Tennessee State Regains Winning Form; Grambling Puts Scare in Bethune-Cookman; Complete Rundown of HBCU Football Action This Past Weekend

By ADD SEYMOUR JR. 

Those in Big Blue country worried about their Tennessee State Tigers after their collapse at Alabama State can start to relax a bit.

Tennessee State (2-1) looked like one of the nation’s top teams last weekend in their 35-7 drubbing of Jackson State in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis. 

The TSU defense looked like the TSU defense by holding J-State to only 138 yards of total offense, which included just eight first downs.  They had seven sacks and halted the Jackson State rushing game, allowing minus 1 yard of rushing the entire night. On offense, running back Tom Smith looked more like the star in their opening season rout of Edward Waters with his two touchdowns rushing while the TSU quarterbacks were solid, accounting for three touchdowns.

“We came out of the gates slow against Alabama State (Sept. 6) and it really hurt us,” TSU coach Rod Reed told The Tennessean.  “We started fast this week and you saw the difference.”

As for Jackson State (2-1), they were brought down to earth after a quick season start in averaging over 435 yards of total offense in big wins over Florida A&M and Virginia-Lynchburg. 

"I thought we could come out and really execute and really perform on the field," Jackson State head coach Harold Jackson told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.  "[QB Lamontiez] Ivy didn't have a whole lot of protection.  The protection kind of broke down on him... He just didnt have enough protection so that he could throw the ball."

This week, the Tigers open up Ohio Valley Conference play against in-state foe, Tennessee Tech.  Tech blew out Kentucky Christian 35-7 in their home opener but lost big to Indiana State 49-14 two weeks ago, giving their two weeks to straighten out things and prepare for TSU. 

Jackson State hosts 0-3 Grambling who led FCS power Bethune Cookman late in a close loss last week.

Bethune-Cookman Holds Off Winless Grambling 36-23

Photo by Nigel Cook/Daytona News Journal

Bethune-Cookman, the nation's 13th-ranked FCS team, needed two fourth quarter scores to hold off winless Grambling 36-23 Saturday.

Grambling (0-3) led 23-22 late in the third quarter after Stephen Johnson zipped a 75-yard touchdown pass Dominique Leake.  But fourth quarter touchdown runs by Danny Dillard and Drexler Dixon gave Bethune-Cookman (2-0) the win.

Bethune's Quentin Williams finished with 165 yards passing along with 40 yards and two touchdowns rushing.  Johnson led the Grambling offense with 220 yards passing and two touchdowns.

Bethune-Cookman faces another big test Saturday when they visit Central Florida while Grambling goes to Jackson State.

Other HBCU football scores from the weekend of Sept. 11-14:

SWAC

Alcorn State 52, Lousiana College 10

Alabama-Birmingham 41, Alabama A&M 14

Alabama State 47, Mississippi Valley State 22

McNeese State 48, Prairie View 16 

Texas Southern 30, Central State 16

Northwestern State 51, Southern 27

CIAA

 

UNC Pembroke 16, Fayetteville State 14

Elizabeth City State 18, Tusculum 10

Wingate 30, St. Augustine's 0

Alderson Broaddus 47, Chowan 7

West Alabama 30, Shaw 6

Livingstone 48, Paine 45

N.C. Wesleyan 27, Lincoln (Pa) 0

Charleston (W.V.) 38, Virginia Union 21

Towson 21, Delaware State 7

Lenoir-Rhyne 33, Virginia State 6
Valdosta State 22, Winston-Salem State 17

  

MEAC

Howard 35, Morehouse 17

Morgan State 28, Bowie State 3

William & Mary 29, Norfolk State 14

Richmond 42, Hampton 17

North Carolina A&T 17, Elon 12

Coastal Carolina 30, South Carolina State 3

Charlotte 40, North Carolina Central 28

SIAC

Fort Valley State 42, Savannah State 28

Johnson C. Smith 13, Kentucky State 6

Tuskegee 20, Albany State 12

West Georgia 26, Miles 0

Clark Atlanta 20, Lane 17

Samford 52, Stillman 0

Others

Truman State 17, Langston 12

SIAC