Future is Now -- North Carolina Central replaces Coach Mose Rison

North Carolina Central University
Office of Sports Information
Press Release - October 18, 2010
Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree, Director of Athletics

DURHAM, N.C. — Following back-to-back 4-7 seasons and a disappointing 2-4 start to the 2010 campaign, Mose Rison has been replaced as head football coach at North Carolina Central University. Assistant head coach Darryl Bullock will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“While we appreciate the passion and commitment that Coach Rison has shown, we feel at this time that a change in the leadership and command of our football program is needed,” said NCCU Director of Athletics Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree.

“As we have moved through the Division I transition process, we have established high expectations for our football program to become one of the best in the MEAC,” Wicker-McCree said. “However, we must continue to improve in all aspects of the football program in order to reach those aspirations. We will begin the process to hire our next head football coach immediately, with a goal of having someone in place by the beginning of next year (January 2011).”

Rison will be reassigned to another position within the athletics department. He has one year remaining on his current contract.

Bullock is in his fourth season as assistant head coach and offensive line coach at NCCU.

The Eagles host undefeated MEAC foe Bethune-Cookman University on Saturday (Oct. 23) at 2 p.m.
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Fans,

Sorry to see Coach Rison get the ax but it was overdue. It's about time the Eagles get serious about Division I football. First and foremost, it is unacceptable to get beat by a Division II state rival,Winston Salem State, in your home stadium and by a first year football program -- Georgia State. After BCU, the Eagles should run the table with foes Edward Waters, Delaware State, Savannah State and second year program, Old Dominion.

There is never a right time in this economy to lose your employment, but expect to see athletic directors make difficult decisions on head football coaching changes soon at the following schools:

1. Johnson C. Smith University 1-6 (finished 2009 at 3-7)
2. Livingstone College 0-8 (18 straight losses)
3. Lane College 0-7 (18 straight losses)

4. Savannah State University 0-7
5. Stillman College 0-7
6. Saint Paul's College 1-6 (finished '09 at 4-5)
7. Howard University 1-4 (finished '09 at 2-9)
8. Benedict College 0-7

9. North Carolina A&T State University 0-7; has loss 10 straight games- (finished '09 at 4-6)

No doubt, when the shoe drops it will be because expectant revenue from the football program is falling far short of planned budgetary goals. Simply, wins translate into more revenue and gift giving by alumni. Winning is the foundation to any one's successful coaching career.

Thanks for the memories Coach Rison...but it's time to move forward.

-beepbeep
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Now, the rest of the Story...

RISON OUT

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DURHAM, N.C. — Mose Rison, who has served as N.C. Central’s head football coach since 2007, has been reassigned to other duties in the school’s athletic department, according to an announcement on Monday. Assistant head coach Darryl Bullock was named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2010 season.

Rison has one year remaining on his current contract that pays him $135,630 annually. Reached by telephone late Monday night, Rison said he was completely caught off guard by the dismissal.

Interim coach addresses NC Central football team

N.C. Central interim coach Darryl Bullock spoke with the football team on Tuesday morning, a day after the university removed head coach Mose Rison from the program’s top leadership position.

Bullock, an offensive line coach and assistant head coach with the team for four seasons, will serve as interim coach until the university selects a new coach, N.C. Central athletic director Ingrid Wicker-McCree said in a statement on Monday.

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BSU Bulldogs Outlast LU Lions on Homecoming, 24-18

Despite a plethora of offensive errors, Bulldogs find way to finish.

The Bowie State University Bulldogs (4-4 overall, 4-1 CIAA) had to grind out a valuable homecoming victory against conference opponent Lincoln University of Pennsylvania (1-6 overall, 0-4 CIAA), 24-18. The victory came despite several turnovers on offense and not having a lead until early in the fourth quarter.

This game was not for the feint of heart. For all the ambiance of a homecoming game, it was a very scrappy affair marred with turnovers galore for both teams, but in the end Bowie State was able to make more big plays.

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in his hands: Wells counted on to lead Rams in CIAA wars

Marcus Wells’ on-the-job training last season should pay dividends this season at Winston-Salem State. While the Rams’ basketball team has five seniors and two juniors who will make an impact, it’s Wells — a sophomore point guard from Durham — who will be counted on guide them in the CIAA. And Wells, who is sporting a full-length beard these days, says he is up to the task.

The Rams, who began practice Friday night at Ram Madness in a sold-out Gaines Center, expect to compete for the conference title. “The seniors are the leaders of the team, but I’m the leader on the court,” said Wells, who last season started 23 of 29 games and was third on the Rams in assists with 55.

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Southern University Human Jukebox vs. Jackson State University Sonic Boom (10/16/10)

Treatment of QB Long leaves S.C. State coach, players with sour taste

It was the thud heard round the MEAC.

Late in Saturday's game, trailing 14-0, S.C. State quarterback Malcolm Long let fly with a pass across the middle of the field that slammed square into the chest of Bethune-Cookman linebacker Ryan Lewis. Lewis promptly secured the ball and plopped down in the middle of the field.

And, that was the end of the Bulldogs' 21-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference winning streak. Then again, it wasn't so easy to decipher that the Bulldogs had experienced so much success from the sidelines at Oliver C. Dawson because of what was taking place in the stands.



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NSU loses gut-wrenching defensive battle to Hampton

HAMPTON, VA -- Achilles only had one deficiency. Norfolk State has two.

The poor passing and shaky special teams that have marked each of the Spartans' MEAC contests emerged again Saturday in a 7-6 Battle of the Bay loss to Hampton (5-1, 4-0), the most frustrating defeat yet for a Norfolk State team (2-4, 1-3) growing well accustomed to them.

Kicker Ryan Estep missed a game-tying extra point and quarterback Chris Walley had just four completions and 12 yards passing until the final two minutes, another exposition of Norfolk State's most glaring flaws.



Hampton hangs on to beat Norfolk State 7-6 BATTLE OF THE BAY:‎

HAMPTON, VA — For long stretches on Saturday, Brandon Peguese and his Hampton teammates didn't give his grandmother, watching her grandson play football for the first time ever, many reasons to cheer.

That changed on the final drive of the game, when Peguese, the Pirates' senior defensive end, combined with sophomore linebacker Matt Davis to sack Norfolk State quarterback Chris Walley on fourth down and preserve Hampton's 7-6 victory in the 48th edition of the Battle of the Bay.

Hampton U. prevails in offensive quagmire

HAMPTON, VA — It seemed fitting that Saturday's offensively-challenged Battle of the Bay was decided by a missed extra point, and that one of the game's crucial plays began with a botched snap. Here's the kind of offensive display Hampton and Norfolk State provided: The Pirates scored one more point than they did a year ago when they got housed by 40. Except that this time, they won.

"It's a win," Pirates head coach Donovan Rose exhaled after the 7-6 affair. "We could win by point-five. I'll take it. That's 4-0 in the conference. I don't know what everybody else does, but I know we're steadily going forward."

PICTURES: Hampton University VS. Norfolk State Battle of the Bands

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Attendance: 11,916

KSU football: Mistakes bury Breds

The Kentucky State football team entered Saturday’s game against Clark Atlanta with the hope that it could score a win for its fans on Homecoming. Four quarters later, KSU coach Wayne Dickens walked off the field thinking things couldn’t have gone much worse for his team. The Thorobreds lost to the Panthers 19-7 under a mountain of fumbles, missed tackles, penalties and blown assignments.

“We took turns today making every conceivable mistake you can make in a football game,” Dickens said. “And it cost us.” Mistakes plagued KSU from its first drive, which ended when junior quarterback Jerrel Noland lost 17 yards on a mishandled snap and the Thorobreds couldn’t recover the yardage.

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UAPB Beverly turns hitch route into game-winning catch

Dezmond Beverly didn’t have a single reception before Saturday night.

And with less than five minutes remaining, Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s freshman receiver had just one catch for 12 yards, which set up UAPB’s touchdown on the opening drive. His second catch proved to be even bigger.

Beverly ran along the Alabama A&M sideline, broke a tackle and sprinted 40 yards to the end zone with 4:09 left to wrap up the Golden Lions’ 21-14 come-from-behind victory over the Bulldogs.

“Had to make a play,” said Beverly, who was forced out of a redshirt year because of injuries to other receivers earlier in the season. “That’s what was going through my head. ... I broke the tackle ...

Golden Lions Outlast Alabama A&M Bulldogs 21-14

PINE BLUFF, Ark.- The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team was able to grind out a critical 21-14 win over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Saturday night at Golden Lions Stadium.

Offensively Arkansas-Pine Bluff tallied 357 yards (103 R, 254 P) while AAMU amassed 338 total yards (235 R, 103 P). T.J. Shelton’s 19 yard reception put UAPB on the board first giving the Golden Lions a 7-0 edge early in the first quarter.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff went on to score a touchdown in the third quarter on a 8 yard Stephen Jones run tying the game at 14 all. A 40 yard Desmond Beverly touchdown reception with 4:09 left to play sealed the victory in UAPB’s favor.

Quarterback Joshua Boudreaux went 18-33 for 254 yards and two touchdowns. Raymond Webber continued to set the mold for Division I FCS receivers as he tallied 8 catches for 110 yards.

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Attendance: 11805

Lane drops 18th straight game to Miles

Lane College head coach Derrick Burroughs didn't mince words after the Dragons lost their homecoming game, 20-6, to Miles College at Lane Field on Saturday.

The bottom line ... we are not very good, but it won't always be like that," Burroughs said. "Today, I saw what I had heard before I took the job, that (Lane football) was very undisciplined, and I would rather go 0-10 with guys who want to be here."

Leading 7-0 at intermission, Miles put together back-to-back scoring drives to open the second half giving the Golden Bears a 20-0 lead, using 10 plays total to drive 47 and 36 yards, respectively.

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Warren's 5 TDs fuel Grambling State Tigers

GRAMBLING, LA — Running back Frank Warren continued his stellar senior season with a career-high five touchdowns Saturday against Alcorn State. Grambling needed every one of them, despite building a 35-14 lead in the third quarter, as the Braves (3-3, 2-2) fought back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns before falling 38-28 to the Tigers (5-1, 5-0).

"They're never easy, never easy," Grambling coach Rod Broadway said. "We had an opportunity to put 'em away, but we just weren't good enough to do it, and we let 'em hang in there." Four of Warren's touchdowns came by the rush, another on a 9-yard reception at a critical moment in the second quarter.

Warren Outdoes Bridge as Grambling Stops Alcorn State

Frank Warren scored five touchdowns to edge out Brandon Bridge's four scores as Grambling State outlasted Alcorn State, 38-28, in a SWAC conference game Saturday.

Warren, the no. 2 rusher in the Football Championship Subdivision, ran for 202 yards on 29 carries and four touchdowns. He scored the other TD on a 10-yard pass from GSU backup quarterback Danny Reyes just before the half.

Bridges threw for touchdowns of 44, 25, 19 and 30 yards for the Braves (3-3, 2-2). He completed 33 of 47 passes for 404 yards.

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Attendance: 6980

FSU Broncos fail to make plays in loss to Shaw Bears

RALEIGH - Fayetteville State coach Kenny Phillips leaned against a wall outside his team's locker room late Saturday and broke into a chuckle. He didn't know what else to do. The explanation behind the Broncos' 34-27 road loss to Shaw was far too simple.

"Oh, what a feeling," Phillips said. "You've got to make plays. We talk about it all the time. When opportunities are there for you to make a big play, you have to make that play." Shaw won Saturday's CIAA tussle because its top wide receiver, Julius Gregory, made two highlight reel touchdown catches in the second half.

Shaw Holds Off Determined FSU, 34-27

Raleigh, NC – Shaw built a lead in the first quarter, but could never distance itself from a determined Fayetteville State squad as they held on for a 34-27 win. The win moves Shaw to 5-2 on the season, 4-0 in the CIAA. Fayetteville State drops to 2-5, 1-3 in the CIAA.

“Any time these two teams play, you know it’s going to be a high tempo game,” said Shaw Head Coach Darrell Asberry. “Our team is playing good football, and while it took our offense a little time to click, we stuck to the game plan and it came out in our favor.”

Shaw’s Kevin Atkins threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Raymond Williams rushed for two touchdowns, but it was Julius Gregory (right) who proved to be the offensive star for the Bears. Gregory caught both of Atkins’ TD tosses, giving him seven on the season, and 18 in his Shaw career, new Shaw records in each instance.

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Week 7: Pretenders vs. Contenders

A new powerhouse has emerged in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. This is a good thing!

Bethune-Cookman has beaten South Carolina State, breaking the Bulldogs string of 21 consecutive conference wins. The Wildcats in their 14-0 shutout Saturday at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium in Orangeburg also broke the Bulldogs 13 game home winning streak.

With the win, the Wildcats are tied with the Hampton Pirates for the conference lead with a 4-0 record. B-CU is scheduled to play the Pirates on November 6 in Hampton. The Bulldogs drop into a second place tie with Florida A&M with a 2-1 conference mark.

The Bulldogs have little time to recover as Hampton is scheduled for Saturday at Dawson Stadium in an ESPNU nationally televised cable game. Both the Bulldogs and Rattlers will need some help from the other MEAC teams, if they expect to overtake the Wildcats for the championship.

The Wildcats (6-0/4-0 MEAC) will play at North Carolina Central in Durham next Saturday in a non-conference game. The Eagles (2-4) fell to the upstart Georgia State Panthers 20-17 in overtime at the Georgia Dome.

Who ARE Those Guys on the B-CU Coaching Staff?

For starters, 39 year old first year head coach Brian Jenkins has never served as a head football coach at any level -- not even Pop Warner, junior high or high school. Jenkins was a career Division I position coach, serving 15 years at a number of schools as either wide receivers, running back or special teams coach at: Rutgers (2009), Louisiana-Lafayette (2002-08), NFL Europe - Frankfort Galaxy (2001), Bowling Green (2000), Eastern Illinois (1995-1999) and Western Kentucky (1994).

Coach Jenkins played wide receiver and running back at the University of Cincinnati and earned an associate’s degree in Education and bachelor’s degree in social work in 1993.

Jenkins is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and played football at Dillard High School under a renowned high school football coach, the late Otis Gray. Jenkins played on the 1986 and 1989 Dillard High School State Championship teams with NFL running back Lorenzo White.

For you football historians, Gray is the father of former Florida A&M University and Jacksonville Jaguars star quarterback Quinn Gray Sr., who also played for his father at Dillard High School.

Nothing in Jenkins vitae shed any light to his instant success with B-CU other than the assembly of a great coach staff with great teaching skills, and superb chemistry with the players.

Offensive Coordinator Mark Orlando's Speedway O scheme has the Wildcats ready to play every game while their opponents look totally confused and unprepared for the no-huddle offense. His scheme is very similar to the legendary "Gulf Coast Offense" ran by former FAMU Coach Billy Joe during the 1990's on his way to several FCS playoffs berths.

Orlando won the 1981 Division I-AA National Championship as FAMU's offensive coordinator during six seasons with the Rattlers; five SWAC Championships and three HBCU National Championships during his tenure at Southern University under former Jaguars head coach Pete Richardson.

The jury is still out on Coach Jenkins, but we can confirm he is a great recruiter of Florida talent, a tremendous leader and exceptional facilitator of proven coaching talent. That in itself is a major plus up for MEAC Football -- that now has a four- headed monster in the Wildcats, Pirates, Bulldogs and Rattlers, battling for the MEAC Football Championship and FCS playoff berth.

Link: B-CU Football Coaches

Surprise of the Week: Jackson State quarterback Casey Therriault throwing a 28 yard TD with two seconds left in the game for a 49-45 Tiger victory over Southern. Therriault has passed for 2,087 yards and 20 touchdowns in six games. He has only 3 interceptions on the year and has rushed for 3 TDs.

Grambling State has hitched its wagon to senior running back Frank Warren who recorded his second 200 yard rushing game of the season. The Tigers' (5-1, 5-0 SWAC) earned a 38-28 win, as Warren rushed for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns on 29 carries, and caught a 9 yard pass for a 5th touchdown.

ASU true-freshman quarterback Brandon Bridge accounted for 445 yards of offense for the Alcorn State Braves. Bridge passed for 4 touchdowns and 404 yards but had 2 INT.

GSU's Warren is the second leading rusher in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Now, the rest of the story...

MEAC
#23 Bethune Cookman 14, #9 South Carolina State 0
Florida A&M 31, Savannah State 0
Hampton 7, Norfolk State 6
Delaware State 31, North Carolina A&T 26
Georgia State 20, North Carolina Central 17 (O.T.)

SWAC
Grambling State 38, Alcorn State 28
Prairie View A&M 45, Lincoln (Mo.) 12
Arkansas Pine Bluff 21, Alabama A&M 14
Jackson State 49, Southern 45

OVC
Jacksonville State 24, Tennessee State 0

SIAC
Fort Valley State 26, Tuskegee 0
Morehouse 38, Stillman 34
Miles 20, Lane 6
Albany State 27, Benedict 10
Clark Atlanta 19, Kentucky State 7

CIAA
Bowie State 24, Lincoln (Pa.) 18
Chowan 31, Saint Paul's 20
Virginia Union 44, Johnson C. Smith 21
Shaw 34, Fayetteville State 27
Winston Salem State 58, Livingstone 0
Virginia State 15, Elizabeth City State 10 (Thursday)

Others
Panhandle State 23, Texas College 14
West Chester 48, Cheyney 34
West Liberty State 48, West Virginia State 26

-beepbeep

Bethune-Cookman KOs 2-time MEAC champ South Carolina State Bulldogs

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Bethune-Cookman football coach Brian Jenkins said he compared Saturday's game against two-time defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion South Carolina State to a heavyweight boxing match.

If so, it was Cassius Clay versus Sonny Liston in 1964. And just as Clay (before he was known as Muhammad Ali) claimed he "shook up" the world in '64, the Wildcats shook up the MEAC world Saturday by beating the seemingly unbeatable Bulldogs 14-0 on their home field.

"We tabbed this game a heavyweight fight, and we said we're going to take it 15 rounds," Jenkins said. "And if it came down to the last round and we had to go toe-to-toe, we were willing to do that. It just so happened we were able to win 14 of the 15 rounds."

'Cats coach shares moment

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- How big was Bethune-Cookman's 14-0 upset of defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion South Carolina State on Saturday? Count the ways.

· No team has beaten the Bulldogs in conference play since 2007; B-CU's win snapped a 21-game conference win streak and a 13-game home wining streak for South Carolina State.

· It was B-CU's first road shutout in 10 years -- the last at Howard in 2000.

· It left B-CU as one of only two unbeaten teams in the MEAC. The Wildcats and Hampton are both 4-0, and the two teams will meet at Hampton on Nov. 6.



Shut down and out: Bethune-Cookman blanks Bulldogs, 14-0
The atmosphere at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Saturday in the closing seconds was like nothing seen at a South Carolina State football game in three seasons. Fans who were initially expressing their frustration with boos started quietly exiting the stands. On the sidelines, the Bulldog players were throwing their helmets down with confused looks on their faces.

Meanwhile, the opposing sidelines and visitors' section were a sight of uninhibited celebration as the Bethune-Cookman players showered head coach Brian Jenkins with Gatorade and carried him off the field like a conquering hero.

The 23rd-ranked Wildcats had defeated 9th-ranked South Carolina State 14-0 before a stunned 10,077 fans. The loss saw an end to the Bulldogs' Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference record 21-game winning streak and 13-game home-winning streak, both dating back to a 17-16 defeat to Delaware State on Oct. 27, 2007.

Pough sees B-C coach as rising star

The announcement of the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year is still weeks away. As far as head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough of 10th-ranked South Carolina State is concerned, it's a foregone conclusion who will win this year's honor - Bethune-Cookman's Brian Jenkins.

"He is definitely the Coach of the Year in our league," said Pough during Monday's press conference. "They're the most improved team I've seen in this league and it's a good thing. It's good for the fact that it will help the strength of our league in the fact that he'll go out and beat some people outside of our league. ... So he'll be a force in this league for years to come."



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Attendance: 10,077

FAMU shuts out Savannah State

Coach Joe Taylor has been hinting for more than a week that he would put the rest of the season in the hands of his running backs. On Saturday, senior Philip Sylvester and LaVante Page proved that Taylor might be on to something as they led a ground attack that carried Florida A&M to a 31-0 victory over Savannah State.

The victory was a prelude to a five-game stretch that the Rattlers must win to keep a meaningful place in the conversation about playing in the postseason.

FAMU blanks Savannah State, 31-0

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - For a time Saturday afternoon the Savannah State football team was living on the edge. The game against Florida A&M was in front of them if the Tigers could string together some first downs. But the Tigers (0-7) fell off the precipice following touchdowns on the Rattlers first two possessions of the third quarter. A manageable 10-point halftime deficit became insurmountable one as Savannah State fell 31-0.

Faithful fan keeps cheering through Rattlers' good times and bad

Right beneath the press box, where there is usually a lot of ruckus, it was eerily quiet for the first quarter. The shakers were near silent. No whistles blew like they usually do. Folks were wondering about their Florida A&M football team as former West Gadsden star quarterback Antonio Bostick got a nifty drive going before the Savannah State Tigers had to punt.

"I will cheer for you; hold that line," a lonely voice bellowed from the crowd just below the press box. "Hold that line."

FAMU's big plays make up for mistakes

Two possessions were all it took to wipe away a dissatisfying first half. Despite dominating in every statistical category Florida A&M led Savannah State just 10-0 at the half due to eight penalties, clock management issues and offensive ineffectiveness on third down.

The miscues even permeated to the officiating as an inadvertent whistle from the officials prevented FAMU from scoring what would have been a 90-yard punt return by T.J. Lawrence with two minutes remaining in the first half.

Coach Taylor predicts competitive MEAC season

As long as three months ago, coach Joe Taylor has been predicting that before the season is done, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference will turn out to be one of the most competitive among all Division I-AA.

Taylor was making his case again a few days before Saturday's matchup between Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State. Both teams went into the game with unbeaten records, but it's the Wildcats' 4-0 record that seems to validate Taylor's argument.

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Attendance: 8834

Virginia Union 44, Johnson C. Smith 21

Virginia Union University's Cheston Hickman completed 10 of 18 passes for 175 yards and Tarian Donaldson and Jerell Washington rushed for two touchdowns apiece as VUU beat Johnson C. Smith 44-21 at Hovey Field. The win sent 7,650 fans home happy who took part in the 2003 Homecoming game.

Washington rushed for 91 yards on 12 carries and Donaldson had 69 yards on 15 carries. Joseph Jean-Pierre had seven receptions for 135 yards.

The Panthers (2-5) blocked two Golden Bull punts, and both resulted in touchdowns for VUU. In the first quarter, VUU's Damon Ramsey blocked a punt and Derek Parker recovered. Three plays later, VUU scored their first touchdown on a one-yard run by quarterback Ares McGlone-English.

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Attendance: 7,650

Morehouse 38, Stillman 34: Late turnover costly for Stillman Tigers

TUSCALOOSA | Turnovers kept Stillman College in the game, but it was a costly turnover made by the Tigers’ offense that put the game out of reach and helped Morehouse College to a 38-24 win Saturday.

With just under four minutes left, Stillman got the ball back trailing by a touchdown. Quarterback Desmond Holloway fumbled the snap, and Olajawaun Gooch picked it up for Morehouse and ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown.

“That’s the nature of our football team,” Morehouse head coach Rich Freeman said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who are very capable of making big plays, explosive plays.”

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JSU Tigers' Richardson scores with 2 seconds left to cap frenetic finish

Rico Richardson said it was a simple "go route."

With 9 seconds left in the game and Jackson State trailing Southern University by four points, the Tigers receiver raced straight down the field for what he hoped was a game-winning touchdown. Seven seconds later, Richardson fell head first across the goal line to cap one of the wildest finishes college football has ever seen and give JSU a history-making victory over its rival from Louisiana.

"This is destiny," linebacker Todd Wilcher said afterward. Said JSU coach Rick Comegy: "Unbelievable." Richardson's 28-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Casey Therriault with 2 seconds left lifted Jackson State over Southern 49-45, and capped a frantic fourth quarter that won't be forgotten around these parts for a long, long time.

Out-of-breath QB Therriault leads wild win

Jackson State quarterback Casey Therriault nicely asked a reporter for a moment immediately following his team's wild win Saturday night. He was granted it. "You'll have to give me a few seconds," he said, "my heart is pounding." Rightly so.

Therriault didn't have his best game Saturday in Jackson State's 49-45 win over Southern University. He threw an interception - he only had two all season - and forced plenty of balls into blanketed coverage. But in the end, the transfer from a Michigan junior college helped the Tigers get a fourth win in five years over Southern.

Photo Gallery: JSU - Southern

JSU outlasts Southern

JACKSON, Miss. — When all the madness finally ended, when there were no more wild plays, no more magic tricks left to pull, most of Southern’s football players stood on the visitors’ sideline at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Actually, most of them rested on one knee. The game clock flashed three zeroes, but they didn’t move. In complete and utter disbelief, they stared straight ahead, slackjawed, exhausted and emotionally spent. The final score — Jackson State 49, Southern 45 — was like the final frantic minutes of Saturday night’s game itself: Amazing, stunning and completely unbelievable. But absolutely true.

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Attendance: 42,053

No road woes for Rams as ASU breezes by Benedict

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Junior Stanley Jennings knows such a comment will end up on a bulletin board somewhere in Atlanta or Fort Valley. But the confident quarterback said it anyway after leading Albany State to a 27-10 victory at Benedict College on Saturday.

“We’re not losing,” Jennings said of the first-place Rams’ upcoming games against Morehouse and Fort Valley, the two teams chasing them in the SIAC standings. “You can quote that: We aren’t losing.”

Jennings had cause for such optimism. Against Benedict, he watched the Albany State defense play most of the first quarter in its territory but give up no points. The offense produced another big play: a 90-yard scoring strike from Jennings to Ronnie Childs early in the second quarter for the game’s first score.

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FVSU Beats Tuskegee 26-0 for 5th Straight 'W'

Two SIAC heavyweights did battle in the Valley Saturday. Fort Valley State and Tuskegee rolled in at 5-1, tied for 2nd in the conference behind undefeated Albany State.

The Wildcats scored on their opening drive, thanks to a six-yard TD run from Tony Reid to make it 6-0. In the second quarter Aaron Courtney punched it in, followed by a failed two-point conversion to make it a 12-0 game. FVSU QB Eugene Smith connected with Demario Barber before halftime to make it 19-0.

Wildcats dominate Golden Tigers in SIAC showdown

FORT VALLEY, GA – Back in August, there was talk about the old Fort Valley State “blue death” defense. That was talk. The live 2010 version showed up against Tuskegee. When FVSU’s offense actually let Tuskegee have the ball, FVSU’s defense made it pay.

Tuskegee was held to only 92 yards in total offense and blanked for the first time since 2003 as the Wildcats were dominant on both sides of the ball in pounding the 16th-ranked Golden Tigers 26-0 on Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium. FVSU improved to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in SIAC play on senior night while Tuskegee fell to 5-2 and 4-2.

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PVAMU Panthers Roll Past Lincoln 45-12

K.J. Black passed for two touchdowns and Chris Adingupu recorded a 53-yard interception return as Prairie View A&M defeated Lincoln University 45-12 before an overflow homecoming crowd at Blackshear Field.

Prairie View’s Jarvis Wilson recorded the game’s first big play as he scooped up a fumble and raced 32 yards to Lincoln’s 8-yard line on their opening possession. Four plays later, Prairie View’s Brady Faggard connected on a 21-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Prairie View moved ahead 10-0 on its second offensive possession as Black connected with wideout Brandon Bell for a 42-yard strike and upped its lead to 17-0 several minutes later in the first quarter following Donald Babers’ 13-yard touchdown run.

LU trimmed its deficit to 17-12 midway through the second quarter following a 75-yard touchdown run from Joseph Snell and a 15-yard return off a blocked punt from Demarkis Smith. Prairie View added another touchdown run from Babers with 8:08 left in the second stanza to move ahead 24-12 and put the game away in the third quarter as they exploded for 21 points.

Attendance: 12,000

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A&T loses lead and 10th straight game

DOVER, DE -- Through a winless football season, Delaware State University could count on one offensive weapon from week to week: running back Jaashawn Jones.

On Saturday, Jones led the Hornets with 144 yards on 30 carries. More importantly, he drew enough attention from N.C. A&T's defense to open up big plays for the Hornets' other weapons. The result was a 31-26 homecoming win for the Hornets in front of 4,131 fans at Alumni Stadium. DSU (1-5, 1-3 MEAC) had seven plays of 20 yards or more, six of which came through the air.

DSU Earns First Win of the Season

Dover, Del. -- Delaware State is celebrating a victory for the first time this season after a 31-26 homecoming win over North Carolina A&T at Alumni Stadium this afternoon. The Hornets improved to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), while the Aggies fell to 0-7 and 0-4.

Jaashawn Jones rushed for a career-high 144 yards and a touchdown to lead the Delaware State attack. The Hornets racked up 351 yards in the contest, including 195 passing.

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Alcorn State ready for Grambling‎

LORMAN, MS — After dropping their first conference game of the year last week against Texas Southern, the Alcorn State Braves are looking to get back on the winning track.

But it sure isn’t going to be easy as the Braves will head to Grambling, La., to face the only undefeated team in SWAC play, the Grambling State Tigers.

After losing their first game of the season to Football Bowl Subdivision team Louisiana Tech, the Tigers (4-1, 4-0 SWAC) have reeled off four victories in a row, including a 22-7 victory over Alabama State last week.

GSU key: Play smart

GRAMBLING, LA — The Grambling State football team aims to make some improvements in discipline and alignment when it hosts Alcorn State for a 2 p.m. kickoff Saturday at Robinson Stadium.

The Tigers are 4-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 in conference play, but they are also one of the most penalized teams in the conference. GSU ranks ninth out of 10 SWAC teams in yards penalized, averaging 85 penalty yards per game.

Mirror image: Frosh QBs on display in Alcorn State-Grambling matchup

Rod Broadway knows how Earnest Collins and Alcorn State feel right about now - that is, life with a true freshman quarterback. Collins and the Braves (3-2, 2-1 SWAC) travel to the conference's lone undefeated team Saturday, Broadway's Grambling Tigers (4-1, 4-0). They do so with QB Brandon Bridge, who graduated from high school about six months ago.

Broadway knows all about that. True freshman Anthony Carrothers leads the Tigers' offense. "We know a little bit about what they're going through," Grambling's fourth-year coach said.

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Wells, Southern Jaguars relish role as underdog against Jackson State Tigers

Jackson State University head football coach Rick Comegy

His knee was at full strength again, but his hamstring still burned. It felt tight, and he couldn’t run like he wanted. Anthony Wells’ body kept betraying him. How was he supposed to make an impact like this?

He was missing from spring practice at Southern, and he missed summer workouts, too. There was, of course, a new coaching staff in town. As first impressions go, this one wasn’t much to brag about. This was not how Wells had envisioned his grand return.

QB makes most of his chance at Jackson State

Less than three years before Casey Therriault became Jackson State’s starting quarterback, he spent a night of his winter break hanging out with former Wyoming Park High football teammates in Grand Rapids, Mich.

On the way to their car, they were approached by a man who was inebriated. He traded insults with one of the guys. When Therriault laughed at something his friend said, the man turned his attention to him, striking Therriault, who, in turn, threw one punch and walked away.

Jackson State vs. Southern

When: Today, 6 p.m.
Where: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
Television: None
Radio: JSU Network (WHLA-95.5 FM, Jackson)
Records
Jackson State: 4-1, 2-1 SWAC
Southern: 2-3, 1-2
History: Last meeting: Jackson State 22, Southern 14, 2009
All-time series: Southern leads 28-26-0

Touchdown issue getting to Richardson

Casey Therriault knows what comes with being the quarterback of a pass-happy, high-scoring offense like the one Jackson State runs. "Everybody wants to score," the Tigers star said.Add receiver Rico Richardson to the very top of that gradually shortening list.

Through five games, Richardson, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound sophomore from Natchez, has gained 256 yards - fourth on the team - on 15 catches and averages 17 yards a catch - tied for second on the team. He's among the six JSU receivers who have caught 15 passes or more this season.

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Tuskegee, 5-1, at Fort Valley State today

For No. 16 Tuskegee (5-1, 4-1 SIAC), its brutal stretch of confer ence games concludes with Fort Valley State (5-1, 4-1). After a home throttling at the hands of conference- leading Albany State, the Golden Tigers have rebounded well with wins over FCS opponent Texas Southern and SIAC foes Miles and previously undefeated Morehouse.

The primary reason has been the play of Tuskegee's defense, which ranks seventh in Division II in total defense and first in passing yards allowed. Fort Valley State's defense, however, has been nearly as sturdy.

FVSU readies for key contest with Tuskegee

FORT VALLEY, GA — Donald Pittman looked like a man who needed a few administrative assistants, immediately. Two different phones rang, and his office was filled with boxes of blue T-shirts with his team’s midseason motto: Making Up For Last Year.

Fort Valley State’s head coach needed to order more small T-shirts, and it appeared they wouldn’t be delivered in time for Thursday night’s pep rally. And that wasn’t making him happy.

Then the conversation returned to Saturday night’s opponent, and Pittman’s attention immediately returned to football. “Seven long years,” he said. “It’s about time for that to change.”

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This is the funniest guy in Georgia.

NSU is rivalry win away from rebound

Hampton University coach Donovan Rose said records don't matter in rivalry games. Norfolk State hopes he's right. Entering the 48th Battle of the Bay between NSU and Hampton at 1 p.m. today, the 4-1 Pirates sit atop the MEAC with a 3-0 league record.

The Spartans (1-2, 2-3), meanwhile, have had all reasonable hopes for a conference title dashed and will be manufacturing motivation for the last half of the season. "We still got pride to win," senior lineman Calton Ford said. " The whole goal is to win. A couple games don't dictate the season or who you are. They don't tell who you are or what you're known for after you've done things. We still have pride in the season."

Hampton hosts Battle of the Bay



Hampton, VA (Sports Network) - Saturday's Bethune-Cookman at South Carolina State matchup in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is one of the more anticipated games of the season. It's offense versus defense. Bethune-Cookman's upstart team leads the FCS in both points and yards per game. Meanwhile, South Carolina State's MEAC power leads the nation in total defense.

What shouldn't be overlooked with this big matchup is that Hampton could hold first place all by itself come late Saturday afternoon.

Friendship takes backseat to Battle of the Bay when Hampton faces Norfolk State

Sherron Childress and Jacobi Fenner are friends — for 51 weeks of the year. The other week, they're football players trying to beat the living daylights out of each other in the annual showdown known as the Battle of the Bay.

"Phone calls are cut out," said Childress, Norfolk State's senior tight end who went to Hampton High with Fenner, Hampton University's senior linebacker. "We speak when we see each other, but as far as holding a real conversation — it's game week. We have to prepare. But after the game, we'll be friends. We'll go out and hang out with each other and talk about the game."

Hampton- Norfolk State Battle of the Bay preview and our prediction

HAMPTON (4-1, 3-0 MEAC) vs. NORFOLK STATE (2-3, 1-2 MEAC)
WHEN: 1 p.m.
WHERE: Armstrong Stadium.
TV/RADIO: 88.1 FM

THE BUZZ: The Pirates are hungry for revenge after being embarrassed 46-6 last year at Norfolk State, and they seem to have the balanced offense (198 rushing yards per game, 136 passing) to achieve it. The Spartans have lost two straight games to ranked MEAC teams, including...

On Campus: NSU coach Pete Adrian knows a thing or two about rivalries

Norfolk State coach Pete Adrian has been in involved in a rivalry or two in his playing and coaching careers. For his money, his team's annual showdown against nearby MEAC rival Hampton, known as the Battle of the Bay, is among the best in the business.

"These are great games. That’s one thing that college football is all about, is rivalries," Adrian said. "I can remember when I played at West Virginia, we had a team called Pitt. And that’s the Backyard Brawl, and that was really the beginning of it for me, to see the intensity.

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