Another Hall of Fame honor for Aeneas Williams

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Former Rams defensive back Aeneas Williams is starting to pile up Hall of Fame honors.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2014, Williams has been named to the Black College Football Hall of Fame, the group announced Tuesday.

"The good part is, there's nothing else I can do it about," Williams said with a laugh.

In other words, his body of work is his body of work.

"I'm so glad I was blessed to put the work in college and then also in the pros," he said. "For the selection committee just to remember how I played the game and my impact on the game when I played, to be selected is just a tremendous honor."

Williams, who played at Southern University, is joined in the Class of 2016 by Ken Burrough (Texas Southern), Jethro Pugh (Elizabeth City State), Otis Taylor (Prairie View A&M), Emmitt Thomas (Bishop College) as players, and the late Lloyd "Judge" Wells (Texas Southern) as a contributor.

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With two losses in MEAC, Morgan State football can't afford any more setbacks

BALTIMORE, Maryland -- Saturday’s 20-17 loss at North Carolina Central saddled Morgan State with a two-game losing streak in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, a 3-4 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the league.

With four teams with one MEAC loss or fewer and just three games left on the schedule, the Bears’ hopes of repeating as conference champions are dwindling. Coach Lee Hull didn’t try to sugarcoat anything when he noted that the team can’t afford to slip any farther behind No. 20 North Carolina A&T (6-1, 4-0), Bethune-Cookman (6-2, 4-1), North Carolina Central (4-3, 3-1) and South Carolina State (4-3, 3-1).

But Hull also pointed out that Morgan State finished in a five-way tie for first place in last year’s standings with a 6-2 league record and captured the title via tiebreakers.

“Obviously right now, we can’t give any...

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N.C. A&T and Tuskegee Remain On Top in Week 8 of HSRN Football Polls

HARTLY, Delaware – North Carolina A&T and Tuskegee remained on top of the HSRN Football Polls following week 8 of the HBCU action. The Aggies top the HSRN Division I Poll, while the Golden Tigers maintained sole possession of first place in HSRN's Division II/NAIA Poll.

Division I/FCS

The top seven spots were unchanged from last week. #1 North Carolina A&T cruised to a 65-14 homecoming win over longtime rival Howard University to extend their winning streak to five games. The Aggies have not lost to a Division I-FCS opponent all season.

#2 Grambling State also celebrated homecoming with a 49-14 win over Mississippi Valley State.

In the battle of MEAC Co-defending champions, North Carolina Central defeated Morgan State, 20-17, pushing the Eagles to #8 in the HSRN Poll.

Division II/NAIA

Playing on the road for the fourth time in five weeks, Tuskegee University came out with a 38-28 victory over Kentucky State to remain #1 in this week's poll.

Bowie State climbed into the #2 spot after edging Virginia Union, 23-19, in a game between the top two teams in the CIAA Northern Division.

#4 Virginia State, #5 Albany State, #6 Chowan and #8 Winston-Salem State all moved up following wins over the weekend.



By Eric Moore, HSRN

2015 SWAC Football Teleconference - Week 9

Alabama A&M - James Spady

Alabama State - Brian Jenkins

Alcorn State - Jay Hopson

Jackson State  - Derrick McCall

Mississippi Valley State - Rick Comegy

Prairie View A&M - Willie Simmons

Grambling State - Broderick Fobbs

Southern - Dawson Odums

Texas Southern - Darrell Asberry

Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Monte Coleman

COURTESY SWAC MEDIA RELATIONS

First NCAA Regional Football Rankings Released, Tuskegee Ranked 16th

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana  -- The first regional rankings were released across the country Monday afternoon, and the 16th-ranked Tuskegee University Golden Tigers find themselves second in initial Super Region Two rankings.

Tuskegee (7-1 overall, 7-1 region) have played all eight games against region competition, and find themselves trailing only top-ranked West Georgia (8-0) in the initial rankings.

The NCAA Division II Super Region 2 Advisory Committee finished out the top five with North Alabama (5-2 overall, 5-1 region), Catawba (5-2 overall, 5-2 region) and North Greenville (4-1 overall, 4-1 region). The final to teams comprising the top seven include Carson-Newman (5-2 overall, 5-2 region) and Wingate (6-2 overall, 6-2 region).

Seven teams from Super Region Two will qualify for the postseason this year, with the expanded playoff field in NCAA Division II going to 28. The champions from the Gulf South Conference, South Atlantic Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) earn bids to the postseason, albeit if they are ranked in the top eighth of the region. The remaining four teams will be determined by the regional rankings at the end of the year.

The remaining teams in the top 10 of Super Region Two include West Alabama (5-2 overall, 4-2 region), Florida Tech (4-2 overall, 4-2 region) and Valdosta State (4-2 overall, 4-2 overall).

The regional playoff field will begin play on November 21, with the top team in the region receiving a first round bye.

Last season, the Golden Tigers finished third in the final region rankings and hosted their first playoff game in school history against West Georgia.

The Golden Tigers return to action this weekend at home against Central State in a key SIAC battle, with kick set for 1 pm. The game will be part of Senior Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and will be carried on the Tuskegee Sports Network.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

Rk	School	Region Rec	Overall Rec
1	West Georgia	8-0	8-0
2	Tuskegee	7-1	7-1
3	North Alabama	4-2	5-2
4	Catawba	5-2	5-2
5	North Greenville	4-1	4-1
6	Carson-Newman	5-2	5-2
7	Wingate	6-2	6-2
8	West Alabama	4-2	5-2
9	Florida Tech	4-2	4-2
10	Valdosta State	4-2	4-2

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

McCall, Comegy ready for coaching matchup

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The game at Alabama A&M represented Derrick McCall’s first as a head coach. A week later, McCall recorded his first win as Jackson State’s interim coach against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The victory likely wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the man he’ll be coaching against on Saturday, when the Tigers face their former coach, Rick Comegy, and Mississippi Valley State.

McCall served as a receivers coach on Comegy’s staff and eventually moved up to offensive coordinator during Comegy’s final two seasons, 2012 and 2013, when JSU (2-5, 2-3 SWAC) appeared in back-to-back SWAC title games.

“He personally helped me in so many ways … he was responsible for bringing me to Jackson State and making me a coordinator while I was here,” McCall said during the SWAC teleconference on Monday. “I know Rick Comegy very well and he’s a genius in terms of defensive schemes. He’s going against some of the players he’s coached before. Being a part of that, he’ll try to rip your heart and we do understand that. He’ll give it back to you, by the way, but guys understand we have to go to Valley and be ready to play a very tough football game.”

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Alabama State football picks up three commitments from Glenville (video)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Three college commits from Glenville are eyeing some warmer weather down south after graduation.

The three seniors -- DT/G Christian Clark, CB/WR Aaron Pope Jr. and RB Taliesin Farmer -- committed to Southwestern Athletic Conference member Alabama State on Friday.

“I think they are getting some quality players, and some good students,” Glenvillecoach Ted Ginn Sr. said. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids and even to start something for recruiting in Northeast Ohio.”

Here's more on each of the three commits, who are not ranked by the major national recruiting services.

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North Carolina A&T Moves To 20th In FCS Coaches Poll

GREENSBORO, North Carolina  --  North Carolina A&T’s 65-14 blowout win over Howard helped the team move up in both national Football Championship Subdivision polls. The Aggies (6-1, 4-0 MEAC) are No. 20 in the STATS FCS and NCAA FCS Coaches’ polls. It is the Aggies highest rating in the STATS FCS (formerly known as Sports Network) poll since 2003 when they were ranked 12th in the nation. Their highest ranking in the coaches’ poll in 2003 was 13th.

N.C. A&T, who has yet to lose to an FCS program this season, received 786 points to move into the Top-20 in the FCS poll. The Aggies are followed by Indiana State, Dartmouth, Western Illinois, Charleston Southern and Youngstown State to round out the Top-25. Jacksonville State (6-1) finds themselves atop the poll again followed by Coastal Carolina, Illinois State, Chattanooga and Eastern Washington to complete the list of Top-5 teams.



A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the STATS FCS Top 25. In the voting, a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.

The Aggies picked up 142 points in the coaches’ poll to move up four spots to No. 20. The Aggies are followed by Northern Iowa, Dartmouth, Indiana State and Southern Utah and Youngstown State are tied at No. 24. Coastal Carolina (7-0) leads the coaches’ poll with 15 first-place votes. They Chanticleers are followed by Jacksonville State, Illinois State, Chattanooga and Eastern Washington in the Top-5.

A panel of selected FCS coaches vote each week in the NCAA FCS Coaches’ Poll. The twentieth ranked Aggies return to action Saturday, Oct. 31 when they face Florida A&M at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., at 5 p.m.

STATS FCS Poll

FCS Coaches' Poll

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

SCSU Bulldogs back home, readying for homecoming game with Hampton

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- It’s the cure for what ails any college football team – wins!

The South Carolina State Bulldogs are coming off of back-to-back wins after enduring back-to-back losses to start this month.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs (now 4-3 overall, 3-1 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play) took a 34-7 MEAC win at Delaware State.

The S.C. State special teams and defense led the way to several scores, helping the Bulldogs gain momentum toward the victory an 11-hour drive away from home.

Now, the Bulldogs will remain home to host a homecoming game against Hampton on Saturday, with a scheduled 1:30 p.m. kickoff set for Willie E. Jeffries Field inside Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium. Both teams have three wins in conference play, however S.C. State is among just four MEAC teams with fewer than two conference losses.



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NC A&T - "The Power and the Glory Show" @ #GHOE

ALWAYS WATCH IN 1080p HD, WIDE SCREEN

The BGMM pays special tribute to the ongoing struggle.
Special thanks to NC A&T alum Mr. Aaron Campbell for providing the arrangements for this show. Thomas L. Jones, Jr.

XU's Salwan wins another singles title, this time at UNO

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Karan Salwan defeated Daniel Merker of Southern Miss 6-2, 6-2 Saturday in the men's flight 1 championship match of the Big Easy Tennis Classic at the University of New Orleans.
     
Salwan, a junior in his first semester at Xavier, won a singles championship for the second time in three fall tournaments. He was the A-flight singles and doubles winner at the HBCU National Championships in September.
    
"I am really proud of what Karan did winning his flight. He was banged up going into the tournament and could have easily sat out," XU coach Alan Green said. "He showed some toughness competing and winning. Everyone played well, and we just have to continue to stay in shape and be ready for the spring season."
     
Salwan beat Giacomo Adoncecchi of the University of New Orleans 6-1, 7-5 in the semifinals Friday.
     
Xavier's Jana van der Walt lost 6-2, 6-0 to UNO's Brittany Johnson in the women's singles flight 6 consolation final. Van der Walt defeated Louisiana-Lafayette's 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (10-8) and Florida A&M's Elizabeth Clayton 6-3, 6-3.
     
In doubles, Kyle Montrel and Kevin Chaouat reached the men's main-draw quarterfinals, and Brandi Nelson and Sha'Nel Bruins reached the women's consolation semifinals.
     
It was Xavier's final tournament of the fall. The Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets will begin their schedule of dual matches in late January.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Dillard University Coaches Luncheon Set for Monday

NEW ORLEANS (DillardBleuDevils.com) -- The Dillard University Department of Athletics is excited to announce its weekly Coaches Luncheon series which will begin next Monday, October 26 at 12:30 p.m. at Dillard University's Kearny Hall West Wing.

"I'm thrilled to launch another exciting initiative that will allow our programs to connect with the local community, media and fan base," said Athletic Director, Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes. The Luncheon will include updates from men's basketball head coach Mike Newell, women's basketball head coach Norbert Rome, head volleyball coach Yolanda Brown and head cross country and track & field coach Bobby Williams.



The weekly series will continue through the end of the semester. Remaining dates for the 2015 calendar year are as follows:

Monday, Nov. 2
Monday, Nov. 9
Monday, Nov. 16
Monday, Nov. 23
Monday, Nov. 30
Monday, Dec. 7

Although it is not mandatory for entry, Sodexo lunch plates will be available for purchase from the Dillard University cafeteria.

Upcoming Games

On November 5, Dillard's cross country teams travel to San Antonio to participate in the conference championships while Dillard's volleyball team has two home conference games remaining, one on Oct. 26 for Domestic Violence Awareness month (fans are asked to wear purple) and senior night on Nov. 9.

Both basketball teams open the season on the road on Oct. 30 in Austin, Texas, and the home opener for both teams is on Nov. 2 at the Battlefield in Dent Hall.

Stay connected Bleu Devil athletics at www.dillardbleudevils.com and also follow @geauxDU on Twitter as well as Dillard Bleu Devils on Instagram for all the latest DU athletics news.

Florida A&M University President Elmira Mangum discusses her students and the legacy of the school during the 10th Annual Education Sunday at Bethel AME Church

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- In a seeming challenge to those behind her attempted ouster, Florida A&M University President Elmira Mangum delivered a rousing speech Sunday about the school’s legacy and creating new opportunities for students.

“When we are talking about bridging the gap, one student at a time, we’re talking about what we need to do for social change,” Mangum said during the 10th Annual Education Sunday at Bethel AME Church. “Social change, in every community — especially in these United States — it started with our students.”

Her words were impassioned, truncated by brisk applause, and often bringing a congregation, donned mostly in orange and green, to its feet. The school’s Board of Trustees’ two attempts to fire her last week appeared to have only bolstered her commitment to lead.

“We’re building a future, a future that’s grounded in honor and integrity. A future that cannot be, and will not be traded for personal ambitions,” Mangum said. “I’m never going to give up on the students. I am not going to quit on them, because they’re not going to ...

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Central State Marauders roll over StillmanTigers for fourth straight road win

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama --  Central State continued its winning ways on the road with a 24-7 victory over Stillman College on Saturday night.

Coming off last weekend's 21-0 shutout over Lane College, the Marauder defense set the tone early when linebacker Deonate Gary picked off a Brett Standifer pass and took it 30 yards for the game's first touchdown at the 12:49 mark of the opening quarter. Standifer's struggles continued on the very next Stillman drive when Clim Robbins stepped in front of Standifer's pass for his team leading 5th interception of the season.

Determined to establish the run game, the Marauders ran the ball on 12 of their 16 play, 64 yard touchdown drive, capped off by a 2 yard run from quarterback Terrence Waffordwith 12:39 to go in the first half. The CSU defense kept Stillman out of the endzone and just 46 total yards of offense in the first half as CSU took the 14-0 lead into the locker room.

Stillman's first drive of the 3rd quarter was similar to how they began the game as Gary got his hands on another pass attempt and returned it 51 yards to the Stillman 4 yard line.Terrence Wafford connected with receiver Julian Walker three plays later to put CSU up 21-0 with 12:28 left in the 3rd quarter. Stillman finally scored late in the quarter after recovering a CSU fumble at the 28 yard line. The Tigers successfully completed two passes to get down to the CSU 2 yard line before Rovonta Johnson ran in for the score to cut the CSU lead to 21-7 with 15 seconds left before the start of the 4th quarter.

CSU gave SC new life on the following kickoff when Dashad Tucker lost a fumble at midfield. With the Tigers driving, linebacker E'Donovan Stewart dislodged the ball from receiver Devon Mackey. Houston Boone, Jr. pounced on the ball for the Marauders to reclaim possession for CSU at their own 34 yard line. The Marauders responded with a 5 play, 37 yard drive but failed to convert on a 4th down attempt at the SC 29 to give the ball back to Stillman with 7:27 remaining.

Needing a score, the Tiger's hopes were dashed after Lindley Reid punched the ball out of the hands of Hudson Cain and Nehemiah Coward recovered the loose ball at the CSU 38 yard line with 6:20 to go. CSU took four minutes off the clock by successfully running the ball five straight times for 46 yards before settling for a John Adams field goal with just over 2 minutes left in the game. With no timeouts, Stillman ran out of time at the 15 yard line as CSU claimed the 17 point win.

CSU dictated the pace of the game thanks to a rushing attack that accounted for 197 yards on 47 attempts. Senior running back Jihad Rasheed shouldered most of the load with 16 carries for 70 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Gary finished with 5 solo tackles and 1 pass break up to go along with his two interceptions. Stewart accumulated for 5 total tackles and 1 sack. In addition to his fifth interception of the year, Robbins continued to expand his role on the offensive side of the ball with 3 carries for 35 yards.

"We ran the ball well and controlled the line of scrimmage. For the most part, I thought we did a great job of minimizing our mistakes and playing to our strengths today," CSU head coach Cedric Pearl said. "Our defense continues to make big plays for us and I thought we did a adequate job in all three phases of the game."

With Saturday's win, CSU recorded its first four game road winning streak since the 1995 season. Allowing just 7 points in over 8 quarters of play, the CSU defense now ranks No. 1 in nearly every SIAC defensive category heading into next weekend's game against Tuskegee University. Improving to 4-4 overall with a 2-2 ledger in conference play, CSU climbed up to 3rd in the SIAC West Division with Saturday's victory. CSU also took a 2-1 edge in the all-time series against Stillman.

Central State returns to the state of Alabama next Saturday to face reigning SIAC champion Tuskegee (7-1; 3-0). Fans can watch the game live from Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium beginning at 2 pm (est) on the Tuskegee Sports Network. 

Box Score

COURTESY CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION 

Miles Golden Bears Dominate Lane on Senior Day

FAIRFIELD, Alabama --  Miles knows its ticket to the SIAC Championship Game will likely depend on whether it can earn a win against Tuskegee on Nov. 7. But head coach Reginald Ruffin and his team knows that they can not take any team lightly in the interim, which meant bad news for visiting Lane on Saturday afternoon at Albert J. Sloan-Alumni Stadium.

The Golden Bears ran over, around, and threw the Dragons, racking up 305 of its 446 offensive yards on the ground with two players - running back Jamarcus Nance and quarterback David Whipple - each breaking the 100-yard rushing mark en route to a 37-10 Senior Day victory. The win was the third straight for Miles (4-4, 3-0 SIAC West), which can earn a spot in the league championship game on Nov. 14 with wins at Stillman on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Tuskegee in two weeks.

Miles' defense was not its usual, stingy self against the Dragons (2-6, 0-4 SIAC West), allowing 237 rushing yards and nearly five yards per play. But the Golden Bears forced four turnovers - two on interceptions by Caleb Duncan - and a 13-yard fumble recovery for a score by Braysean Jones to quell any chance Lane had of remaining competitive.

Nance (18 carries, 129 yards) scored both of his touchdowns in the first half. He opened the scoring on Miles' opening possession with a 4-yard scamper, then ended the half with a 14-yard run that gave the Golden Bears a 27-0 lead at the break. When Jones scooped and scored less than a minute into the third quarter, Lane was down 34-0 and the only remaining question was the final margin of victory.

But the Dragons continued to fight as Miles suffered an apparent letdown that has become all to common in all of its games this season. Lane got on the board with a field goal on their ensuing possession, then added a 58-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play with 8:18 left in the third quarter.

The offense did not find the end zone in the second half but Whipple did a good job moving the chains in the second half and, ultimatelty, burning the clock. He rushed for 101 yards and threw for 141 more as he had his most solid performance of the season.

Nick Christiansen closed out the scoring with a 27-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter, one of three he made on the night. Emmanuel Ray had a team-high 10 tackles and a fumble recovery while Albert Cruse and Rodrick Holloman each had sacks for the defense. Earnest Bell, Jr. also scored early for Miles on a fumble recovery in the end zone.

Box Score 

COURTESY MILES COLLEGE GOLDEN BEARS SPORTS INFORMATION

Morehouse Beats Benedict 42-10

ATLANTA -- The Benedict College Tigers turned the ball over four times and gave up four touchdowns of more than 50 yards as the Morehouse College Maroon Tigers took a 42-10 victory on Saturday at B.T. Harvey Stadium on the campus of Morehouse.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 0-8 on the season and 0-3 in the SIAC. Morehouse improves to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the SIAC.

"It's kind of hard to put into words this game. I thought this might have been the worst," Benedict head coach Mike White said. "After putting 10 quick points on the board, that's about as bad as you can play as far as giving up plays. It didn't even look right. I'm just disappointed in the trick plays."

Benedict took an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but the excitement after Okechi Ntiasagwe's 11-yard touchdown pass from Kalu Onumah was short lived, as Morehouse's Amyr Smith took the ensuing kickoff from the goal line and raced 100 yards down the right sideline for Morehouse's first big score of the game. On the first play of the second quarter, Smith came up with another big play for the Maroon Tigers. He caught a lateral pass then threw a pass to a streaking Devon Mann down the left sideline for an 80-yard touchdown pass to give the Maroon Tigers a 14-10 lead. With the Maroon Tigers facing a third-and 13 later in the quarter, Smith caught a pass from Kivon Taylor, slipped around the Benedict defender, and raced 52-yards for the score to give the Maroon Tigers a 21-10 lead at the half.

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A black college closed in 1955, but its fading alumni fight to pass on a legacy

Storer College graduated West Virginia’s first black attorney, J.R. Clifford; Ella Nora Phillips Stewart, one of the nation’s first female African American pharmacists; and jazzman Don “The Little Giant” Redman. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s first elected president, spent two years there.


HARPERS FERRY, West Virginia -- William Vollin remembers first climbing the hill to Storer College in 1947.

He was 16, a black kid on scholarship who arrived at Harpers Ferry, W.Va., with a change of clothing in a paper sack.

“I was just a nice little boy, not sophisticated,” says Vollin, 84, who sports a silver mustache, stylish spectacles and a wry smile.

“No way in the world would I stay there,” he thought back then of the bare-bones place that left him cold and homesick. He wanted to hop a train home to Arlington, Va., where he lived in public housing with his family.

But he stayed, and gradually campus life took hold. Vollin played football at Storer, met Anna Mildred Roy — they have been married 62 years — and fortified his belief that he was equal to any person, black or white.

Which is why on an August afternoon, Vollin, a retired educator who lives in Southeast Washington, is back in Harpers Ferry for the annual Storer reunion. And why his son, David Vollin, 53, is by his side. Growing up, David’s sisters, Sharon and Angela Vollin, were also regulars.

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18th-ranked Tuskegee Golden Tigers Win on the Road

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Playing for the fourth time in five weeks on the road, the 18th-ranked Tuskegee University Golden Tigers were able to come out with a 38-28 victory over Kentucky State at Alumni Stadium on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
 
Kenno Loyal became the first Golden Tiger to rush for over 100 yards, finishing with 113 yards on nine carries, whileDennis Norfleet rushed for 83 yards on five carrries. The team finished with 280 yards rushing in the game – the highest total of the season for the Golden Tigers.
 
Defensively, Osband Thompson and Jewell Ratliff combined to lead the Golden Tigers with eight tackles each, while Jonah McCutcheon recorded his fifth interception of the season.
 
After Kentucky State was able to cut into the deficit, the special teams of Tuskegee made their presence felt. After a defensive stand by the defense resulting a 19-yard field goal attempt, the Golden Tigers' Osband Thompson got through the line and blocked the attempt. The kick was picked up by Michael Robinson, who raced 88 yards for the touchdown, and extended the lead to 38-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
 
The kick was the second blocked this season by the Golden Tigers, both of which were returned for touchdowns. The 88-yard touchdown is the second longest touchdown of the season for Tuskegee, and was the third of 70 or more yards on Saturday.
 
The Golden Tigers were able to overcome two blocked kicks – one of which resulted in a touchdown – and trimmed the lead to 38-28 with 4:02 to play in the game. The Thorobreds were able to recover the ensuing onside kick, resulting in a defensive stand by the Golden Tigers with just over three minutes to play.
 
Tuskegee (7-1, 6-0 SIAC, 3-0 West) used a rushing attack that gained 217 yards in the first half alone – their third-highest rushing total of the entire season – in just 30 minutes. The Golden Tigers finished just 23 yards short of their season-high 240 against Lane and just eight yards short of their total last week against Stillman.
 
Tuskegee used their rushing attack to get on the board early in the opening quarter. After their opening drive looked to be stalled, fullback Josh Matthews matched his career-long run of 16 yards to pick up a first down at the Kentucky State 15-yard line. That eventually led to a five-yard touchdown by Tyree Brooks – his fifth in the last three games.
 
The Golden Tigers would strike again, but not until near the end of the first quarter when another drive looked to stall deep in their own territory. Running back Kenno Loyal took the handoff and ran up the middle, nearly untouched, for a 79-yard touchdown run that put the Golden Tigers up 14-0 with just 25.6 seconds left in the opening quarter. The run by Loyal is the fourth-longest play for a touchdown this season for the Golden Tigers, matching the 79-yard pass from Kevin Lacey to Van Powell against Albany State. It is also the longest run from scrimmage this season for the Golden Tigers – besting the mark set by Dennis Norfleet set last week against Stillman of 59 yards.
 
Kentucky State was able to answer and get on the board with 10:08 remaining in the first half, taking the ball down the field in nine plays and covering 82 yards – the second longest drive this season against the Tuskegee defense. The drive culminated in an Ora Johnson 21-yard pass to Charles Johnson that trimmed the lead to 14-7.
 
The Thorobreds took advantage of a fumble by Tuskegee, driving down the field using a 34-yard run by Reginald Johnson that set up another touchdown. Kentucky State tied the game up with 7:02 to play in the half, when Johnson connected with Lavelle Cloyd on a screen that covered six yards that tied the game at 14-all.
 
Following a delay due to a significant lower leg injury to a Kentucky State player, Tuskegee wasted no time regaining the lead. The Golden Tigers took two plays, and used the speed of Dennis Norfleet for a 74-yard scamper with just over six minutes to play in the half. The run put the Golden Tigers up 21-14, and was the second longest run of the day (and the season) for a touchdown by the Golden Tigers.
 
They wasted little time in building their advantage back to two touchdowns as Norfleet set the offense with a first down at the 26-yard line. Using just two plays and 52 seconds, the Golden Tigers' Loyal scored his second touchdown of the day from nine-yards out and put Tuskegee ahead 28-14 with just over four minutes to play in the contest.
 
The second half scoring started on eight play drive that covered only 18 yards for the Golden Tigers, but it took 3:31 off the clock. It resulted in a 30-yard field goal from Kemuel Lawrence that extended the Tuskegee lead to 31-14 with 7:12 to play in the third quarter.
 
Kentucky State was able to answer the opening drive by Tuskegee as they took their second possession 64 yards on 10 plays. The Thorobreds used a William Johnson two-yard run with 1:20 to play in the third quarter to trim the Tuskegee lead to 31-21.
 
Tuskegee returns next week against Central State University at Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 pm, and the Golden Tigers will honor their seniors during a pregame ceremony. They are also asking all fans to wear pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
 
For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

BOX SCORE

COURTESY TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Chowan Hawks Hold off Elizabeth City State Vikings

MURFREESBORO,  North Carolina  -- The Chowan University football team earned a 24-20 victory over the visiting Elizabeth City State Vikings on Saturday afternoon.  The Hawks improve to 5-3 overall with the victory and advance to 3-2 against CIAA opponents.  The Vikings move to 4-3 on the year and drop to 2-3 in league play.  Chowan's win over Elizabeth City State was the Hawks' first divisional win of the season and marked the first win against the Vikings in program history. 

Elizabeth City State got on the board first in the contest using a 37 yard field goal by Jeff Flores.  Chowan promptly answered back on the next drive of the game, using a four play, 75 yard drive capped by an 18 yard touchdown run by Tyree Lee to take a 6-3 advantage.  Nick Hahula's point after attempt was successful, resulting in a 7-3 lead for the Hawks with 7:38 left in the first quarter.

With 1:55 on the clock before the start of the second quarter, Jordan Watkins connected with Damian Ellis on a 33 yard touchdown pass to push the Hawks ahead 13-3.  Hahula made good on the point after attempt, extending Chowan's advantage 14-3. 

Daquan Neal's two-yard touchdown rush with 8:37 remaining before halftime along with Flores' successful point after attempt capped a seven play, 43 yard drive for the Vikings and cut the deficit to 14-10.  Hahula took matters into his own hands with a 39 yard field goal with 5:31 remaining before halftime to push Chowan ahead 17-10. 
The Hawks' defense held the Vikings off in the remainder of the second half and held a 17-10 lead heading into halftime. 

After a scoreless third quarter, Elizabeth City State fought back with vengeance in the fourth, outscoring Chowan 10-7 in the final fifteen minutes of play.  The comeback proved to be too little too late as the Hawks held on to earn the 24-20 win. 

Khayree Lundy intercepted Watkins' pass at the Vikings' 15 yard line to shift the momentum in favor of Elizabeth City State with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter.  Neal then connected with Montario Hunter on a 48 yard pass to set up Ra'Sheed Rushing for a four yard touchdown run and Flores made good on the point after attempt to knot the score 17-17. 

At the midway point of the fourth quarter, Flores made good on a 38 yard field goal to restore the advantage to the Vikings.  Down but not out, the Hawks regrouped on the next drive with a seven play, 88 yard drive highlighted by Watkins 45 yard touchdown pass to Lee.  Hahula's point after attempt was good, leaving the Vikings trailing 24-20 with 6:12 left to play.

The Hawks and Vikings exchanged drives as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter.  With 34 seconds left in the game and the ball on the Hawks' 47 yard line, Vincente` Stafford intercepted Neals' pass at the 35 yard line to secure the victory for the Chowan Blue and White. 

The Vikings tallied 410 yards of offense over the course of the competition while the Hawks collected 343.  Rushing led the effort for Elizabeth City on the ground with 17 carries for 96 yards and one touchdown.  Neal completed 18-37 pass attempts for 256 yards while tallying 11 carries for 22 yards and one touchdown.  He connected with Lovie Banks-Rose eight times for 107 yards and Montario Hunter six times for 125 yards. 

Lee paced Chowan with 31 carries for 173 yards and one touchdown for the Hawks.  Watkins, in his first collegiate start, completed 12-19 pass attempts for 187 yards and two touchdowns.  Kaine Lombard and Anthony Elliott each grabbed four passes on the afternoon.  Lombard accounted for 50 receiving yards while Elliott totaled 38 on the afternoon.  Lee and Ellis tallied 58 and 41 receiving yards, respectively, and each caught one touchdown pass in the victory. 

Defensively, Darren Wilson led all players in the game with 13 tackles (seven solo, six assisted) followed by Stephen Williams with 10 tackles (seven solo, three assisted). Demetrius Newberry notched a team-high seven tackles (six solo, one assisted) and tallied two pass breakups while Roderick Lindsey also tallied seven tackles (six solo, one assisted) along with one breakup.

The Hawks return to action at Garrison Stadium on Saturday, October 31^st as Chowan hosts Virginia State University.  The contest is Chowan's Homecoming Game and will also be Senior Day for the Hawks.  Kick-off is slated for 3:00pm. 

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Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Releases 2015-16 Men's Basketball Media Guide

GCAC MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE 2015-16 (.pdf)

NEW ORLEANS -- The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference announced the release of the the 2015-16 Men's Basketball media guide today.

The eight-page publication features a statistical recap of the 2014-15 season along with the 2015 Preaseason Coaches' Poll, Preseason All-GCAC team listing, as well as rosters, season previews and schedules for each conference basketball team.

Fans and media may download a full-color PDF version of the media guide by clicking on the link above.
The 2015-16 men's basketball season tips off on Oct. 26 when defending conference champion Talladega hosts Oakwood College.

The GCAC schedule begins on Jan. 2, 2016.

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Les East: Alcorn State’s visit Saturday would be the perfect time for Southern to put it all together

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern has all the pieces.

This is the week that the puzzle has to come together.

The Jaguars passed the halfway point in the Southwestern Athletic Conference season when they beat Texas Southern 40-21 on Saturday in soggy Houston.

They improved to 4-1 in SWAC play and, over the course of those five games, they have established themselves as a contender for a third consecutive West Division title. But each performance — the four victories as well as the defeat — has featured blemishes.

The one constant has been the passing game, which has been one of the most dynamic and efficient in the SWAC. With Austin Howard distributing the ball to a half-dozen or more productive receivers, the Jaguars have consistently moved the ball through the air, the primary reason they have scored at least 40 points in every SWAC game.

The only times in conference play that Southern has had limited success in the passing game have been when it didn’t need to throw much — such as Saturday, when the running game and the defense dominated.



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