FAMU sticking with its running game

FAMU sticking with its running game

After Saturday's stunning loss to Tennessee State, coach Joe Taylor suggested that receiver T.J. Lawrence might figure more prominent in the offensive mix, but that's not saying that the Rattlers are about to abandon their running back.

That doesn't seem likely especially with the depth that FAMU has at the position for the first time in more than three seasons. But no matter which one of the four running backs that played against TSU carried the ball, they didn't gain much rushing. FAMU actually finished with just 24 yards on the ground as its eight-game win streak in the Atlanta Classic was snapped with a 29-18 loss.

FAMU must quickly shake off loss to TSU

ATLANTA — In so many ways, the way Tennessee State ran past Florida A&M on Saturday mirrored the Rattlers' loss to South Carolina State a year ago.

FAMU was pounded on the ground for 413 yards and barely responded in its 29-18 loss to the Tigers. South Carolina State beat FAMU 35-20 last year, but the Rattlers bounced back and won three straight games. This time, rebounding after TSU snapped an eight-year losing streak at the Georgia Dome might not be as easy because of the opponent — South Carolina State.

Pough expects FAMU to be better than in Saturday’s loss
If watching Florida A&M fall to Tennessee State this past weekend inspired additional confidence in ninth-ranked South Carolina State, head coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough gave no indication at Monday's press conference.

In fact, Pough believes the way the Rattlers were handled by the Tigers at the Atlanta Football Classic in allowing 11 quarterback sacks and close to 300 rushing yards will make them even more motivated for this Saturday's 6 p.m. clash at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee.

"I think losing creates ...

READ MORE, CLICK TITLES.

South Carolina State moves Into the Top 10

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Appalachian State holds the No. 1 spot for the third straight week in the Football Championships Subdivision Coaches Poll. The Mountaineers lost a first-place vote from the previous week, but still received 16 of the 28 votes and 681 total points to remain the top-ranked team in the nation.

South Carolina States moves into the top 10 for the first time this season at No. 9, while Montana State completes the top 10. The Bulldogs travels to Florida A&M Saturday to face a highly regarded Rattlers team that was demolished 29-18 by rival Tennessee State in the Atlanta Football Classic. TSU limited the Rattlers rushers to 24 yards and registered 11 sacks on defense. The 6 p.m. contest will be delayed broadcast at 10 p.m. on ESPNU.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

Finally, Winston Salem State Rams Receives National Ranking

After a four-year run in Football Championship Subdivision, Winston-Salem State (N.C.) is back in Division II and makes an appearance in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time since 2002. The Rams moved their record to 5-0 after a 31-14 victory over Fayetteville State (N.C.) and enter the poll at No. 23.

Grand Valley State (Mich.), Minnesota-Duluth, North Alabama, California (Pa.) and Abilene Christian (Texas) still hold down the Top 5 places. There will be three Top 25 matchups in this week’s games, including a pair of Top 10 games. No. 5 Abilene Christian (Texas) will travel south to face conference rival, No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville, while No. 7 Northwest Missouri State plays host to No. 8 Missouri Western State. In the final Top 25 matchup, No. 15 West Alabama will travel to No. 19 Delta State (Miss.) in a Thursday night showdown in the Gulf South Conference.

From the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference -- Albany State, Morehouse and Tuskegee are ranked at #14, #18 and #22.

2010 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
September 27, 2010

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Last Week	Next Game
1.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (21)	4-0	644	1	D. Findlay (Ohio) 35-7	Oct. 2 at Tiffin (Ohio)
2.	Minnesota-Duluth (2)	4-0	620	2	D. Bemidji St. (Minn.), 44-21	Oct. 2 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead
3.	North Alabama (3)	4-0	604	3	D. Lambuth (Tenn.), 31-0	Oct. 2 vs. Arkansas Tech
4.	California (Pa.)	4-0	556	4	D. Clarion (Pa.), 24-9	Oct. 2 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.)
5.	Abilene Christian (Texas)	4-0	551	5	D. Tarleton St. (Texas), 65-3	Oct. 2 at No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville
6.	Texas A&M-Kingsville	4-0	520	6	D. Incarnate Word (Texas), 37-9	Oct. 2 vs. No. 5 Abilene Christian (Texas)
7.	Northwest Missouri St.	2-1	497	7	D. Truman St. (Mo.), 44-10	Oct. 2 vs. No. 8 Missouri Western St.
8.	Missouri Western St.	4-0	445	8	D. Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 42-25	Oct. 2 at No. 7 Northwest Missouri St.
9.	West Texas A&M	3-1	431	9	D. Angelo St. (Texas), 37-27	Oct. 2 at Northeastern St. (Okla.)
10.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	4-0	409	10	D. Central Oklahoma, 30-24	Oct. 2 vs. Incarnate Word (Texas)
11.	Hillsdale (Mich.)	3-1	359	12	D. Lake Erie (Ohio), 42-37	Oct. 2 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
12.	Edinboro (Pa.)	4-0	329	13	D. Gannon (Pa.), 13-0	Oct. 2 vs. Indiana (Pa.)
13.	Tusculum (Tenn.)	4-0	324	15	Idle	Oct. 2 at Mars Hill (N.C.)
14.	Albany St. (Ga.)	4-0	301	16	D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 28-14	Oct. 2 vs. Lane (Tenn.)
15.	West Alabama	3-1	260	17	D. West Georgia, 28-7	Sept. 30 at No. 19 Delta St. (Miss.)
16.	Central Missouri	4-1	236	21	D. Washburn (Kan.), 55-45	Oct. 2 at Truman St. (Mo.)
17.	Nebraska-Kearney	3-1	198	19	D. Western St. (Colo.), 13-6	Oct. 2 vs. Adams St. (Colo.)
18.	Morehouse (Ga.)	5-0	186	20	D. Lincoln (Mo.), 30-14	Oct. 9 vs. No. 22 Tuskegee (Ala.)
19.	Delta St. (Miss.)	3-1	165	23	D. Henderson St. (Ark.), 41-37	Sept. 30 vs. No. 15 West Alabama
20.	Augustana (S.D.)	4-0	134	24	D. Southwest Minnesota St., 53-21	Oct. 2 at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.)
21.	Central Washington	3-2	111	22	D. Simon Fraser (B.C.) 44-30	Oct. 2 at Humboldt St. (Calif.)
22.	Tuskegee (Ala.)	3-1	103	25	D. Texas Southern, 21-14	Oct. 2 vs. Miles (Ala.)
23.	Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)	5-0	87	NR	D. Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 31-14	Oct. 2 at Johnson C. Smith (N.C.)
24.	North Carolina-Pembroke	3-1	78	NR	D. No. 14 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 30-7	Oct. 2 at Glenville St. (W.Va.)
25.	Minnesota St.-Mankato	3-1	75	11	Lost to Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), 28-26	Oct. 2 at Winona St. (Minn.)

Courtesy: AFCA

Adams leads Benedict to shutout of Stillman

COLUMBIA, S.C. Sophomore quarterback Michael Adams ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more on Saturday to lead Benedict College to a 35-0 victory over Stillman College in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game.

Adams gained 107 yards on 13 carries, with his longest gain going for a 61-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He completed 7 of 14 passes for 193 yards and one interception. Stillman gained 100 yards rushing on 33 attempts. Chester Hightower led Stillman with 69 yards on 22 carries. His longest run went for 23 yards. The Benedict defense intercepted five passes and allowed 48 passing yards.




Benedict Picks Up Its First Win Of 2010

Backup quarterback Michael Adams helped Benedict jump out to a 21-0 lead as the Tigers cruised to a 35-0 win over Stillman Saturday at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium.

Adams got the start in place of Pat Riley who did not practice this week as a result of an undisclosed injury. Riley did dress out and was on the sidelines with his team which used a quick-striking offense and a tough defense to earn its first win of the season.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLES.

NFL legend brings buzz to ECSU tourney

There was some buzz around the Elizabeth City State University Foundation Classic charity golf tournament at The Pines at Elizabeth City Friday. An NFL Hall-of-Famer was on the course.

Bruce Smith, who left pro football as the all-time sacks leader after a 19-year career with the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins, was playing in a foursome that included Foundation board chairman Rodney Hawkins, legendary ECSU basketball coach Bobby Vaughan and businessman Nick Clark.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE

PHOTO GALLERY:

Bruce Smith plays ECSU Foundation Golf Classic, Sept. 24 The ...

Lewis TD Run Gives Miles Golden Bears 13-12 Win Over Kentucky State

FAIRFIELD, AL – The Golden Bears bounced back from a tough loss from a week ago, as the Miles College football team defeated the visiting Kentucky State University Thorobreds 13-12 in its second conference win of the season. Miles improves to 2-3; 2-2 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with the victory, while the Kentucky State drop to 2-3; 2-3 in the SIAC.

Miles got off to a sluggish start, falling behind 0-6 in the first half. The Golden Bears scored its first touchdown on Carlton Hill’s one yard run (PAT kick failed), bringing the score to 6-6, with 8:01 to play in the third quarter. The Thorobreds struck again on a 16 yard interception return to go up 6-12 (PAT kick failed) to end the third quarter. The Golden Bears tied the game up on Jordan Lewis 63 yard run (Patton Chambers kick good) at the 4:48 mark in the fourth quarter, making the score 13-12.

Bears rally past K-State

Kentucky State fell to Miles College 13-12 Saturday in Fairfield, Ala., dropping the Thorobreds’ record to 2-3 on the season. KSU led the game 6-0 at halftime, getting a 69-yard touchdown run from Shannon Frieson in the first quarter. Frieson gained 119 yards on 13 carries against the Golden Bears, leading all rushers in the contest.

Miles struck back to begin the third quarter, finishing a four-play, 42-yard drive with a 1-yard run from quarterback Carlton Hill, which tied the game 6-6. The Thorobreds responded with a defensive touchdown five minutes later. Grandson Brown picked off Hill at the Miles 16-yard line and returned it for a score. The two-point conversion failed, leaving KSU’s lead at 12-6.

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.

Kentucky State University added the auxiliary twirling group to the Marching Thorobreds in January 2009 thanks to the efforts of Sophia Marie Thompson. Sophia is from Piney Fork, Ohio.

KSU Marching Thorobreds performance at Morehouse College on 9/18/10.

VSU Trojans Rush To Third Win Over Chowan Hawks

Virginia State University's football team held on late in the fourth quarter to secure a 20-13 win against Chowan University in Murfreesboro, NC on Sept. 25. Justin Parker's 2nd made field-goal (19; 30), from a season long 30 yards out gave VSU a 20-6 lead with 3:23 remaining in the game. Coach Andrew Faison and the VSU Trojans won their first northern divisional conference game with a balance attack of 168 yards passing and 153 yards rushing improving to their best start at 3-1 since the 2002 season.

(3-1) Virginia State University's defense gave up a late touchdown with a minute left in the fourth, after only giving up only two Chowan field-goals the entire game. Chowan rushed for 66 total team yards due to the Trojans stingy and smart defensive group.

Led with 9 tackles from senior LaQuentin Milo (Florence, SC), senior James Pratt's (Alexandria, VA) and junior Clifton Haney's (Orlando, FL) 7 tackles the Hawks averaged 1.8 yards rushing on 36 carries. Chowan also received pressure when they attempted to pass as VSU recorded a season high 6 sacks. Red-shirt freshmen Timothy Durant (Hyattsville, MD) and senior Isiah Townsend (San Francisco, CA) both had 2 sacks each and three others each recorded one; senior Andre' Adams (Washington, DC), senior James Pratt (Alexandria, VA), and sophomore Thomas Sykes (Newport News, VA).

READ MORE, CLICK TITLE.