B-CU football picked by MEAC to defend conference title

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Bethune-Cookman University football team was picked to defend its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title on Friday.

B-CU had 487 votes to top South Carolina State (457) and North Carolina A&T (338).

B-CU senior offensive center Andrew Edouard was named to the all-MEAC preseason first team.

Teammates LeBrandon Richardson and Marquis Drayton were selected to the preseason first team on defense.

Quarterback Quentin Williams and senior defensive lineman Rony Barrow made the all-MEAC preseason second team.

CONTINUE READING

Tennessee State Football Tickets Still on Sale

NASHVILLE, Tennessee  -- Season and single game tickets for the 2014 Tennessee State football campaign are still on sale. Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the TSU Ticket Office (615-963-ROAR).

 

The reigning Black College National Champions open the season on Saturday, August 30 against Edward Waters College in the 16th annual John A. Merritt Classic.

 

TSU returns to Hale Stadium to face Tennessee Tech on Sept. 20 before taking on Florida A&M for Homecoming, Sept. 27.

 

In October, the Tigers will host Jacksonville State (10/11) and UT Martin (10/18) with the final home contest coming against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 1.

 

Last season, TSU finished with a record of 10-4 and advanced to the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

 

The Tigers are coming off of their first postseason victory since 1986 and return the bulk of a defense that ranked sixth nationally in yards per game (296.9).

 

Season tickets are $90 and season parking passes are $30. The season parking package will include the three contests at LP Field.  The Hale Stadium games will be $5 cash only for every contest.

 

Ticket Information

 

SEASON TICKET BROCHURE (First time season ticket holders)

Season Ticket Price - $90

TSU Faculty/Staff Price - $80

Young Alumni/Kids 12 and under - $60 (Must be listed among TSU graduates from 2010-2014 are eligible/ Must specify at time of purchase)

 

2014 Football Single Game Tickets

Single Game Tickets at LP Field – Range from $15 - $40

Single Game Ticket at Hale Stadium - $15

** Tickets increase by $5 on game day**

 

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

 

 

Six Rattlers Named To MEAC Preseason All-Star Team

NORFOLK, Virginia – Six Florida A&M University football players were named to the Preseason All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team during the MEAC Football Media Luncheon here Friday afternoon at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel.

The preseason All-MEAC team, selected by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors, featured FAMU with four second team selections, sophomore guard Keonte Cash (Miami, Florida), senior defensive back Devontae “Terry” Johnson (Tallahassee, Florida), redshirt sophomore Patrick Aiken (Pembroke Pines, Florida) and senior kicker Chase Varnadore (Tallahassee, Florida).

The two third team selections from FAMU included senior quarterback Damien Fleming (Jacksonville, Florida) and senior offensive lineman Ryan Templeton (Chicago, Illinois).

RATTLERS IN THE HOUSE

FAMU was well represented by a contingent of personalities which included athletic director Kellen Winslow, Sr., head football coach Earl Holmes, and star players Chase Varnadore and Devontae “Terry” Johnson.

All four gentlemen were run through a battery of interviews with media outlets from around the conference during a Media Day session prior to the Noon Coaches’ Luncheon.

MEAC NOTES

A pair of seniors snagged the Preseason Player of the Year honors, as Howard quarterback Greg McGhee, the league leader in both passing and total offense, was the Offensive Player of the Year, while Norfolk State All-America linebacker Lynden Trail, was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year.

South Carolina State led all league schools with 10 preseason all-star selections, tying defending champion Bethune-Cookman (7 selections) for the most first-team picks: four (4).

Norfolk State was second in the number of overall selections with eight (8), followed by Bethune-Cookman and MorganState with seven (7) apiece.

BETHUNE PICKED TO WIN

The league’s coaches and SIDs also weighed in on the coming football title chase, picking Bethune-Cookman to defend their 2013 title, garnering 487 points. South Carolina State (457 points) was second, followed by North Carolina A&T (338) and Howard University (309).

2014 MEAC Predicted Order of Finish

# School (Points)

1-Bethune-Cookman (487)

2-South Carolina State (457)

3-North Carolina A&T (318)

4-Howard University (309)

5-Delaware State (229)

6-Norfolk State (225)

7-Hampton (200)

8-North Carolina Central (187)

9-Morgan State (148)

**FAMU and SavannahState are ineligible for the conference title due to an NCAA postseason ban over the Academic Progress Rate (APR).

COURTESY FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

WSSU picked to win Southern Division

DURHAM, North Carolina -- Winston-Salem State, the two-time defending CIAA champion and three-time defending Southern Division champion, has been selected as the top team again in its division.

The Rams, who have not lost a CIAA game in the last three seasons, were selected as the top team by the preseason CIAA coaches’ poll that was released this afternoon.

Following the Rams in the Southern Division are Fayetteville State, Elizabeth City State, Johnson C. Smith, St. Augustine’s and Livingstone.

The top team in the Northern Division was Virginia State, the defending division champion.

Following Virginia State were Elizabeth City State, Bowie State, Chowan, Virginia Union and Lincoln.

Coach Kienus Boulware of the Rams, who is in his first season, said earlier this week that he’s looking forward to the season starting.

CONTINUE READING

Miles College football game with Benedict College changed for national TV

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama  -- The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football game between Miles College and Benedict College has been selected for a CBS Sports Network national television broadcast. The game has been moved to 7 p.m. Central on Thursday, Oct. 2, as part of the NCAA Division II Football Game of the Week television package.

The Golden Bears and Tigers were originally scheduled to play on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium in Fairfield.

"Playing on CBS Sports Network is a great opportunity for Miles College and our football program especially when it comes to playing in front of a national television audience", said Golden Bears head coach Reginald Ruffin said in a prepared statement. "It's big for our institution to have an opportunity to be showcased in markets all of the country."

CONTINUE READING

Ram Ramblings: With CIAA media day approaching, season is not too far away

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina -- It’s a good sign when the CIAA football media day rolls around because that means it’s getting closer to when Winston-Salem State will begin practicing.

The annual media day will be Thursday at a Durham hotel, but unlike Division I schools where coaches know a lot about what they have coming back, it’s more of a crapshoot at Division II schools.

Coach Kienus Boulware of WSSU said as much earlier this week when we met for a lengthy interview at his office. I won’t be attending the media day, but it’s a good bet the CIAA coaches will be very general in their comments about their teams.

Plenty of changes take place at the Division II level between spring practice and the fall. Eligibility issues arise, walk-ons decide not to come back to school or a myriad of other reasons turn rosters upside down before players report in August.

CONTINUE READING

FAMU RB Hearns has more than football talent

 TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- It didn't take long for West Palm middle school teacher Tim Williams to realize that Gerald Hearns would be a special student, when he walked into his pre-engineering class at Roosevelt magnet school.

Williams saw it in his eyes – inquisitiveness and eagerness.

"The thing I remember about him the most is his drive and his want," Williams said six years after he first met Hearns. "He was eager and ready to work. He was a self-starter. He is driven. I know that personality when I see it."

Hearns is now a freshman running back at FAMU. His teammates who have known him for just a few weeks during volunteer workouts say they see the same thing that Williams saw six years ago – drive and enthusiasm.

CONTINUE READING