B-CU rides fast start to MEAC win; Jenkins OK after scare

DAYTONA BEACH -- This is not the way Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins would have liked to celebrate his first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory. Shortly after the Wildcats held off Norfolk State 21-7 in front of 5,371 fans at Municipal Stadium, a dehydrated Jenkins was wheeled away in a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.

"He's fine," B-CU associate head coach Terry Sims said of Jenkins, who was feeling dizzy late in the game and was fitted with an IV in the locker room after the game before being transported to Halifax Health Medical Center, Daytona Beach.

"Everything they did was for precautionary reasons," Sims said. "He was drinking (water), but once dehydration sets in, there's not much you can do. It's really hot down there on the sideline."

Coach gets wake-up call

DAYTONA BEACH -- It may not be an all-out red alert. Maybe not even a red flag. But when your head coach's post-game exit involves a stretcher and ambulance, you don't exactly whistle into the night while fully enjoying a 3-0 record and first conference victory.

"Of course, he's gonna be fine," Bethune-Cookman athletics director Lynn Thompson said Saturday night, about 30 minutes after his high-profile hire, head coach Brian Jenkins, was hauled away from Municipal Stadium.

NSU digs early hole in falling to Bethune-Cookman 21-7

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman was ready for the race track. Norfolk State belonged on a dirt track. Bethune-Cookman's quickness, both in its Speedway offense and blitzing defenders, left the Spartans stuck in place for nearly a half, more than enough time for the Wildcats to take control in a 21-7 home win.

"It was like we were playing in sand," Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian said. "We looked slow. We were in slow motion the first half."

In the first quarter, Norfolk State surrendered two touchdowns, two sacks and a blocked punt while being outgained 167-37. Norfolk State (2-2, 1-1 MEAC) trailed 14-0 after a quarter and 21-0 just nine seconds into the second.

NSU notes: Branche suffers shoulder injury in first quarter

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - On its most important offensive play of the game, the player Norfolk State wanted to carry the ball was only capable of toting his helmet. Senior running back DeAngelo Branche, NSU's offensive MVP so far this season, suffered a shoulder injury and barely played in the second half.

When Norfolk State failed on a fourth-and-2 at the Bethune-Cookman 21 in the middle of the third quarter, Branche could only watch. "He hurt it in the first quarter," Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian said. Adrian said Branche was having trouble lifting his arm. Branche remained close to the coaching staff throughout the second half but got the call to re-enter only once or twice, trotting on as a diversion.


NSU MARCHING SPARTAN LEGION @ I.C. NORCOM H.S. BAND DAY, SEPT 25, 2010

Tennessee State shocks FAMU

The bus ride home to Nashville was a whole lot more fun than the ride back to Tallahassee, as Tennessee State shocked Florida A&M 29-18 in the Atlanta Football Classic on Saturday.

While it was bit of a surprise that Tennessee State won, what was startling was just how dominant it was over a team that had a better record this season and an eight-game win streak in this series. Tennessee State’s Preston Brown ran for a career-high 233 yards, which was also an Atlanta Football Classic record.

Big-game tested and accustomed to winning at the Georgia Dome, the Rattlers were surprisingly lifeless from the start. They had no answers for Tennessee State’s relentless pressure, as the Tigers sacked FAMU quarterbacks an astonishing 11 times

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• Atlanta Football Classic: FAMU-TSU

Tennessee State's Preston Brown sets Classic rush record

ATLANTA — Thanks to 11 sacks and Preston Brown's 233 yards rushing, Tennessee State broke an eight-game Atlanta Football Classic losing streak to Florida A&M 29-18 on Saturday at the Georgia Dome. Brown set an Atlanta Football Classic rushing record and equaled the third-best effort in TSU history.

"This is huge," first-year TSU Coach Rod Reed said. "One of the benchmarks for this program was beating Florida A&M. We came here ready to play this. I'm so proud of these gentlemen." On the game's second play, a crowd of 54,202 saw Brown take a handoff and race 71 yards up the middle for a touchdown.

Tennessee State runs past FAMU in Atlanta Classic

ATLANTA — So much for the win streak that Florida A&M had in the Atlanta Classic. The Rattlers played an uninspired first half and Tennessee State's running back Preston Brown was unstoppable all afternoon to carry the Tigers to a 29-18 victory in front of 54,202 at the Georgia Dome.

Not since losing to TSU by 20 points in 2001 has FAMU been beaten this badly by the Tigers. Ironically, that was the last time TSU beat FAMU. TSU exposed FAMU in every phase on an afternoon when the Rattlers were plain flat.

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UAPB's Richard Webber grabs 3 TD passes to star in Gateway Classic

The last time Raymond Webber played in a football game at the Edward Jones Dome was four years ago when he caught two passes and scored a touchdown while participating in a jamboree for his high school, Miller Career Academy.

On Saturday, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior receiver made a triumphant return, catching 11 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns and earning the offensive most valuable player award as he helped Arkansas-Pine Bluff to a 35-19 win over Clark Atlanta University in the 17th Gateway Classic.

"Really, with our offense, it's just whoever is open," said Webber, who was playing in front a big throng of family and friends. "Whoever is making plays, we're just feeding him the ball. Everybody contributed to this win." The win was the first this season for the Golden Lions (1-2).

Ark.-Pine Bluff 35, Clark Atlanta 19

ST. LOUIS -- Josh Boudreaux ran for a touchdown and threw three scoring passes to Raymond Webber as Arkansas-Pine Bluff defeated Clark Atlanta 35-19 on Saturday in the Gateway Classic. Inside the Edward Jones Dome, Webber caught 11 passes for 162 yards for the Golden Lions (1-2).

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Attendance: 22781

Clark Atlanta and Arkansas - Pine Bluff performing at the Gateway Classic Pep Rally

WSSU Rams whip FSU Broncos to improve to 5-0

Fayetteville, N.C. -- There’s a new sheriff in the CIAA.

That much was evident on Saturday night when Winston-Salem State had its way with Fayetteville State, the defending conference champions, by rolling to a 31-14 win at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

With more than half of the 4,000-plus fans dressed in Rams’ red, the Rams remained unbeaten at 5-0 and 3-0 in the conference and will likely crack the top 25 Division II coaches’ poll this week. “That was the whole plan - this was a statement game,” said wide receiver Dominique Fitzgerald of the Rams, who caught a touchdown pass and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass off a wide receiver flea-flicker. “They were the defending champs and to become the champs we had to knock off No. 1.”

Winston-Salem State tops Fayetteville State, 31-14

Winston-Salem State wide receiver Dominique Fitzgerald knew Saturday night's game at Fayetteville State would be a test plus a learning experience all rolled into one. As the Rams continue transitioning back into Division II, returning to the CIAA for the first time since 2005, Fitzgerald admitted he wasn't quite sure what to make of his team's 4-0 start, eager to gauge the program's progress with a showdown against the defending conference champ.

"We really don't know what to expect from most teams because a lot of us have never played them before," Fitzgerald said. "So with everything so far, it's like we're guessing."

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Prairie View hurt by fumble in 34-17 loss to Grambling State

DALLAS, TX — Penalties and a costly fumble doomed Prairie View A&M in a 34-17 loss to Grambling State in the State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl. The Panthers, (1-3, 1-2 SWAC) were penalized seven times for 62 yards and fumbled inside the Tigers’ 5-yard line in the second half.

After a 17-yard pass from KJ Black to Shaun Stephens on the opening drive of the second half gave 
the Panthers a 17-14 lead, Prairie View was poised to score again on its next possession.
After Black hit Devin Brown for a 21-yard gain to the Grambling 3-yard line, Brown fumbled, killing the drive and any Prairie View momentum.

“It killed us,” Panthers head coach Henry Frazier III said. “We had the lead. We should have scored again. That was very devastating. That gave them the momentum.”



State Fair Classic: Big plays help Grambling State top Prairie View A&M

Grambling State used big plays in the second half to defeat Prairie View A&M, 34-17, at the State Fair Classic on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. The Tigers avenged their loss from last year, their first in the series since 1986.

A 59-yard bomb from Anthony Carrothers to Kiare Thompson with 4:21 left put Grambling State up by 10 and sealed the Panthers' fate. Grambling State's Cornelius Walker scored on a 66-yard run with 1:24 remaining for the final score.

The Panthers' defense gave them a chance by stuffing Frank Warren on a fourth-and-1 at Prairie View's 14 with six minutes left and Prairie View down by a field goal. But Prairie View's drive consisted of an incompletion, a sack, a false start and a near-interception. Carrothers hooked up with Thompson on the following drive.

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Attendance: 43,754

Alcorn State 41, Alabama State 21: Alcorn takes battle of SWAC unbeatens

LORMAN, MS. -- Gabriel Nash had 29 carries for 135 yards and two touchdown, and Alcorn State took advantage of five Alabama State turnovers to take a 41-21 victory and emerge as the Southwestern Athletic Conference's only undefeated team Saturday.

Alabama State (3-1, 3-1 SWAC) began the game positively with a five-play, 62-yard drive capped off by a 10-yard touchdown run from quarterback Devin Dominguez, giving the Hornets a 7-0 lead following a PAT. "We came out of the gate and the first drive of the game was outstanding," Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. "After that drive, we did nothing positive on offense."

Alcorn (3-0, 2-0) quickly responded with Brandon Bridge's 57-yard TD run, and Gabriel Nash's 12-yard run to take the lead.

Alcorn offense leads way in win over Alabama State

LORMAN, MS —Alcorn State was averaging 38 1/2 points after two games coming into its matchup with Alabama State Saturday. And the Braves continued to thrive offensively, churning out another high-scoring game and defeating the Hornets 41-21 to improve to 3-0 on the season.

The win marked Alcorn’s first victory over Alabama State since 2002, something Braves head coach Earnest Collins was very happy about. “I wouldn’t have cared if it was 41-40, as long as we came out with the victory,” Collins said. “The kids played hard. We made some mistakes in the game that we have to get corrected, but the kids played together, and I’m proud of them.”

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Attendance: 2584
Next Games: Alcorn State at Mississippi State 
                       Texas Southern at Alabama State    

TSU values football classics for history, money

Tennessee State Coach Rod Reed told his players this week that Florida A&M would be the best team they've faced. He also emphasized the importance of the game even though it is not against an OVC opponent. The Tigers (1-2) and Rattlers (2-1), from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, have met 14 times in the Atlanta Football Classic, and FAMU has won 11.

"I don't view either type of game as being more important than the other whether it's a conference game or one of our classics," said Reed, who is TSU's all-time leading tackler with 406 from 1985-88. "I embrace the classics. That's our heritage as (a Historically Black College and University)." TSU usually plays non-OVC opponents in Classics, which routinely draw larger crowds and are steeped in tradition.

FAMU Ready For Atlanta Classic

It's a rivalry that dates back to 1944. FAMU head football coach Joe Taylor says, "Through the Jake Gaither, John Meritt days when those two guys always had tremendous battles and we're just keeping that tradition going."

A tradition that began in 1989, sixteen games between Tennessee State and FAMU have met halfway, in Atlanta, to play in what is now called the Atlanta Football Classic. FAMU sophomore DT Padric Scott adds, "It's always a big event. The history and tradition surrounding it, now you can't let that get too much over you so you still have to approach it as a game, but it's also a great game to have that environment."



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