl redshirted last year.

QB lifts Tennessee State over Jackson State in Southern Heritage Classic

Calvin McNairl stood at midfield, holding his Most Valuable Player trophy, after leading his Tennessee State team to a 14-7 victory over Jackson State in the 20th Southern Heritage Classic on Saturday night. But when asked what had been the best part of his week, it was a tough decision for the Tigers redshirt sophomore quarterback. Earlier last week, McNairl became the father of a baby girl. Then, he was named TSU's starting quarterback, replacing Dominic Grooms who suffered a severe hamstring in last week's season opener. Finally, in his first start, McNairl not only won the game, but was awarded the Most Valuable Player trophy in front of 43,306 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

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Battle of Bands: Norfolk State vs. North Carolina A&T

9/12/2009 - Norfolk State University Spartan Legion Marching Band

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Blue and Gold Marching Machine Band

2009 Battle of Bands: Jackson State vs. Tennessee State

Jackson State University Sonic Boom of the South Marching Band/Southern Heritage Classic 9/12/2009

Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands at SHC 9/12/2009 -Memphis

Alabama State Hornets 20, Savannah State 17

Hornets hold off Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Devin Dominguez caught a 20-yard pass from Chris Mitchell in the fourth quarter and Alabama State held on to defeat Savannah State 20-17 on Saturday. Savannah State could've taken the lead in the fourth quarter, but Dereck Williams missed two field goals from 36 and 42 yards. Nick Andrews had 124 yards on nine catches for the Hornets (2-0). Mitchell threw for 227 yards on 17-of-31 for Alabama State. Darius Mathis caught four passes for 62 yards and one touchdown. The Hornets defense allowed just 84 yards rushing and only 286 yards total while forcing the Tigers into a 3-for-14 performance on third down conversions.

Attendance: 5,947@Ted Wright Stadium, Savannah, GA

Shannon Sharpe Day set at SSU

Shannon Sharpe is coming home to Savannah State University to have his football jersey number officially retired. Sharpe, who wore No. 2 when he played spilt end for Savannah State College (now university) from 1986-89, will be honored Oct. 17, the day SSU plays Bethune-Cookman University at 5 p.m. at T.A. Wright Stadium. Sharpe, an analyst on “The NFL Today” show on CBS since 2004, played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and won three Super Bowl championships — two with the Denver Broncos, one with the Baltimore Ravens — before retiring in 2003 as the NFL’s all-time leader at tight end in touchdown catches (62), receiving yards (10,060) and receptions (815).

WSSU move no problem

Winston-Salem (N.C.) State's announcement Friday that it will leave the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference should not hurt SSU's chances of becoming the league's 14th member, SSU vice president of administration Claud Flythe said Saturday. "I would think not," Flythe said Saturday before kickoff. "There have been some discussions for quite a few months as to the status of Winston-Salem State, whether they will remain Division I or go back to Division II. "I have no reason to believe their decision to leave the MEAC will have any kind of impact on Savannah State."

Thursday, North Carolina Central in Durham became the MEAC's 13th member. MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas has said the conference wants to expand to 14 schools, 12 of which play football. Coppin State and Maryland-Eastern Shore do not have football programs. The MEAC wants to expand to 12 football-playing schools so it can form North and South divisions and have a conference championship game.

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New Mexico State 21, Prairie View A&M 18

Aggie Football Beats Prairie View A&M

LAS CRUCES, N.M.-New Mexico State football head coach DeWayne Walker earned his first career victory with the 21-18 Aggie win over Prairie View A&M, Saturday, Sept. 12, at Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, N.M. Junior running back Seth Smith led the Aggies with a career-high 150 rushing yards. NM State hadn’t registered that many yards on the ground since 2003 when Eric Higgins recorded 218 against Louisiana-Monroe. Sophomore quarterback Jeff Fleming added two touchdown runs in the first half, while senior running back Marquell Colston put the Aggies up for good with a fourth-quarter score.

NMSU Aggies Coach DeWayne Walker--- Courtesy: New Mexico State University

After Prairie View A&M tallied the first points of the game with a 30-yard field goal, the Aggies responded with an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive of the game to take a 7-3 lead. Fleming posted his first career touchdown with a 10-yard run. Smith and Colston combined for 59 rushing on the drive, which also included Fleming’s first completion of the game. Sophomore wide receiver Todd Lee grabbed an 11-yard pass to continue the Aggie campaign. NM State established the running game early and recorded 100 yards on the ground after the first two series.


Pregame 9-12-2009, Prairie View vs. Aggies NMSU Las Cruces PRIDE Marching Band

Halftime 9 12 09 Prairie View vs. Aggies NMSU Las Cruces NM PRIDE Marching Band and Sundancers

In the second quarter, the Aggies scored again for a 14-3 advantage after 12 plays and 67 yards. Smith was the workhorse with 28 rushing yards. Fleming collected his second touchdown of the contest on a quarterback sneak. With less than a minute before the half, junior defensive back Alphonso Powell grabbed his first interception of the season. The turnover was the lone one in the first half.

Smith had 102 rushing yards on 14 carries at the break, and that mark was the first time an Aggie had achieved that feat since the Nevada win in 2008. Following a scoreless third quarter, the Aggie ground attack continued and NM State increased the lead to 21-3. Colston claimed his first of the touchdown of the year on a four-yard rush that concluded a 12-play, 71-yard drive. The Panthers scored a pair of late touchdowns to pull within three, 21-18.

Attendance: 15,902 @Aggie Memorial Stadium
NM State in-game notes
Box Score

Area Colleges: Prairie View has offensive issues

Prairie View A&M coach Henry Frazier III was surprised to enter a mostly silent locker room after the Panthers' 17-7 season-opening win over Texas Southern in Saturday's Labor Day Classic. Several defensive players were excited about the performance of their unit, but members of the offense didn't see much reason to celebrate. After all, the offense recorded only 176 yards, converting just three of 15 third-down attempts. “I said, ‘It's so quiet in here; you guys act as if you lost the game,'” said Frazier, who won his third straight Labor Day Classic. “They were like, ‘We could have done a lot better, coach.'”

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Alabama A&M Bulldogs 31, Hampton Pirates 24

A&M makes key stops down stretch

Alabama A&M's defense, under pressure for most of the second half Saturday night against Hampton University, thought it had come away with a game-saving stand with less than two minutes remaining. The Bulldogs had stopped the Pirates, giving the ball back to their offense. However, running back Ulysses Banks fumbled on the ensuing play and Hampton recovered it, forcing A&M's defense to come up with yet another stop. Jeremy Maddox, who had been held in check for much of the game, came to the Bulldogs' rescue.

A 6-foot, 263-pound All-Southwestern Athletic Conference defensive end, Maddox had managed just one sack and a tackle for loss against the Pirates. However, with the game on the line, he broke through and sacked Hampton quarterback David Legree, and the Bulldogs hung on for a 31-24 victory before an announced crowd of 6,377 at Louis Crews Stadium. "I missed three sacks," said Maddox, clearly upset with himself, "but I got the one that counted. I knew we had to make a stop for us to win. I think we got a little ahead of ourselves and didn't play as well in the third quarter, but we came together and stepped it up in the fourth quarter and got the win."

Finally, Segura has some good news for Mom

New Orleans native is an A&M starter after three years of injuries, disappointments. Raymond Segura calls his mother back home in New Orleans almost nightly. Unfortunately for Segura, the Alabama A&M weakside linebacker hasn't had much to offer his mom, Angela Waxter, concerning his football career. Truth be told, Segura's first three seasons have been filled with one injury after another. The list includes shoulder, back, foot and knee injuries. "I've dealt with just about every injury you can have," Segura said. Still, despite all of his ailments, Segura kept the faith and, because of an injury to one of his teammates, was inserted into the starting lineup last week against Tennessee State. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound redshirt junior didn't disappoint. He had plenty to tell his mother after the game.

Mitchell:Study in perseverance

Losing two years to ineligibility fails to faze A&M receiver. Anthony Mitchell was headed for stardom. A 6-foot-2, 197-pound receiver, Mitchell was supposed to team with Thomas Harris to give Alabama A&M one of the best tandems in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Unfortunately, eligibility issues got in the way. Mitchell was the team's third-leading receiver in 2006 as a sophomore when A&M downed Arkansas-Pine Bluff to win the SWAC championship. With quarterback Kelcy Luke back along with a number of returning offensive starters, the Bulldogs were expected to repeat the following year. However, Mitchell, who had 20 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns during A&M's championship year, wasn't there to participate, having been ruled academically ineligible for the 2007 season. Jackson State beat A&M late that season and went on to win the SWAC title.

A & M holds off Hampton

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Over and over, Alabama A&M quarterback Kevin Atkins dropped back to pass and scanned the field for wide receiver Thomas Harris. The Hampton University defense could do nothing to stop it. Harris caught 10 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns, and the Bulldogs held on to beat the Pirates 31-24 Saturday night at Louis Crews Stadium. It was the first loss for Hampton coach Donovan Rose, whose Pirates fell to 0-5 on the road against Southwestern Athletic Conference schools.

"Defensively, we've got to find a way to stop the pass," Rose said. "They threw the ball something like 36 times in the first half, and I'm still waiting on our guys to recover. We've got to find a way to stop that and give our offense the ball. Thirty-one points and 24 points in two games, defensively, we've got to find a way to stop that."Twelve seconds into the game, it appeared as if the Pirates could name their score. Senior running back LaMarcus Coker took the A&M kickoff at the 13, cut up the middle, faked his way past a couple of Bulldog defenders and returned the kick 87 yards for a touchdown. Jordan Stovall's extra point gave Hampton a 7-0 lead before the echoes of the national anthem had died down.

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Grambling State 38, Northwestern State (La.) 17

GSU Coach Rod Broadway has never lost a game at Robinson Stadium since his arrival in 2007.

Football - Grambling State 38, Northwestern State 17‎

GRAMBLING - Against Northwestern State Saturday night, the best offense for Grambling State was the Tigers' defense. Grambling erased a two-touchdown deficit by notching three defensive touchdowns in a 6:33 span sandwiched around halftime, roaring to a 38-17 turnaround triumph over the visiting Demons at damp Robinson Stadium. The Tigers (1-1) were dominated in the first half but trailed only 14-7 thanks to three squandered red zone trips by the Demons (0-2) and a late 37-yard fumble return by Desmond Lenard to get Grambling on the board 1:57 before halftime.

Grambling soared ahead thanks to two straight interceptions, on opposite sides of the field, by senior defensive end Christian Anthony, both returned for touchdowns and a 21-14 lead less than five minutes into the second half. Both times, Anthony snatched underthrown screen passes from Demons quarterback John Hundley. On the first, he dodged NSU players and flipped a lateral to defensive back Nigel Copleand, who took it the last 10 yards to complete a 24-yard scoring return to tie the game at 14.

Grambling beats Northwestern State, 38-17

GRAMBLING -- The Grambling Tigers have beaten Northwestern State 38-17 for their first win over the fellow Louisiana-based Football Championship Subdivision school since 1974. Grambling goes to 1-1 on the year, while NSU under new head coach Bradley Dale Peveto starts the 2009 season 0-2. Grambling last beat a non-Southwestern Athletic Conference FBS school in 2004, Savannah State. It last beat a non-HBCU lower-division school in 2001, Portland State. Third-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway has not lost a game at Robinson Stadium since he arrived in 2007.

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Christian Anthony put Grambling on his back for this win

GRAMBLING -- What Christian Anthony did to Northwestern State on Saturday wasn’t even fair. He was playing “Madden” on easy mode. He was the kid on the Pop Warner team that has to bring his birth certificate to each game to prove he’s not lying about his age. He was Grambling’s best offensive weapon in a 38-17 win over the Demons. And he doesn’t even line up on that side of the ball. The 6-foot-4 275-pound monster of a defensive end accounted for two Grambling touchdowns and terrorized the NSU offense for 60 straight minutes.

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Special: Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Leaves Its Mark on I-A Teams

Last weekend's victories by William & Mary over Virginia, Richmond over Duke and Villanova over Temple reinforced the notion that the Colonial Athletic Association remains one of the strongest leagues in division I-AA football, if not the most powerful. Should James Madison knock off Maryland (Maryland won 38-35 in OT) and New Hampshire topple Ball State (NH won 23-16) on Saturday, it will further enhance the CAA's reputation and strengthen the argument that the talent gap between division I-A teams and the top programs in I-AA is shrinking.

"I've always told people that when Appalachian [State] beat Michigan [in 2007] . . . it was all the talking heads on television that were talking about what a huge upset it was," James Madison Coach Mickey Matthews said. "You didn't hear any coaches in the Big Ten and the CAA saying it was a huge upset. The top 10 or 15 teams in I-AA football can play with anyone in the country. I'm not saying we're going to beat them, but we certainly can compete against anyone."

This is the fourth year in a row that at least one CAA team has defeated a division I-A team. New Hampshire is going for its fifth consecutive win against a division I-A team this weekend. Since 1997, CAA teams boast 19 wins against division I-A opponents; no other I-AA conference comes close to matching that number. CAA teams have also fared well within their own classification. The league sent a record five teams to the division I-AA playoffs in each of the past two seasons. Last year in the 16-team field, four of the final eight teams and two of the final four teams were from the CAA.

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QUESTION FOR OUR READERS: Is South Carolina State, Florida A&M and Grambling competive with "any" of the ranked teams of the CAA? You may want to wait until after this Saturday's games to answer the question, although, other MEAC/SWAC teams are not as competitive as SCSU, FAMU or Grambling. Two CAA vs. MEAC games are on tap:

William and Mary (2-0) @ Norfolk State (1-1): 6 p.m.
Delaware State (0-1) @ Delaware (1-1) 12:00 noon

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North Carolina A&T 17, Norfolk State 13

Aggies coach Alonzo Lee impact is being being felt at both North Carolina A&T and Morgan State. The Aggies are 3-0 (including DSU Hornets forfeit) and Morgan State's defense is missing in action, after yesterday rout at Akron.

Penalties, goal-line stand by NC A&T drops NSU to 1-1

GREENSBORO, NC--Pete Adrian had been a thorn in North Carolina A&T's side since coming to Norfolk State five seasons ago. Alonzo Lee didn't take long to return the favor. The first-year coach promised a new Aggie attitude, and his quickly-improved team delivered Saturday night, sending NSU to a 17-13 defeat in its MEAC opener. Adrian's Spartans had won three straight in the series, and appeared to be on firmer footing heading into the game, with a veteran squad that has designs on contending for a MEAC title. North Carolina A&T, 3-9 last year, was picked eighth.

"It shows that we can't take any team for granted," NSU tailback DeAngelo Branche said. Norfolk State (1-1, 0-1 MEAC) also demonstrated it can't commit 10 penalties and fail to finish drives. The Spartans had first and goal at the A&T 6 early in the fourth quarter but failed to get the ball in on four straight running plays. Later, NSU moved to the A&T 31 before turning the ball over on downs. "You can't get shut out in the second half and think you're going to win the game," Adrian said.

Aggies regroup for win vs. Norfolk State

GREENSBORO -- Alonzo Lee had been waiting for the situation N.C. A&T faced Saturday night. The first-year head coach watched the Aggies slip behind by 10 points just seconds into the second quarter at Aggie Stadium. The offense was struggling to sustain drives, and Norfolk State had marched steadily for touchdowns on two of their first three possessions. The game seemed to be slipping out of hand, but Lee saw an educational opportunity.

"I wanted to be in that situation where this weekend we can show that we can fight, we can come back," Lee said. "They came and they ran the ball down our throat. And that's what I told the guys. Men, they ran the ball down your throat. The test of a true man is when your back is against the wall." The Aggies passed that test during the final three quarters, riding momentum-swinging defensive plays and key offensive performances to a 17-13 win over the Spartans.
















Aggies RB Tony Coles leaves NSU defense grasping for air.

FANS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN AGGIES VICTORY

GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T head football coach Alonzo Lee and the Aggies made their debut at home in front of 14,338 fans Saturday at Aggie Stadium under the klieg lights. Those same fans assisted the Aggies in punching Norfolk State’s lights out in a 17-13 win. Perhaps the new head coach’s influence extends beyond the 2-0 football team. Whenever he speaks, whether it is in front of alumni, his team or the media, there always seems to be an extra gear he goes into that makes people – old and young – wish they could suit up too. It is hard to match Lee’s enthusiasm. But the people wearing the sea of gold at Aggie Stadium Saturday night sure tried.

In fact, Aggie fans acted as if they had heard a coach Lee pregame speech. The fan participation didn’t go unnoticed. “We knew this wasn’t going to be an easy game for us,’’ said Norfolk State head coach Pete Adrian. “We knew they were going to be a fired up football team after last week. You add that to having to come in here and play in this atmosphere with this crowd noise, and we had a tough task ahead of us.” A smile came to sophomore running back Mike Mayhew’s face when asked about playing his first game in Aggie Stadium.

“It was unbelievable,’’ Mayhew said as he leaned forward with a big grin on his face. “To play in your first college game at an HBCU with the crowd, the band and the excitement, it’s what you live for.”

Attendance: 14,338 @ Aggies Stadium, Greensboro, N.C.

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UL-Monroe 58, Texas Southern 0

ULM Rolls to 58-0 Victory over Texas Southern in a Rainy Home Opener

MONROE, La.-ULM scored on its first three possessions of the game and rolled to a 58-0 victory over Texas Southern in the Warhawks' home opener Saturday night at Malone Stadium. ULM quarterback Trey Revell completed his first 12 pass attempts of the game and finished the night 17-of-19 for 238 yards and two touchdowns - his 89.5 completion percentage broke Doug Pederson's school record of 88.3 percent (16-of-18) set in 1990. Revell's 12 straight completions to open tonight's game, combined with his final three passes at No. 2 Texas last week, set a ULM school record for consecutive completions. His 15 consecutive completions broke Wendel Lowery's record of 11 straight set in 1991.

His backfield companion running back Frank Goodin rushed for 105 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, despite a heavy rain that battered the Monroe area most of the night. Goodin's three touchdowns tied him for the most in head coach Charlie Weatherbie's seven seasons and were just one shy of the school record - he accomplished all of this despite taking only two snaps in the second half. True freshman running back Isaiah Newsome carried the ball 22 times for 158 yards to give the Warhawks two players with over 100 yards rushing. It marked the first time two Warhawks went over the century mark in the same game since Nov. 3, 2007, when Calvin Dawson and Kinsmon Lancaster ran wild against Middle Tennessee.

Goodin's 3 touchdowns, Revell's 2 scores lead Louisiana-Monroe ...

MONROE, La. — Frank Goodin scored three touchdowns in Louisiana-Monroe’s 58-0 rout of Texas Southern on Saturday night. Louisiana-Monroe outrushed the Tigers 345-6 with two Warhawks gaining more than 100 yards.Isaiah Newsome picked up 158 yards on 22 carries and Goodin added 105 yards on 16 carries. Trey Revell scored two touchdowns for the Warhawks through the air, and had 238 yards on 17 of 19 passing.

Louisiana-Monroe (1-1) gained a total of 592 yards of total offense, while Texas Southern lost four fumbles in the shutout. The Warhawks’ defense held the Tigers (0-3) to 103 total yards and notched a safety midway through the third quarter. Texas Southern’s Quarterback Arvell Nelson was 18 of 32 for 97 yards.

Attendance: 9,330, Malone Stadium, Monroe, La.

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