Grambling State pulls away late to defeat Jackson State

GRAMBLING, Louisiana | The Grambling State University football team scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away from Jackson State in a 36-21 victory on Saturday night at Eddie G. Memorial Stadium.

"It was good to get a victory tonight," Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs said. "We didn't play well and we had a lot of mistakes and a lot of penalties. Coach (Tony) Hughes and his staff have done an excellent job and at the end of the day, they gave us all that we could handle. We were just able to grind out the victory."

Grambling State (2-1) took advantage of a safety just eight seconds into the game as the snap to Jackson State quarterback Brent Lyles was high and over his head as he retrieved the ball in the endzone. Lyles ran out of the back of the endzone to give GSU a quick 2-0 lead.



BOX SCORE

Grambling State set up shop on its own 46 to begin its first drive. GSU marched 54 yards in just six plays, capped by a Devante Kincade 13-yard touchdown run to give Grambling State a 9-0 advantage with 12:35 remaining in the opening quarter.

Jackson State (0-3) cut the margin to 9-7 as Lyles scored on a two-run quarterback keeper with 44 seconds left in the first quarter.

JSU put together a seven-play, 81-yard drive and took 3:07 off the clock as Jordan Johnson punched in the go-ahead score to give Jackson State a 14-9 lead with 11:29 left in the first half.

Back came Grambling State as Martez Carter ran past the Jackson State defense and 51 yards into the endzone to give GSU the lead for good at 16-14 with 9:34 left in the half.

Grambling State got a 24-yard field goal from Marc Orozco with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter to push the advantage to 19-14.

Orozco added his second field goal, a 37-yarder, with 9:54 left in the third to extend the advantage to 22-14.

Jackson State answered as Lyles found Benjy Parrish on a 33-yard touchdown pass on third down, cutting the deficit to a single point, 22-21, with 7:03 left.

But that would be all Jackson State would get as Kincade connected with Lyndemian Brooks on a 51-yard touchdown pass with 12:17 remaining and Percy Cardo recovered a fumble and scored with 3:33 left to put the game out of reach.

Turning Point
In a game that had a few twists and turns, the safety to begin the game could have been the turning point.

However, leading 22-21 entering the fourth quarter, Grambling State drove 96 yards on 13 plays and took 6:18 off the clock as Kincade found Brooks for the 51-yard score.

GSU sealed the game late and had Jackson State backed up inside the 10-yard line when Lyles connected on a pass to Shaquil Ward. However, Ward tried to dish the ball off to another receiver as he was being hit by De'Arius Christmas and Percy Cargo scooped up the fumble and return it 11 yards for the game-winning score.

Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State finished the night with 22 first downs.
· Jackson State recorded 17 first downs.
· Grambling State's defense held Jackson State to just 48 yards rushing on 31 attempts.
· GSU pounded the ball with 164 yards on 34 rushes.
· Grambling State racked up 419 total yards of offense.
· Martez Carter finished with 18 carries for 96 yards.
· Devante Kincade registered 60 yards on eight carries and was 22-of-37 passing for 255 yards and two total touchdowns.
· Quintin Guice caught eight passes for 72 yards.
· De'Arius Christmas posted eight tackles, including a forced fumble.
· Brent Lyles was 23-of-31 passing with one touchdown pass.
· Jordan Johnson finished with 49 yards on 10 carries.
· Miquel James caught five passes for 46 yards.
· Tyler Rogers and Shawn Bishop each had eight tackles for Jackson State.

News & Notes
· The game marked the first time since 2012 that Jackson State visited Grambling State.
· The GSU win marked the fourth straight over Jackson State and Grambling State leads the overall series 46-21-1
· Grambling State came into the game ranked No. 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the STATS FCS Top 25. The Tigers were also ranked No. 3 in the BOXTOROW weekly poll.
· The game against Jackson State did not count as a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) win due to the conference going to a seven-game schedule. However, GSU does open SWAC play on the road next week against Mississippi Valley State.

Up Next
Grambling State opens Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play on Saturday, Sept. 23 in Itta Bena, Miss. against Mississippi Valley State. Kickoff against the Delta Devils is set for 6 p.m.

Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Alabama State falls to Kennesaw State after long weather delay

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- After a 55-minute weather delay, the Alabama State University football team had their chance in the final seconds to come away with a win, however, it was the Kennesaw State University defense who came up with the big play at the end to come away with a 20-14 victory at ASU Stadium late Saturday night.

Alabama State (0-3), who trailed most of the game, started a drive from their own nine yard line with just 4:46 remaining in the contest and down six. The Hornets moved the ball down the field, converting on two third down and one fourth down conversion to move down to the Kennesaw State 28-yard line. After a sack and an incomplete pass, redshirt freshman Kobie Jones found freshman George Golden on an eight yard screen pass on third and long. The ensuing play, Kennesaw State's Anthony Gore recorded a sack to preserve the Owls' victory.

"We just didn't get it done," Alabama State University head coach Brian Jenkins said. "I am proud because our guys played to the end. Defensively, we made some strong stands and they did a wonderful job. If you look at it, it was an even ball game all the way to the end. Defensively, we held them to their lowest output of the year thus far – they came in averaging nearly 500 yards. We didn't take advantage of opportunities and we turned the ball over a couple of times. They were able to capitalize off of our mistakes."



Alabama State tied the contest up early in the second quarter when Golden caught a pass from Jones, made a couple of defenders miss and raced to the end zone for his first career touchdown with 10:56 to play before half. The reception was just the second of his career, and he finished with five receptions for 54 yards. He also finished the night with a career-high 56 yards on 10 carries to lead the Hornets.

BOX SCORE

"He did a great job," Jenkins said. "He still has some things he can do better, but he is electrifying. He is still growing, he is still a young kid, Hopefully he can get better with some other guys."

The Hornets struck again with just 39 seconds to play in the third quarter to trim the lead to six when Darius King picked up a Kennesaw State fumble and raced 20 yards, untouched, for the touchdown – the first of his career.



King was part of a defense that held Kennesaw State to just 310 yards of total offense, 165 yards less than their average, on the night. Dennis Roberts IV led the Hornets defensively and Dominique Jackson with seven tackles on the night, while Darron Johnson and Ishmael Aurismond added six. The team finished the night with one sack and eight tackles for loss, while forcing three turnovers.

"They did a great job, they gave us a chance," Jenkins said. "They forced three big turnovers and slowed this offense down. This offense is a potent offense, they slowed them down and gave is a chance. Offensively we just didn't take advantage of it."

Jones finished the night 20-for-37 for 159 yards and three interceptions. Willis White finished the night with four receptions (28 yards) and Jamir Hannah had three for 21 yards – including a catch on the sidelines that kept the last drive alive.

"At the end of the day, I still think we are right there and we are about to turn the corner," Jenkins said. "You can't let go of the rope and I am very optimistic. We are going to stay encouraged and keep driving."

Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University football, please follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateFB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and @BamaStateSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.

ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

S.C. State Rolls in Home Opener Over Johnson C. Smith

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- Senior kicker Tyler Scandrett connected on four fields goals as South Carolina cruised to a 41-0 shutout over Johnson C. Smith Saturday (Sept. 16th) at Oliver. C. Dawson Stadium.

"We got a win, a shutout, but we still got work to do on offense. We are not consistent enough and we need to figure how to make more big plays," said head coach Buddy Pough. "Even when we are doing well, these are some concerns."

The Bulldogs (1-1) jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on a 10-yard run by senior running back Trey Samuel at the 11:45 mark in the first quarter. Scandrett connected on his first field goal on a 39-yarder with 8:35 remaining in the first.

A costly error by JCSU (0-3) led to a 17-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive end Bruce Johnson to push the Bulldogs lead to 16-0. Scandrett put SC State back on the board for the only score in the second quarter in a 31-yard field goal with 0:20 seconds remaining to close out the first-half.

Redshirt freshman running back Datron James score is first collegiate rushing touchdown on a 1-yard punch at the 9:36 mark in the third. Scandrett answered once again on a pair of field goals from 32-yard and 27-yards to push the lead 32-0 midway through the fourth quarter.

BOX SCORE

The Bulldog defense showed up once with a Cornelius Walker blocked punt for safety with 7:27 remaining in intermission. South Carolina State would hold on to post a 41-0 shutout over Johnson C. Smith.

"Today's performance on offense was mixed. NC Central is a much better team than we faced today," said Pough. So next week (Thursday night), we have our work cut out for us."

South Carolina State returns to action on a national stage against the defending MEAC Champion Eagles of NC Central in a battle of the titans in both teams league opener on ESPN2. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Durhman, NC.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

Kentucky State Thorobreds Defensive Line Wreaks Havoc as Football Takes Down Kentucky Wesleyan, 30-23

FRANKFORT, Kentucky -- Kentucky State University welcomed in-state opponent, Kentucky Wesleyan College on Saturday afternoon notching its first of the season with a 30-23 victory.

The Thorobreds (1-2) took the lead on a nine-yard pass play from junior quarterback Paul Campbell to sophomore wide receiver Johnathan Powell with 8:49 to play in the first quarter as they set the tone for the first half of action.

KSU extended its lead to 14-0 with 9:28 to play in the second quarter as Campbell called his own number and sneaked into the end zone behind his linemen from a yard out.



The Panthers (1-2) got back into the game just before halftime; as quarterback Mike McGee connected with Trey Wallenmire from 27 yards out to cut the lead to 14-7. The Thorobreds weren't finished scoring yet as sophomore running back, Brett Sylve received the kickoff and returned it 90 yards for the touchdown, making the score 21-7 at the half.

The kickoff return for a touchdown marked Sylve's second special team score of the year, leading all of the SIAC in return yards.

BOX SCORE

The Thorobreds continued their scoring as they notched the first touchdown of the second half with 11:53 on the clock in the third, Campbell found sophomore wide receiver Desmond Williams from 14 yards out to push the lead to 27-7.

KWC came back with a score of their own within two minutes to make the score 27-13 after the missed PAT.



On the very next drive, the Thorobreds were able to kick a 21-yard field goal from the boot of Turner Warren as they looked to close out the Panthers and moved the score to 30-13.

However, the Panthers were able to add another touchdown and a field goal of their own to pull within seven and make the score 30-23 with just 2:50 left in the game. KSU was able to move the ball and manage the clock well enough to secure the win.

Sylve was the leading rusher for the Thorobreds as he claimed 100 yards on 21 carries to go with his kickoff return touchdown. Campbell threw two touchdowns on the day as he gained 60 yards through the air and an additional 28 on the ground.

Chris Goodman led the defense with nine tackles, well supported by Hakeem Adebimpe and Ora Johnson with seven each.

Junior defensive end Rodriquez Jones caused havoc throughout the day accounting for five and a half tackles and two sacks. As a whole, the Thorobreds defensive line accumulated seven sacks on the day against the Panthers offensive line.

The Thorobrads will travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to face rival, Central State University in the Circle City Classic on Sept. 23. Kickoff is 3 pm ET in Indianapolis, Indiana.

KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY THOROBREDS SPORTS INFORMATION

Tuskegee Defense dominates Clark Atlanta in home opener

TUSKEGEE, Alabama -- Tuskegee forced five turnovers against Clark Atlanta in its home opener from Cleve Abbott Memorial Stadium as the Golden Tigers came away with 30-16 win Saturday afternoon. Linebackers Davoris Thomas and Osband Thompson were both involved in two of the five turnovers with Thomas forcing two and Thomas recovering them both.

The win for Tuskegee (2-1,1-0) marked the first victory in Southern Intercollegiate Conference (SIAC) play of the season and handed Clark Atlanta (2-1, 1-0) its first overall loss.

Sophomore quarterback Ahmad Deramus was given the starting nod after Jamarcus Ezell was ruled out due to injury. The Gadsden, Ala. native completed six of his 12 passes for 124 yards and one interception. His longest pass was a 61 yard completion to Javarrius Cheatham who finished with 94 receiving yards on the day.



Defensively, the Golden Tigers produced another dominant performance and it did not take long for them to pick up where they had left off from the first two weeks. Darnell Hill returned a 47 yard interception for a touchdown with only 1:20 seconds into the game putting TU ahead 7-0. Two minutes later, CAU snapped the ball over its punter's head causing a safety making the score 9-0. Eric Bright Jr. extended TU's lead to 23-13 in the second quarter which was also the score at halftime.

CAU enter Saturday's game averaging over 50 points per game, but Tuskegee was able to hold them to 34 points below that average. The Golden Tigers only gave up 213 yards of total offense including 58 yards rushing. Thompson led the way with another double-digit tackling effort earning 11, three tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries ,one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Thomas was just as impressive totaling 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and two forced fumbles.

BOX SCORE

Both teams played to a scoreless third quarter until the Golden Tigers put the game away on a Marquez Burdett 15 yard touchdown run making the score 30-16.



The defeat last Saturday against Albany State had no bearing on league standings as it was not considered a countable game. The Division Champion is determined by a six game conference schedule. If a school plays more than two-cross over games, only the last two count towards the divisional record.

Tuskegee faces the University of Findlay next Saturday with a kick time that starts at 1 p.m. EDT. Listen to the broadcast live on the Tuskegee Digital Network.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

HBCU Football Judgment Day Scoreboard - Week 3 Finals

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

MEAC
North Carolina A&T 35, Charlotte 31
Hampton 59, Livingstone 0
South Carolina State 41, Johnson C. Smith 0
Montana 56, Savannah State 0
Richmond 68, Howard 21
West Virginia 59, Delaware State 16
Florida Atlantic 45, Bethune-Cookman 0
Rutgers 65, Morgan State 0
James Madison 75, Norfolk State 14

OVC
Tennessee State 24, Florida A&M 13



SWAC
Grambling State 36,  Jackson State 21
Kennesaw State 20, Alabama State 14
Arkansas State 48, Arkansas Pine Bluff 3
McNeese 34, Alcorn State 27
South Alabama 45, Alabama A&M 0
Texas-San Antonio 51, Southern 17
Nichols 44, Prairie View 13

OTHER CONF.
Cumberland 38, Edward Waters 16
Notre Dame College 47, West Virginia State 35
Indiana (PA) 65, Cheyney 16
Newberry 55, Virginia-Lynchburg 7
SAGU 52, Texas College 7
Quincy 7, Lincoln (MO) 3



CIAA
Bowie State 66, Saint Augustine's 20
Elizabeth City State 45, Fayetteville State 42
Shaw 34, Malone 27
Winston-Salem State 21,  Virginia Union 20
West Florida 44, Chowan 17
Alderson-Broaddus 48, Lincoln (PA) 10

SIAC
Kentucky State 30, Kentucky Wesleyan 23
Benedict 30, Lane 21
Tuskegee 30, Clark Atlanta 16
Morehouse 35, Central State (OH) 33
Miles 29, Fort Valley State 10
North Greenville 35, Albany State 27

Lincoln Blue Tigers Fall in Defensive Tussle

QUINCY, Illinois -- In a game controlled by defense and special teams, Quincy edged the Lincoln football team, 7-3, on Saturday night (Sept. 16).

Lincoln (1-2, 0-1 GLVC) held Quincy (2-1, 1-0 GLVC) to just 55 yards through the air, but 48 came on the decisive touchdown pass in the third quarter. The Hawks also rushed for 134 yards, but averaged 3.6 yards per play while the Blue Tigers averaged 4.4.

The Blue Tigers got on the board with 1:35 remaining in the first quarter, as Wolky Belancourt hit a 45-yard field goal to give LU the early lead. Eriq Torrey hauled in a 22-yard pass from Henry Ogala to begin the drive, and Miles Drummond had 16 rushing yards to set up the early score.

Near the end of the third quarter, Lincoln nearly re-took the lead. Ogala found Harold Lacy for a 20-yard gain, then later found him again on a 31-yard pass that ended in Lacy being tackled just outside the end zone. On the next play, however, the Blue Tigers fumbled while running into the end zone, and Quincy recovered for a touchback.

Lacy and A'Jani Johnson led Lincoln with 53 receiving yards apiece, with Lacy averaging 13.3 yards per catch and Johnson finishing with a team-high eight receptions. Blake Tibbs caught five passes for 49 yards while Justin Korakakos made two grabs for 19 yards. Lacy also gained 49 yards on 16 carries, and Drummond finished with 34 rushing yards.

Ogala completed 15 passes for 166 yards, and Eugene Sainterling went 5-for-8 for 30 yards. On special teams, Wolky Belancourt averaged 60.0 yards on kickoffs and 34.6 yard on punts while Tibbs averaged 21 yard on kick returns.

Aaron Brown had nine tackles to lead the Lincoln defense, followed by Willard Cotton with eight and Taj Moore and Addison Tucker with five apiece. Isaiah Gray made a pair of tackles for loss, and he and Jervonta Jones each were credited with a sack. Moore and Antonio Watts broke up passes, and Julius Jackson had a quarterback hurry.

Lincoln will be back in Jefferson City next Saturday (Sept. 23) to host Truman State at 2:00 p.m. CDT. In addition to be LU's annual Homecoming game, it will also be the Blue Tigers' Blue Out game, as fans are encouraged to arrive decked out in their favorite blue Lincoln gear.

BOX SCORE

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

TSU Remains Perfect with 24-13 Win over FAMU in Tampa Classic

TAMPA, Florida -- AMPA, Fla. --- Steady offense and another strong performance by the defense lifted the Tennessee State football team to a 24-13 victory over Florida A&M on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium in the FAMU Tampa Classic. The win moves TSU to 3-0 to start the season for the second year in a row.

The Tigers held a 10-6 edge over the Rattlers (1-2) at the half before outscoring FAMU by a 14-7 margin the rest of the way.

Quarterback Treon Harris threw touchdown passes to Steven Newbold and Patrick Smith on the night, while sophomore running back Seth Rowland added another touchdown on the ground for the Tigers.

Newbold was named MVP for TSU in the game.



WHAT’S NEXT:
The Tigers will open Ohio Valley Conference play with a trip to UT Martin on Saturday, Sept. 23.

NOTES
Tennessee State is ranked 22nd in the STATS Top 25 and 24th in the FCS Coaches Poll
Captains for TSU were Chris Collins, Patrick Smith, Ebo Ogundeko and Lane Clark
FAMU won the coin toss and deferred the opening kickoff.
Official attendance for the FAMU Tampa Classic was 17,102
Tennessee State now leads the all-time series versus Florida A&M by a 30-25 margin.
TSU has won six in a row versus the Rattlers.
TSU is 3-0 for the second year in a row.

QUOTES

Senior Defensive Lineman Jason Marrow

“It’s always good to win. I’m going to say what I said last week, it’s still early in the season. We still have to go out there and keep working because we still have a long road ahead of us. We’ve got a lot of teams that we need to beat on our schedule.”
- On the win tonight

“Being relentless and coming off the ball. Not taking ‘no’ for an answer. Points are points. We have to do whatever we can to keep the offense off the board.”
- On blocking the kicks

“It was just in the moment. I just did what I was taught. I just wanted to get back there and make something happen.”
- On how he blocked the kicks

Senior Wide Receiver Patrick Smith

“We stepped it up, especially after the first two games. In the first half, we started off slowly, but we saw that we could do what we wanted to do. We picked it up in the second half. As we keep going on throughout the season, especially going into conference play, we need to keep getting better.”
- On the play of the offense

“It’s very important to be 3-0 right now. It builds confidence in the team. It helps you think about being 4-0, 5-0 and take it one game at a time. We feel like the only people who can stop us is us. You can tell from this game. We had a lot of mistakes that took us back on offense, but once we get it together, we’ll be very, very explosive and hard to stop.”
- On being 3-0




Senior Defensive Lineman Latrelle Lee

“We missed a couple tackles here and there. We weren’t as precise and fundamentally sound as we’ve been, but we played a good game and got the win.”
- On the defense

“That’s big. Just mentally being 3-0 is always a good thing. To be undefeated heading into conference and keeping that streak alive, we want to keep it going.”
- On being undefeated through three games

“It’s always good to beat your rivals. It’s a storied rivalry, so it’s great to get the win.”
- On beating Florida A&M

Junior Quarterback Treon Harris

“Controlling the line of scrimmage was big. We controlled the line of scrimmage from the offensive line. They did a great job of moving their guys out of the way to create some lanes to run the ball and throw the ball.”

- On the success of the offense

“It means a lot. Nobody wants to leave the stadium with a loss in a classic game and a rivalry game like this. We prepared all week and we got better. We executed the plan that we had.”
B
- On beating FAMU

“In my home state. It was great. I had my mother, my dad, my grandma, my auntie and friends here. And my daughter, this was her first game seeing me play, so it’s special.”
- On winning in the state of Florida

BOX SCORE

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS

Richmond Spiders Re-Write the Record Books in Home Opener with Howard Bison

RICHMOND, Virginia -- It was a record-breaking performance at Robins Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the University of Richmond football team (2-1) rolled past the Howard Bison (1-2), 68-21, in the home opener.

The 68 points are the most by a Spider offense, all-time, against a Division I opponent and Lauletta's six passing touchdowns are a single-game program record. Sophomore running back Jay Palmer had the game of his career, collecting 102 yards on the ground to go with one catch for six yards and a pair of touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, LB Dale Matthews was the catalyst. He has just three tackles but contributed half a sack and two interceptions in the first half that set the tone early on. Those picks were the first of his career, at any level of football.



The stage was set early when, at the end of the first Howard drive, DB Daniel Jones blocked a field goal attempt. The sophomore drove through the line, untouched, and dove to send the try flying. Then it was the offense telling the story of this game.

Lauletta led the Spiders on a 73-yard drive that ended with a Deontez Thompson rushing score and was followed up just a few minutes later with a Gordon Collins receiving touchdown to quickly make it 14-0.

LB Dale Matthews collected his first interception of the game on the next Howard drive which led to the Spiders scoring early in the second quarter to make it 20-0. Collins ran for the score this time, giving him back-to-back touchdowns. From that point forward it was the Kyle Lauletta show.

The senior QB hit Cortrelle Simpson for his second passing touchdown of the game on the next drive then a second Matthews interception set up a pass to Porter Abell to make it 34-0 with 8:44 still left to play in the half. Howard punted again and two plays later it was Abell running down the sideline for a 70-yard catch and run to pay dirt. Lauletta tacked on a passing touchdown to Jay Palmer before the half came to a close.

The Exton, Pa. native threw for five scores in the first half, already matching his own school record but managed to do so by throwing for just 234 yards. The 48 points were the most in the first half against a Division I opponent in school history, as were the 34, second quarter points.



The second half began with the starters still on the field. The opening drive came to a close with Lauletta hitting Tyler Wilkins over the middle who hit a spin move, shed his would-be tackler and had nothing but green in front of him for a 34-yard score. With his sixth touchdown pass Lauletta set the new single-game program passing touchdown record.

Jay Palmer later added one more scores en route to becoming the first Spider running back this season to eclipse the century mark, even after never doing-so himself prior to Saturday.

Freshman QB Joe Mancuso led the final touchdown drive for UR. He took the team 75 yards down the field without throwing a pass and finished it off with the first rushing score of his career to cap it off.

Richmond will be back at home next weekend to host Elon in its CAA opener. That game is set to kick off at 6 p.m.

BOX SCORE

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

JMU Dukes Rush Past Norfolk State, 75-14, in Non-Conference Finale

HARRISONBURG, Virginia -- Top-ranked James Madison bulldozed its way to over 400 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground en route to a dominant 75-14 victory against Norfolk State in its football non-conference finale on Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Field.

The Dukes (3-0) amassed 472 rushing yards, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. They were led by junior running back Trai Sharp who ran for 130 yards and a touchdown on just nine touches (14.4 ypc) and freshman Percy Agyei-Obese, who finished with 103 yards and a score in his first career game. Three other Dukes ran for over 50 yards in junior Marcus Marshall (64 yards, 2 TD), redshirt senior Cardon Johnson (57 yards) and senior Bryan Schor (54 yards, TD).



QUICK HITS

JMU gained 728 yards of total offense, which was just one yard shy of the program-record 729 yards gained back on Sept. 26, 2015 at FBS-foe SMU.
The Dukes limited the Spartans to only 91 yards of offense, marking the largest margin of total offense difference between two teams in JMU's 46-year history.
The team had six different players score rushing touchdowns, led by Marshall's two.
The Dukes scored 35 points in the second quarter, tying the program mark for most points in a single quarter.
Schor passed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, while Cole Johnson had 99 passing yards and a touchdown.
Two freshmen Dukes scored first career touchdowns in tight end Clayton Cheatham (rec. TD) and Agyei-Obese (rush TD).
Dukes had a pair of points in special teams when Bryce Maginley blocked a punt in the end zone, resulting in a safety.

BOX SCORE

DEFENSE COMES UP BIG ONCE AGAIN
The Dukes' defense had another sterling afternoon, holding Norfolk State to just 91 total yards of offense, 28 of which came in the final quarter, and without an offensive touchdown. JMU surrendered just 1.9 yards per play and only allowed the Spartans to cross midfield on three offensive drives.

view full photo gallery

3-0 START FOR THE DUKES

• Fifth time in school history JMU starts a season 3-0
• First time since 2015 when the Dukes began 7-0 - program best start to a year
• Win extended JMU's D1-leading win streak to 15 straight games, which is just two shy of Richmond's CAA-record 17 straight (2008-09)

OFFENSE GOES OVER 70

• Most points since scoring 84 against Rhode Island back on Oct. 29, 2016
• This is the third time JMU has scored more than 70 points under Head Coach Mike Houston
• Also the eighth game since start of 2016 going over 50 points

UP NEXT
JMU opens Colonial Athletic Association play next Saturday, Sept. 23 when it hosts Maine for Family Weekend. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at Bridgeforth Stadium/Zane Showker Stadium.

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS 

'An unlikely path': Former FAMU tennis player Kamau Murray coaches US Open finalist

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Kamau Murray didn’t attend Florida A&M thinking he'd wind up coaching tennis.

Murray was on FAMU's campus from 1998 until 2004 – four of those years were spent on scholarship with the tennis team. He got his MBA from FAMU’s School of Business and Industry, settled into corporate pharmaceutical work and coached tennis part-time to help children.

For the most part, he was content. That was flipped on its head in 2015, when he decided to quit his job at Novo Nordisk, Inc., and become a full-time coach.

Now 36, Murray is not only a full-time tennis coach, but he’s coaching 24-year-old Sloane Stephens, a rising American star. He’ll be watching closely on Saturday as his student looks to win the U.S. Open in New York.

Murray still calls the career change a risk.

“I definitely did not come to FAMU with the idea of being a tennis coach,” Murray said over the phone.

“I fell in love with the process of transformation young people into great adults. I gave up my corporate job, which SBI trained me for, and took a risk. I was making money in my corporate job. I gave it up to focus on a purpose. This is very fulfilling, to be able to help somebody achieve their dream.”



CONTINUE READING

S.C. STATE FOOTBALL: Bulldogs ready for long-awaited home opener

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina -- The football season for South Carolina State should get rolling forward Saturday when the Bulldogs welcome Johnson C. Smith to Oliver C. Dawson Stadium for the home opener.

Not only will it be the first time S.C. State has played since a 14-8 loss in the season opener at Southern in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge on Sept. 3, it will be the first time the 0-2 Golden Bulls have played outside of Charlotte this season.

That's right, the Bulldogs haven't played a home game and the Golden Bulls haven't played a road game. But they have three losses and no wins between them. Something has got to give Saturday.

"We didn't even score a touchdown in that first game and, at this point, it's been so long ago I almost can't use that information as something to reflect on," Pough said, since it will have been nearly 13 full days since the Bulldogs last played. "We've still got lots of work to do, maybe on both sides of the ball.

"We need to play better, especially in the early part of the game. Looking back, the weather part I think had a big impact on what we looked like. Now, the fact that we have to go back out and play in the same kind of circumstances, you know, on turf in 90 degrees and humidity, it's kind of a repeat of what we went through. You can run but you can't hide. We have to learn how to deal with those circumstances."

CONTINUE READING

Richmond’s national championship coach returning to face Spiders

RICHMOND, Virginia -- The announcement of the visiting head coach before a game doesn’t always draw loud applause, but it will on Saturday when eighth-ranked Richmond hosts Howard.

Howard first-year coach Mike London led Richmond to the 2008 FCS national championship in the first of his two seasons guiding the Spiders. The 56-year-old also is a Richmond graduate and had two different stints as a Spiders assistant coach before returning to his alma mater.



Richmond is playing its home opener at Robins Stadium under new head coach Russ Huesman, who was London’s defensive coordinator in 2008 before he left to become Chattanooga’s head coach.

“Just knowing the area, just knowing there’s a rich tradition there in terms of success on the field and in the classroom, and having been a part of that it makes you proud,” London said. “But also humbled in a way that I’m at a place like Howard University that has similar academics aspects and wanting to be good from a football, athletic standpoint. It will be one of those things that, obviously, what matters is the focus on the game. It’s not about me coming back, it’s about preparing a football team to play another good football team, an FCS opponent that over the years has been one of the top programs.

CONTINUE READING

North Carolina A&T Aggies, Charlotte 49ers Prepare For Highly-Anticipated Game

*No. 20/No. 25 North Carolina A&T (2-0) vs. Charlotte (0-2)
*FCS Coaches Poll/STATS Media Poll
Date: Sept. 16, 2017
Time: 6 p.m.
Facility: Jerry Richardson Stadium (15,000)
Series: First Meeting
Radio: 1320 AM/93.7 FM WCOG; Play-by-play – Donal Ware, Analysts – Al Swann

PROBABLE OFFENSIVE STARTERS: WR Elijah Bell (6-2, 221, So., Leads the nation in receiving TDs); LT Brandon Parker (6-7, 309, R-Sr., co-MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week); LG Joshua Mattocks (6-3, 331, R-Sr., entering his fourth season as a starter); C Darriel Mack (6-2, 293, R-Sr., graded out at 90 percent with knockdown blocks vs. Mars Hill); RG Daquan Blake (6-1, 290, Jr., Third-team All-MEAC); RT Marcus Pettiford (6-3, 274, R-So., Returns after one-year layoff); WR Ron Hunt (6-1, 181, So., Greensboro, N.C. He is another threat to spread the field); WR Khris Gardin (5-7, 185, Sr., Has 215 punt return yards this season); TE Leroy Hill (6-3, 249, R-Jr., All-MEAC tight end); QB Lamar Raynard (6-4, 200, R-Jr., reigning two-time MEAC co-offensive player of the week); RB Marquell Cartwright (5-8, 201, R-Jr., Recorded his second-career 100-yard game last week).




ROBABLE  DEFENSIVE STARTERS: DE Sam Blue (6-1, 247, R-Jr., Had two tackles for loss vs. MHU); NG Kadarius Kendrick (6-4, 277, R-So., Had a half tackle for loss vs. MHU); DT Justin Cates(6-2, 275, Jr., Made three solo tackles vs. MHU); DE Darryl Johnson (6-5, 226, R-So., Posted 1 TFL vs. MHU); LB Julius Reynolds (5-9, 226, R-Jr., Had a 6-yard fumble return vs. MHU); LB Joshua Patrick(5-11, 223, Sr., Had five tackles (four unassisted) vs. MHU); LB Marcus Albert (5-10, 205, R-Sr., Five tackles, 1TFL vs. MHU); FS Jeremy Taylor (5-11, 190, R-Sr., Named MEAC co-defensive player of the week); CB Mac McCain (5-11, 174, R-Fr., 10 tackles and two breakups vs. MHU); ROV Richie Kittles (5-11, 195, R-So., 32-yard INT return last week);  CB Timadre Abram (5-10, 168, R-Jr., Has good cover skills on the outside).

The Game: Records can sometimes be deceiving. The North Carolina A&T football team will go into this weekend’s game with a 2-0 record, two national rankings on the Football Championship Subdivision level and they have a red-hot offense. Meanwhile, the Charlotte 49ers are 0-2 and have been outscored 79-14 heading into their home opener on Saturday. But the 49ers come into the game with a distinct advantage in scholarship numbers as a Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision school who plays in Conference-USA. Plus, their two losses this season have come against great competition including nationally-ranked Kansas State. Therefore, the 49ers will be the toughest challenge the Aggies have faced this season.

N.C. A&T is coming off an easy win over Division II Mars Hill. Some offensive stars have emerged for the Aggies over the first two weeks of the season including redshirt junior quarterback Lamar Raynard who leads the country in completion percentage (.783), passing efficiency (237.0) and touchdown passes (8). Sophomore Elijah Bell leads the nation in receiving touchdowns (5) and total touchdowns. As a team, the Aggies are ranked eighth in the nation in passing offense, 17th in total offense and 35th in rushing offense. Defensively, the Aggies have yet to surrender a touchdown this season. The Aggies are fourth in the nation in total defense, while they have only surrendered 87 yards rushing to rank sixth in the nation. The Aggies also fixed aspects of their special teams last week by going 8-for-8 in extra points.

News & Notes

• The last time the Aggies played in Charlotte was Oct. 4, 2008 when the Aggies lost to N.C. Central 28-27 at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The Aggies are 5-11 all-time in the city of Charlotte.
• The biggest connection between N.C. A&T and Charlotte is Charlotte starting quarterback Hasaan Klugh. Klugh played for the Aggies during the 2014 season, where he started three games as a true freshman in place of an injured Kwashaun Quick. Klugh went 2-1 in those starts with a nationally-televised win over Hampton on Oct. 9, 2014. Klugh threw for 390 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in those starts while completing 42 of his 68 passes (.618) in that span.
• The Aggies have yet to give up a touchdown over the first two games. The last time that happened was 1949 when the Aggies gave up two points to Allen and shutout Virginia Union.
• Charlotte will be the fourth FBS school the Aggies have played since 2015 after playing only two FBS programs in thier history prior to the 2015 season. It took four overtimes, but the Aggies did secure their first-ever FBS win in school history a year ago by defeating Kent State 39-36 in Ohio. The Aggies are now 1-4 against FBS foes and have surrendered an average of 47.4 points in those contests.

Opposing Point of View

“They were a playoff team at the FCS level and have won a lot of games over the last few years. I think (Rod) Broadway has won 49 games since he has been there. Our guys are finally fired up about being back home and having the opportunity to play in front of our fans. Saturday is going to be a great environment and A&T will bring a good crowd, as well. Hopefully, plenty of our students come as they never have disappointed us. We’re going to have to play extremely well here at home to get this win.”

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

UAPB confident heading to Arkansas State

JONESBORO, Arkansas -- Things didn't go nearly as well for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff last week against Akron as they did during its season opener against Morehouse College, but Golden Lions Coach Monte Coleman isn't fretting.

In fact, he's embracing it.

The Golden Lions (1-1) fell into a 14-point hole in the first quarter and never recovered in dropping a 52-3 decision to the Zips on the road. Akron led 31-3 at halftime and was never seriously threatened in the second half while handing UAPB its first loss of the season.

The Zips churned out 464 yards of offense and held UAPB to just 168, which was 176 yards less than what the Golden Lions managed in their 23-10 victory over the Maroon Tigers on Sept. 2, but despite being outmanned on both sides of the ball, Coleman liked what he saw out of his team.

"It didn't turn out the way we wanted it to," he said. "During the game, I thought we were being manhandled, but when I got back and watched the film, there were a lot of bright spots and things we can build off of. And that's what I tried to convey to the team.

CONTINUE READING

Jackson State defense must slow down Kincade, Grambling's high-powered offense

JACKSON, Mississippi -- The third of three massive tests that open the 2017 season finds Jackson State at major disadvantages in several phases of the game.

Against Grambling Saturday night (6 p.m., ESPN 3), the Tigers face the defending SWAC Champs, led by the reigning SWAC player of the year in quarterback Devante Kincade.

Grambling has beaten the last 10 SWAC opponents it has faced, and 19 out of the last 20. They haven't lost to an FCS opponent in nearly two calendar years. Jackson State wants to change that streak Saturday, even if the game won't count in the conference standings.

Both teams are coming off much-improved performances in Week 2 of the season. JSU bounced back from a 63-0 loss to TCU with a 17-15 loss to No. 24 Tennessee State, while 23rd-ranked Grambling defeated Northwestern State 27-10 after falling 43-14 to Tulane to open the season.

The confidence JSU built by hanging with Tennessee State for four quarters has the Tigers thinking of an upset this week.

CONTINUE READING  

Game vs. Southern University is special for UTSA coach Frank Wilson

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Saturday's game against the Southern University Jaguars at the Alamodome will have special meaning for UTSA coach Frank Wilson.

A native of New Orleans, Wilson has a keen sense of history when it comes to the football programs at Southern, Grambling State and other historically black colleges that compete in the tradition-rich Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Three of Wilson's uncles and six cousins played for the legendary Eddie Robinson at Grambling.
Wilson, 43, often would attend preseason workouts at Grambling in the summers as a youth. He recalled going to his first Grambling game at Tiger Stadium at 6 years old.

Wilson said he was in awe of Robinson.

"I remember walking into Coach Rob's office he would say to me, 'Come on over here. Hey son, come on in here.'"

"He talked like that when he talked," Wilson continued, mimicking Robinson's Southern drawl. "I shook his hand and he put me on his knee. I was just like (wow)."

CONTINUE READING

Tennessee State vs. Florida A&M football: 5 things to watch

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- No. 24 Tennessee State (2-0) visits Florida A&M (1-1) — teams that have combined for 22 black college national titles — in the Tampa Football Classic at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday. Here are five things to watch:

A faster start

TSU, beaming with confidence after claiming a 17-10 win in the opener against FBS Georgia State, was expected to come out strong last week against Jackson State. That didn't happen. Especially on offense TSU was sluggish throughout the first half and had only a 10-9 lead. The offense was slightly better in the second half, but never did get into gear. It finished with 238 yards and only 11 first downs. TSU also started slow last year against FAMU, falling behind 14-7 before rallying for 30-14 win.

Dialed-in receivers

The Tigers' receivers had more drops last week than catches. Treon Harris completed just 5 of 17 passes. Only two receivers — Patrick Smith (3) and Stephen Newbold (1) — had catches. Tight end Mahlon Medley had the other. Coach Rod Reed challenged his deep group of receivers to play better this week. It will help if sophomore Chris Rowland is able to see more action. He was limited to returning kicks in the first two games while nursing an ankle injury.

CONTINUE READING

FAMU RB Devin Bowers completes climb to scholarship

TALLAHASSEE, Florida -- Junior running back Devin Bowers has come a long way from his freshman year.

Coming out of St. Petersburg Northeast, Bowers didn't have any D-I scholarship offers. He came to Florida A&M as a preferred walk-on and waited for a chance to shine.

He didn't have to wait long. Bowers burst into FAMU's lineup with a strong showing against Samford during his freshman season in 2015. He ran for 144 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries.

He proved he had potential, consistency was his biggest issue.

Bowers battled injuries during his freshman and sophomore years, but was able to impress when he was on the field. He picked up FAMU MVP honors during the Florida Classic in 2015 and led the team in rushing in 2016 with 398 yards and four touchdowns.

Now he's on full scholarship.

CONTINUE READING

4 win twice in singles at HBCU National Championships

COLLEGE PARK, Georgia — Returning letterwinners Pierre Andrieu and Yi Chen Pao and newcomers Gabriel Niculescu and Manon Bonada won a pair of singles matches apiece for Xavier University of Louisiana Thursday during the opening day of the HBCU National Tennis Championships.
     
Andrieu defeated Alabama A&M's Joshua Wilson 6-1, 6-0 and Florida A&M's Hema Hasona 6-3, 6-0, to reach the quarterfinals in men's C-bracket. Pao advanced to the women's C quarterfinals after beating Grambling's Bryttish Burts 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (12-10) and Tennessee State's Morgan Cage 6-4, 6-3.
     
Niculescu, a transfer from Troy, began his XULA career with a 6-4, 7-5 victory against Alabama A&M's Shakir Elvin and a 6-4, 6-0 decision against FAMU's Karlyn Small to reach the men's B quarterfinals. Bonada began her collegiate career with victories in the B-bracket: 6-2, 6-3 against Delaware State's Aausyshi Chouhan and 6-0, 6-4 against Grambling's Keren Huppuch Muswere.
     
Also advancing was two-time NAIA All-American Charlene Goreau, who reached the women's A quarterfinals with one victory, 6-1, 6-2 against Virginia State's Sydney Yao. Goreau is a No. 2 seed and XULA's highest-seeded singles player in this year's event.
     
Another returning All-American, Catalin Fifea, lost 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 1-0 (10-7) to Hampton's Luke Thompson in the men's A round of 16. Fifea will play in the consolaiton bracket.
     
The three-day event will conclude Saturday.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Rush, Nuggets begin fall season with four newbies

NEW ORLEANS — Alan Green, Xavier University of Louisiana's director of tennis, announced Wednesday four signees for the 2017-18 academic year along with his teams' 2017 fall schedule.
    
The Gold Rush, NAIA national runner-up in 2016 and 2017, signed three:

     •  Chris Anders, a junior from Baton Rouge, La., and a transfer from Tyler (Texas) Junior College. Anders is a 2015 graduate of Parkview Baptist School.
     •  Samir Chikhaoui, a sophomore from Lille, France, and a transfer from Eastern Florida State College, a two-year school in Cocoa.
     •  Gabriel Niculescu, a junior from Bucharest, Romania, and a transfer from Troy of NCAA Division 

The Gold Nuggets' signee is Manon Bonada, a freshman from Nimes, France. Bonada joins a program that qualified 11 times for the NAIA National Championships, including each of the last six seasons.
     
XULA will begin its fall schedule Thursday in the HBCU National Championships, a three-day event at College Park, Ga.
     
Anders helped Tyler finish second last season, one point behind ASA Miami, at the NJCAA Division I National Championships. Last season Anders was named to the Region XIV All-Academic Team, and he and Aaron Westerlund climbed as high as 22nd in the NJCAA doubles rankings. Tyler was 22-0 in dual matches in 2017 and 18-3 in 2016.
     
Anders was a three-time LHSAA Division III (Class 3A) state singles champion at Parkview Baptist and helped the Eagles win state team championships in 2014 and 2015. His father is longtime tennis pro Ray Anders.
     
Chikhaoui was a three-time state champion in northern France before helping Eastern Florida finish 11-8 last season, its first as a varsity program. Chikhaoui was NJCAA All-Academic third team.
     
Niculescu was 11-10 in singles and 5-5 in doubles last season for a Troy team that reached the Sun Belt Conference semifinals. As a freshman at NCAA Division I's Chicago State in 2016, Niculescu was Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week, ITA Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-WAC. He helped the Cougars earn an ITA Academic Team Award for their stellar cumulative GPA.
     
Bonada won 20 singles age-group championships in her home country.
     
XULA majors of the newcomers are mass communications for Anders, marketing for Bonada, finance for Chikhaoui and political science for Niculescu.
     
Other fall competition will be the ITA NAIA South Regional Championships Sept. 22-24 at Lawrenceville, Ga., the Battle of the Bayou (men only) Oct. 6-7 at Lafayette, La., and a four-team men's event the first weekend of November at the University of New Orleans. Green said he will add to the fall schedule a third women's tournament.
     
This is Green's 15th season as coach of the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets. He is a three-time ITA NAIA National Coach of the Year, including each of the past two seasons on the men's side.
     
Returning letterwinners are junior Pierre Andrieu, senior Catalin Fifea and sophomore Moses Micheal on the men's team and junior Charlene Goreau and sophomores Lacee Ancar and Yi Chen Pao on the women's. Fifea and Micheal earned NAIA All-America last season, and Fifea was chosen Louisiana Newcomer of the Year. Goreau was All-America each of her first two seasons.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

It's a trifecta of GCAC awards for Price, Sewell

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Taylor Price and Camren Sewell are 3-for-3 during the 2017 cross country season.
     
For the third time in as many opportunities, both have been chosen as Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week, this time for Sept. 4-10.
     
Price, a sophomore from Missouri City, Texas, and a graduate of Ridge Point High School, produced her second top-10 finish of the season and fourth of her career Saturday at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Festival in Metairie, La. Price ran 5,000 meters in 20 minutes, 32.4 seconds to place seventh out of 63 runners. Price finished ahead of 27 runners from NCAA Division I schools.
     
Sewell, a freshman from Cincinnati and a graduate of La Salle High School, placed 21st out of 54 men and ran the 5K in 18:13.5.
     
The GCAC weekly award is the eighth of Price's career. Sewell is the first Gold Rush freshman to earn three GCAC awards since Kwame Jackson in 2011.
     
Next for XULA will be the LSU Invitational at Highland Road Park in Baton Rouge, La. The women's 5K will start at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the men's 6K at 8:10.
     
NOTES:  The GCAC announced this week the date and site of its 2017 championships — Friday, Oct. 20 at Choctaw Trails Course in Clinton, Miss. Choctaw Trails will play host to the meet for the first time since 2013 and the eighth time overall. XULA's men and women are 10-time defending team champions of the conference. Price was a 2016 individual champion.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold 

Jackson State kicker Christian Jacquemin looks to bounce back against Grambling State

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Christian Jacquemin isn't about to let one missed field goal define his junior season.

And that's good, because with points coming at a premium in its first two games, Jackson State can't afford it.

The Tiger kicker rode a roller coaster of emotions in Saturday night's 17-15 loss to Tennessee State. He hit a 34-yard field goal on Jackson State's second drive of the game, then drilled a 49-yard field goal to end the first half, missing the school record by one yard.



He even hit a 48-yarder that would have won the game (and would have been good from 60), if not for a Tennessee State timeout just before the snap. But when he booted his second attempt, it missed wide left by six inches.

Jacquemin went to one knee with his head in his hand. Defensive coordinator John Hendrick placed his hand on his shoulder and tried to console him.

It was brutal.

CONTINUE READING

Jenkins, ASU must match fan challenge with wins

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Brian Jenkins knew fans were going to pack ASU Stadium for the Sept. 2 Tuskegee game.

That was a given.

What Jenkins wants is fans to show up in full force every time Alabama State plays at home.

“I’m excited about having that first game packed out, packed to the roof,” Jenkins said the Wednesday before playing the Golden Tigers. “Standing room only, but I think every game should be like that and that’s what I want to challenge our fans to make every game like that.”

A win Saturday against Kennesaw State (1-1) would go a long away in convincing fans to come out and see the hometown Hornets (0-2).

Another 0-3 start for a third straight season under Jenkins won’t.

Fans will show up for SWAC opener Sept. 23 against Prairie View A&M, but more will make their way to ASU Stadium if the Hornets prevail Saturday.



CONTINUE READING

Improved Grambling State O-line faces tough test in JSU D-line

GRAMBLING, Louisiana – No one had a better vantage point than Martez Carter.

Managing just 77 yards on the ground in the season opener at Tulane, Grambling State’s offensive line, in Week 2 versus Northwestern State in the team’s home opener last Saturday, knew it needed to have a better performance. Carter saw just that.

“Coach always says the biggest jump is from Week 1 to 2. We got back to that drawing board and those guys, they really dug deep,” Carter said of his offensive line. “It’s a pride thing and a dignity thing, and those guys really felt like they had something to prove. As you saw, the outcome was basically that. Those guys got a man on a man, they did a good job of executing and made my job a little bit easier.”

The five-man front, with experienced guys, senior left tackle Trent Scott and sophomore right guard William Waddell, along with three guys getting their second start in left guard Darrell Brown, center Will Jefferson and right tackle Keeyon Smart, pushed the Demon defensive line around for much of the night and paved the way for 204 rushing yards on 39 attempts.

CONTINUE READING