HBCU Sports

HBCU Football Season Wrap Up

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 02:29:11 GMT

The 2012 season wasn’t kind to the black college football old guard. Most of the names that we have grown accustomed to seeing atop the conference standings and national rankings were conspicuous by their absence at the end of the season.

Traditional powers Grambling State, Florida A&M , South Carolina State and Albany State were put on guard – and likely caught off guard – by the continued emergence of a number of up-and-coming programs with relatively new coaches heading them.

“Change is afoot,’’ says Lut Williams, publisher of Black College Sports Page. “There is a new transfusion of new blood, new coaches, new energy. It’s has been a quick change kind of thing.’’

Winston-Salem State led the way, winning its second consecutive Black College National Championship under third-year coach Connell Maynor. The 14-1 Rams became just the second HBCU to play in the NCAA Division II Championship Game – they lost to Valdosta 35-7 – after posting their second straight unbeaten regular season en route to their second CIAA championship in a row.

Miles, with second-year coach Reginald Ruffin at the helm, is another of the new kids on the block. The Golden Bears failed to repeat as SIAC champions after winning the conference crown for the first time in school history in 2011. But they still made history by reaching the Division II playoffs for the first time.

Nowhere did the winds of change howl louder than they did in the MEAC. Brian Jenkins coached Bethune-Cookman to the second conference championship of his three-year tenure – they shared the 2010 title with South Carolina State and Florida A&M. Each of the coaches of the next four teams in the conference standings was in his second season, Gary Harrell of second-place Howard and Rod Broadway at North Carolina A&T, Kermit Blount at Delaware State and Henry Frazier III of North Carolina Central, who tied for third place.

South Carolina State, which won or shared three conference championships between 2008-10; Florida A&M, which won six conference titles between 1995-2010, Hampton, a five-time champion from 1997-2006, and defending champion and preseason favorite Norfolk State were at the opposite end of the MEAC spectrum. They were a combined 13-19 in the conference and finished fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, in the conference. None had a winning record in MEAC play.

“The mighty have fallen,’’ Williams says.

No HBCU has been mightier than Grambling State, historically has been the yardstick by which black college football programs are measured, and no one had a greater fall than the G-Men. Grambling, the preseason favorite to win its 23rd conference crown, was winless in the SWAC for the first time in school history and 1-10 overall with its only victory coming against Concordia.

“It’s baffling how Grambling and Norfolk State could fall as precipitously as they did,’’ Williams says.

Grambling’s fall from grace in the SWAC coincided with something of a resurgence of three of the conference’s more downtrodden programs, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State and Southern.

Jay Hobson, the first white head football coach in SWAC history, coached Alcorn to respectable 4-5 conference record and a 4-7 overall finish. The Braves opened the season with a bang when they beat Grambling 22-21 in the Port City Classic in Shreveport, La.

Third-year Mississippi Valley coach Karl Morgan guided the Delta Devils to a 5-6 overall record and a 5-4 conference mark. It was their best showing since 2006 when the Delta Devils were 6-5 under Willie Totten and 5-4 in the conference. Along the way they defeated Grambling for the first time in 16 years.

Southern was 4-7 for the second consecutive season, but the Jaguars’ record is deceiving. They defeated their three biggest rivals – Jackson State, Florida A&M and Grambling. Had it not been for a botched extra point attempts in back-to-back one-point losses to Alabama A&M and Alabama State, the Jaguars could well have had their first winning season since 2009.

As it were, their record was good enough for Dawson Odums to have the interim tag removed from his coaching title last week. Odums led Southern to a 4-5 record after he replaced Stump Mitchell after the Jaguars began the season 0-2. Odums is just the second coach in school history to defeat Jackson State, Florida A&M and Grambling in their first season, joining Pete Richardson.

Mitchell was the first coaching casualty of the 2012 season, but not the last. When the year ended, Daryl McNeill at Clark Atlanta, Kenny Phillips at Fayetteville State, Elvin James at Livingstone, Andrew Faison at Virginia State and Earl Monroe at West Virginia State were either fired or reassigned.

In a surprise move, Florida A&M’s Joe Taylor, winningest active black college coach, resigned with two games remaining in the season. Taylor finished his 30-year career with a 233-96-4 record, which places him in the top five among NCAA Division I FCS coaches, and a .709 career winning percentage. He is tied for third on the black college career victory list with former Southern coach Arnett W. “Ace’’ Mumford, trailing only “Big John’’ Merritt, who won 235 games at Jackson State and Tennessee State, and the legendary Eddie Robinson who 408 games at Grambling. Taylor has been promoting the book titled The Making Of A Champion: The Inconvenience Of Winning that he wrote and says he is done with coaching even though a number of schools have contacted him.

Former Florida A&M All-American linebacker Earl Holmes, the Rattlers’ defensive coordinator, replaced Taylor on an interim basis.

The season didn’t hold true to form in terms of preseason predictions. Winston-Salem of the CIAA was the only favorite to win its conference championship. The Rams were also the only repeat conference champion from 2011. Arkansas-Pine Bluff won its first SWAC championship in 46 years. Perennial SIAC champ Tuskegee captured its 26th conference crown and laid unofficial claim to the Comeback Team of the Year. The Golden Tigers were 10-2 after posting a 4-6 mark a year ago. Their only regular season loss was a 7-6 defeat at the hands of Alabama A&M in their season-opener. Their other loss was to Elizabeth City State in the Pioneer Bowl. Bethune-Cookman won the MEAC championship with a perfect 8-0 conference record and a 9-3 overall mark.

Alabama A&M had the most puzzling season among HBCUs. The Bulldogs started the season 6-0 but ended the year by losing four of their last five games. Only their arch-rival Alabama State ended the year on a more disappointing note. The Hornets were the preseason favorites to win the SWAC East Division. Not only did they fail to win their division, they lost to Tuskegee in the Turkey Day Classic, which was the inaugural game played in their new $62 million, 26,000-seat stadium.

The 2012 season also featured a number of outstanding individual performers, including by newcomers on the HBCU scene who transferred down a lever from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). These included:

- Tuskegee running back Derrick Washington, who led all black college ball carriers with 1,679 yards and 14 touchdowns after transferring from the University of Missouri. Washington was No. 4 in total rushing yards for NCAA Division II.
- Alabama State running back Isaiah Crowell, who was third in the SWAC with 842 rushing yards and scored 15 touchdowns after transferring from the University of Georgia.
- Jackson State quarterback Clayton Moore, who transferred from Akron and led the Tigers to the SWAC East Division championship. Moore, who became the starter in Jackson State’s third game, passed for 1,705 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Other top individual performers included:

- Winston-Salem State quarterback Kameron Smith, who passed for 3,312 yards and 43 touchdowns while leading the Rams to their second consecutive unbeaten season and berth in the Division II championship game.
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff defensive end Brandon Thurmond, who led the FCS with 17.5 quarterback sacks.
- Jackson State wide receiver Rico Richardson, who led all black college pass catchers with 1,158 yards and a 19.3 yards a catch average.
- Tennessee State defensive back Steven Godbolt, who led the FCS with six pass interceptions.
- Winston-Salem receiver Juahann Butler and Jameze Butler, who both surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for pass receptions. Butler caught 62 passes for 1,236 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Massey caught 60 for 1,220 and 15 touchdowns.

HBCU Football Wrap-Up-Week 15

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 02:28:05 GMT

The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff won its first SWAC football championship in more than 40 years in record fashion Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.

The Golden Lions, who trailed Jackson State the entire game, fought from behind, tied the scored with a record-setting 95-yard touchdown pass and then beat the Tigers 24-21 to win the first overtime contest in the 13-year history of the SWAC Championship Game. The victory gave the Golden Lions (10-2) the first 10-win season in school history.

“What game,’’ said UAPB coach Monte Coleman, who won three Super Bowl championships during his 16-year NFL career as a linebacker for the Washington Redskins. “A lot of records were set today. It was a lot of history made. It’s been a great day. UAPB is definitely on the map. When I was playing with the Washington Redskins I was a lot younger. I’m 55 years old now. This is sweet, real sweet. You can’t beat being in the Super Bowl, being winners or losers. But to be able to coach a team like I have right now, I don’t have the words to express the how grateful I am. This definitely ranks among the top sporting event I have been in.’’

It is the second SWAC title for UAPB, which originally joined conference in 1936 before leaving in 1970 and returning 1997. The Golden Lions’ other championship came in 1966 when they shared the title with Grambling, Southern and Texas Southern.

The Golden Lion, champions of the SWAC West and 34-24 winners against Jackson in their Oct. 1 regular season contest, seemed headed for defeat late in the fourth quarter. They trailed 21-14 when they got the ball at their four-yard line with 2:38 left in the game. On second-and-and nine, quarterback Ben Anderson, the game’s Offensive MVP after throwing for 225 yards and a touchdown running for a score, spotted freshman wide receiver Willie Young running free in the Jackson State secondary on a post pattern and unleashed a bomb in his direction.

The ball appeared to be overthrown, but Young – the fastest of the Golden Lions who, according to Coleman runs as fast as he has to – found another gear and hauled it in at his 45-yard line. He then outran Jackson State cornerback Mike Hill to the end zone to tie the score.

“I felt going into the fourth quarter we were going to win the game,’’ Jackson State coach Rick Comegy said. “Lo and behold, he throws what I consider a Hail Mary bomb. The kid tracked that baby down. It was on then.’’

Jackson State go the ball first in overtime but failed to move the ball and ended up attempting 43-yard field goal on fourth-and-11 that was blocked.

UAPB took over needing a field goal to secure the victory, and Coleman put the ball in hands of running back Justin Billings, UAPB’s leading rusher. Billings responded by ripping off a 20-yard run around left end to the five before stepping out of bounds while tip-toe down the sideline. He capped the run by lunging into the end zone and knocking over the pylon for an apparent touchdown. The Golden Lions spilled on to field to celebrate, thinking they had won the game, and were assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that would have moved the ball back to the 20.

However, after SWAC Supervisor of Officials Harold Mitchell interceded and the penalty was waved off. Two plays later, Tyler Strickland booted the winning field goal from 43 yards out.

“We beat a great football team in Jackson State,’’ Coleman said. “I really can’t say too much about the pressure that they put on us. But sometimes when you’re dealing with destiny, you can’t change it. When God’s favor is on you, it’s on you, and his favor has been with this football team the last two years for sure and for a lot of years.’’

The championship for the Golden Lions is the crowning achievement for a program t that 20 years ago staged a flag football game as the centerpiece of the school’s Homecoming celebration because the football team had been hit with the death penalty for rules violations and forced to shutdown. UAPB – found guilty of 41 violations by the NAIA during Archie “Gunslinger’’ Cooley’s tenure – and SMU are the only schools that have served the death penalty. SMU has yet to fully recover.

“I wasn’t in Pine Bluff during that era, so I can’t speak real specifically to it,’’
Coleman said. “But just watching the program grow from playing flag football to the SWAC championship, it’s kind of an obvious escalation from where we were to where we are now. ‘’

Jackson State dominated the team’s regular season contest statistically despite losing, and the Tigers seemed intent on a repeat performance in the rematch. They led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter, after scoring touchdowns on back-to-back possessions following a three-and-out the first time they had the ball.

The Tigers first touchdown came on a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Clayton Moore to wide receive Rico Richardson, the 2012 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Cornerback Qua Cox got the ball back for the Tigers on an interception, and it took them eight plays to drive 79 yards for a score. Running back Rakeem Sims reeled off the final 37 yards of the drive for a touchdown that gave Jackson State a 14-0 lead, and looked as though a rout was in the making.

UAPB’s offense got untracked on its next possession, and the Golden Lions got back into the game when Anderson scored on an eight-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

Jackson State continued to chew up UAPB’s defense with its running game as the second quarter progressed. The Tigers put together a time consuming 64-yard, 16-play drive, taking 6:44 off the clock in the process and built their lead back to 14 points, 21-7, with 2:22 remaining in the half. The drive ended with Moore scoring on a one-yard run. Only 17 yards in the drive came through the air. UAPB, one of the most penalized teams in the SWAC, helped to keep Jackson State’s offense on the field with a roughing the kicker penalty kicker on a fourth-and-18 punt. Moore scored.

UAPB’s offense continued to go nowhere as the Golden Lions went three-and-out and gave the ball back to Jackson State near midfield at 1:06 before the half. The Tigers, intent on running the Golden Lions back to Arkansas and putting the game out of reach by the half, drove smartly to the UAPB 29 as Moore, playing with an injured throwing shoulder that he hurt two weeks early, completed three consecutive passes.

However, when Moore dropped back to pass for the fourth straight time, linebacker Xavier Lofton hit him from the blind side just before his arm went forward, and he ball popped free. Linebacker Bill Oliver, the game’s Defensive MVP, scooped it up and ran 73 yards for a touchdown.

The SWAC uses instant replay for its championship game to review calls on the field even though its not used during the regular season. A booth review upheld the call, and UAPB had new life, trailing 21-14 at the half.

“We couldn’t run away from them,’’ said Jackson State’s Comegy. “We hoped to run away from them early. We had that opportunity but it just didn’t happen. It was their day.’’

Neither team scored in the third quarter, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.

“We bent but we never broke,’’ Coleman said. “Did they scare us? Absolutely But don’t count us out.’’

NCAA Division II Playoffs
Winston-Salem State 41, West Texas A&M 18: The Rams steamrolled their way into the Division II Championship Game for the first time with an overpowering performance on both sides of the ball in a home victory.

Winston-Salem (14-0), ranked No. 2 in the nation, is just the second HBCU to play for the Division II crown. Central State lost to North Dakota State in the 1983 title game. The Rams will play Valdosta State, the 2004 and 2007 National Champion, for the crown Saturday in Florence, Ala.

Winston-Salem moved the ball at will against West Texas A&M, which allowed opponents 20.7 points. They gained 511 yards total offense, including 262 rushing. Running back Maurice Lewis led the ground attack 118 yards, and he scored touchdowns on runs of nine and 11 yards. Little-used backup running back Bryce Sherman added 73 yards, and he also scored a touchdown.

Quarterback Kameron Smith, making starting for the first time since injuring his right shoulder in the CIAA Championship Game a month ago passed for 232 yard and two touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown on a 23-yard run. Sixteenth-ranked.

West Texas (12-3) entered the contest brimming with confidence having won three straight playoff games on the road and boasting an offense that averaged 40.1 points a game and hadn’t scored fewer than 24 against any of its previous 14 opponents. Winston-Salem held the Buffaloes in check by stymieing their big-play players, running back Khiry Robinson and quarterback Dustin Vaughn. Robinson entered the game with 1,481 rushing yards. He ran for 137 yards and scored on a 13-yard run, but most of his damage was done after the game had been decided. Vaughn had thrown for 4,543 yards before facing the Rams’ defense, which harassed the entire game and held to just 169 yards through the air, about half of his per game average. Vaughn also threw two interceptions.

“The guys were ready to play,” Winston-Salem coach Connell Maynor said.

HBCU Football Wrap-Up-Week 14

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 02:14:03 GMT

Unbeaten Winston-Salem State, the No. 1 seed in its region, is in the Division II playoff semifinals for the second consecutive year thanks to a dramatic goal line stand in the final minute Saturday that preserved a 21-17 home victory against Indiana University (Pa.).

The Rams (13-0), champions of the CIAA, will host West Texas A&M Saturday with the winner advancing to the Division II Championship Game Dec. 15 in Florence, Ala., where it will play the winner of the Valdosta State-Minnesota State-Mankato State semifinal contest.

“It’s gratifying to be back in the semifinals,’’ Winston-Salem coach Connell Maynor said. “We had high expectations all season getting back (to the semifinals) and getting revenge. It shows how hard the guys worked. It’s hard to go undefeated and make it back to the semifinal. It’s hard just getting back to the playoffs. We don’t take it for granted.’’

Winston-Salem lost to Wayne State 21-14 in the 2011 semifinals. The Rams are the only team among last season’s final four to make the playoffs this year.

Winston-Salem took the lead with 3:51 when quarterback Kameron Smith connected with Ricky Rozier on a one-yard touchdown pass. Smith, who suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of the CIAA Championship Game three weeks and hadn’t played since, replaced Anthony Carrothers when the Rams got the ball after the Crimson Hawks went ahead for the first time in the game, 17-14.
“Anthony kept grabbing his shoulder and he played good for the first three quarters,” Maynor said, explaining his decision to change quarterbacks. “I just felt like I needed to go with Smith. I felt like the team needed a boost and we were down, and I knew if I put Smith back in it would get the crowd back in the game. It picked everybody up and that was the shot in the arm I was looking for.”
Smith’s heroics set the stage for a valiant comeback effort by IUP. Quarterback Mike Box completed four consecutive passes for 73 yards, giving the Crimson Hawks (12-2) first-and-goal at the 10-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the game. On fourth-and-goal from the five, Box looked for Tyler Dummermuth in the end zone. However, defensive end Casey Davenport, who put heavy pressure on Box, hit the quarterback’s arm just as he released the ball, and the pass fell harmlessly to the ground short of its mark.

“The defense bent but it didn’t break,’’ Maynor said. “I’ve been saying all year the defense is underrated. But you know how the media and fans are. They want to talk to the people who score the touchdowns.’

The game featured an intriguing matchup between the Crimson Hawks’ defense, ranked No. 1 in Division II while allowing 257.8 yards a game, and Winston-Salem’s high-powered offense, which averages 472.1 yards a game and is No. 17 in the nation. The Crimson Hawks held the Rams in check relatively well, limiting them to 29 yards on the ground and 338 total yards; 165 of Winston-Salem’s total yards came on three plays – 62 on a screen pass to Jameze Massey that setup a one-yard touchdown run by Rozier, 48 on a pass from starting quarterback Anthony Carrothers to Jahuann Butler and 45 on a Hail Mary touchdown pass from Carrothers to Kenny Patterson that gave the Rams a 14-7 halftime lead.

Carrothers, who transferred from Grambling State two years ago, threw for 279 yards while completing 10 of 25 attempts.

Winston-Salem’s defensive unit, not as heralded as the Rams’ offense, more than held its own. In addition to the goal line stand that won the game, the Rams forced three turnovers and sacked he quarterback twice.

“It just shows that our guys depend on each other, they had a little adversity but there’s nothing you have to choke over so they just kept fighting,” Maynor said. “I don’t think one of our guys ever believed we were going to lose this football game.”

PIONEER BOWL
Elizabeth City State 28, Tuskegee 13: The Vikings continued the CIAA’s recent dominance of its Pioneer Bowl matchup against the SIAC with a stunning victory at A.J. McClung Stadium in Columbus, Ga. The loss for the Golden Tigers ended their 10-game winning streak, which started after a 7-6 loss to Alabama A&M Labor Day weekend. It was the third consecutive win for the CIAA in the only NCAA-sanctioned bowl game involving two HBCUs. The SIAC leads the series 9-5. Tuskegee was making an unprecedented 10th Pioneer Bowl appearance. The Golden Tigers are 7-3 in the Pioneer Bowl, including a 21-6 victory against Elizabeth City in Pioneer Bowl XI. Pioneer Bowl XIV was highlighted by the duel between two of the top running backs in black college football, Tuskegee All-American Derrick Washington, who entered the game ranked No. 8 in Division II with 1,494 rushing yards, and Daronte McNeill, who had 1,108 yards for Elizabeth City. Washington, a transfer from the University of Missouri and a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which goes to the top player in Division II, gained 185 yards on 20 carries; McNeill finished with 148 yards on 19 carries, and he scored a pair of touchdowns. Each player was named his team’s MVP for the game. The Vikings (8-4), runners-up in the CIAA to unbeaten Winston-Salem State – a No.1 seed in the Division II playoffs – subdued the SIAC champion Golden Tigers (10-2) with an opportunistic brand of football. The Golden Tigers, who were making an unprecedented 10th appearance, amassed 514 yards total offense. But they were guilty of five turnovers, two of which Elizabeth City converted into 14 points. Tuskegee went ahead 6-0 in the second quarter when backup quarterback Rashard Burkette scored on a 19-yard run. The Golden Tigers maintained their lead until Elizabeth City quarterback Tyrell Hougton and wide out Antonio Huff hooked up on a nine-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter. Tuskegee was poised to regain the lead as the fourth quarter started. On the first play of the period, Washington set sail for what appeared to be a 63-yard touchdown run. However, as he neared the goal line, he slowed up, and Vikings cornerback Josh Brooks stripped the ball. The ball rolled out of the back of the end zone for a touchback. Elizabeth City got the ball at its 20-yard line and drove 80 yards for a touchdown for a 14-6 lead. McNeill scored on a 44-yard run on the Vikings’ next possession for a 21-6 Elizabeth City lead with 4:38 remaining the game. Tuskegee countered with a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Nared to Marquel Gardner and trailed 21-13 with 2:48 left. The Golden Tigers got the ball back at their 37 with 2:01 showing on the clock. They drove to Elizabeth City’s 22 yard in seven play, and then disaster struck. Brooks stepped in front of Nared pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown that sealed the victory for the Vikings.

HBCU Football Wrap-Up-Week 12

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 01:56:50 GMT

Jackson State, playing on arch-rival Alcorn State’s home field for the first time in 20 years, punched its ticket for a return trip to the SWAC Championship Game with a 37-11 victory Saturday that gave the Tigers the East Division title.

The Tigers (7-4, 7-2 SWAC) will play West Division champion Arkansas-Pine Bluff for the SWAC crown at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 8. It will be the Tigers’ fourth appearance in the title game, their first since 2008. They won the SWAC championship game in 2007.

“It’s great,” said Jackson State coach Rick Comegy, whose team was picked to finish second behind Alabama State in the conference’s preseason poll of coaches and media. “It’s really gratifying. I couldn’t tell you how happy I am.”

Jackson State and Alabama State finished tied for the top spot in the East with 7-2 conference records, but the Tigers held the tie-breaker by virtue of their 35-21 victory against the Hornets last month.

Jackson State and Alcorn had played at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson State’s home field with the schools alternating as the home team, the previous 18 years in what was billed as the Capital City Classic. Alcorn decided to return the game to Casem-Spinks Stadium, its on campus stadium this year and call it the Soul Bowl, upsetting Jacksonians who take exception to having to drive 90 minutes “to the country’’ for a game.

The trip didn’t faze the team, however. The Tigers, who have won 13 of the last 18 games in the series and the last three in a row, used a pulverizing running game to put away the Braves (4-7, 4-5 SWAC). They chewed up Alcorn’s defense for 243 yards on the ground, led by Rakeem Sims with 152 on 26 carries. Tommy Gooden added 64 on just eight carries. Gooden scored a pair of touchdowns and Sims scored once.

The standing room only crowd of more than 30,000 fans – mostly Alcorn supporters – sensed and upset as the third quarter began. Jackson State was clinging to a 6-3 lead thanks to quarterback Clayton Moore’s 37-yard touchdown pass to Rico Richardson in the first quarter.

But things began to unravel for the Braves on their first possession of the second half. They went three-and-out and were forced to punt from their eight-yard line. Linebacker Ryan Griffin blocked Marcquiso Jean’s punt and Richardson fell on the ball in the end zone. The touchdown started a barrage of 21 unanswered points in a six-minute span for Jackson State that doomed Alcorn to defeat.

Alcorn went three-and-out again on its next possession. Coach Jay Hopson switched punters, but the results weren’t much better. Tollette George got off a 16-yard kick that was downed at Alcorn’s 30. From there it took the Tigers four plays and one minute, 44 seconds to score on Gooden’s 11-yard touchdown run for a 20-3 lead.

Alcorn’s run of bad luck continued when the Braves got the ball back. Terrance Lewis fumbled the ball at the Braves’ 41 after a one-yard gain and linebacker Cameron Loeffler recovered for Jackson State. Gooden scored again four minute later, this time on a 28-yard run, and Jackson State took an insurmountable 27-3 lead.

“It was just a big six-minute swing that kind of crushed us.” Hopson said.

Ryan Deising kicked a 41-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to increase Jackson State’s lead to 30-3. Alcorn scored its only touchdown with 3:52 left when quarterback John Gibbs connected with Tavoris Doss on a 33-yard scoring strike.

Sims ended the scoring with a 46-yard touchdown run for Jackson State with 2:48 remaining.

Key Results
Bethune-Cookman 21, Florida A&M 16: The MEAC champions, tuning up for the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, extended a pair of winning streaks with their victory in the Florida Classic in Orlando. The Wildcats (9-2, 8-0 MEAC) ended the regular season with a seven-game winning streak and have won 13 consecutive conference games dating to last season. They will host Big South Conference champion Coastal Carolina (7-4) in a first-round playoff game Saturday. Quarterback Quentin Williams threw for 120 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 86 more to lead the Wildcats, who needed key defensive stop. Florida A&M (4-7, 4-4 MEAC) got the ball for the last time near midfield with 3:49 left in the game. The Rattlers moved to Bethune-Cookman’s 38 and appeared to be poised to take the lead. However, Jarkevis Fields dropped running back Eddie Rocker for a seven-yard loss on first down. On second down, defensive tackle Harold Love sacked Rattlers quarterback Damien Fleming, who fumbled the ball at the Wildcats’ 45, and defensive end Tevin Toney recovered for the Wildcats. The referee initially ruled that Fleming was down. The call was reversed after a booth review (the MEAC allows for reviews in games that are televised) and Bethune-Cookman got the ball and ran out the clock. Florida A&M led in the early going, 3-0 in the first quarter on Chase Varnadore’s 20-yard field goal, and 10-7 at the half after James Owens scored on a 41-yard run. The Wildcats’ touchdown came on a one-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Eddie Poole. Owens’ score ended the Wildcats’ steak of seven consecutive quarters without allowing an offensive touchdown. They were shutout in the second quarter, ending a streak of having scored in 25 consecutive quarters. Bethune-Cookman surged ahead with a pair of quick second-half touchdowns. Isiadore Jackson scored on a 34-yard run with 3:13 left in the third quarter for a 14-10 Bethune-Cookman lead. On the Wildcats’ next possession, Andronicus Lovette scored on a one-yard run to extend the lead to 21-10. Florida A&M climbed back into the game one Fleming’s 37-yard touchdown pass to Dewayne Harvey with 8:04 remaining the game, and the Rattlers trailed 21-16 after the extra point kick was blocked.

Tennessee Martin 35, Tennessee State 26: A furious fourth-quarter rally on the road came up short for the Tigers and cost them a possible FCS playoff berth. Tennessee State (8-3, 4-3 OVC), No. 25 in The Sports Network Top 23 entering the game, trailed 28-6 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Tigers scored on their first three possessions of the period and were a two-point conversion away from tying the game at 28-all. Quarterback Michael German completed 28 of 44 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns, all career highs, for the Tigers. German’s touchdown pass to tight end A.C. Leonard got Tennessee State within two points of the lead, 28-26 with two minutes remaining, but he was sacked when he dropped back to pass on a two-point conversion attempt. Tennessee Martin (8-3, 6-2 OVC) recovered the onside kick on the ensuing kickoff. On fourth-and-two from Tennessee State’s 33, the Skyhawks gambled big and won when quarterback Derek Carr connected with Quentin Sims for a touchdown with a little more than a minute remaining in the game.

Division II Playoff Results
West Alabama 41, Miles 7
Lenior Rhyne 21, Fort Valley State 6
Conference Results

MEAC
Hampton 27, Morgan State 17
Howard 41, Delaware State 34
North Carolina A&T 22, North Carolina Central 16, OT
South Carolina State 27, Savannah State 13

SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 42, Prairie View A&M 41
Auburn 51, Alabama A&M 7
Mississippi Valley State 34, Texas Southern 3
Non-Conference Results
Edward Waters 24, Virginia University of Lynchburg 21
Kentucky State 17, Central State 6

HBCU Football Wrap

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 03:25:04 GMT

The rematch between Tuskegee and Fort Valley State in Atlanta Saturday night was no match when the teams met in the SIAC Championship Game at Lakewood Stadium.

Tuskegee, playing at home, routed the Wildcats 49-18 in a regular season contest, and the Golden Tigers did it to them again – this time 55-24 – for their 26th conference title. It is their eighth championship since 2000 – the first since 2009 – and comes after they were 4-6 a year ago.

“It’s great to win it,’’ Tuskegee Coach Willie Slater said. “When I reflect on last year, all those games we lost, we had a chance to win. We just couldn’t finish. We went into the winter program on that. They got better.’’

Despite the loss Fort Valley (8-3) earned a berth in the Division II playoffs as the No.6 seed in Super Region 2. The Wildcats will play Lenoir Rhyne, the No. 3 seed, Saturday.

Tuskegee (9-1), No. 16, is not eligible for the playoffs because of plays Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic on Thanksgiving in the Golden Tigers’ regular season finale. The Golden Tigers will end their season with an appearance in the Pioneer Bowl December 1 against a representative of the CIAA.

The conference championship is the fifth in seven seasons at Tuskegee for Slater.

“This is the first one that we had to play for,’’ he said, pointing out that this is only the second year that the SIAC has played a championship game. “We won the others because we had a better record. Even though we had a better record (7-0 in the SIAC), we still had to play for it. I think it is more special (than the other championships).’’

The Golden Tigers, who have a nine-game winning streak since losing to Alabama A&M 7-6, used the same formula – turnovers and big plays – in their second victory they employed the first time around.

They scored touchdowns on a 75-yard run and a 74-yard pass in the championship game and had interception returns of 78 and 50 yards for scores among the four turnovers that they forced.

The Golden Tigers came up with five turnovers and produced five plays that cover 40 yards or more in their regular season win against Fort Valley.

“They did a study on it,’’ Slater said. “The team with the most big plays and the least turnovers wins 100 % of the time.’’

Derrick Washington, the running back who transferred to Tuskegee from the University of Missouri, was the Golden Tigers’ big-play man. Washington rushed for 224 yards on 16 carries. He also caught two passes for 107 yards. His 75-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter that put Tuskegee ahead 34-15 ad broke the game open. He later scored on a 74-yard pass reception.

“Derrick Washington is the best one I’ve ever coached,’’ Slater said. “He kind blew it open for us.’’

Cornerbacks Adam Lucas and William Buford returned interceptions 78 and 49, respectively, for touchdowns.

The biggest play of the game occurred arguably on the opening play. For Valley quarterback Antonio Henton launched a deep pass over the middle that was overthrown. Safety Jamar Hornsby delivered a bone-jarring hit on the intended receiver, setting the tone for the Golden Tigers on defense for the rest of the contest.

Hornsby, who also returned an interception 55 yards to set up a touchdown, said that Fort Valley had connected on the same play on the opening play of their previous game and he suspected would come back to it.

“I was glad to see him hit him,’’ Slater said. “I was worried about how physical we would be coming off a tough game like we had the week before.’’

The Golden Tigers were coming off a 27-14 road victory in a showdown for the West title with defending conference champion Miles, which will play West Alabama in the Division II playoffs.

Fort Valley earned a spot in the championship game by defeating Albany State to win the East Division title in the final game of the regular season. The loss to Tuskegee was a disappointing end to what was a turnaround season for the Wildcats, who were 2-8 in 2011.They opened the season with a victory over Delta State, which was ranked No. 14 in Division II at the time, and ended it by winning their final five regular season games following their regular season loss to Tuskegee.

Key Results

Winston-Salem State 34, Elizabeth City State 19: The undefeated Rams won their second straight CIAA championship with a come-from-behind victory in the conference title game in Durham, N.C. Winston-Salem (11-0), ranked No. 2 in Division II, won despite playing the second half without quarterback Kameron Smith, 2012 CIAA Offensive Player of the Year who left the game with a shoulder injury. Winston-Salem earned a first round bye in the Division II playoffs as the No. 1 seed in Super Region 1. The Rams will play the winner of Saturday’s Shippensburg vs. Bloomsburg game Nov. 24. The Vikings (7-4) took an early 9-0 lead, but Anthony Carrothers, who started for Grambling State two years ago before transferring to Winston-Salem, came of the bench in the second half with Elizabeth City leading 19-14 and rallied the Rams to victory. Carrothers completed seven of 11 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams’ defense held Vikings running back Daronte McNeill, the leading rusher in the CIAA with 1,197 yards, to just 52 yards on 20 carries. Maurice Lewis rushed for 123 yards for Winston-Salem.

Bethune-Cookman 49, Savannah State 7: The Wildcats clinched their second MEAC title in three seasons and a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs with a road victory. Quarterback Quentin Williams led the Wildcats (8-2, 7-0) 113 rushing yards and a career-high 103 yards passing and two touchdowns. Savannah State (1-9, 0-7) is the only MEAC team without a conference victory.

Jackson State 35, Alabama A&M 21: The Tigers inched closer to the SWAC East Division title with a home victory. Jackson State (6-4, 6-2 SWAC) will clinch their fifth trip to the conference championship game since its inception 13 years ago with a victory against arch-rival Alcorn State next Saturday. Quarterback Clayton Moore threw for 233 yards, and he had a 67-yard touchdown pass to Rico Richardson, who passed the 1,000-yard reception mark for the season. Rakeem Sims added 125 yards and two touchdowns on the ground for the Tigers. Alabama A&M(7-3, 6-3 SWAC) lost for the third time in its last four games after starting the season 6-0 and dropped out of contention for the East title.

Alabama State 31, Southern 30: The Hornets squeaked out a road victory in their final conference game of the season to stay alive in the SWAC East race. The Hornets (7-3, 7-2 SWAC) need Alcorn State to defeat Jackson State next Saturday to win the division title after surviving a second-half rally by the Jaguars (3-7, 2-6 SWAC). Alabama State was ahead 28-14 going into the third quarter, but Charles Hawkins returned the second-half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to give Southern life at 28-21. The Teams traded field goals and Alabama State led 31-24 at the start of the forth quarter. Bobby Wenzig missed a 43-yard field goal with 3:05 left in the game for Alabama State, keeping Southern alive. Quarterback Dray Joseph drove the Jaguars 45 yards in 10 plays for what appeared to be the tying score with 20 seconds remaining. Coach Dawson Odums opted for a two-point conversion attempt to win the game in regulation rather kicking the point and going into overtime. Joseph’s pass was incomplete, and the Hornets escaped with the win. It was the second consecutive that a botched conversion attempt led to a loss for Southern. Kicker Matthew Hill missed a PAT in overtime as the Jaguars lost to Alabama A&M 24-23 last week.

SWAC
Alcorn State 34, Texas Southern 24
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24, Grambling State 17
Miss Valley State 22, Prairie View A&M 20

MEAC
Delaware State 35, Hampton 27
Florida A&M 22, NC Central 21
Georgia Southern 69, Howard 26
NC A&T 17, South Carolina State 7
Norfolk State 30, Morgan State 0

SIAC
Stillman 28, Concordia-Selma 26

Non-Conference Results

Central State 51, Kentucky Wesleyan 7
Charleston (W. Va.) 62, West Virginia State 0
Langston 27, Okla. Panhandle State 20
Lock Haven 15, Cheyney 7
North Greenville 10, Virginia University of Lynchburg 3
SW Assemblies of God 24, Texas College 13
Southern Virginia 17, Edward Waters 10
Southwest Baptist 43, Lincoln (Mo.) 12

FAMU Coach Joe Taylor Retires

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 02:25:28 GMT

One of the most storied college football coaching careers in history ended Saturday when Joe Taylor announced his retirement from Florida A&M.

Taylor, whose career spanned 30 years and included stints at Howard (1983), Virginia Union (1984-91) and Hampton (1992-2007) as well as Florida A&M, announced his retirement during the Rattlers’ pregame breakfast hours before their game against North Carolina A&T last Saturday. His original plans were to coach the Rattlers’ in their homecoming game against North Carolina Central Saturday and in their season finale against arch-rival Bethune-Cookman Nov. 17 in the Florida Classic.

However, because of the “enormous amount of (media) coverage’’ surrounding his retirement, Taylor, 62, said Wednesday that his retirement is effective immediately so the team can focus on its final two games.

Defensive coordinator Earl Holmes will coach the Rattlers in their final two games on an interim basis.

Taylor finishes his career with a 233-96-4 record, which places him in the top five among NCAA Division I FCS coaches with a .709 career winning percentage. He is tied for third on the black college career victory list with former Southern coach Arnett W. “Ace’’ Mumford, trailing only “Big John’’ Merritt, who won 235 games at Jackson State and Tennessee State, and the legendary Eddie Robinson who 408 games at Grambling.

“I’m just grateful,’’ Taylor says. “It’s been a Hall of Fame career."

Taylor was 35-19 in five seasons at Florida A&M. He led the Rattlers to a share of the 2010 MEAC championship, tying South Carolina State and Bethune-Cookman for the crown. Taylor’s teams won four SBN Black College National titles and 10 conference championships and made 12 postseason appearances.

Taylor was well-respected throughout the college football ranks. He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Board of Directors. In 2001 he became only the third coach from an HBCU, behind Robinson (1976) and Billy Joe of Florida A&M (1995), to serve as President of the AFCA.

Taylor was in the final season of a five-year contract that paid him $225,000 a year plus a $12,000 year annual housing allowance. The Rattlers are 3-6, leading to unrest among fans, and Taylor hadn’t been offered a new contract. But he says those weren’t factors in his decision.

In fact, Taylor says he and his wife concluded that this would be his final season last year over Christmas dinner.

“This is number 40 (in coaching),’’ he says. “30 as a head coach. Forty years is 40 years. I’ve been walking the sidelines for 40 years. I probably need a good pedicure. I’m running, jogging and lifting every day. I’ve got my health. I’m not leaving because somebody is saying it’s not healthy to stay.’’

Taylor considered announcing over the summer that he would retire at the end of the season. But after talking to former South Carolina State coach Willie Jeffries, who announced during the summer of 2001 that he would retire at the end of the upcoming season.

Everywhere the Bulldogs played on the road that year, Jeffries received gifts that were symbolic of retirement.

“I didn’t want to do it the whole year,’’ Taylor says. “That would have been too much fanfare. I wanted enough time left so it could be public and people would know.’’

Taylor had his most successful years at Hampton where he was 136-49-1 over a 16-year period. While at Hampton, he produced a number of NFL players, including Justin Durant of the Detroit Lions and Kendall Langford of the St. Louis Rams. Taylor led the Pirates to four Black College National Championships, eight conference titles and seven appearances in the NCAA playoffs.

“He ranks up there with the greatest black college coaches of all time, and definitely of his era,’’ ESPN College Football Analyst Jay Walker says. “He has won everywhere he has gone. He doesn’t get enough credit for what he did at Hampton. They made a seamless transition from Division II to Division I (FCS). Not many HBCUs have done that. They all took their beatings.’’

Taylor was the architect of a quick fix when he took over the tradition-rich but downtrodden Florida A&M program in 2008. Rattler pride had taken a beaten the four seasons prior to his arrival, compiling a 19-25 record and finishing eighth in the nine-team the MEAC with a 2-6 conference record and 3-8 overall mark. Taylor guided the Rattlers to an improbable 9-3 mark his first season, tying Florida A&M legend Jake Gaither for the most victories in school history for a first-year coach.

Taylor took considerable pride in his reputation for developing his players off the field as well as on it, and frequently described his coaching career as his ministry. He always encouraged his players to develop the spiritual side of their lives in addition to the academic and athletic sides.

“(He) tries to prepare us for life,’’ says Rattlers linebacker Brandon Hepburn assessment of Taylor’s coaching style. “He is more concerned with our character and with how we carry ourselves overall, not just on the football field.”

Taylor saw to it that team members were involved in community service projects, and it was not uncommon for his teams to attend church together and participate in other religious activities.

“You can’t be a champion on game day and a butt hole all week,’’ Taylor says. “You have to be a champion seven days a week. I think (on) Sunday, everybody should be in somebody’s church. Find a man’s spirit, there you also find him. When his spirit is right, then everything else follows.’’

Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley played for Taylor at Virginia Union and was a graduate assistant on Taylor’s staffs at Virginia Union and Hampton.

“A lot of people have been able to witness the miraculous things Coach Taylor has done with young men,’’ Hill-Eley says. “I was one to experience it. I’ve seen him take guys the whole world had counted out and change them into productive citizens. I’ve been able to witness someone who before they gave you Xs and Os gave you scripture out of the Bible. They gave you inspiration from day to day so you knew it was (about) much more than football. I can’t think of anyone who sat with Coach Taylor who couldn’t tell you he was a great schemer when it came to football, which he was. They can also tell you he was an architect of men. He knows the blueprint in creating success. He knows the blueprint in making men.’’

NFL free agent defensive tackle Marcus Dixon is one the ones counted out by the world, but not by Taylor. Dixon, as a high school senior in Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on a statutory rape conviction in a high profile case involving a 15-year-old white girl who testified that she and Dixon had consensual sex.

The conviction was overturned, but Dixon was left scarred. Vanderbilt withdrew the scholarship that it had offered him, and other major programs considered him persona non grata. Taylor looked beyond the newspaper headlines and saw a young man with a 3.96 grade-point average who deserved an opportunity, and he gave it to him. Dixon went on to graduate from Hampton in four years before embarking on a pro football career that has seen him play for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.

“I always said, even when I was 17,18 and starting out with him,’’ Hill-Eley says, “that he was such a great man that I wanted to emulate him as much as I could by doing the same for men that he did for me and many others. A lot of those guys didn’t have fathers, didn’t have guys who stayed consistently in your life whether you did good or you did bad. Coach was one of those guys (who stayed in your life consistently). He held you accountable. But you knew he was going to be in your corner wrong, right or indifferent, and you had to pay the piper if you did something wrong.’’

Taylor got into coaching because of his admiration for Bob Heddon, his coach at Cordozo High in Washington, D.C.

Taylor worked with Heddon in a city-run youth sports program during the summer when he returned home from Western Illinois, where he played fullback and guard for the Leathernecks. He also helped Heddon coach in a summer all-star game.

“I decided this is what I needed to do,’’ Taylor, a Business major at Eastern Illinois, says. “I said, ‘He’s giving back to me. I owe the same to those I can help. If you’re in the business for anything other than helping young people, you’re in it for the wrong reason.’’

Taylor says he is done with coaching but not with trying to impact young men's lives. He began writing a book in January titled "Winning Is An Inconvenience," that will be in bookstores at Thanksgiving. He will spend the next six months promoting his 220-page, 18-chapter work with the foreword written by Bobby Bowden, the Hall of Fame coach at Florida State, and the afterword written by Tony Dungy, the winning coach in Super Bowl XLI.

The book consists of inspirational stories and focuses on the positive values of sports. He calls it “a give back type project that signifies everybody’s career.’’

“It’s three phases to everybody's career,’’ he says. “The first phase is ascension. You’re building your brand, putting in work ethic. We did that. The second phase is maintenance – make sure you don’t do anything to take away what you built. We passed that test. The third phase is giving back. That’s what book is about. A lot of people say I’m giving away all my secrets. I say I’m giving back.”

HBCU Football Wrap-Up-Week 10

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:27:27 GMT

The Tuskegee vs. Miles matchup Saturday in Birmingham, Ala., lived up to its "SIAC Game of the Year" billing as the in-state rivals met for the West Division title.

A record crowd of 15,791 fans jammed into Sloan-Alumni Stadium to see if Miles, the defending conference champion and the No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA Division II Super Region II, could hold off perennial conference champ Tuskegee, which has won an unprecedented 25 SIAC titles.

The visiting Golden Tigers, No. 24 in NCAA Division II, broke the game open with a strong second-half performance and came away with a 27-14 victory. The win, the ninth in a row for the Golden Tigers (8-1, 7-0) was their eighth in a row and gives them a spot in the SIAC Championship against East Division champion Fort Valley State in Atlanta Saturday at Lakewood Stadium. The Golden Tigers defeated Fort Valley 49-18 earlier this season.

“Our kids played hard,’’ said Tuskegee coach Willie Slater. “They had a real strong desire to win.’’

Running back Derrick Washington was the offensive star for the Golden Tigers, whose only loss this season was a 7-6 decision to Alabama A&M in the season-opener. Washington, a senior transfer from the University of Missouri, rushed for 208 yard on 22 carries. It was his second consecutive 200-yard rushing game. Washington leads the SIAC with 1,175 yards.

“They controlled the clock. “They’ve got a great running back,’’ Miles coach Reginald Ruffin said. “I didn’t think he wasn’t. I looked at him running for 100 yards against Texas and those schools in the Big 12. He’s very good; he’s very elusive. He’s a big running back with speed.’’

Washington’s running allowed Tuskegee to play ball-control, and the Golden Tigers had the ball nearly seven minutes longer than Miles. They nearly doubled the Golden Bears’ time of possession in the fourth quarter.

The Golden Tigers got some offensive punch from an unexpected source as sophomore quarterback Justin Nared completed eight of 11 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a pair of scores.

Nared’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Larry Cobb in the third quarter broke a 14-all halftime tie. He gave the Golden Tigers some insurance point with a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“He played better than I had seen on film in terms of his accuracy,’’ Ruffin said.

Miles, No. 15 in the Division II top 25, entered the game averaging 37.0 points and 424.5 yards a game. The Golden Tigers held them to just 327 total yards. Golden Bears quarterback David Thomas entered the game averaging more than 200 yards a game through the air. Thomas completed 18 of 21 passes, but only mustered 167 yards through the air with no touchdowns. Floyd Graves, the Golden Bears top rusher with 727 yards, was held to 40 yards. He scored both of Miles’ first-half touchdowns, but the Golden Bears could only come up with a field goal in the second half.

“We made them have to go the long way,’’ Slater said. “We didn’t give them any big plays which is good. It’s hard to go 80 yards. And we didn’t have any turnovers. Turnovers equal 40 yards (in field position) because if you don’t turn it over, you can punt the ball and gain 40 yards. That helped the defense.’’

The game was filled with emotion for both teams. Ruffin, in his second season as Miles’ coach, was defensive coordinator at Tuskegee for five seasons on Slater’s staff. What’s more, when Slater was offensive coordinator at the University of North Alabama, he recruited Ruffin to play for the Lions, and Ruffin went on to become an All-American linebacker.

In addition, Ruffin and Tuskegee defensive line coach Levron Harbin played together in high school and at North Alabama. Also Miles assistants Aaron James and Fred Ellis played at Tuskegee.

“There was a lot of stuff that made us excited,’’ Slater said.

Key Results
Fort Valley State 38, Albany State 20: The Wildcats used ballhawking defense to register a victory against their arch-rivals in the 23rd Fountain City Classic and win the SIAC East Division Championship. The Wildcats (8-2, 6-1 SIAC) will play West champion Tuskegee in the conference championship game Saturday at Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta. Fort Valley’s defense forced Albany State (6-4, 5-2 SIAC) to commit five turnovers. The Wildcats also recorded a safety and scored and returned a blocked extra point for a score. Senior quarterback Antonio Henton threw three first-half touchdown passes and finished the day with 236 yards through the air. Wide receiver Chris Slaughter had five catches for 113 yards. Seth Hill led Wildcat ballcarriers with 84 yards rushing.

Howard 20, Hampton 10: Senior running back Terrence Leffall rushed for a season-high 182 yards as the Bison (6-3, 5-2 MEAC) clinched their first winning season with a home victory against their MEAC arch-rivals. It was the sixth 100-yard rushing performance in as many games this season for Leffall, who was ruled ineligible for the Bison’s first three games by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits. Hampton (2-6, 2-4) played without its starting quarterback, Travis Champion, and top running back, Jeremiah Schwartz. Quarterback Brian Swain ran for 105 yards, but he managed just 91 yards passing.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 49, Texas Southern 3: The Golden Lions had dominant performances on both sides of the ball en route to a road victory that clinched the SWAC West Division title. Quarterback Benjamin Anderson completed12 of 21 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns, and the Golden Lions’ defense held Texas Southern (2-7, 2-5 SWAC) to 135 yards total offense and returned two pass interceptions for touchdowns. The win puts the golden Lions (7-2, 6-1 SWAC) in the conference championship game for the second time in school history. They lost to Alabama A&M in the 2006 title contest. Ladarius Eckwood had four receptions for 107 yards and two touchdowns for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

North Carolina A&T 16, Florida A&M 3: The Aggies are a victory away from posting their first winning record in nine seasons after beating the visiting Rattlers for the first time since 2003. The win came just hours after Florida A&M coach announced his retirement, effective at the end of the season, to the Rattlers (3-6, 3-3) during the team’s pregame breakfast. Taylor during his 40-year career that includes stints at Howard, Virginia Union and Hampton as well as Florida A&M, has compiled a 233-94 record. He is in the top five among NCAA Division I FCS coaches with a .709 career winning percentage and in the top five among active coaches in career victories. Taylor is tied for third with A.W. “Ace’’ Mumford of Southern among Black College coaches in career victories, only trailing “Big John’’ Merritt of Tennessee State, who won 235 games, and Eddie Robinson, who won 408 games at Grambling State. The Aggies (5-4, 3-3) held Florida A&M to just 259 yards total offense. The Rattlers only had 70 rushing yards.

Conference Results
CIAA
Chowan 35, Lincoln (Pa.) 19
Elizabeth City State 14, Bowie State 13
Johnson C. Smith 57, Livingstone 6
Saint Augustine's 43, Shaw 42
Winston-Salem State 41, Fayetteville State 8

MEAC
Bethune-Cookman 24, Morgan State 13
North Carolina Central 23, Delaware State, 2OT
Norfolk State 33, Savannah State 21

SWAC
Alabama A&M 24, Southern 23
Alabama State 35, Prairie View A&M 2l
Jackson State 53, Grambling State 17
Miss. Valley State 33, Alcorn State 9

SIAC
Lane 38, Benedict 21 - Final
Morehouse 55, Kentucky State 7
Stillman 37, Clark Atlanta 12
Tuskegee 27, Miles 17

Non-conference Results
Edward Waters 48, Ava Maria 14
Fairmont State 48, West Virginia State 28
Virginia Union 19, Virginia State 14
Langston 21, S.W. Assemblies of God 7
McKendree 34, Central State 13
McMurry 53, Texas College 0
Murray State 49, Tennessee State 28
Northeast Oklahoma State. 45, Lincoln (Mo.) 21
Shippensburg 61, Cheyney 9
Stillman 37, Clark Atlanta 12
Virginia University of Lynchburg 21, Alderson-Broaddus 10

HBCU Football Wrap-Up

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:04:56 GMT

The SWAC East Division race is wide open after Alabama State routed Alabama A&M 31-13 Saturday in the 71st Magic City Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

The victory for the Hornets (5-3, 5-2 SWAC) leaves them tied with Alabama A&M (6-2, 5-2 SWAC) and half game ahead of Jackson State (4-4, 4-2 SWAC). The Hornets hold the tie-breaker with Alabama A&M on the strength of their victory Saturday. Jackson State owns the tie-breaker with Alabama State after beating the Hornets 37-34 two weeks ago. Jackson State hosts Alabama A&M Nov. 10.

Alabama State, the preseason favorite to win the division, scored 21 unanswered points to win going away. The Hornets led 10-0 in the early going, but they trailed 13-10 with 14:40 remaining in the half after Kaderius Lacey scored his second touchdown of the game on a 29-yard for Alabama A&M. Lacey’s other touchdown came on a six-yard run.

The Hornets rallied on the big-play passing of quarterback Greg Jenkins, the game’s Offensive MVP who accounted for 276 total yards while completing 10 of 15 attempts for a season-high 264 yards and a touchdown, a 62-yard strike to DeMario Bell at 7:30 of the first period that made the score 10-0. Jenkins unloaded a 56-yard bomb to T.C. McWilliams, setting up a nine-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Crowell with 7:35 left in the second period that gave the Hornets the lead for good, 17-13. Jenkins connected with Landon Jones on a 57-yard completion minutes later, and then scored on a nine-yard run himself to put the Hornets on top 24-13 at the half.

Crowell’s three-yard run at 12:04 of the third period sounded the death knell for Alabama A&M, the reigning division champion who has now lost back-to-back games after starting the season with six consecutive victories and appearing to be a lock for its sixth division title.

Alabama State’s defense, which has struggled against the run all season, completely stifled the Bulldogs’ ground game, which entered the contest averaging a conference-best 188.3 yards a game. The Hornets held Alabama A&M to just 29 yards on the ground, the Bulldogs’ lowest output since Nov. 3, 2007 against Jackson State, and Lacey, the leading ground gainer in conference, managed just 42 yards on 11 carries.

Alabama A&M quarterback Deaunte Mason, the conference’s total offense leader with 227.9 yards game, was limited 198 yards passing. The Hornets sacked Mason four times for 42 yards in losses. With the Bulldogs’ running game stifled, Mason attempted a season-high 37 passes, completing 17 of them.

“We didn’t play well all the way across the board,’’ said Alabama A&M coach Anthony Jones, who lost for just the third time in 11 appearances in the Magic City Classic. “Alabama State played a great game and we didn’t. We had a lot of mental breakdowns. There were too many mistakes and a combination of things that resulted in us not playing well.’’

Alabama State had one of is more productive offensive games, racking up 419 total yards.

“Our players, we realized that we hadn't played a complete game all season,’’ Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow said. “Our guys just kept playing the whole time,” Barlow said. “Whatever their responsibilities were, they played them. That was the key thing. Everyone stepped up and played big for us.”

Key Results

Winston-Salem State 62, Shaw 31: The Rams, No. 2 in NCAA Division II, clinched their second consecutive CIAA Southern Division with a lopsided victory in Durham, N.C. Winston-Salem (9-0, 6-0) will play Northern Division winner in the CIAA Championship Game Nov. 10 in a rematch of last year’s title game that the Rams won. Winston-Salem routed Shaw (4-5, 3-3 CIAA) despite being outgained by 10 yards in total offense, 494-484, in large part because of the Rams’ third down efficiency. They were successful on seven of 14 third down attempts, and four of their first five touchdowns came on third down plays. Quarterback Kameron Smith was spectacular for Winston-Salem. Smith completed 23 of 36 pass attempts for 363 yards and six touchdowns, and he didn’t throw an interception. James Stallons was equally as impressive for Shaw, throwing for 412 yards three touchdowns while completing 33 of 48 passes.

Elizabeth City State 27, Virginia Union 21: The Vikings claimed the CIAA Northern Division championship after holding for a home victory against the Panthers. Elizabeth City (6-3, 5-1 CIAA) led 27-14 with 10:59 remaining in the game. Virginia Union cut into the lead with an eight-play, 98-yard scoring drive that ended on Jerrell Washington’s two-yard touchdown run. The Panthers (4-5, 2-4 CIAA) executed a squib kick on the ensuing kickoff and recovered the ball at Elizabeth City’s 37 after it bounced off one of the Vikings. On fourth-and-18 from the 22, a defender tipped quarterback Kenneth Graham’s pass in the end zone. The ball fluttered into the hands of wide open Virginia Union receiver Denzel Duchenne, who dropped it with 39 seconds showing on the clock. The victory, coupled with Chowan’s win over Virginia State propelled Elizabeth City to division crown. Vikings All-American running back Daronte McNeill ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Bethune-Cookman 42, North Carolina Central 17: The Wildcats used their big-play offense to subdue the visiting Eagles and take sole possession of first place in the MEAC. Isiadore Jackson, who ran for 158 yards, had a 93-yard touchdown run – the fourth-longest scoring run in school history – and Preston Cleckly and quarterback Quentin Williams teamed up on a 76-yard touchdown pass as Bethune-Cookman (6-2, 5-0 MEAC) handed North Carolina Central (5-3, 4-1 MEAC) its first conference loss. North Carolina Central led 17-14 midway through the third period before the Wildcats went on a roll. The Wildcats finished the game with 463 yards total offense, including 274 rushing, and they averaged 6.1 yards a play. Bethune-Cookman’s defense forced three turnovers and held North Carolina Central to 234 total yards.

Other Results
CIAA
Bowie State 45, Lincoln (Pa.) 9
Chowan 33, Virginia State 21
Fayetteville State 47, Livingstone 29
Johnson C. Smith 27, Saint Augustine's 21

MEAC
Delaware State 28, Morgan State 23
Hampton 21, Savannah State 13
North Carolina A&T 30, Norfolk State 9
South Carolina State 34, Howard 22

SIAC
Albany State 24, Benedict 13
Fort Valley State 26, Morehouse 19
Lane 28, Kentucky State 14
Miles 49, Stillman 13
Tuskegee 14, Clark Atlanta 0

SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 10, Miss Valley State 0
Prairie View A&M 49, Southern 29
Texas Southern 23, Grambling State 20
Non-Conference Results
Central Oklahoma 56, Lincoln (Mo.) 25
Central State 32, Quincy 16
Charleston Southern 42, Edward Waters 7
McMurry 29, Langston 11
Tennessee State 22, Tennessee Tech 21
Texas College 31, Concordia-Selma 20
West Chester 59, Cheyney 14
West Virginia Wesleyan 42, West Virginia State 14

HBCU Football Wrap-Up

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:27:30 GMT

Tennessee State, No. 1 among HBCUs and No. 18 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) poll, fell from the unbeaten ranks after several breakdowns in their kicking game doomed them to a 31-28 overtime road loss to Jacksonville (Ala.) State in an Ohio Valley Conference contest Saturday.

The Gamecocks (4-3, 3-2 OVC) emerged with the win Griffin Thomas kicked 44-yard field.

“I thought the kids fought hard,’’ Tennessee State coach Rod Reed said. “We knew it was going to be a dogfight. … It was just a good football game. It’s a shame somebody had to lose it.’’

Tennessee State (7-1, 3-1 OVC) got off to a shaky start when quarterback Michael German threw an interception on the Tigers’ third play from scrimmage. Jacksonville State quickly converted the turnover into a 7-0 advantage as running back Troymaine Pope scored on a two-yard run. German made amends for the miscue with a 19-yard.touchdown pass to Devin Wilson that tied the score at seven apiece.

The game see-sawed back forth from that, and neither was team able to take more than a seven-point lead. When either went ahead, the other quickly caught up. Trabis Ward’s 42-yard scoring run, his 14th touchdown of the season, gave Tennessee State a 21-14 lead at the half.

The run put Ward over the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He finished the game with 168 yards and has rushed for 1,070 yards this year, the sixth-highest single season total in school history. Ward is the fourth Tennessee State rusher to gain 1,000 yards in a season. He joins Charles Anthony, Javarris Williams and Darron Davis on that exclusive list.

The Tigers had an opportunity to build on their lead before the half ended, but they were unable to get their field goal team on the field in time to for a 37-yard attempt. That failure proved to be costly in the end.

Jacksonville State tied the score again, 21-all, on its first possession of the third quarter. The Gamecocks, who dominated time of possession in the third quarter, mounted a 12-play scoring drive that took 5:39 off the clock, and regained the lead, 28-21. Tennessee State pulled even when German connected with James on an 11-yard touchdown pass that tied the score 28-28. The Tigers came up with two third-down conversions to keep the drive alive.

Then the game turned sloppy as the teams combined to commit three turnovers in a 44-second span on their next three combined possessions.

Tennessee State dominated the fourth quarter, outgaining Jacksonville State by 109 yards and holding the ball for 10 minutes, 26 seconds. The Tigers were in position to kick a field goal that would have won the game on their last possession. Steven Godbolt III’s one-handed interception at their 26-yard line with 5:36 remaining regulation put the Tigers in business.

Tennessee State put together a 15-play drive that took all the time off the clock and set up for a 42-yard field goal. Jamin Godfrey nailed the kick, but aA false start penalty moved the ball back five yards and he missed a 47-yard attempt and the game went into overtime

The Tigers’ kicking woes continued to haunt them in the extra period. They got the ball first, and Godfrey missed a 42-yard field goal try wide right. Tennessee State moved the ball to the 12-yard line on its first play, a 12-yard completion from German to A.C. Leonard, but Jacksonville State sacked German on each of the next three plays, forcing the errant field goal try.

Jacksonville State was content to play conservative on its first two downs and ran the ball. Greg Barksdale got a quarterback sack on third down and set up Thomas for the winning kick.

“We got the game where we wanted it and had a chance to win,’’ Reed said. “We go tot cut down on our mistakes. When you play a good team and make mistakes, they’ll burn you. We got burned today. We got to clean up our mistakes.

Key Results
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 50, Southern 21: The Golden Lions solidified their hold on first place in the SWAC West Division and ruined the Jaguars’ homecoming in the process. The Golden Lions (5-2, 4-1) have a two-game lead on Southern (3-4, 2-3) and Prairie View A&M (2-5, 2-3), their nearest pursuers in the West with four conference game remaining. The Golden Lions had their best offensive game of the season, rolling up 510 total yards. Quarterback Ben Anderson passed for a season-high 296. Wide receiver Ladarius Eckwood had three catches for 131 and a touchdown. The Golden Lions also rushed for 214 yards. Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s defense contributed to the scoring when linebacker Bill Ross returned an interception 60 yards for touchdown on Southern’s first possession of the game.
Jackson State 14, Miss. Valley State 7, 2OT: The Tigers continued their dominance against their in-state SWAC rival with a home victory. Jackson State (4-4, 4-2 SWAC) hasn’t lost to Mississippi Valley (2-5, 2-3 SWAC) since 1994. Quarterback Clayton Moore accounted for both Jackson State touchdowns. Moore scored the winning touchdown on a one-yard quarterback sneak. His nine-yard touchdown pass to Rico Richardson gave Jackson State a 7-0 lead in the third quarter. Mississippi Valley tied the score midway through the fourth period when quarterback Marcus Randle and Richard Drake connected on a 71-yard touchdown pass. The Tigers had a decided advantage in offensive production, outgaining the Delta Devils 328-204. However, they committed three turnovers.
Grambling State 22, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7: The G-Men, off to the worst start in school history, ended their six-game losing streak and won for the first time this season with a homecoming victory. Grambling (1-6) dominated the contest with its defense, limiting VUL (1-6) to 169 total yards.

Conference Results
CIAA
Elizabeth City State 47, Chowan 21
Johnson C. Smith 35, Shaw 20
Saint Augustine's 34, Fayetteville State 28, 3OT
Virginia State 23, Lincoln (Pa.) 3
Virginia Union 37, Bowie State 13
Winston-Salem State 58, Livingstone 0

MEAC
Bethune-Cookman 48, Norfolk State
Delaware State 24, North Carolina A&T 0
Howard 21, Morgan State 20
North Carolina Central 37, Hampton 20
Savannah State 42, Edward Waters 35
South Carolina State 27, Florida A&M 20, OT

SIAC
Albany State 36, Clark Atlanta 9
Benedict 39, Morehouse
Fort Valley State 35, Stillman 17
Miles 38, Lane 20
Tuskegee 37, Kentucky State 0

SWAC
Jackson State 14, Miss Valley State 7; 2OT
Prairie View A&M 52, Alcorn State 37

Other Results
Bacone 19, Texas College 6
Bloomsburg 27, Cheyney
Concordia-Selma 20, Southern Virginia 14
Fort Hayes 28, Lincoln (Mo.) 26
Shepherd 41, West Virginia State 20

HBCU Football Wrap-Up

Cherie.White@reachmediainc.com (Roscoe Nance, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 02:48:49 GMT

Alcorn State denied Alabama A&M an opportunity to take a strangle hold on the SWAC East Division race with a 21-20 upset of the previously unbeaten Bulldogs on their Homecoming in Huntsville, Ala., Saturday.

The victory for the Braves (3-4, 2-2 SWAC) throws the East title up for grabs after Alabama A&M (6-1, 5-1 SWAC), No. 25 in the FCS Top 25 and No. 2 in the HBCU rankings, appeared to be running away from the field coming into the game. After Saturday’s games all four of the teams chasing the Bulldogs Alcorn, Alabama State, Jackson State and Mississippi Valley have two conference losses each and a shot at the title.

“It was a great win for us,’’ first-year Alcorn coach Jay Hospon said. “Every time you can step on the field and get better and come out with a win in a hostile playing environment, it's always a good thing” said Hopson.

Alcorn pulled off the upset despite being dominated statistically. The Bulldogs gained 406 yards total offense compared to 211 for the Braves. Alcorn won the turnover battle, however, taking the ball away from the Bulldogs three times, and that was the key to victory. Alabama A&M quarterback Deaunte Mason came into the game having thrown 141 passes without an interception. The Braves intercepted Mason twice, including his first attempt on the second play of the game. The held Mason to 12-for-27 passing and 158 yards and ended is streak of passing for at least 230 yards at four consecutive games.

Devon Francois returned an interception 66 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give Alcorn a 14-10 lead. Running back Kaderius Lacey put the Bulldogs ahead 17-14 with a 39-yard run at 8:29 of the third quarter. The run was the highlight of a big day for the senior from Calera, Ala., who rushed for a career-high 205 yards on 12 carries and moved ahead of Ulysses Banks as the Bulldogs’ career rushing leader in the Division I era with 2,579 yards.

Alcorn recaptured the lead 21-17 on its next possession, driving 54 yards in seven plays. The Braves scored on John Gibbs’ 17-yard pass to Davoris Doss. Terrance Lewis gave the Braves a short field by returning the kickoff following Lacey’s touchdown 35 yards to Alabama A&M’s 46.

Alcorn carried its seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, and the Braves’ defense scratched and clawed to protect it. The Braves stopped Alabama A&M at Alcorn’s 41 early in the fourth quarter when they forced Lacey to fumble. After the offense went three-and-out, the Braves’ defense was tested again. Alabama A&M methodically drove the ball from its 33-yard line to Alcorn’s 22 in 10 plays. However, on third-and-nine, Francois deflected Mason’s pass that was intended for Torey Smith, and the Bulldogs had to settle for Chance Wilson’s 39-yard field goal with 5:30 to play after they were penalized five yards for delay of the game.

The Bulldogs got the ball once again with 4:04 on the clock, this time at their 24. They got to Alcorn’s 41 and their offense stalled. Mason completed a pass to Lacey for a four-yard loss on first down, scrambled for a two-yard gain on second down and threw and incompletion on third down. After the Bulldogs were penalized five yards for a false start, Alcorn dropped Mason for a four-yard loss on fourth-and-15. The Braves got the ball back with 59 seconds remaining and ran out the clock.

Key Results
Jackson State 37, Alabama State 34: The Tigers remained in contention in the SWAC East with a road victory thanks to freshman Ryan Deising’s 40-yard field goal as time expired. Junior quarterback Clayton Moore was the offensive star for Jackson State (3-4, 4-2 SWAC). Moore rushed for 131 yards, his second consecutive game with 100 or more yards rushing, and he threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Moore scored three touchdowns on the ground, including a three-yarder with 3:53 left that set the stage for Deising’s winning field goal. Alabama State quarterback Greg Jenkins’ stats were almost as impressive as Moore’s. Jenkins threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, a six-yard toss to T.C. McWilliams, and he rushed for 71 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown run. However, he threw an interception late in the game that led to Jackson State’s game-tying drive. The game was the last for the Hornets (4-3, 4-2 SWAC), the preseason pick to win the SWAC East at Cramton Bowl before opening their on-campus stadium against Tuskegee in the Turkey Day Classic on Thanksgiving.

Miss. Valley State 45, Grambling State 21: The Delta Devils beat the visiting G-Men for the first time since 1996, sending them to their first-ever 0-6 start. The Delta Devils (2-4, 2-2 SWAC) had their highest point total since 2009. Sophomore receiver Julian Stafford had a led the Delta Devils’ offense with seven catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He also had an 88-yard kickoff return for a score, and he finished the game with 263 all-purpose yards. The victory was just the fifth for the Delta Devils in 55 games against Grambling (0-6, 0-5 SWAC).

North Carolina A&T 38, Howard 10: The Aggies handed the visiting Bison their first MEAC loss on the strength of solid defensive effort and Mike Mayhew’s strong running. The Aggies came up with three interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. Mayhew rushed for a season-high 138 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries to become just the 12th back in MEAC history with 3,000 or more career rushing yards. Mayhew is 11th on the conference’s all-time list with 3,056 yards. Howard (4-2, 3-1 MEAC) trailed 14-10 at the half. But the game got out of hand early in the third period. Zach Cimaglia’s 40-yard field goal on the Aggies’ first possession increased their lead to 17-10. The next time Howard had the ball, D’Vonte Grant returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown that made the score 24-10, and the rout was on.

North Carolina Central 24, Morgan State 20: The Eagles remained unbeaten in the MEAC with a last-second road victory that extended their winning streak to three consecutive games. The Eagles (4-2, 3-0 MEAC) scored the winning touchdown a 26-yard pass from Jordan Reid to senior tight end Detwan Robinson with 26 seconds remaining in the game. Robinson caught a short pass from Reid on fourth-and-two, broke three tackles and raced into the end zone for the touchdown. Geovonie Irvine’s 20-yard punt return gave the Eagles excellent field position at the Morgan State 47-yard line to start their winning drive with 2:32 left in the game. North Carolina Central is tied for first place in the conference with Bethune-Cookman. Morgan State (3-3, 2-1 MEAC) suffered its first conference loss with the defeat.

Other Results
CIAA
Chowan 28, Virginia Union 21
Elizabeth City State 63, Lincoln (Pa.) 19
Johnson C. Smith 35, Fayetteville State 18
Shaw 48, Livingstone 20
Virginia State 26, Bowie State 20 (OT)
Winston-Salem State 56, Saint Augustine's 37

MEAC
Delaware State 31, South Carolina State 17
Florida A&M 44, Savannah State 3
Hampton 28, Norfolk State 14

SIAC
Albany State 16, Morehouse 13
Clark Atlanta 14, Benedict 10
Tuskegee 16, Stillman 0
Fort Valley State 38, Concordia-Selma 12
Lane 16, Point University 10
Miles 45, Kentucky State 0

SWAC
Southern 34, Texas Southern 7

INDEPENDENTS
Edward Waters 30, Webber International 29
Glenville State 29, West Virginia State 12
Lincoln (Mo.) 34, Nebraska-Kearney 27
Millersville 35, Cheyney 0
Tennessee State 40, Southeast Missouri 28
University of Indianapolis 45, Central State 13
Wesley College 24, Virginia Univ of Lynchburg 7