Fort Valley State fully healthy after bye week

FORT VALLEY, Georgia -- With injuries throughout his roster, Fort Valley State head coach Donald Pittman said prior to the team's bye that he would use the time off to allow his team to recover from its injuries.

And it did just that.

Pittman said the Wildcats got healthy and rested during the bye as quarterbacks Otis Brown and Malcolm Eady will be able to play Saturday at home against SIAC foe Morehouse. Linebacker Leon McQuarker and safety Kentorius Jackson, who were inactive for the Wildcats' 34-7 loss to Florida Tech on Oct. 17, also will be active.

"That was a good thing, so we can work on Morehouse," Pittman said of the renewed health.

With Brown and Eady both healthy, a competition has brewed for the starting quarterback position. Pittman said he still has not named a starter and will not do so until game time.

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A&T notebook: Aggies' challenge is not looking past Florida A&M

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- There’s danger in this road trip to Florida, as league-leading N.C. A&T plays at lowly Florida A&M Saturday.

The Aggies (6-1, 4-0) are No. 20 in the FCS national poll and the only unbeaten football team in the MEAC, while Florida A&M (1-6, 1-3) has beaten only winless Delaware State.

A&T plays at South Carolina State next week in a game many believe will determine the league champion and a berth in the inaugural Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.

“We all have that dream: Dec. 19th,” said safety and linebacker Landis Shoffner, a senior from Grimsley. “This is another step toward that.”

But Shoffner, who has started a team-leading 27 games in a row, also understands the risks of looking ahead.

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Southern aiming to end losing streak against Alcorn State in key SWAC showdown

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Southern has come a long way since Dawson Odums was named head coach after the Jaguars’ 0-2 start in 2012.

He immediately brought stability and discipline as the Jaguars went a relatively respectable 4-5 the rest of the way.

The next season, Southern won its first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in 10 years, and last season it returned to the title game, though it came up short.

The Jaguars (4-3, 4-1), are again in the thick of the West Division race, establishing themselves as perennial title contenders.

But there’s one thing Southern hasn’t done during Odums’ tenure, and it’s a big thing: defeat Alcorn State. The Jaguars will try to end a four-game losing streak in the series when they face the Braves (4-2, 3-1) at 4 p.m. Saturday in A.W. Mumford Stadium.

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Commentary: Magic City Classic marks ASU's past, future

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- This was when things started turning sour for Reggie Barlow and Alabama State last season.

The Hornets blew a 12-point, fourth-quarter lead in falling, 37-36, to underdog Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham to fall to 4-4 after a 4-1 start.

Less than a week later, Montgomery Advertiser reported Barlow had received a contract extension through Dec. 31, 2017 and a $32,000 raise. The new contract became effective Sept. 9, but the Advertiser's Freedom of Information request for the deal didn't come through until later that season.



So the timing of the article worked against Barlow as some fans asked why ASU was giving him an extension when in fact he received it during the four-game winning streak. When playing in the Magic City Classic, 60,000-plus people come out to see that game. So fans and alumni of the winning team won't let the fans and alumni of the losing team forget what happened.

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Game preview: JSU vs. MVSU

THE SETUP

James Brown’s “The Payback” was the song of choice as Jackson State started to get ready for practice on Thursday, so it’s easy to see where the Tigers’ focus is following last season’s loss to Mississippi Valley State. Jackson State had won 19 consecutive games against the Delta Devils before last year’s loss to their former coach Rick Comegy. JSU will have some confidence coming into this one following last week’s win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Mississippi Valley State is still searching for its first win. All eight of its losses have come by 28 points or more, but the Delta Devils probably will play up against their in-state rival. The past four games in this series have been decided by nine points or less.

3 THINGS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Repeat performance from Morikawa?

Quarterback Jarin Morikawa earned SWAC Newcomer of the Week honors when he threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns against the Golden Lions. JSU interim coach Derrick McCall said Morikawa will start against the Delta Devils while LaMontiez Ivy still heals from an ankle injury. Can Morikawa have similar success against Mississippi Valley State?

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Ragsdale ready to rebound against Southern

LORMAN, Mississippi -- Two weeks have passed since Alcorn State last played a game, and that contest resulted in a 35-34 overtime loss to Grambling.

Braves coach Jay Hopson said he’s sure his team can’t wait to get back on the field when it hits the road to face Southern at 4 p.m. Saturday at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge.

But Hopson knows one player in particular is itching to get back out there, and that’s running back Darryan Ragsdale, who fumbled twice and was held to 3.6 yards per carry in the Grambling loss, which came on Alcorn State’s homecoming.



“He’s just a warrior; he’s been such a good football player for us,” Hopson said earlier this week. “That stuff (the mistakes) happens; you don’t ever like it, but he’s a tough all-around football player. He’s a fighter.”

Ragsdale, who grew up in Pelahatchie, has rushed for 513 yards and five touchdowns this season while averaging 85.5 yards per game on the ground, which ranks second in the SWAC.

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Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State

Four-down territory

1. Magic in the air: This week’s game marks the 74th edition of the Magic City Classic, and the excitement has been building. Both teams are coming off a bye, and look to come into the game healthy and rested. Alabama A&M won last year’s game 37-36. The Bulldogs outscored Alabama State 16-3 in the fourth quarter to take the win.

2. Rally for win: The Bulldogs overcame a nine-point deficit to defeat Jackson State in their last outing before the Classic. Damion May, playing in relief of the injured De’Angelo Ballard, threw touchdown passes to Jaquin Davis and Jonathan Dorsey, while Harvey Harris scored the game-winner early in the fourth quarter.

3. Also rallied: The Hornets trailed 14-0 before coming back to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff in their last game before the Classic. Khalid Thomas had career highs in rushing attempts (26), yards (148) and rushing touchdowns (3). Quarterback Daniel Duhart also ran for a touchdown and Rashad Boyd returned a fumble recovery for a score.

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