Who Really Cares About FCS Division I HBCU Football?

Alcorn State helped Southern Mississippi (C-USA) set attendance record of 36,232 at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium on Sept. 5, 2009. The Braves were defeated 52-0 by the Golden Eagles. Alcorn State ranks #68 in the latest NCAA Accumulated Attendance Report averaging 5,425 in 3 home contests, 24.11 accumulated percent of capacity. Only 3,774 came to Jack Spinks Stadium to watch the home team Braves fall to SWAC leader Prairie View (7-1, 6-0) 34-14 on Saturday.

If attendance numbers are the real measure of how most feel about college football at HBCU campuses, then why do we have stadiums that keep a vacancy rate of empty seats in the range of 17.96 (2008/09 MEAC Champions South Carolina State) to 83.31 (Alabama State) percent on college game day? Secondly, how are we maintaining Division I status, with little income being earned from gate receipts, parking and concessions? Are we supporting the entire programs on student generated fees and a few alumni donations? Just a few questions you may want to ask your university administrators and athletic directors.

We are not saying ALL programs are doing poorly in accumulated attendance at the FCS level but some are in financial trouble. For example, Florida A&M University athletic department has been struggling to retire a -$4.2 million accumulated deficit from its proposed move up to Division I-A football and athletic department mis-management. The Rattlers budget is still reeling from this ill-advised move and the highly paid athletic directors that followed have had no real solutions to address the financial mess.

However, it's unclear how long the FAMU athletics department has been operating in the red. An independent audit covering from July 2007 to June 30, 2008, shows Rattler athletics made nearly $8.1 million during that time. But department expenses exceeded $9.7 million, creating nearly a $1.7 million deficit. That deficit only added to the $2.61 million deficit detailed in the audit report that covered July 2006 to June 2007.

The Florida Classic continues to be the savior for both FAMU and its cross-state rival, Bethune Cookman. This game is important for millions of reasons -- and millions of dollars. Without this game and the combined $3 million (combined) it puts into the coffers of both schools, the cash-strapped athletic departments of FAMU and Bethune would shrivel up and blow away. Each are expected to pocket $1.5 million next weekend, if attendance continue to hold in the 62,000 - 69,000 range.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that FAMU was in discussions with the University of Georgia for a game in Athens in the near future. We are not privy to the financial negotiations, but Louisiana-Lafayette will get $875,000 to open next season in Athens and New Mexico State will get $925,000 for a game in Nov. 2011. The Rattlers earned $600,000 from its money game with the University of Miami this season and possibly, $325,000 more from the Atlanta Football Classic with rival Tennessee State University.

The Ratters are scheduled to open the 2010 season at Miami, playing the same Hurricanes for another $600,000 check. So, why is a premier program built by legendary coach Jake Gaither in financial trouble today?

Simply, to complete at the FCS Division I level--it takes money, lots of money--millions of dollars that general admission tickets and a $200,000 annual contribution from the local booster club does not cover. HBCU fans need a reality check--ticket sales, parking and concession fees at a 10,000 -20,000 seat facility does not pay the bills. FAMU fans also need a reality check--12,490 average attendance (49,960 accumulated attendance) to four home games in 2009 doesn't cut it for a $10 million athletic department budget. Bragg Memorial Stadium holds 25,500 but hasn't seen a sell-out since the Coach Billy Joe era.

If you think attendance is based upon wins and losses, go check the attendance figures. For the past decade, FAMU and Southern have been ranked in the Top 10 in home attendance. But the Rattlers and Jaguars have been replaced by an upstart program like Old Dominion, ranked #4 in attendance averaging 19,782 in 7 home games in its first season of football and North Dakota State, ranked #8, averaging 17,069 in 4 home contests. North Carolina A&T was the doormats of the MEAC over the past several years, but the Aggies are now ranked #7 in home attendance--averaging 17,219 with an 80.09 accumulated percent of capacity in Aggie Stadium.

FCS 2008 National Champion, University of Richmond operates a CAA championship football program on more than the gate receipts generated from four home games which averages 8,737 in attendance. The Spiders are only filling the home stadium to 40.98 percent of accumulated capacity in 2009. Richmond played one 1-A money game--defeating Atlantic Coast Conference, Duke University 24-16 in Durham, N.C. in the season opener before 33,311 at Wallace Wade Stadium. This was Duke's largest crowd since 2001.

For small schools in conferences like the MEAC, SWAC and OVC, there are great paydays awaiting in road trips to major Division I programs. Delaware State earned $550,000 playing at 106,000 seat Michigan; Western Kentucky got $700,000 to play at Tennessee; Montana State received $650,000 playing at Michigan State; Charleston Southern was paid $450,000 for playing at defending national champion Florida and Liberty earned $365,000 at West Virginia.

Looking ahead to 2010, the going rate for top tier programs to "buy a guaranteed win" will range from $750,000 to $950,000 for lower tier Division I programs and $450,000 to $650,000 for money straped MEAC programs such as FAMU. With the upper tier BCS programs earning $3.8 million to $4.5 million per home contest, the future for MEAC and SWAC programs are to sign on for the lucrative pay days with the BCS conferences and limit themselves to 3 home contests during the season. At some point, the conference leadership will have to move to 8 conference game schedules and 3-4 out of league contests that can be sold to the highest bidders to pay the bills. Tradition will soon be a thing of the past as scheduling will be based on potential payouts.

South Carolina State dive into the Division I money pool started with games versus South Carolina, Central Florida, Air Force and Clemson. Although the Bulldogs have not realized the $450,000+ pay days like FAMU, Norfolk State and Howard, they have improved their recruiting, moved to #5 ranking in home stadium attendance--averaging 18,050 in four home contests-- and become the conference powerhouse. Not bad for a school located in the smallest market in the MEAC by population and business base.

Below are the game scores, attendance numbers and team records for Week 11 at the FCS Division I HBCU programs. You may draw your own conclusions on how your favorite university is maintaining its Division I football program with sub-par attendance and dwindling revenue in 2009. Classics, one D-I money game and a Thursday night television game check from ESPNU may pay some of the bills, but it does not build sustainable home stadium fan support and championship football programs.

You may want to blame the weather, the economy and the lack of an aggressive athletic marketing & PR program--but the outcome are programs on the verge of bankruptcy or with $2-$4 million in red ink as a carryover to the next fiscal year. No business is sustainable when the income cannot cover the expenses, especially in Division I college football. Who Really Cares About FCS Division I HBCU Football and who will help it survive and thrive? The answers are within you.

1. North Carolina Central 18, Winston Salem State 10 11,232 @ Bowman-Gray Stadium, Winston Salem, N.C. Records: NCCU 3-7; WSSU 1-9.

2. South Carolina State 37, Morgan State 13 10,542 @ Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Orangeburg, S.C. Records: SCSU 9-1, 7-0 MEAC; MSU 5-5, 3-4 MEAC.

3. Southern University 34, Alabama State 24 8,459 @ Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL Records: SU 6-3, 3-2 SWAC; ASU 4-6, 1-6 SWAC.

4. Austin Peay State 24, Tennessee State 21 6,968 @ Governors Stadium, Clarksville, TN Records: APSU 4-6, 3-4 OVC; TSU 3-7, 2-4 OVC.

5. Alabama A&M 13, Jackson State 5 5,402 @ Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL Records: AAMU 6-4, 3-3 SWAC; JSU 3-6, 3-3 SWAC.

6. Norfolk State 21, Delaware State 16 4,127 @ Alumni Stadium, Dover, DE Records: NSU 6-4, 5-3 MEAC; DSU 3-6, 2-4 MEAC.

7. Prairie View A&M 34, Alcorn State 3,774 @ Jack Spinks Stadium, Lorman, MS Records: PVAMU 7-1, 6-0 SWAC; Alcorn State 2-6, 2-4 SWAC.

8. Grambling State 47, Texas Southern 33 3,549 @ Robinson Stadium, Grambling, LA Records: GSU 6-5, 4-3 SWAC; Tex So 4-5, 3-2 SWAC.

8. Webber International 35, Savannah State 20 1,956 @ Ted Wright Stadium, Savannah, Georgia Records: Webber Intern'l. 4-6 NAIA Savannah State 2-7 NCAA Div. I Indep.

9. Hampton University 25, Florida A&M 0 1,931 @ Armstrong Stadium, Hampton, VA Records: HU 5-5, 3-4 MEAC; FAMU 7-3, 5-2 MEAC.

10. Bethune Cookman 21, Howard University 10 541@ Greene Stadium, Washington, D.C. Records: BCU 5-5, 4-3 MEAC; HU 2-8, 0-7 MEAC.

11. Mississippi Valley State 16, Lincoln (MO) 6 503 @ Rice-Totten Stadium, Itta Bena, MS Records: MVSU 3-7, 1-5 SWAC; Lincoln University of Missouri 0-11 NCAA Division II.

by: beepbeep 11/16/09

Hampton Pirates 25, Florida A&M Rattlers 0

Hampton University Pirates first year head coach Donovan Rose clobbers FAMU Rattlers FCS Playoffs hopes with 25-0 stomping.

Former HU coach handed first career shutout loss

HAMPTON - Rarely in 27 years as a head coach has Joe Taylor been on the wrong end of such domination. Playing with an outside chance of winning the MEAC and making the playoffs, Florida A&M was handed a 25-0 spanking by Hampton University. Afterward, Taylor showed his usual class. And even a sense of humor. "Well," he said in the interview room, "this is not a good welcoming home." No, it wasn't — at least, not on the field. The man who won 136 games for the Pirates from 1992 through 2007 went through a brutal afternoon.

As flat and uninspired as the Rattlers looked Saturday at Armstrong Stadium, that's how revved up and sharp the Pirates looked. The result left FAMU with its first shutout loss since 1988 — and Taylor with his first ever. "I'm not surprised," Taylor said about the Pirates' energy. "I told the team they'd be energized for some obvious reasons. Take your hat off to them, because they played well." Conspicuously absent from HU's inaugural Hall of Fame class, Taylor made his first trip to Armstrong's opposing sideline since 1989, when he was coaching at Virginia Union. He was 6-3 vs. the Pirates, including a 45-28 win last year in Tallahassee.

Photo Gallery: FAMU falls to Hampton, 25-0

Much better this time for HU offensive coordinator

Without checking to be certain, we can safely say that Terry Beauford feels a lot better today than on the final day of the 1988 season. Back then, he was an offensive lineman for Florida A&M. And the Rattlers were blanked that day 25-0 by Bethune-Cookman. Now, Beauford is the offensive coordinator at Hampton University. And on Saturday, his Pirates shut out his alma mater ... by the same 25-0 score. His offense had a season-high 464 yards.

If you play a game and nobody sees it ...
HU's most complete performance of the season was seen by only 1,931 fans, which left nearly 15,000 empty seats at Armstrong Stadium. For the season, the Pirates' average attendance is 5,172. If that figure holds — there is one home game remaining — it would be the worst since 1989. The largest attendance this season was 7,417 for the opener.

Hampton Nearly Perfect in Big Win

HAMPTON — All season long, Hampton University football coach Donovan Rose saw flashes here and there. One game, the offense looked decent. One game, the defense did. But never, not throughout the first nine weeks of the season, had the Pirates put it all together. Saturday afternoon, on a soggy track with emotions running high, they did. Behind a power running game that two quarterbacks spearheaded and a defense that allowed virtually nothing all day, Hampton spoiled Joe Taylor's homecoming with a 25-0 win over Florida A&M at Armstrong Stadium.

To say it was the Pirates' best day this year would be unnecessary. "I told the guys, we've had spurts," Rose said. "But we never had a game where everybody played well. We wanted to do this against a team like (FAMU). They have a great program, and this is something to build from. "To me, it wasn't about (FAMU). I know they probably feel disappointed because this probably took them out of the playoff hunt. But it was about us. Our guys have been up and down all year. I told them to relax and have fun with it."

Attendance: 1,931@Armstrong Stadium, Hampton, VA

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South Carolina State 37, Morgan State 13

South Carolina State Coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough is FCS Division I playoff bound. The powerhouse 2008 and 2009 MEAC Champions have won 18 consecutive conference games for a new MEAC record.

SC State Clinches MEAC Title With 37-13 Win Over Morgan State

ORANGEBURG, SC—Junior quarterback Malcolm Long connected for 21-32 for 319 yards and four touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Oliver Tre’ Young had a career day with six catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns as South Carolina State clinched their second-straight league title and a playoff berth with a 37-13 victory over Morgan State Saturday.

Young, who also posted 313 All-purpose yards with 108 coming from punt returns, broke the SC State Career Reception Record held by Tavarus Morgan. Also, junior Malcolm Long became the schools first 2,000-yard passer with his performance on the day. “I am very excited about winning the game and even more about winning another MEAC Title,” said SC State coach Buddy Pough. “I am very impressed with Tre’ Young’s play today.”

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 27-7 lead in the first-half. Ford scored the first touchdown of the game on a 19-yard toss from Long with 9:04 left in the first quarter. Long put the Bulldogs ahead 14-0 on a 45-yard bomb to Oliver Tre’ Young. Morgan State scored to pull within seven on a 7-yard punch from quarterback Carlton Jackson with to close out the first quarter.

Sophomore kicker Blake Erickson scored six of the Bulldogs 13 points in the second quarter with field goals of 24 and 29. SC State closed the half with a 27-7 lead. Pough stated, “We didn’t play as effectively as I would have liked us to be, but overall we were able to get the job done throwing some deep balls.”

Long’s 12-yard connection with Young in the third quarter open up the lead and the Bulldogs took a 34-7 advantage and sealed the victory for Coach Pough’s team. All-MEAC running back Will Ford finished the day with 20 rushes for 107 yards. Ford is just 155 yards why of becoming the MEAC All-Time leading rusher. “Our goal is to get into the playoffs and make some noise”, said Pough. “It would be really nice for our fans and community if we could host a playoff game."
South Carolina State will close out the regular season against rival North Carolina A&T in a 1:30 p.m. showdown on Saturday.

Courtesy: SC State



SC State repeats as MEAC champs

ORANGEBURG -- The outcome was a mere formality with 6 minutes left in the third quarter Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium. With the news of Florida A&M's 25-0 loss at Hampton, ninth-ranked South Carolina State was assured a second straight Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth and a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title. As long as the Bulldogs avoided another comeback from double-digits by the Bears, a second consecutive outright title and a MEAC-record 18th straight win would await them at the final whistle.

S.C. State (9-1, 7-0 MEAC) finished out the 37-13 victory over Morgan State (5-5, 3-4) on a record-setting day before 10,542 fans for quarterback Malcolm Long and wide receiver Tre' Young. Long completed 21 of 32 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns to become the first Bulldogs QB in the program's 102-year history to pass for over 2,000 yards in a season. Long's four scores also tied a single-game school record, with Young responsible for two of the touchdown catches. The former Burke High standout had six catches for 166 yards in breaking the school record for career receptions and also had 148 yards in kick returns.

Gallery: S.C. State vs. Morgan State

Top-ranked SC State clinch MEAC Title, drop Bears 37-13

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The top-ranked Bulldogs of South Carolina State took care of business on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Dawson Bulldog Stadium in front of 10,542 fans. Malcolm Long threw four touchdown passes and OliverTre Young accounted for 313 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Morgan State 37-13 Saturday for its 18th consecutive Mid –Eastern Athletic Conference win and clinched its second straight MEAC Title.

The Bears (5-5, 3-4) dropped its four straight game, while SCSU played another well-rounded game and improved to 9-1 overall and 7-0 in the conference. William Ford, the MEAC’s leading rusher last year, scored on a 19-yard screen play and Young caught a 45-yard touchdown bomb from Long to help the Bulldogs jump out to an early 14-0. Long connected on 21-of-32 passes for 319 of the Dawgs’ 448 total yards. Young led all receivers with six tackles for 166 yards.

Attendance: 10,542 @ Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Orangeburg, S.C.

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Florida A&M Coach Has Faith in His Rebuilding Program

Tallahassee, FL — When Joe Taylor took over as the football coach at Florida A&M, barely a month after the Rattlers lost six of their last seven games to finish 3-8 in 2007, he summoned every returning player for an individual conference. In each session, he asked the same question: why did things happen the way they did last season? And each player pointed the finger at someone else. Not one acknowledged any role. “There was a whole lot of what I call deflecting,” Taylor, 59, said in recent interview.

Coach Joe Taylor stands next to the statue of legendary Rattlers Coach Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither on the campus of Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL.

Taylor said that he realized that the job facing him was more than returning Florida A&M to its customary success. He had to oversee a character makeover, which for him meant a regimen of churchgoing, class work and off-season training. As he said, “My whole idea is that if you can improve the person, you can improve the player.” Less than two years later, the results vindicate the thesis. Taylor’s 2008 team went 9-3, and after last Saturday’s 31-28 overtime victory against Morgan State, the Rattlers were 6-2 in 2009, with one of those losses to Miami.

Florida A&M now ranks in the top 25 in the N.C.A.A. Football Championship Subdivision poll for the first time in eight years. Before Saturday’s home game against North Carolina A&T, the No. 24 Rattlers were in second place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and third in the Sheridan Broadcasting System ranking of historically black colleges. Impressive as the improvements have been, the Florida A&M tradition demands even more. Taylor toils here in the shadow of Jake Gaither, one of the greatest college football coaches ever, who retired in 1969 with a career record of 203-36-4.



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Hampton U. lures two prize Florida products

Glades Central starting quarterback Leron "L.J."Thomas is a Pirate early commitment.

Florida has long been recognized as a fertile recruiting ground, and Hampton University is now mining that prime territory as well. The Pirates have landed early commitments from two products of Glades Central High in Belle Grade, Fla., where first-year recruiting coordinator and running-backs coach Stephen Field once coached. Johnnie Dixon, a Rivals.com four-star defensive back/athlete, signed with Auburn out of Glades Central in 2007, but didn't qualify academically. He landed at traditional junior-college power Pearl River (Miss.) Community College, where he had 22 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions in 10 games in 2008.



Dixon said he kept in contact with Field, who sold him on an HU program that includes two other former Glades Central players in freshmen running back Antonio McCloude and fullback Vincent Harper. Dixon, 6-foot and 195 pounds, said he's a better player after two years at Pearl River, which finished 6-3 in 2009 and where he played cornerback and wide receiver.

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Blogger Notes: L.J. comes from a very talented Glades Central program...He is the fifth Raider to commit this season, joining DB Travis Bell (West Virginia), DB/WR Greg Dent (Miami), TE Clive Walford (Miami) and DB/RB Antwon Chisholm (Mississippi State). The 6-2, 175 star was the best quarterback in the region last season and has had several discussions with Florida International. Hampton is the only program so far, to offer him a scholarship during the early recruitment period.

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HONDA Battle of the Bands announces Winners

Three months ago, 45 marching bands from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began the journey down the “Road to the Honda,” all competing for a spot in the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase. Out of 45 competing marching bands from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), eight have been chosen to perform in January at the 2010 Honda Battle of the Bands (HBOB) Invitational Showcase.




Representing varied music and performance styles ranging from precision to high-stepping, the eight headlining bands are:

• Albany State University “Marching Rams” (Albany, Georgia)

• Clark Atlanta University “Mighty Marching Panthers” (Atlanta, Georgia)

• Florida A&M University “Marching 100” (Tallahassee, Florida)

• North Carolina Central University “Marching Sound Machine” (Durham, North Carolina)

• Prairie View A&M University “Marching Storm” (Prairie View, Texas)

• Southern University “Human Jukebox Marching Band” (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

• Tuskegee University “Marching Crimson Pipers” (Tuskegee, Alabama)

• Virginia State University “Trojan Explosion Marching Band” (Petersburg, Virginia)






On January 30, 2010, the bands will perform for a crowd of 60,000 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and prove why they are the best of the best. Marking its eighth year, the Honda Battle of the Bands is the only national scholarship program that showcases an important facet of HBCU heritage and culture – music education.

The eight winning band programs chosen to participate in this year’s Invitational Showcase will be awarded $20,000 by American Honda for their music programs in addition to the $1,000 grant they received for participation in the pre-qualifying fall campus event tour. Through this program Honda is awarding a total of $205,000 in scholarships to HBCU music programs for the 2009-10 academic year, and since the beginning of the program, has awarded grants in excess of $1 million.

South Carolina State 43, Howard 13

S.C. State QB Malcolm Long has lead the Bulldogs to 6-0 MEAC record, 8-1 overall mark.

South Carolina State Remains Unbeaten In MEAC

In a tale of two programs going into different directions, the Bulldogs of South Carolina State clinched their second consecutive MEAC title with a 43-13 win over Howard at Greene Stadium before a crowd of 5,108. “ We wanted to take away the run and put them in passing situations “ said Howard coach Carey Bailey. State started the scoring with a 44 yard field goal by sophmore Blake Erickson. That was followed up with a 28 yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Malcolm Long to wide receiver Terrance Smith with 3:20 remaining in the first quarter.

“ They gave us some different looks from what we had seen on film State quarterback Malcolm Long said. “ We then decided to get the ball to Chris Massey,” said Long who then scored on a 14 -yard pass with 10:42 remaining in the second quarter. The Bison put six points on the board with field goals of 37 and 35 yards from senior Dennis Wiehberg. The second feld goal came with no time remaining in the first half. That field goal allowed Howard to cut State’s lead to 22-6 at the half.

Bulldogs take another step toward MEAC title, pick up 8th win of year

WASHINGTON – Even when things went wrong, they turned out just fine for South Carolina State on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Howard University. On the game’s first play from scrimmage the Bulldogs fumbled the ball but S.C. State recovered and then went on an 11-play drive that ended with a 44-yard field goal by Blake Erickson for a 3-0 lead. When Howard got the ball Bison quarterback Floyd Haigler, from Orangeburg, appeared to have a receiver open inside the S.C. State 20 on second and 10 from the Bulldog 32. But Haigler, who said he was trying to throw the ball away, was picked off by strong safety Markee Hamlin in the end zone.

The Bulldogs then went 80 yards for a score, as Terrance Smith caught a 28-yard TD pass from Malcolm Long and the PAT made it 10-0. The high-powered S.C. State offense added a 14-yard TD pass from Long to Chris Massey early in the second quarter and breezed to a 43-13 MEAC win before 5,081 fans on a clear, cool afternoon. The Bulldogs (8-1, 6-0) won their 17th straight league contest and inched closer to the regular-season MEAC title. The Bulldogs entered the game ranked No. 10 in the Sports Network FCS poll and No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football poll.

SC State Continues Its MEAC March

Will Ford rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown to lead South Carolina State to a 43-13 win at Howard. The Bulldogs' Tre Young had seven receptions, giving him 116 for his career, one shy of the school record. With the win, the Bulldogs are 8-1 overall, 6-0 in the league, S.C. State will host Morgan State Saturday with a win giving the program its second straight MEAC championship.

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