S.C. State aims for co-MEAC championship

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Points will most likely be at a premium today at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, where two of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s best meet in the season finale for both teams.

S.C. State, allowing just 20.9 points per game, ranks third in the league in scoring defense. Meanwhile, Norfolk State is second, allowing just 16.5 points per game.

“The best defense we’ve played all year; that kind of says it all,” S.C. State Coach Buddy Pough said. “They match up very, very badly for us, when you take that defense and put it against our offense.”

And the Bulldogs (7-4, 5-2) catch the Spartans (4-7, 4-3) on the heels of one of S.C. State’s poorest offensive performances of Pough’s 13-year tenure as coach. The team managed just 207 total yards in last week’s 24-21 loss at Morgan State.

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Game preview: Alabama State vs. Stillman

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1 First one: Alabama State picked up its first road win with a 37-23 victory at Grambling.

“What better way against the No. 1 team that was in HBCU at the time,” ASU coach Reggie Barlow said. “Just a great, great, great thing for our guys, and I’m proud of them for that.” The Hornets were 0-5 on the road with one of those losses coming against Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic in Birmingham.”

2 Record chaser: Senior tailback Malcolm Cyrus is 206 yards shy of breaking the Alabama State single-season record for rushing yards set by Brad Baxter in 1986 with 1,705 yards on 302 carries. “I think these guys want to make that happen for him,” Barlow said. Cyrus has 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns on 237 carries. “It’s pretty remarkable. I don’t think it could happen to a better guy.”

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A CLASSIC: NCCU hosts N.C. A&T in MEAC title tilt

DURHAM, North Carolina -- With UNC’s 45-20 Thursday night win over Duke in the rearview mirror and N.C. State enjoying a bye week, all eyes in the Triangle will be on O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium today.

That’s where MEAC leader North Carolina A&T will visit N.C. Central (2 p.m., NCCUEaglePride.com) with the possibility of one of the largest conference title logjams ever on the line.

If A&T wins, it will claim the MEAC title outright.

If the second-place Eagles (6-5, 5-2 MEAC) manage to upset A&T (9-2, 6-1 MEAC), they’ll share the conference title and could earn the league’s one guaranteed slot in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs — maybe.

Complicating matters is the fact that Morgan State (6-5, 5-2), S.C. State (7-4, 5-2) and Bethune-Cookman (8-3, 5-2) could easily tie a victorious NCCU and A&T in a five-way co-championship.

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Fans ready for 35th Florida Classic at newly renovated Citrus Bowl

ORLANDO, Florida -- Festivities for the 35th Florida Classic are set to kick off Friday at the newly renovated Citrus Bowl.

The annual match-up between FAMU and Bethune-Cookman will be the first event held at the stadium after its $207 million renovation. The historic game between in-state rivals Bethune Cookman and FAMU has been played at the Citrus Bowl since 1997.

Some loyal fans parked their RVs outside the stadium Thursday night to guarantee they could wake up to the festivities Friday morning.

Tommy and Steve Bostick took off from Daytona Beach Thursday at 3 a.m. to secure a good spot.

"I'm just going to enjoy this weekend with my family. Just have a good time, laugh, joke. Life is short, you know? You still want to enjoy yourself," said Steve Bostick.



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Revamped Citrus Bowl ready for Saturday's Florida Classic game

ORLANDO, Florida — Final preparations are underway at the Citrus Bowl for the Florida Blue Florida Classic football game Saturday.

Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman universities will be the first teams to take the field in the revamped stadium, following a $200 million makeover.

As construction equipment moved out of the stadium football helmets replaced hard hats.
"New stadium, I think you're going to get a lot more folks here than you normally would as an opportunity to see the stadium," said football fan James McKinney.

Fans told Channel 9's Steve Barrett that they are ready and they believe the new stadium will bring back the excitement that's waned in recent years following the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion three years ago.



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Virginia State set to host first-ever playoff game

ETTRICK, Virginia -- For the first time in Virginia State University football history, the Trojans are in the NCAA Division II Football championship game and it’s coming to Ettrick.

The third-seeded Trojans host sixth-seeded Long Island University-Post on Saturday at noon in the first round. The winner will advance to play second-seeded Bloomsburg next weekend.

“I think it’s huge,” said Trojans coach Latrell Scott. “It’s huge for our team, it’s huge for our fans, it’s huge for our alumni, it’s huge for our school. It really gives us the ability to showcase what VSU really is and we’re looking forward to trying to get the entire city out to support our guys.”

 

Winning their first CIAA championship since 1996 was "a big thrill for us all. You saw ...

 

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Week 13: HBCU Football Schedule

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014

NCAA Division II Playoffs
LIU Post at Virginia State, 12 Noon
West Georgia at Tuskegee, 1 PM

OVC
Tennessee State at Murray State, 2 PM

MEAC
Hampton at Howard, 1 PM (The Real HU)
Delaware State at Morgan State, 1 PM
Norfolk State at South Carolina State, 1:30 PM
Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M, 2 PM at Orlando, TV: ESPN Classic
North Carolina A&T at North Carolina Central, 2 PM
Savannah State at Brigham Young, 3 PM

SWAC
Stillman at Alabama State, 2 PM (Homecoming) Watch Live • Live Stats
Jackson State at Alcorn State 3 PM (Soul Bowl) Watch Live
Alabama A&M at Arkansas Pine Bluff, 3:30 PM Audio



ALL GAME TIMES ARE SHOWN IN EASTERN TIME ZONE