Alcorn State plays to full capability in falling to Mississippi State 49-16

The ASU Braves, led by multi-talented freshman QB Brandon Bridge compiled 314 yards of total offense against quality SEC defense.

Dogs think they should have played better

STARKVILLE, MS -- The scoreboard at Davis Wade Stadium showed Mississippi State beat Alcorn State 49-16 Saturday, but coaches and players feel like they should have performed better.

MSU (3-2) turned the ball over twice and didn't force any from Alcorn State. And after entering Saturday's game as the least penalized team in the Southeastern Conference, the Bulldogs committed a season-high nine penalties for 75 yards.

The Bulldogs also got a scare from the Braves, who pulled to within eight points near the end of the second quarter. But for every big play quarterback Brandon Bridge and Alcorn State made, Mississippi State was there to answer with a score.

Wake-up call for Bulldogs

STARKVILLE — Even with a win, Dan Mullen was frustrated with the way his team performed and his coaches prepared.

Mississippi State (3-2) made its fair share of mistakes at Scott Field on Saturday morning but also had more than enough big plays on offense and defense for a 49-16 win over Alcorn State.

"We came out a little flat," Mullen said. "We didn't play with the emotion and the passion we played with last week.

MSU Notebook

Alcorn State quarterback Brandon Bridge shocked the Mississippi State faithful with one quick move to the sideline. The true freshman from Canada, who Braves coach Earnest Collins calls "the young fella," burned State's defense for a 78-yard run to cut MSU's lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter. It was the longest run the Bulldogs have allowed this season.

"We'd like to not be out-athleted that badly, to be honest with you, but that's the way it looked," MSU defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. "He made a heck of a play. In a game where playmakers decide things, he made a play and we couldn't stop him."

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Attendance: 50,439

Positive changes continue for FAMU athletics

The corporate world would throw around terms like "re-branding" or a "re-assessment of core values" or some other "strategic initiative." Within the Florida A&M athletic department, it's much easier to explain. This place has changed, and it's continuing to change.

Those paying attention Saturday evening as nearly 23,000 fans packed into Bragg Memorial Stadium — most of them wearing the same black T-shirts — understand exactly what is happening on the highest of Tallahassee's seven hills.

Andre Dawson Returns to FAMU

Andre Dawson, who is a Major League Baseball Hall of fame inductee and self proclaimed 'rattler forever' returned to his stopping grounds to give those being inducted to the FAMU Sports Hall of fame a pat on the back. Dawson, a Rattler baseball great in the 70s, was a member of the 81 FAMU sports hall of fame.

After a knee injury out of high school-- He says his time on the Rattler Diamond is what made his child hood dream work itself out. Andre Dawson says, "I got a full scholarship because ...

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Week 5: Pretenders vs. Contenders

CIAA
Winston Salem State 49, Johnson C. Smith 3
Saint Augustine's 42, Fayetteville State 36
Shaw 34, Livingstone 0
Chowan 35, Virginia Union 34
Elizabeth City State 30, Saint Paul's 12
Virginia State 16, Bowie State 15

SIAC
Albany State 43, Lane 13
Tuskegee 51, Miles 0
E. Kentucky 58, Kentucky State 7
Fort Valley State 41, Benedict 13
Clark Atlanta 19, Stillman 14

SWAC
Mississippi State 49, Alcorn State 16
Texas Southern 21, Alabama State 7
Arkansas Pine Bluff 41, Southern 23
Grambling State 25, Alabama A&M 22
Prairie View A&M 34, Mississippi Valley 13
Jackson State (Bye)

MEAC
South Carolina State 19, Florida A&M 0
Bethune Cookaman 69, Morgan State 32
Howard 28, Lincoln (Pa.) 14
Tennessee State 37, North Carolina A&T 7 (Circle City Classic)
Liberty 52, Savannah State 14
Hampton 20, Delaware State 14 (Thursday)
Norfolk State, North Carolina Central (Bye)



South Carolina State University's Marching 101 will take on Norfolk State University's Spartan Legion in the "Man vs. Beast: Brawl in the Burg" band battle. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center on the campus of S.C. State.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information or tickets, call 803-536-8579, 1-800-298-9157 or 803-533-3691.

Circle City Classic: Tennessee State vs. North Carolina A&T

Thousands to attend Circle City Classic

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - It's classic weekend again in Indy.

A pep rally is set to begin at White River State Park at 4 p.m. featuring marching bands from North Carolina A&T State and Tennessee State. Following the rally fans can head to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the Circle City Classic High School game. Warren Central will take on Carmel High School at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a gospel explosion at the Madame Walker Theatre and a comedy jam at Old National Centre.

On Saturday, thousands of fans will make their way downtown to watch the electric Circle City Classic Parade.

College game on Colts' turf

Footballs will be flying and pads will be poppin' this weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in front of thousands of screaming fans.

No, Peyton Manning will not be in town. The Indianapolis Colts play Sunday in Jacksonville. Instead, what is on the docket is the 27th annual Circle City Classic. “We're ready for a breakout,” North Carolina A&T coach Alonzo Lee said. “This should be an exciting game.”
Lee's Aggies (0-4) will face Tennessee State (2-2) at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Circle City Classic organizers look to boost 27-year-old event‎

Indiana Black Expo officials are fighting to breathe new life into the Circle City Classic, but they have a steep hill to climb to assure the 27-year-old event maintains long-term financial viability in Indianapolis.

Coming off a year in which ticket revenue declined 19 percent, sponsorship revenue fell 12 percent and overall revenue dropped 15 percent, IBE officials hope a series of new attractions and events will stir up more interest in the annual football game and festival.

“Things are going quite well,” said IBE spokeswoman Elizabeth Hart. “Ticket sales are trending well; we think better than last year. We expect a big draw this year from followers of the out-of-town schools involved as well as local residents. We think we have some attractions that are really going to bring people to the event this year.”

This year’s game, to be played Saturday in Lucas Oil Stadium, features North Carolina A&T State University against Tennessee State University.

13 WTHRCircle City Classic has new twist‎

Indianapolis - The Circle City Classic has a new twist this year. Two local high schools will kick off the classic weekend with a game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Carmel plays Warren Central Friday night at 7:30 pm. The Carmel Greyhounds are hoping to avenge a loss to the Warren Central Warriors during last year's state championship game.

"We've been around for 27 years. We really wanted to add a new aspect to the Circle City Classic - keep it fresh, and so we wanted to incorporate the high school students and high school athletes into the Circle City Classic weekend. We are hoping for a great success and great crowds this year so we can continue it for years to come," said Elizabeth Hart, Indiana Black Expo.

TSU running back gains national attention

Tennessee State running back Preston Brown knew he had rushed for a lot of yards this season, but wasn't sure exactly how many. He also wasn't aware of where he ranked in the Football Championship Subdivision.

When told he had climbed to second nationally, averaging 153.8 yards, and that he has more rushing yards (615) than any other player, Brown was glad to hear it. Grambling's Frank Warren leads the FCS, averaging 162.7 yards.

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Circle City Classic coaches share career path

The two coaches who will lead their football teams in today's Circle City Classic came up through the same career path.

Tennessee State's Rod Reed and North Carolina A&T's Alonzo Lee were assistant coaches and then coordinators at historically black colleges and universities before getting a chance at the top job. It's a key development, both say, to have the opportunity for that kind of advancement instead of seeing assistants from big-name schools swoop in and be named head coaches.

Run game will make or break TSU

The only thing Tennessee State Coach Rod Reed enjoys watching as much as Preston Brown making long runs is the Tigers' defense stopping the run. "Being an old defensive coach that's what really makes me happy because when you stop the run, you stop a lot of the things most offenses are going to try to do," said Reed, who was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach after James Webster resigned last season.

Brown's running, combined with TSU's ability to stop North Carolina A&T running back Mike Mayhew, will be a key for the Tigers (2-2) in today's Circle City Classic against the Aggies (0-4) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Indiana Black Expo all for this game

It's yet to be seen if a high school football game will become a permanent part of the Circle City Classic weekend, but event officials said Friday night's showdown at Lucas Oil Stadium between Class 5A second-ranked and defending state champion Warren Central (5-1) and top-ranked Carmel (6-0) will provide a boost in exposure and enthusiasm to the festivities.

The Circle City Classic, a joint collaboration between Indiana Black Expo Inc. and the Indiana Sports Corp., has been played as a college game every year since 1984; this year's game pits North Carolina A&T against Tennessee State at 4 p.m. Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Mississippi State Bulldogs Host Alcorn State Saturday In SEC-SWAC Showdown

STARKVILLE, Miss. - After last week’s 24-12 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, Mississippi State seeks to carry its momentum into this Saturday’s game against the Alcorn State Braves. Kick time between the instate opponents is set for 11 a.m. CT at Davis Wade Stadium . The game will be televised by Fox Sports Net.

Last week, MSU quarterback Chris Relf had a career high 257 total offensive yards and two touchdowns through the air. The Bulldogs were able to compile 314 yards of total offense while Vick Ballard rushed for 65 yards and crossed the goal line for his fifth touchdown of the season.

Avoiding Ole Miss-type trap, Dawgs prep for Alcorn

Mississippi State will face Alcorn State this week in an in-state showdown that features the first ever pairing of these two schools but the second matchup between an SEC and a SWAC team - the first being MSU and Jackson State last season.

That contest ended in a 45-7 dismantling of the Tigers of Jackson State, and fans should expect some of the same out of this game. However, the Bulldogs feel they must stay focused and avoid a letdown like ...

Bulldogs know not to overlook unsung Braves

STARKVILLE — Coach Dan Mullen and Mississippi State are not underestimating or overlooking Alcorn State.

The warning shots have been fired and not necessarily from Lorman, the home of the Braves. Mullen and the players at MSU (2-2) have seen all the upsets inside and outside the state this year and realize nothing can be taken for granted.

TV: 11 AM CT/12:00 ET, Fox Sports Net

Internet: ESPN3.com

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Lincoln vs. Howard: A Rivalry Revisited

WASHINGTON, DC - This is a non-conference game between the Lions of Lincoln University from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) against the Bison of Howard University from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Lions (1-3 overall, 0-2 in) are coming off a 52-21 home loss to Saint Augustine's this past Saturday while the Bison (0-4, 0-3 in the MEAC) dropped a 20-3 decision to Morgan State University this past Saturday in the New York Urban League Football Classic at the Meadowlands.

CLICK HERE for complete game notes

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UAPB's Harris ready to rumble

True freshman Jerryan Harris plans to introduce himself to Southern’s offense Saturday night at A.W. Mumford Stadium.

So far, the Arkansas-Pine Bluff outside linebacker has made similar introductions during his first season of college football. Harris leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in tackles with 31 through three games, a product of his solid tackling and ability to get to the action. He also has one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Not bad for a newbie.

Stump: O-line must produce

Brutally honest about the recent shortcomings of his offense, Southern coach Stump Mitchell said it matters little who plays quarterback, who carries the ball or who runs routes for his suddenly troubled football team. What matters most, he said, is what happens up front.

“The offensive line — those guys don’t get a whole lot of credit. You only know when things are going bad,” he said. “But if we’re going to have any success, trust me: It’s not going to be because of (quarterback) Jeremiah McGinty or (tailback) Gary Hollimon, it’s going to be because the offensive line is being unsung but getting the job done.”



KEYS: SU wide outs catch on; Who's next?

Before we begin, let’s get something as clear as a wide-open sky. At Southern University, this first month of football season has been grim. The offense has three touchdowns in its past eight quarters. The defense has allowed 18 plays of 20 or more yards.

And to play off of something coach Stump Mitchell said the other day, the special teams are 3-for-3. First, they allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown. Then they allowed a punt return for a touchdown. Last week, when they really, really needed the football, they fumbled a punt.