The road to a potential national championship begins today when Tuskegee and Virginia State hosts NCAA Division II first round playoff games.
Virginia State will be making their first-ever appearance in the Division II playoffs as they host Long Island University-Post today. The game can be seen live at http://www.vsu.edu/media/football/trojans-vs-liupost-2014.php.
“I think it’s huge,” Trojans coach Latrell Scott told the Richmond Times Dispatch. “It’s huge for our team, it’s huge for our fans, it’s huge for our alumni, it’s huge for our school. It really gives us the ability to showcase what VSU really is and we’re looking forward to trying to get the entire city out to support our guys.”
They host an LIU-Post squad that finished 8-3 and won the Northeast 10 Conference championship and averages 35 points per game. They are led by quarterback Steven Laurino, the conference's Most Valuable Player who threw for 3,305 yards this season and threw 28 touchdowns. Laurino also led the nation in points responsible for (282), points responsible for each game (25.2) while ranking among the nation's leaders in total offense, completions per game and rushing touchdowns. Laurino, who ran for 18 touchdowns, is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award for the top player in Division II football.
He will face one of the nation's toughest defenses in Virginia State. The Trojans only give up 18 points a game and just 165 passing yards a game.
On offense, the Trojans will have back quarterback Tarian Ayers, who was suspended for last week's CIAA championship game against Winston-Salem State after being charged with DUI, speeding and underage possession of alcohol the week prior. His replacement, true freshman Niko Johnson, led the Trojans to their win over WSSU, rushing for the game-winning touchdown in being named game MVP.
The winner of today's game faces undefeated Bloomsburg next week.
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