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It happens at every level of football, so Bethune-Cookman certainly isn't immune to it. A brand new coach finds success early, and it's not long before speculation begins about his near-term future. With coaching vacancies springing up this time of year, the questions are asked.
At B-CU's weekly media availability Wednesday, Wildcats coach Brian Jenkins ducked the question in one way ("I haven't given it any thought") but was very open in another way ("My phone has rung").
"Right now, I'm thinking about winning this game Saturday," Jenkins said of the upcoming playoff game against New Hampshire. "It happens in this sport. It's a question I've been asked, and people are concerned about...
Delta State faces a tough obstacle of winning the Division II national championship. The 13th ranked Statesmen (9-3) travel to No. 9 Albany State (11-0) in a quarterfinal contest on Saturday at noon. Delta State is coming off its best game of the season, routing North Alabama 47-24 in the second round last week at Parker Field. “That was the most complete game we put together this year,” Statesmen coach Ron Roberts said. “It was an outstanding performance across the board and a total team effort.” For Delta State to reach the semifinals, the Statesmen will likely need a repeat performance against the unbeaten Golden Rams. Albany State and the Statesmen are ranked one-two in the South Central II Region.
ALBANY, GA — The scouting report is in. Delta State, which takes on Albany State on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II football playoffs, is coming to town, and the Statesmen (9-3) will be the second straight team that the Rams (11-0) face for the first-time ever. So what does head coach Mike White and ASU know about them? Not much, aside from watching film, except that they are 10-4 in the playoffs, won the Division II National Championship in 2000 and have an explosive offense.
But just as much as the Rams don’t know about Delta State, the Statesmen don’t know about Albany State. Which is why DSU head coach Ron Roberts and his team are preparing for the best.
Coach Shirley Gibbs Walker won 493 games at Alcorn State
Birmingham, Ala. - The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) announced its 2010 inductees for the league’s Hall of Fame. The class includes six honorees affiliated with five of the league’s 10 member institutions.
The 2010 inductees are: Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd (Jackson State, baseball), Clyde Duncan (Texas Southern, track and field), Charlie Granger (Southern, football / track and field), Aaron James (Grambling, basketball), Willie “Rat” McGowan (Alcorn State, baseball/ football), and Shirley Walker (Alcorn State, basketball).
Coach Rat McGowan won 701 games and four titles at ASU
The class will be honored on Thursday, December 9 at an invitational reception at the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham as a part of the festivities surrounding the 2010 Farmers Insurance SWAC Football Championship Game. The inductees will also be made available to media members at the championship’s press conference at the Birmingham Sheraton on Friday, December 10 at 10:00 a.m.
DURHAM, NH — Four days before football teams from the University of New Hampshire and Bethune-Cookman square off in the Division I playoffs, the first-ever matchup between the two unfamiliar foes is shaping up to be a handicapper's nightmare.
Bethune-Cookman (10-1) boasts a better record and home-field advantage, hosting Saturday's game at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Fla. Meanwhile, the lineup for UNH (7-4) is littered with veterans of past playoff runs and tough CAA battles. So, who's the favorite when these teams square off in the Round of 16 on Saturday?
Marshfield, NH - The University of New Hampshire has earned a bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship for the seventh consecutive season, the longest current streak in the nation.
The 7-4 Wildcats will visit Bethune-Cookman University (10-1), champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, in a second-round game Saturday, Dec. 4, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Souza, a 6-foot, 213-pound free safety, has 83 total tackles (46 solo) and one interception this season for the Wildcats. His tackles, both total and solo, rank Souza second on the team. In four years, Souza has 319 tackles and five interceptions for UNH.
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University of New Hampshire Wildcat Marching Band (Oct. 11, 2010)
Coach Alonzo Lee ends A&T career with 5 wins, 16 losses.
Greensboro, NC -- North Carolina A&T State University announced Monday their head football coach Alonzo Lee was dismissed. Lee was named head football coach January 2009 and finished the 2010 season with a 1-10 record.
According to a statement from the school, George Ragsdale, current A&T assistant head football coach, will serve as interim head football coach until a new head coach is named. "Ragsdale's collegiate and professional experience will prove to be beneficial to our football program during this time of transition," said A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr.
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- North Carolina A&T State University has fired head football coach Alonzo Lee after Lee's teem turned in a 1-10 performance this season, the university announced on Monday. Lee was named head coach in January 2009. Before being named as head coach, Lee served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at A&T from 2003-2005.
Lee was fired Monday after the Aggies went 1-10 with losses to arch rivals N.C. Central and Division II Winston-Salem State. Assistant coach George Ragsdale was named interim head coach while the search for a replacement unfolds. Ragsdale was interim coach for four games when Lee Fobbs was fired during the 2008 campaign. Lee finished his A&T stint with a 5-16 record.
HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men’s basketball team needed overtime for its sixth straight win Tuesday night, but the Pirates defeated Georgia State 60-56 at the HU Convocation Center.
Georgia State led 36-28 with 13:21 left in the second half, but the Pirates responded with a 16-4 run – a run punctuated at the 6:38 mark by a monstrous breakaway dunk from sophomore forward Koron Reed (Philadelphia, Pa.) to give Hampton a 44-40 lead. Junior guard Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) had 13 of Hampton’s 16 points in that run.
Unlike last season, Hampton University (6-1) is winning close games. Reigning MEAC Player of the Week Darrion Pellum scored 21 points to spark HU to its sixth consecutive victory -- 60-56 in overtime over Georgia State at the Convocation Center. Kwame Morgan had 13 points and Charles Funches 11 rebounds for the Pirates. Brandon Tunnell, who had 10 points, hit a clinching free throw for a four-point lead with 3.6 seconds to play. HU overcame 4-for-18 first-half shooting and 20 points and 10 rebounds from the Panthers' Eric Buckner.
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NEXT GAME: Dec. 4, vs. Howard University at Madison Square Gardens
Quarterback Malcolm Long ends successful S.C. State career with dark clouds of not winning any FCS playoff games in three attempts.
STATESBORO, Ga. - Shared between offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath, linebacker Julius Wilkerson and quarterback Malcolm Long are 35 victories, 11 school career records, three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and a black college football national championship.
Defending the legacy they and 11 fellow South Carolina State seniors established in four years would seem unnecessary. Yet Saturday's 41-16 loss at Georgia Southern in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs found head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough trying to explain why the lack of postseason success and 0-9 record against non-FCS HBCUs is not a major blemis.
NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament: A Look at the Top Eight Seeds #1 Florida (27-1, First Round Opponent – South Carolina State 17-22 MEAC Champions) Top-ranked Florida earned the school’s first top seed in the NCAA tournament by making history. The Gators completed the SEC’s first ever undefeated season. Who to Watch: Junior outside hitter Kelly Murphy was among the conference leaders in all offensive categories. Freshmen setter Chanel Brown averages over five assists per set.
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LORMAN, MS — The vigor of a young man at the top of his game caused both excitement and concern for Braves fans Tuesday. After an all-day listening session to determine the next president of Alcorn State University at its main campus in Lorman, M. Christopher Brown II was officially given the job.
Brown, a Charleston, S.C., native, currently serves as executive vice president and provost at the historic Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. From 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Brown answered questions from students, faculty, alumni and leaders from the school and community.
The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning announced its unanimous decision to hire Brown as president after receiving feedback from the various groups.
LORMAN, MS — The state College Board has hired Christopher Brown to become the 18th president of Alcorn State University. Brown, 38, currently is vice president and provost at Fisk University in Nashville. He’s expected to start at Alcorn in January.
Brown, a Charleston, S.C.-native, has been fielding questions from campus constituents for most of the day. In meetings with alumni, faculty, students and others, he discussed his vision for Alcorn, touching on athletics, budgets, student activities and fundraising.
“It feels natural,” he said about possibly leading the state’s land grant HBCU. “I’m convinced that this is where I’m supposed to be, and this is where I’m supposed to serve.”
Coast football players fall under the recruiting radar each year. The three in-state SWAC schools -- Alcorn State, Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State -- all plan to find a few hidden gems. SWAC programs usually don’t start recruiting until the first week of December to better utilize their resources in these tough economic times.
“The SWAC programs are going to really get active now that the seasons are over,” Steve Robertson of Scout.com said. “They don’t have the budgets the bigger schools do, so they don’t have a lot of on campus events like summer camps to evaluate a lot of talent. They have to depend on good old-fashion road work and film study.
LORMAN — Alcorn State’s 2010 season might have ended last on Nov. 20 with a 27-14 loss to Jackson State in the Capital City Classic. But the Braves’ second season is still in full swing. Now that the season is over, Alcorn State coaches are canvassing the state and country trying to find athletes that will keep the Braves’ program heading in the right direction.
In the last three years, Alcorn has improved its record from 2-10 to 3-6 to 5-6. And head coach Earnest Collins said getting quality recruits is critical to continuing the upward trend of the program.
New York, NY - The Big Apple Classic has announced that hip hop legend Doug E. Fresh is confirmed to participate as a host at the fifth anniversary of the Big Apple Classic on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at Madison Square Garden.
Doug will host the drumline competition portion of the CIAA and MEAC basketball thriller that is known for bringing heart-pounding basketball, electrifying drumlines and other southern black college traditions to the tri-state area. The Big Apple Classic is the only basketball tournament that showcases teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) at the world famous Madison Square Garden.
This year's Big Apple Classic starts on December 3 with a kick-off party at Greenhouse and continues on December 4 with rival games between CIAA schoolsVirginia State Universityand Virginia Union Universityand MEAC schools Hampton University and Howard University. Games start at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively.
Thousands of alumni, students, celebrities and other basketball fans are expected at what has become one of the most highly anticipated family and social events of the year. Last year's Big Apple Classic drew more than 10,000 attendees, including celebrities such as Gayle King and the Rev. Al Sharpton. Other highlights include an essay contest for high school students, a Black college fair, a drumline competition, and musical guests.
Event tickets are $29.50 and $54.50. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to Every Child USA to support efforts to improve the quality of life of America's children through literacy, health and opportunity.
For a $5 discount per ticket (active starting on Wednesday, Dec. 1) or more information, visit www.thebigappleclassic.com
Internationally celebrated as "The Human Beat Box," Doug E. Fresh rose to fame in the 80's and 90's with hip hop mega hits like "The Show/La Di Da Di," "Keep Risin' to the Top," and "All the Way to Heaven." He remains a highly sought after performer and continues to draw fans of all ages and backgrounds. Doug has been featured on American Idol and most recently he is enjoying new-found attention from the dance craze, The Dougie, which is sweeping college and professional sports games nationwide. The pop culture dance pays homage to Doug's signature dance moves and his iconic status in hip hop as "The World's Greatest Entertainer." The Dougie reached critical mass recently when CNN invited Doug into the studio to teach Wolf Blitzer "how to do The Dougie."
About the upcoming Big Apple Classic, Doug offers: "I think that what the Big Apple Classic is doing to support young people getting an education is very important. Education is key. We are coming to a basketball game, but education is still the focus and I respect that. It's positive and it's fun and that's what I'm all about."
The second half of basketball games haven't always been the easiest for the Claflin Lady Panthers. In at least three of their games, Claflin women's head basketball coach Tiffany Tucker has watched as her squad allowed their opposition to open the final 20 minutes of play with a scoring run while gaining confidence all at the same time. Tuesday night was no exception for the Lady Panthers, but they were able to hang on against LeMoyne-Owen for the 69-64 win.
The home-standing Lady Panthers (2-3, 2-1) struggled to gain a comfortable lead against the Lady Magicians (0-3, 0-1) in the first half until the 8:25 mark. That's when Natalie Davis and Brittani Jones led Claflin on a 13-0 scoring spurt to put them ahead 36-24 with 5:11 to play. Despite allowing LeMoyne-Owen to go on a 6-0 scoring streak to end the half, Claflin went into the locker room with a 41-33 lead at halftime.
Eric Salley sped down the court at Claflin's Tullis Arena as teammate JaWan Davis led the Panthers' fastbreak in the final seconds of their game against LeMoyne-Owen.
Davis delicately lobbed the ball toward the goal for Salley to slam home in front of the home fans, but the Smoaks native slipped on a wet spot on the floor. That's probably the only thing that seemingly stopped the Panthers' senior guard who lit the Magicians up for 31 points in Claflin's 61-54 win Tuesday night.
Sophomore pitcher Steven Dollar said it best when he described the options that interim head coach Brett Richardson will have when it comes to his pitching staff. "If somebody's arm gets sore, we can just go ahead and pull him out; don't wait another inning," Dollar said.
Having such a choice is huge turnaround for a Florida A&M baseball program that last season had to use just about every player on its roster as a pitcher. The bullpen was so thin that...
TALLAHASSEE | Webber International University failed to stop any aspect of Florida A&M's offense Monday night. The Rattlers scored a season-high 93 points en route at a 93-70 exhibition victory over the Warriors. Webber failed to match up against FAMU's superior size and allowed 46 points in the paint.
"They beat us pretty good on the inside," said senior guard Justin Cockrell, who scored 11 points. "In our conference we should be able to match up pretty good but they beat us with the inside play."
When Florida A&M lines up on the football field next season, there shouldn't be too many uncommon faces. The program will lose just seven starters who completed their eligibility at the end of this season. In almost every case, the players who were backups will likely be promoted unless they are beaten out in spring.
In all, the Rattlers will have 15 starters returning, a situation that had coach Joe Taylor beaming with optimism about next season. All of the players who played on special teams also will return. "We have very good reasons to be optimistic," Taylor said Tuesday. "With 15 starters coming back, that simply tells us that we're going to be experienced. We've got a lot to build on."
A home-and-away deal with Florida A&M is a possibility.
Jackson State is searching for a team from the Football Bowl Subdivision to complete its 2011 football schedule, athletic director Bob Braddy said this week.
The Tigers' schedule is set except for the season opener Sept. 3. Braddy said the school would like to schedule "a money game" with an FBS (Division I-A) program for that date. The school, Braddy said, is looking for a payout in the $500,000 range.
"We've got some feelers out," Braddy said. "The problem is the date." Most FBS schools already have their 2011 schedules set. Oregon State was interested in playing JSU, Braddy said, but the Beavers' opening was not Sept. 3.
Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South is one of eight marching bands that has been selected to participate in the Honda Battle of the Bands 2011 Invitational Showcase. The event, in its ninth year, is the only national scholarship program that highlights the cultural importance of music at historically black colleges and universities.
JSU will be awarded $20,000, plus a $1,000 grant it received for the pre-qualifying celebration tour. Since the program's inception, more than $1 million has been distributed to HBCUs. Participating bands will have the opportunity to perform for 12 minutes Jan. 29 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Former Bethune-Cookman standout Stevie Baggs got a taste of the National Football League this fall, but found life north of the border more to his liking. The Canadian Football League's sacks leader last year, Baggs spent all of training camp and the preseason with the Arizona Cardinals before being released in the final cut of players Sept. 3.
The Cardinals initially asked the 28-year-old to hang around on their practice squad before doing an about-face and going with younger players. "My main objective was to see if I could go play in the NFL, and I proved to myself that I could do that," Baggs said. "I've been with several teams, but that was my first (NFL).
Free agent defensive end Stevie Baggs has come to terms with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on a two-year contract plus an option. Baggs, formerly of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders, was a final cut of the National Football League's Arizona Cardinals.
The Ticats gave Baggs a $50,000 signing bonus with a weekly salary of $5,000 ($400,000 over 3 seasons). The Roughriders were in play for Baggs' services, offering the same weekly salary, but a signing bonus of just $25,000. The Alouettes were also in the running, having contacted Baggs three times and had a compensation package similar to Hamilton's.
Stevie Baggs will not tell you the name of the New York Giants scout that he swears told Baggs he should forget about playing football because he was pigeon-toed. But he can rattle off a list of athletes like him: Bullet Bob Hayes, Dominique Wilkins, Jackie Robinson, Ed Reed …
“Pigeon-toed,” the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive end said, as he peeled away from a sideline scrum at Ivor Wynne Stadium for a separate 1-on-1 interview. “All of them. I’ve researched this. I’m serious. [Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker] Barrin Simpson is, too. It doesn’t hinder me at all.”
In seven games with the Ticats, Baggs has 23 tackles, five sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and three fumbles recoveries, as well as two touchdowns.
HAMILTON, — Stevie Baggs could be in Arizona, he might be making National Football League money but it’s doubtful he could be having more fun than he is with the Ticats. “The biggest thing I see here is that its actually a team and guys get along off the field,” said Baggs after being named the CFL’s defensive player of the month, Tuesday. “It’s not about egos. It’s not about who is the better player, who does this or that. I feel a genuine camaradarie among the guys and that’s something that’s different here.”
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats cleaned out their lockers at Ivor Wynne Stadium on Tuesday while still processing how their once promising season came to an end. Hamilton lost to the Toronto Argonauts 16-13 on Sunday in the Canadian Football League East Division semi-final. The Ticats made a number of mistakes during the game, which allowed the Argos to steal a victory even though they did not complete a pass longer than 12 yards. Hamilton players addressed some of the issues that contributed to the disappointing result on Tuesday. Here is a list of the miscues and what the players had to say about each one:
Southern A.D. Greg Lefleur has some difficult days ahead.
At the end of a disastrous Bayou Classic, inside a largely empty Superdome that had all the buzz and life of a library, Southern right tackle Lee Almanza nosed his way through a crowd of players and found his buddy, center Ramon Chinyoung.
Almanza, a junior, threw an arm around Chinyoung, a fifth-year senior. After three seasons, the two Houston natives had grown close. Almanza said something nice to Chinyoung, offering words of sympathy to a player who didn’t want his college career to end like this — with a lopsided 38-17 loss to Grambling, the Jaguars’ third straight defeat at the Bayou Classic; and a 2-9 overall record in Stump Mitchell’s first season at SU, the worst in school history.
Four games into this young basketball season, the Southern women have won twice and lost twice. The Jaguars (2-2) face Miami (5-1) at 6 p.m. today in Coral Gables, Fla., and naturally, they’d love to upset an Atlantic Coast Conference team on its own home floor. Win or lose, however, 11th-year coach Sandy Pugh would love to see a little more consistency from her team, even if Southern is nursing an injury or two.
Saturday afternoon at the Bayou Classic, early in the third quarter of a game Grambling thoroughly dominated in a 38-17 victory over Southern, the Tigers swiftly and easily knifed their way to the Jaguars’ 16-yard line.
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kelvin Martin and Kenny Mitchell each scored 15 points to lead Charleston Southern to an 89-54 victory over Southern University on Saturday in the Chicago Invitational Challenge men’s college basketball tournament. Jamarco Warren added 14 points and Sheldon Strickland had 12 for the Buccaneers (3-4), who raced out to a 53-22 halftime lead.
NEW ORLEANS — When you put 40,000 fans in the Louisiana Superdome, it’s like dressing a kid in his father’s sports coat.
Saturday afternoon, the Dome hosted the 39th edition of the Bayou Classic. The game wore the same famous pageantry as usual, blaring bands and all. Problem was, it all seemed oversized. The empty seats in the crowd of 43,494 — the lowest attendance figure in Classic history — told the story of a blowout waiting to happen.
SWAC Championship, Dec. 11-Texas Southern vs. Ala. State
Texas Southern men's basketball coach Tony Harvey was understandably fatigued when he and the team returned to Houston on Saturday. The Tigers had completed a six-game road trip to open the season, ending it with Friday's 84-60 loss at No. 4 Kansas State. They made stops in four states. And they did so with three key players out.
Senior forward Travele Jones and senior guards Harrison Smith and Justin Ray are ineligible because of compliance issues. The loss of Jones, the preseason Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, is especially painful, as he was the team's leading returning scorer (13.7 points per game).
After leading TSU to an 8-3 regular-season record and its first berth in the SWAC championship game, football coach Johnnie Cole stands to receive a raise and an extension of the four-year contract he signed after being hired in December 2007.
Athletic director Charles McClelland said Friday that the two sides would sit down after the Dec. 11 SWAC championship game to discuss the situation.
Dr. Meyers was strong advocate for athletics at NSU
Dr. Christopher Brown II
The preferred candidates to lead Alcorn State University and Jackson State University say they are aware of the daunting budget situations they would face as leaders of Mississippi's two largest historically black universities.
The state College Board announced Monday it had selected former Norfolk State University President Carolyn Meyers as JSU's potential new leader and Fisk University Vice President Christopher Brown to take the helm at Alcorn. Each will visit the respective campus next week to meet with alumni, students, faculty and staff before the appointments are finalized.
Reached by phone Monday, Meyers and Brown both said they were "humbled" by the selection.
NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State University band has had a strong following in the stands on Saturdays during football season. Suited for Saturday war games, a wave of Spartans defended a piece of territory called Norfolk State.
The football team sweeps the gridiron with punishing precision. Observing enemy weakness, citizens of Dick Price Stadium welcome conquest. But among the cheers for the action on the field, is an infectious love of rhythm and music, a marching band that is called the Legion.
NSU's marching band is an army of 250 who play it fast and loose. "Here at Norfolk State, if this band is not right our fans will have a fit! They would have a fit, " said an NSU fan.
Washington, D.C. - There had to be times during Saturday afternoon's game when Howard Coach Kevin Nickelberry looked up into the stands and wished he could put President Obama or Education Secretary Arne Duncan in the game.
Nickelberry could have used Obama, who looked none the worse after taking an elbow to the mouth in a basketball game Friday and receiving 12 stitches in his lip, and Duncan, the former Harvard standout. The Bison, who have been savaged by injuries this season, were desperate for bodies when two players fouled out of the game.
Though undermanned, Howard was undaunted. The Bison put up quite a fight against Oregon State before finally succumbing, 84-74, before 1,827 at Burr Gymnasium.
At this stage in its development, the Navy basketball team is still learning how to win. Navy had the ball with a chance to close out a come-from-behind victory by scoring on the final possession of regulation. Much to the dismay of head coach Billy Lange and 1,825 fans at Alumni Hall, the Midshipmen did not even get off a shot.
Senior point guard O.J. Avworo lost control of his dribble while trying to create and the ball squirted toward midcourt. Freshman guard Isaiah Roberts chased down the loose ball, but did not realize the final seconds were ticking away and waited until after the final buzzer had sounded to launch a potential game-winning 3-pointer.
That final sequence was deflating for Navy and uplifting for the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, which proceeded to dominate overtime.
ALBANY, Ga.-- Next, please. The Albany State football team is moving on in the NCAA Division II playoffs after beating Wingate, 30-28, on Saturday afternoon in front of a packed house at Albany State University Coliseum.
Stanley Jennings threw two touchdowns, LiRonnie Davis and Rodrick Nabors got it done on the ground and the Rams' "Ditry Blue" defense held off Division II's most prolific offenses en route to the huge win.
In scary news, however, Rams defensive star Justin Blash had to be carted off the field after an injury late in the fourth quarter. There was no immediate word the extent of the injury, but it would be a huge blow to ASU if Blash can't return next week.
ALBANY, Ga. The Wingate Bulldogs mounted a late rally against the Albany State Golden Rams Saturday afternoon, but fell short 30-28. The loss ends the Bulldogs' seven-game winning streak and 2010 season. Wingate finishes 9-3.
Albany State moves to 11-0 overall and will host Delta State (Miss.) next weekend. Albany State quarterback Stanley Jennings completed two touchdown passes for the Golden Rams. Albany State running back LiRonnie Davis (Macon, Ga.) ran nine times for 90 yards and two scores, including a 45-yard run in the fourth quarter that gave the host team a 30-21 advantage.
ASU-WINGATE NOTEBOOK: Rams await word on injured defensive lineman Blash, who was carted off late in 30-28 win Saturday against Wingate
ALBANY, Ga. — There was a scary moment in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game when 6-foot-5, 300-pound sophomore defensive lineman Justin Blash had to be carted off the field at the 4:34 mark after several moments of silent anticipation.
The early diagnosis was a sprained knee, and nothing appeared to be broken, but the coach Mike White said the team will know more Monday. If Blash can’t recover, it’ll be another tough loss for the Rams as they head into the Division II quarterfinals next week against Delta State after a 30-28 win against Wingate on Saturday.
Win-gate? Check.
For only the second time in school history, the Albany State football program is headed to the quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs, this after the Rams hold on to beat Wingate, 30-28, on Saturday afternoon at Albany State University Coliseum.
ALBANY, Ga. — Stanley Jennings is starting to look like he might have a future as a psychic. After guaranteeing earlier in the season that the Albany State football team would win the rest of its regular-season games — which came true — he predicted during practice this week that the “Dirty Blue” Rams defense would contain quarterback Cody Haffly and the explosive Wingate offense.
And that’s exactly what happened Saturday as ASU (11-0) defeated Wingate, 30-28, at home in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs to advance to the quarterfinals against Delta State (9-3). Delta State defeated North Alabama, 47-24, on the other side of the bracket Saturday.
There’s little question as to how much the Grambling State players wished the Tigers had one more game next weekend in Birmingham, Ala., the site of the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.
Since the Tigers just barely missed on playing for the conference title, there probably isn’t a better way for Grambling to wrap up its successful season than taking it out on its biggest rival in what so many supporters deem as the most important game of every season. Grambling State (9-2 overall, 8-1 SWAC) was never threatened as it defeated Southern 38-17 in Saturday’s State Farm Bayou Classic at the Superdome.
NEW ORLEANS — Frank Warren ran for three touchdowns and collected MVP honors, defensive end Jomarcus Savage had a key interception return for a touchdown and Grambling beat Southern 38-17 in the Bayou Classic on Saturday.
Grambling (9-2 overall, 8-1 SWAC) forced Southern (2-9, 1-8) to punt on its opening drive, but GSU returner Kiare Thompson muffed the punt and the Jaguars recovered deep in GSU territory, leading to a 27-yard field goal and a 3-0 Southern lead early in the first quarter.
Frank Warren ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns and Anthony Carrothers passed for 167 yards as Grambling dominated Southern 38-10 before the smallest crowd in Bayou Classic history Saturday. The Tigers (9-2) won for the third consecutive time against the Jaguars (2-9) and, in the process, handed Southern its first nine-loss season in school history.
It was a fitting end to a disappointing first season under new coach Stump Mitchell, who set the bar sky-high for the Jaguars during the preseason, saying he thought his team had a chance to go undefeated and win the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.
Coach Buddy Pough is 0-3 in playoffs in past three seasons.
STATESBORO, Ga. - The eyes of South Carolina State quarterback Malcolm Long were blood red from heavy tears shed Saturday at Allen Paulson Stadium.
His head football coach Oliver "Buddy" Pough was equally inconsolable and near-speechless in what was supposed to be a different showing for the Bulldogs in the opening round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
STATESBORO, Ga. --- Georgia Southern looked to its defense and reserves Saturday to overcome a key loss to starting quarterback Jaybo Shaw in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Shaw was injured after a hit midway through the first quarter, but the Eagles found ample volunteers to step up during a 41-16 victory at Paulson Stadium.
"This team is very special," Georgia Southern backup quarterback Jerick McKinnon said. "There's a brotherhood here. We all believe in each other, and we'll fight for each other, and that's going to take you a long way."
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern used a relentless ground game to control the ball for nearly 42 minutes and beat South Carolina State 41-16 Saturday in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Twelve players totaled 323 yards on 77 carries for the Eagles (8-4), who will play at No. 2 seed William & Mary on Dec. 4. J.J. Wilcox rushed for two touchdowns and Russell DeMasi one for Georgia Southern, but special teams and defense also played a key role.
After quarterbacking Grambling State against Southern University in the inaugural State Farm Bayou Classic 36 years ago and coaching the Tigers from 1998-2002, Doug Williams is enjoying the spectator's view of the annual game between African-American universities. It's visibility he hopes maintains its relevance beyond Saturday's contest at the Louisiana Superdome.
"I'm always going to be involved around the game," the former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XXII MVP said. "It's been affected by the economy, but it's still viable. I mean, you can't take away black college rivalries like Jackson State-Alcorn, Alabama State-Tuskegee and Grambling-Southern."
Grambling senior running back Frank Warren sat among the crowd during Monday’s Bayou Classic news conference on the floor of the Superdome, donning an old-school letterman’s sweater. Nothing flashy. And one by one, someone from either Grambling or Southern took the podium and showered him with compliments in anticipation of Saturday’s State Farm Bayou Classic.
First, it was Grambling Athletic Director Lin Dawson.
“Not only do I respect him as the leading rusher in the history of Grambling, but also as a man of character,” Dawson said. “And I will tell you after the Bayou Classic is over, years from now, people will be hearing about this young man. He is a man of integrity and a young man of character.”
Grambling State and Southern have to focus on playing for pride, and make it the driving point. Texas Southern swiped the Tigers’ chances of playing in next week’s SWAC championship game a couple of weeks ago. Yet, Tigers Coach Rod Broadway continues to talk up this game to his team. The Jaguars have endured one of their worst seasons in school history. They’re riding a five-game losing streak and have lost eight of the past nine games. A win today for first-year coach Stump Mitchell could make up for this season’s struggles.
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Thomas Coleman scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead N.C. A&T over Greensboro College 79-58 on Friday night, but it wasn't the kind of performance Aggies coach Jerry Eaves wanted.
"I think we overlooked Greensboro College,'' Eaves said. "We didn't play with the enthusiasm that we needed, and we also shot the ball poorly. It was good to get a win, but I think we had our minds on what is going to happen on Monday (against UNCG). It's never good to look ahead when you have an opponent staring you in the face."
The Aggies (3-3) led 43-23 at halftime and led by as many as 22, 43-21, before a jumper by Luqman Tijani with 37 seconds left before the break pulled the Pride within 20.
Quarterback Malcolm Long ends successful S.C. State career with dark clouds of not winning any FCS playoff games in three attempts.
New York, NY - The Big Apple Classic has announced that hip hop legend Doug E. Fresh is confirmed to participate as a host at the fifth anniversary of the Big Apple Classic on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at Madison Square Garden.
The second half of basketball games haven't always been the easiest for the Claflin Lady Panthers. In at least three of their games, Claflin women's head basketball coach Tiffany Tucker has watched as her squad allowed their opposition to open the final 20 minutes of play with a scoring run while gaining confidence all at the same time. Tuesday night was no exception for the Lady Panthers, but they were able to hang on against LeMoyne-Owen for the 69-64 win.
Sophomore pitcher Steven Dollar said it best when he described the options that interim head coach Brett Richardson will have when it comes to his pitching staff. "If somebody's arm gets sore, we can just go ahead and pull him out; don't wait another inning," Dollar said.
A home-and-away deal with Florida A&M is a possibility. 
ALBANY, Ga.-- Next, please. The Albany State football team is moving on in the NCAA Division II playoffs after beating Wingate, 30-28, on Saturday afternoon in front of a packed house at Albany State University Coliseum.
There’s little question as to how much the Grambling State players wished the Tigers had one more game next weekend in Birmingham, Ala., the site of the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Thomas Coleman scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead N.C. A&T over Greensboro College 79-58 on Friday night, but it wasn't the kind of performance Aggies coach Jerry Eaves wanted.
