Holmes Firing During Homecoming Week Leads to Consternation in Rattlerland

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Homecoming at Florida A&M has an odd air around it this year as the beloved Rattler football squad is suffering through another subpar season.

This year they are also without a permanent football coach.

With FAMU president Elmira Mangum and athletic director Kellen Winslow Jr. deciding to part ways with FAMU/MEAC legend in former head coach Earl Holmes this week, just days before their alumni come to town to celebrate homecoming and watch FAMU take on Norfolk State, there a lot of questions in Tallahassee, mainly why now.

"There's no one - not even in high school - who would interrupt homecoming," said former Florida state Senator, prominent alum and donor Al Lawson to FAMU's 220 Quarterback Club, reported The Tallahassee Democrat.

The paper reported that when a club member asked if Winslow should be fired, Lawson said "he should be."

The Rattlers are 2-6 after opening the season with five wins, a dismal offense and a defense that was giving up more than 30 points a game.

After the first four games, Quinn Gray's offensive coordinator duties were taken away, though he remained quarterbacks coach. Ernie Mills began calling plays as passing game coordinator and Shawn Bryson headed the running game. 

The FAMU offense perked up and the team won two of the next four games.  But after last week's 41-20 loss to North Carolina A&T - the ADDS HBCU SPORTS REPORT No. 1 team in FCS HBCU football - Winslow and Mangum had apparently had enough of Holmes' leadership.

And the fact that Winslow and Mangum made the move during Homecoming week without consulting many people has raised the ire of many influential people in Rattlerland.

"There is major heartburn in the Rattler community because I think any major personnel decision that's made during homecoming does not increase the morale of students and alumni and other stakeholders," FAMU trustee Torey Alston told The Tallahassee Democrat. "It does the opposite. It does not encourage many of us to recruit to the university.  Enough is enough. I'm hopeful we can turn this around very soon. If not, someone is going to have to pay the price and someone is going to have to go."

Links to The Tallahassee Democrat stories on Earl Holmes/FAMU firing:

 http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/local/famu-news/2014/10/29/high-profile-famu-alums-displeased-holmes-fired/18157181/

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/famu/2014/10/02/famu-ad-winslow-patient-holmes-despite-losses/16574401/

North Carolina A&T New No. 1 HBCU FCS Team in Latest ADDS HBCU SPORTS REPORT Football Top Ten Poll; Winston-Salem State and Tuskegee Top Division II Poll

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

South Carolina State shook up this week's ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT FCS Football Top Ten poll by knocking off the one team that has stayed in the top spot all season -- until now.

The Bulldogs' 20-17 win over Bethune-Cookman dropped the Wildcats to the number three slot and moved South Carolina State to No. 2.  That puts North Carolina A&T, a team on a huge resurgence after several down years, in the top spot.

The Aggies defeated Florida A&M Saturday as they also took over the top spot in the MEAC race.

"It was a conference game," said head coach Rod Broadway. "It took us to seven wins. I think this is the third year in a row we’ve had seven wins. That means we’re getting a little bit better every year.”

Out of the FCS Top Ten poll for the first time this year is Tennessee State, a squad that has lost four games in a row. 

In the Division II poll, Winston-Salem State continues in the top spot, but now are followed by Tuskegee and Virginia State at two and three.

Losses by Morehouse and Stillman dropped them out of the D-2 poll, but Elizabeth City State and Fayetteville State move into the numbers nine and ten spots.

Here are both of the ADDS HBCU SPORTS REPORT FCS/Division II Top Ten Football Polls


FCS

1) North Carolina A&T (7-2, 4-1 MEAC)
2) South Carolina State (5-3, 3-1 MEAC)
3) Bethune-Cookman (6-2, 3-1 MEAC)
4) Alcorn State (7-2, 5-1 SWAC)
5) Grambling (5-3, 5-0 SWAC)
6) Southern (5-3, 4-1 SWAC)
7) North Carolina Central (4-4, 3-1 MEAC)
8) Morgan State (4-4. 3-1 MEAC)
9) Alabama State (4-4. 3-3 SWAC)
10) Texas Southern (5-3, 3-3 SWAC)


DIVISION II

1) Winston-Salem State (7-1, 5-0 CIAA)
2) Tuskegee (6-2, 5-0 SIAC)
3) Virginia State (6-2, 5-0 CIAA)
4) Virginia Union (6-2, 4-1 CIAA)
5) Albany State (5-2, 5-0 SIAC)
6) Fort Valley State (6-2, 4-1 SIAC)
7) Livingstone (5-3, 2-3 CIAA)
8) Miles (5-3, 4-1 SIAC)
9) Elizabeth City State (4-4, 3-2 CIAA)
10) Fayetteville State (4-4, 4-1 CIAA)

1 

Last Minute TD Gives South Carolina State Win Over Bethune-Cookman and Throws MEAC Race Into a Tizzy; Look at ALL of Saturday's HBCU Football Action

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

SCSU's Austin Smith hauls the winning 49-yard TD pass. (Photo by Larry Hardy/Times and Democrat)

In a major battle of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference powerhouses, Austin Smith caught a 49-yard from Adrian Kollock Jr. with 33 seconds left in a wild final minute to lift South Carolina State to a 20-14 win over Bethune-Cookman Saturday.

Defense ruled most of the day as SCSU  (5-3, 3-1 MEAC) only managed 120 yards of total offense and Bethune-Cookman only managing 175.

Antonio Hamilton returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter to give South Carolina State a 14-7 lead.  But in the game's final minute, Bethune-Cookman's Donald Smith recovered a South Carolina State fumble and returning three yards to tie the game 14-14.

With overtime seemingly looming, Kollock, the Bulldogs' starting quarterback who had sat out the majority of the game with an injury, came in and flipped the winning 49-yarder to Smith to give the Bulldogs a huge win.


"We were very fortunate to get the win and have to thank the man above," said SCSU head coach Buddy Pough. "We, somehow, found a way to win."

 “There were some plays in that football game I can't believe and I've never seen in my whole coaching career,” Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins told the Daytona News Journal. “That last play, I've never seen (anything) like it.”

 Defensively, the Bulldogs' Jason Hargrave was a terror for Bethune-Cookman (6-2, 3-1). Hargrave had 11 tackles, six sacks and six tackles for loss

"He's a tremendous talent and he (Hargrave) had a dominating performance and we needed it," Pough said.

The South Carolina State win throws a huge wrench in the MEAC race as North Carolina A&T, with a 4-1 conference record now goes to first place. Bethune-Cookman, South Carolina State, Morgan State, North Carolina Central and Norfolk State are all a game behind at 3-1.

Bethune-Cookman hosts one of those teams, North Carolina Central next week while South Carolina State is home again, this time against Savannah State.

MEAC
Hampton 23, Delaware State 0 (Hampton got their first MEAC win on the legs of Jorrian Washingotn (142 yards rushing) and Eric Carter (113 yards and a touchdown) and the arms of Joshua Thorne (19 tackles, three sacks and six tackles for loss). Delaware State only had 34 yards rushing all day. DSU's Davon Moore had 11 tackles and forced a fumble while Alex Perry made eight tackles and had two tackles for loss)

North Carolina Central 42, Savannah State 14 (North Carolina Central climbed to the .500 mark in their easy win over winless Savannah State. The Eagles also became part of the six-team second place logjam in the MEAC race. Malcolm Bell threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns to lead NCCU. Bell also rushed for 72 yards and two more TDs. Savannah State's Marquis Smith had ten tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and four tackles for loss)

North Carolina A&T 40, Florida A&M 21 (Kwashaun Quick threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards to lead the Aggies to a homecoming win. Denzel Keyes was on the receiving end of those three TD passes.  The win moves A&T in first place in the MEAC while FAMU, despite only have two wins heading into the game, missed out on being tied for second in the MEAC had they won)

Villanova 48, Morgan State 28 (Morgan State hung with fourth-ranked Villanova for a half, but gave up 27 points in the third quarter in losing.  Villanova running back Kevin Monangai rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns, both in that big third quarter, while their quarterback John Robertson threw for three touchdowns, but also ran a 56-yard TD on the game's second play and another touchdown in the ill-fated third quarter.  MSU quarterback Moses Skillon threw for 204 yards and a TD and added 77 yards and two touchdowns on the ground)
 
SIAC

Fort Valley State 23, Paine 10 (Paine stood strong against 6-2 and 4-1 Fort Valley State but couldn't muster enough offense against the Wildcats. Fort Valley State's third straight win keeps them one game behind Albany State in the SIAC East.  Fort Valley State faces Morehouse this week and then Albany State in the final game of the season)

Central State 41, Stillman 14 (Stillman loses their second game in a row after challenging for a top-spot in the SIAC West two weeks ago. Central State rushed for 260 yards as Moses Vines led the Marauders with 97 yards and touchdown while Isiah Grooms added 61 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Michael Wilson had 69 yards and a touchdown rushing to go with his 173 yards and one touchdown in the air.  The Marauders held Stillman quarterback Josh Straughan to 171 yards and a touchdown)

Miles 51, Lane 0 (David Whipple threw two touchdowns and ran for another as Miles routed hapless Lane for their fourth straight win.  Three other Miles players - Jonathan Clark, Jamarcus Vance and Xavier Bacon - had touchdowns. More importantly, Miles is now 4-1 and has overtaken Stillman for second place behind undefeated Tuskegee in the SIAC West.  Miles faces Stillman next week before a big battle looming against Tuskegee)
 
Benedict 33,  Morehouse 15 (Morehouse's offense struggled again as starting quarterback Monquavious Johnson played some on his injured ankle but couldn't help the Maroon Tigers to generate enough to keep up with Benedict. Marcus Graham threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead Benedict. Morehouse backup quarterback Jordan Tarver only threw for 81 yards, but rushed for two short touchdowns)



SWAC

Alcorn State 77, Prairie View A&M 48 (Defense wasn't a big highlight in this game as these two teams combined for more than 1,200 yards of offense.  Alcorn's 21 points in a roughly eight minute span from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the second quarter broke open a 14-14 game. John Gibbs Jr. led ASU with 362 yards and four touchdowns passing while running back Aaron Baker had 149 yards and three touchdowns rushing. PVAM was led by running back Johnta Hebert who had 157 yards and two touchdowns rushing and quarterback Jerry Lovelock and his 305 yards and two TDs passing)

Arkansas-Pine Bluff 38, Texas Southern 37 (Benjamin Anderson threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Willie Young with 2:15 left to give UAPB their first SWAC win of the season. Brian Handley led UAPB with 193 yards and two touchdowns rushing while Anderson threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns. TSU's Daveonn Porter ran for 187 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Homer Causey threw for 333 yards and three TDs in the see-saw battle. The loss was the third in the last four games for Texas Southern, which started the season 4-0)

Alabama A&M 37, Alabama State 36 (Alabama A&M got their first win since the end of September.  Down 13 and 12 points at various points in the game, the Bulldogs outscored the Hornets 16-3 in the fourth quarter, including Jaymason Lee's 43-yard touchdown pass to Tevin McKenzie with 2:26 left to give them their third win of the season. ASU's Malcolm Cyrus rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown. The loss is Alabama State's third straight after running off four straight wins)

Southern 42, Jackson State 28 (Southern rushed out to a 27-0 lead early in the second quarter, including 21 in the first quarter, opening a lead too big for Jackson State to recover from. Lenard Tillery rushed for 166 yards and TD while Austin Howard threw for 250 yards and touchdown and rushed for another touchdown to lead Southern. J-State's Robert Johnson rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown while La Montiez Ivy threw for 424 yards and three touchdowns. It was Southern's third straight win and puts them only a game behind Grambling in the SWAC West Division)


CIAA

Virginia State 63, Lincoln (Pa) 7 (Earl Hughes and Kavon Bellamy led a Virginia State rushing attack that had 288 yards and five touchdowns Saturday.  Hughes rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown while Bellamy added 94 and three touchdowns. Lincoln's Stephen Scott rushed for 100 yards, but Lincoln's offense didnt generate any points Saturday.  Their only touchdown came on a 14-yard fumble return for a touchdown)

Fayetteville State 49, St. Augustine's 14 (The Broncos won their fourth straight game as eight different players were part of touchdowns for Fayetteville State. Andre Montgomery rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown and Derek Bryant threw for 219 yards and two TDs. The Broncos had 568 yards of total offense Saturday.  A bright spot for St. Aug's was Roderick Davenport who had 146 yards rushing and a touchdown. The win moves them into a first place tie with Winston-Salem State in the CIAA Northern Division as both teams are 3-0)

Winston-Salem State 34, Livingstone 17 (Winston-Salem State had fewer yards offensively than Livingstone and was only 4-of-12 on third downs.  Phil Sims threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns, two of them to Brenden Felder. Livingstone's Drew Powell had another solid day, throwing for 281 yards and two touchdowns. He also led them in rushing with 85 yards on the ground.)

Elizabeth City State 49, Chowan 33 (ECSU scored 28 points over an 18-minute span to blow open an early four-point game. Running back Kenny King rushed for 92 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings.  Jerrell Timmons had five tackles, two sacks and two tackles for losses for ECSU.  Dominique Futon and Andrew Denny combined for 24 tackles for Chowan, which fell to 1-7. The Vikings meanwhile moved up into a second-place tie with Virginia Union in the CIAA Northern Division)

Shaw 35, Johnson C. Smith 34 (Marqui Grizzled ran a 17-yard touchdown with 44 seconds left to complete a 21-point fourth quarter that gave Shaw the win. Johnson C. Smith led 27-0 at halftime, but was outscored 35-7 in the second half to lose.  Johnson C. Smith quarterback Andrew Alexander won the head-to-head quarterback battle, throwing for 365 yards and five TDs while the CIAA's leading passer, Trey Folston, had 284 yards and a touchdown for Shaw. While Johnson C. Smith had success in the air, they had -19 yards rushing on the day)

Bowie State 20, Virginia Union 17 (OT) (Mario Diaz-Aviles kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime to give Bowie State a huge upset win over a Union team that had won five straight games. Diaz-Aviles put the game into overtime moments earlier with a 27-yard boot with 4:04 left in regulation. Virginia Union kicker Troy Krepich missed a 37-yard yarder with no time remaining that would have given VUU the win.  Bowie State shut down the Virginia Union offense, out-gaining them 271-to-229 and allowing -23 yards rushing)

OTHERS

TSU running back Darion Hall (Photo by Garfield Bather)

Eastern Illinois 28, Tennessee State 3 (Tennessee State's slump continues as they've lost their fourth straight game, their longest losing skid since 2011.  EIU's Shepard Little led his team's nearly 300-yard rushing day with 130 yards and a touchdown. EIU quarterback Jalen Whitlow, the OVC's top passer, only had 76 yards passing for the day. Tennessee State quarterback Michael German threw for 149 yards on the day)

South Carolina State Hosts Bethune-Cookman in Big MEAC Battle; Alcorn Visits Prairie View; A Look at ALL HBCU Matchups Today

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

It doesn't get much better than this.

The FCS' top HBCU squad, Bethune-Cookman visits South Carolina State, who at 4-3 doesn't look like a team that BCU will have a problem with.  But this is South Carolina State.

Two of South Carolina State's losses came at the hands of ACC powerhouse Clemson and to FCS power Coastal Carolina.  They ripped off three straight wins before being tripped up by North Carolina Central two weeks ago, making this a must-win for the Bulldogs.

"It's a win or go home type situation for us," said SCSU head coach Buddy Pough at his weekly news conference Monday. "The ox is in the ditch and we have to get him out. Our backs are against the wall and we have to find a way to win a ball game."

South Carolina State doesn't excel at any phase of the game.  They are just solid and make few mistakes.  But a number of injuries, particularly at the quarterback position where freshman Calvin Giles-McGary may have to start, has made things a tougher for the Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman has been rolling since their only loss, a 41-6 drubbing by Central Florida.  They've won four straight and have averaged 39 points a game during that streak.

Larry Brimh stepped in for quarterback Quentin Williams and threw three touchdowns and ran for another in last week's win over Savannah State  And Anthony Jordan has been solid on the ground for BCU. But the Wildcats have a nasty defense that is fifth nationally and fourth in rushing defense, giving up only 77 yards on the groud per game this year. 

It all makes for an interesting battle in Orangesburg.

“There are a lot of things riding on this game,” Bethune-Cookman head coach Brian Jenkins told the Daytona News Journal. “And we’re ready for it. You have two different styles, two different philosophies, but I think we have some commonalities in that both of us want to win and both of us are aggressive in what we do.”

Here is a look at the rest of the HBCU football games on tap today: 

SWAC

Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M (This should be a very interesting contest. Just three weeks ago, Prairie View's season looked like it was over after losing their first four games.  But they've won their last three and have averaged 44 points a game during this stretch. QB Jerry Lovelocke has been solid, throwing three touchdowns last week. Alcorn State is looking for not only a SWAC title this year. At 6-2, they are battling for an NCAA FCS playoff berth. Losing to surging Grambling hurt, but defeating a good Texas Southern team last week helped)

Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M (Alabama State was flying high during a four-game winning streak that included big wins over Tennessee State and Texas Southern. But then came losses to Alcorn State and Prairie View. The SWAC;s top rusher, Malcolm Cyrus is steady, averaging 130 yards a game and likely going over 1,000 yards on the season in this game. Alabama A&M has played a tough schedule in going 2-5, having to deal with the likes of North Carolina A&T, UAB, Texas Southern, Grambling and Division II Tuskegee (a win).  Jaymason Lee has thrown for 1300 yards and ten touchdowns for A&M and does provide a spark there)

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas Southern (It continues to be a dismal season for Arkansas-Pine Bluff. They were dispatched by Grambling easily last week as they have real defensive issues. Aside from a shut out of Concordia (Ala), UAPB has given up at least 33 points in every game.  They gave up 63 to Grambling last week and 51 to Southern the game before. A bright spot is quarterback Benjamin Anderson, who is second in total offense. He had 523 yards of total offense against Grambling. Texas Southern has lost two of the last three games and hasnt been clicking on offense the past three weeks.  Daveonn Porter, the SWAC's second leading rusher, could be looking for a big game this week)

Southern at Jackson State (Jackson State has had a very uneven 2014 at 3-4 overall, 1-3 in the SWAC and they've lost their last two games. LaMontiez Ivy is having a good season at quarterback, but J-State running game is the worst in the SWAC. Southern is headed in the opposite direction. They've won their last two games, though they were against a one-win Arkansas-Pine Bluff and two-win Mississippi Valley State. The Jaguars are led by freshman quarterback Austin Howard and sophomore running back Leonard Tillery.


CIAA

Livingstone at Winston Salem State (Depending on which Livinstone team shows up, this could be a big game or a really ugly game. Is it Livinstone that won their first four games this season or is it the Livingsone that's lost two of their last three against Elizabeth City State and St. Augustine's?  Winston-Salem State is not a question. They are the best HBCU Division II team)

Johnson C. Smith at Shaw (These are two make up the bottom of the CIAA Southern Division. Johnson C. Smith's offense is the league's worst - last week was the first time they scored since Sept. 27.  Shaw quarterback Trey Folston, the CIAA's leading passer, only had 84 yards passing in last week's one-point loss to Livingstone.  Johnson C. Smith gives up the second-most passing yards a game in the conference)

Bowie State at Virginia Union (Virginia Union has continued their dominance, churning out 545 yards of offense and gaving up only 94 yards rushing against Chowan last week. This week, the league's top passing team hosts a Bowie State squad that plays good defense, evident in their only giving up 186 yards of offense to Virginia State last week.  Bowie has the CIAA's fourth-best pass defense, making this an interesting matchup on paper)
 
Chowan at Elizabeth City State (Elizabeth City State is looking to get to the .500 level overall and stay just a game behind Virginia Union and Virginia State in the CIAA Northern Division.  They picked up their first road win last week as they spoiled Lincoln's homecoming.  Chowan has problems on defense.  In their six losses, the fewest amount of points they've given up is 33 points.  Offensively, the rely on a running game led by DaSean Martin)

Fayetteville State at St. Augustine's (Fayetteville State has won three straight games with a balanced offense that isnt particularly prolific. They've also won three straight against three CIAA teams that have won a combined four games this season.  They face a St. Aug's team that isn't great defensively, but have played reasonably well against the three best teams in the CIAA the past three weeks, even though they only have one win out of those three games.  Cyril Davis is St. Aug's steady quarterback and Roderick Davenport is averaging 113 yards a game on the ground)

Lincoln (Pa) at Virginia State (The Lincoln defense is about to get another test this week when they visit a Virginia State team that's on a roll.  They've won five straight, have averaged well over 30 points a game over those last five games and are looking more and more like the team that was in last year's CIAA championship game.  Lincoln has continued to struggle during a one-win season where they have one of the CIAA's worst offenses and defenses.)


MEAC

Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T (Florida A&M is playing much better football, having won their last two games.  They are 2-1 in the MEAC and though they aren't eligible for the MEAC title this year, they could be a factor in the race. But they are heading to A&T which is on a nice roll. They've won five of their last six and two since losing to South Carolina State. Tarik Cohen has had two 100-yard rushing games the past two weeks. With Morgan State and surprising Norfolk State, A&T is one game behind Bethune-Cookman and can't afford a loss)

Hampton at Delaware State (Hampton's high-flying passing game was grounded last week against a surging Norfolk State squad. So Connell Maynor will be looking to get quarterback Jaylian Williamson back on track against defensive-minded Delaware State. The Hornets aren't much on offense, but they are the MEAC's third-best defense. More importantly, they have the conference's top passing defense featuring DBs Devon Moore and Terrick Colston, along with tackle machine Alex Perry and sack machine Rodney Gunter)

Savannah State at North Carolina Central (North Carolina Central had Morgan State beat last week, but let MSU quarterback Robert Council beat them late. But the Eagles are 2-1 and can get back into the crowded MEAC field chasing Bethune-Cookman. Malcolm Bell has been solid at quarterback for Central and is second in total offense in the MEAC. Savannah State is still looking for their first win of the season and ranks near the bottom of every major MEAC statistical category.

Morgan State at Villanova (Morgan State steps out of MEAC play to hit the road at fourth-ranked Villanova.  Villanova is 6-1 and led by quarterback John Robertson, who has thrown for more than 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns.  They only give up 98 yards rushing a game.  That will mean tough sledding for MSU's Herb Walker Jr., who will be looking to go over the 1,000 yard mark for the season.  Morgan State has won four of their last five games)

SIAC

Stillman at Central State (Stillman had been playing solid football until running into a Tuskegee buzzsaw last weekend, giving up 61 points and going nowhere offensively in a battle of teams that were undefeated in conference play.  Stillman will look to get back on track against a Central State team that lost five straight before defeating Concordia (Ala) last weekend. This is the first of three straight home games to wind down a tough season for Central State)

Clark Atlanta at Albany State (Albany State's Jarvis Small has had five straight 100-yard rushing games and will look to get his sixth against a decent Clark Atlanta run defense.  But Albany State, undefeated in the SIAC, is going to face a decent challenge of their own.  Clark Atlanta is a running team and leads the SIAC in that category. They rarely pass.  Albany State has the SIAC's best run defense and top defense overall.  So this will be a battle between two of the league's top three rushers - CAU's Montavious Taylor and ASU's Small - against two good run defenses)

Morehouse at Benedict (Morehouse needs a win after a strong start.  They've lost there last two convincinly, but to the hottest SIAC teams, Tuskegee and Albany State.  Key for Morehouse is whether quarterback Monquavious Johnson, who has been out the last three weeks with an ankle injury, can play.  He had been the SIAC's leader in passing and total offense.  Benedict's Cameron Stover is now the SIAC's top passer, throwing for nearly 1600 yards and 13 touchdowns so far this season for the league's top pass offense.  Both teams struggle running the ball)

Paine at Fort Valley State (Paine got their first victory last week by defeating a not-so-good Edward Waters team. But more importantly, they found their offense that had sagged over the past four weeks. But Fort Valley State is hardly Edward Waters.  FVSU is in a chase of Albany State in the SIAC East as they are only one game behind.  They can't afford another loss as they look towards a season-ending showdown with Albany State.  Jalen White leads an FVSU rushing attack that is the second-best in the SIAC)

Kentucky State at Tuskegee (Tuskegee has been on a tear the last four weeks, scoring a whopping 189 points during that span. Quarterbacks Kevin Lacey and Justin Nared, along with running back Hoderick Lowe lead a balanced offense. The SIAC's top rusher, Jacquiese Lockett, will face a stiff defense that only allows 16 points and 291 yards of offense a game.  But Tuskegee's run defense is only ranked seventh in the SIAC.  The Kentucky State defense will have a tough challenge today)

Miles at Lane (Miles is looking to keep pace with Tuskegee, as they are only a game behind the Golden Tigers in the SIAC West.  They take on a one-win Lane squad that has only beaten Paine and has struggled on offense and defense. Lane has the league's worst offense and second-worst defense. Miles runs the ball well, with Jonathan Clark averaging 74 rushing yards a game)

OTHERS 

Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois (Eastern Illinois isn't the best place to go to try to break a three-game losing streak. But that's the task 4-4 TSU faces.  Eastern Illinois is having a down year, as they are only 2-5 after losing record-setting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the NFL.  His successor, Jalen Whitlow, has been great though.  He leads the OVC in passing with 259 yards a game. TSU has struggled running the ball and haven't had the same consistency on either side of the ball that made them an NCAA FCS playoff team last season)

Cheyney at Shippensburg (Winless Cheyney is stuggling on offense.  Last week against Lock Haven, they were shut out and only had 26 yards rushing and 53 yards passing.  Cheyney's defense did have four interceptions and two sacks.  It's homecoming day at Shippensburg, a team that is 3-4 and plays spotty defense, but scores a lot of points)

Lincoln (Mo) at Indianapolis (Lincoln got a much needed win last week in destroying Texas College. Morris Henderson had 222 yards rushing. But this is a strong Indianapolis team that is 5-1 and runs the ball really well.  And its homecoming day)

CIAA Dominates Top Rungs of ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT Division II Football Poll; FCS Top Three Remains While Tennessee State Drops and Grambling Rises

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association continues to show their dominance in Division II football as three of the top four teams in this week's ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT FCS/Division II Top Ten football polls.

Winston-Salem State and Virginia Union continue to be the first and second ranked teams in the Division II poll, with Virginia State climbing the poll again this week to number four.  Livingstone is at No. 6.

Tuskegee, which has been on a dominant tear the past two weeks as they scored 49 against Morehouse two weeks ago and 61 last week against Stillman, moves up to third.

The top three in the FCS poll remained the same, but Tennessee State continues their fall after three straight losses.  The go from fourth to ninth this week. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Grambling is on a five game winning streak and remains undefeated in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. They move up to the fourth spot in this week's FCS poll.

Here are the entire ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT Division II/FCS football polls: 



FCS

1) Bethune-Cookman
2) North Carolina A&T
3) Alcorn State
4) Grambling
5) Alabama State
6) South Carolina State
7) Texas Southern
8) Tennessee State
9) Southern
10) Morgan State


DIVISION II

1) Winston-Salem State
2) Virginia Union
3) Tuskegee
4) Virginia State
5) Albany State
6) Livingstone
7) Fort Valley State
8) Miles
9) Stillman
10) Morehouse

Tuskegee Routs Stillman; Grambling Wins Fifth Straight; Tennessee State Loses Again; Rundown of ALL HBCU Football Action From Saturday

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Tuskegee quarterback Kevin Lacey (Photo by Alex Cesare/Tuscaloosa News)

Last week, Stillman's Josh Straughan threw for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns in a win, setting up what looked to be an interesting, high-flying matchup with Tuskegee this weekend as the Golden Tigers scored 49 themselves in shutting out Morehouse the week prior.

Well, one half of that happened.

Tuskegee scored 42 first half points, with Hoderick Rowe rushing for three first-half TDs, to shut down Stillman whose four-game winning streak ended with a thud, 61-19.  Kevin Lacey threw two first-half TDs in a game that was decided early. 

Staughan struggled, as he threw for just 132 yards and was picked off twice. He did throw two touchdowns and ran for another.

Stillman was looking to make a bid to lead the SIAC West in a huge game between two teams who had both been undefeated in conference play.  Now Stillman will be looking for some help if they hope to get into the SIAC title game.

"This was a difficult contest against a quality program,” Stillman coach Teddy Keaton told the Tuscaloosa News. “The one thing I told the players after the game is that this is just one game and we have to bounce back next week.”

Tuskegee (5-2, 4-0 SIAC) has scored 189 in the last four games.  They host Kentucky State next week. Stillman (4-3, 3-1) is now tied for second with Miles in the SIAC West. They visit Central State next Saturday.

Grambling Stays Undefeated in the SWAC, Defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff 63-39

Grambling broke open a four-point game midway through the second quarter to go up by 31 nearly a quarter later to run away from Arkansas-Pine Bluff 63-39 Saturday.  The win keeps one of the hottest teams - and biggest surprises - in HBCU football undefeated in the conference play.

Now 5-3 overall and 5-0 in the SWAC, you would think that Grambling head coach Brandon Fobbs would be on top of the world after the latest G-Men performance.

Not.

"Maybe my bar is a little too high but sometimes people look at the score and think, 'they're really clicking,' but I think we can play better than that," Fobbs told the Monroe News Star. "(Pine Bluff) did a good job keeping the ball away from us so we had to make sure we possessed the football and kept our defense off the field in the second half."

It was a big offensive day for Grambling, nonetheless.

Johnathan Williams threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns and added 52 yards and two more touchdowns rushing.  Verlon Hunter caught two of those touchdown passes, one of them a 73-yarder. Juwan Martin added two rushing touchdowns.

Grambling's senior defensive back Tyree Hollins, who had six tackles and two interceptions Saturday, said the memory of last year's game walkout, coaching dismissals and overall dismal play is enough motivation to keep winning.

"We have a bunch of players that are hungry who do not want to go back to what we have been through from last year," he said.

Meanwhile, UAPB's Benjamin Anderson and had another huge day, throwing for 467 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 66 yards and another two touchdowns.  He asks UAPB fans for a little more patience for his one-win team.

“I know everybody’s upset,” UAPB quarterback Ben Anderson said. “They can’t understand what’s the reason (for the struggles). We’ve got a lot of youth. People who sat out last year are now getting back, just getting into rhythm. And we’re just learning to be a team in the middle of the season.” - See more at: http://pbcommercial.com/sports/uapb/anderson-throws-467-lions-drop-4th-straight#sthash.viiZy1zR.dpuf

I know everybody’s upset,” UAPB quarterback Ben Anderson said. “They can’t understand what’s the reason (for the struggles). We’ve got a lot of youth. People who sat out last year are now getting back, just getting into rhythm. And we’re just learning to be a team in the middle of the season.” - See more at: http://pbcommercial.com/sports/uapb/anderson-throws-467-lions-drop-4th-straight#sthash.4MOKwyp9.dpuf

"I know everybody's upset," Anderson told the Pine Bluff Comercial after UAPB lost their fourth straight. "They can't understand what's the reason. We've got a lot of youth. People who sat out last year are now getting back, just getting into rhythm. And we're just learning to be a team in the middle of the season."

Grambling is off next week before a big game on Nov. 1 at Texas Southern. Arkansas-Pine Bluff is the homecoming visitor for Texas Southern next week.

“I know everybody’s upset,” UAPB quarterback Ben Anderson said. “They can’t understand what’s the reason (for the struggles). We’ve got a lot of youth. People who sat out last year are now getting back, just getting into rhythm. And we’re just learning to be a team in the middle of the season.” - See more at: http://pbcommercial.com/sports/uapb/anderson-throws-467-lions-drop-4th-straight#sthash.viiZy1zR.dpuf

Tennessee State Loses Third Straight, 21-16 to UT-Martin

TSU's Samquan Evans hits UTM QB Jarod Neal (photo by George Walker IV/The Tennessean)

Tennessee State dropped their third straight game, the first time they've lost three consecutive games since 2011, this time to UT-Martin 21-16.

The Tigers (4-4, 1-3 OVC) played strong defense, only allowing 210 yards of offense to UT-Martin (3-5, 2-3).  TSU's Michael German threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns.  But he threw a second quarter interception that UTM's Keith Jones returned 42 yards for a Skyhawk touchdown.  TSU only managed three points through the first three quarters and was behind 21-3 heading into the final stanza.

German's two touchdowns came early and then late in the fourth quarter.  The Tigers' offense wasn't consistent, with five three-and-outs on the day while they were 4-for-14 on third down.  The TSU running game again had a terrible day.  They only had 53 yards rushing.

Head coach Rod Reed told The Tennessean that another appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs will now be tough to achieve this season.

"All the seniors can strive for now is to be 8-4, and then you let the chips fall where they may," Reed said. "There were some 8-4 teams that got into the playoffs last year, but we're facing the meat of our schedule. We've got to go play a tough Eastern Illinois team next week and then come back and play a tough Eastern Kentucky team. Those are two of the better teams in our conference."

Tennessee State visits one of the better FCS teams in Eastern Illinois next week. UT-Martin 

Here is a complete rundown of ALL of Saturday's HBCU football action:


SWAC

Alcorn State 40, Texas Southern 25 (Alcorn State's 40 point first half, led by John Gibbs Jr.'s three touchdown passes was all they needed to slow down the high scoring Texas Southern squad that has now lost two of their last three after opening with four straight wins. Gibbs finished with 244 yards passing to go with his three touchdowns and another TD rushing, while Aaron Baker ran for 89 yards and a touchdown. Texas Southern had averaged close to 400 yards of offense a game.  They only got 319 against Alcorn State)

Prairie View A&M 52, Mississippi Valley State 19 (Prairie View isn't one of the highest scoring teams in the SWAC, but they put up 52 points on of the SWAC's worst scoring defenses. The Prairie View defense shut out MVSU for the games first three quarters while Jerry Lovelocke threw three touchdown passes, two to Greg Thurmond, and Chris Barick hit three goals, during that span. Down 52-0 heading into the fourth quarter, Patrick Ivy threw two TD passes and ran for another in their 19-point fourth quarter. Johnta Hebert rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown and he returned the game's opening kickoff 95 yards for another touchdown. Julian Stafford caught 8 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns)

CIAA

Winston-Salem State 36, St. Augustine's 13 (Phil Sims threw for 173 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 completions as the Rams continued their roll through the CIAA.  The 6-1 Rams jumped out to a 21-6 lead early and cruised to the win. Maurice Lewis rushed for two touchdowns. Interestingly, quarterback Rudy Johnson threw three interceptions. Quarterback Cyril Davis led St. Augustine's with 237 yards and a touchdown in the air while Roderick Davenport added 76 yards rushing.  In six games this season, the St. Aug's defense has given up at least 30 points - and 30 is the least any one has scored against St. Aug's - in all of them)

Elizabeth City State 27, Lincoln (Pa) 26 (Elizabeth City State got their first road win this season by spoiling Lincoln's homecoming with a Petey Boone 2-yard touchdown run with three minutes left in the game. Lincoln got to the ECSU 40 before Edward McKenzie's deep pass was picked off with 1:10 left.  ECSU's Kenny King ran for 161 yards and two TDs to lead the Vikings. Boone ran for two short touchdowns.  McKenize ran for 95 yards and passed for only 66, throwing a touchdown and two interceptions)   

Livingstone 21, Shaw 20 (Drew Powell ran a 30-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to help Livingstone hold off a game Shaw squad. The most important thing for Livingstone is the win breaks a two-game losing streak that came after they opened the season with four straight wins. The Livingstone defense, which had been giving up 37 points a game, held Trey Folson, the CIAA's leading passer, in check. Folston only had 84 yards passing and threw two interceptions.  Powell threw for 267 yards and two TDs (and three interceptions) in a close game. Jalen Hendricks caught 15 passes for 212 yards and a TD.  Shaw, which lost its third in a row, was led by a monster ground effort by Marqui Grizzle.  Grizzle rushed 29 times for 222 yards, including a 65-yarder touchdown romp. He had two TDs)


Virginia State 24, Bowie State 14 (Virginia State picks up their fifth straight win even though Bowie State only gave up 186 yards in offense to the Trojans. Bowie State was up 14-0 midway through the third quarter, but were outscored 24-0 to lose.  VSU's Tarian Ayers only threw for 139 yards, but tossed two touchdown passes while Kavon Bellamy rushed for 72 yards. Trevon Bennett threw for 208 yards and a touchdown for Bowie State.  BSU's Christopher Townsend had 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and recovered a fumble) 


Fayetteville State 34, Johnson C. Smith 14 (Jemeryn Jenkins' 173 yards and two touchdowns passing led a balanced Fayetteville State offense to the Broncos' third straight win. Corbin Rascoe rushed for 74 yards and two touchdowns while Andre Montgomery also rushed for 74 yards. Johnson C. Smith's two third quarter touchdowns were the first points they've scored since their 27-26 loss to Virginia Union on Sept. 27. The Golden Bulls had only been averaging 8.6 points a game this season as they've been shut out three times)

Virginia Union 40, Chowan 29 (The first two and a half minutes had the world thinking about a big upset as Chowan led 7-0.  But the real Virginia Union stood up and scored 34 unanswered points to quickly put away the game. Chowan's defense was no match for VUU as the Panthers churned out 545 yards of total offense to go to 6-1. Kenneth Graham threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns while Cassious McDowell rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown. Chowan's Dain McFarland threw for 263 yards and three touchdowns. The 94 yards Chowan rushed for on the day was the most Virginia Union has given up on the ground since their season-opening loss to Charleston (W.Va) when they gave up 236 yards. The Panthers have the nation's seventh-best rushing defense)


MEAC

Norfolk State 21, Hampton 13 (The high-octane passing game didn't come from Connell Maynor's Hampton Pirates. It came from Norfolk State. Hampton came into the game with the MEAC's top passing offense, but Norfolk State, which has the MEAC's second-best pass defense, shut that down, only allowing Jaylian Williamson and Bryan Bailey 109 passing yards and a touchdown.  Meanwhile, Terrance Ervin led Norfolk State with 335 yards and three touchdowns passing)


North Carolina A&T 33, Delaware State 20 (North Carolina A&T ran a touchdown, blocked a punt and ran it in for a touchdowns, returned an interception for a touchdown and kicked a field goal, all in a first half that they led 24-0. Delaware State scored three fourth quarter touchdowns, but the game was already decided. Tarik Cohen had 144 yards rushing for A&T, his second consecutive 100-yard rushing day. The Aggies have won five of their last six games and are 6-2, 3-2 in the MEAC)


Florida A&M 31, Howard 28 (Their season may be a dismal one so far, but Florida A&M they are turning into a factor in the MEAC race.  The Rattlers aren't eligible for the title this year, but they are 2-1 (0-4 outside of the MEAC though) after defeating Greg McGhee and Howard. After Howard returned the game's opening kickoff for a touchdown, FAMU's Damien Fleming went to work. He threw two first half touchdown passes and then rushed for two more in the third quarter to give the Rattlers a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter. McGhee threw three TD passes from that point on, but it was too late. McGhee threw for 258 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another 141 yards)


Morgan State 21, North Carolina Central 20 (Robert Council's 15-yard touchdown pass to Andrew King capped a 14-point fourth quarter comeback that lifted the Bears to a big homecoming win.  They went into the fourth quarter down 20-7, but first got a Herb Walker Jr. touchdown run and then Council's pass.  Council passed for 104 yards and a touchdown, but rushed for 122 yards and another touchdown. Morgan is 3-1 in MEAC and tied for second with three other teams in the conference standings. The Bears visit Villanova next week before the final four regular season games with Hampton, North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State and Delaware State)

Bethune-Cookman 48, Savannah State 20 (The 6-1, 3-0 in the MEAC, Wildcats blew open a 7-7 first quarter game, with quarterback Larry Brimh throwing for two touchdowns and running for another one to give BCU a 28-7 halftime lead from which they cruised the rest of the way. Brimh thew for 222 yards and three TDs while Danny Dillard's 87 rushing yards led a Wildcats running game that piled up 289 yards and four touchdowns. Bethune-Cookman heads to South Carolina State for a huge MEAC contest next week. Savannah State will look for their first win of the season next week at North Carolina Central)


SIAC

Albany State 31, Morehouse 14 (Morehouse saw its SIAC championship hopes take a nose dive as the SIAC's leader passer and total offense leader, Monquavious Johnson, couldn't play, leaving the Morehouse offense struggling most of the day. Meanwhile, a much larger and quicker Albany State squad capitalized on turnovers. ASU's Jarvis Small rushed for 130 yards - his fifth-straight 100-yard game - and a touchdown, while Frank Rivers threw for 240 yards and a TD. Tavarius Washington had six tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble, had a sack and two tackles for losses. Morehouse QB Jordan Tarver threw two TDs to Devon Mann)

Central State 31, Concordia (Ala) 6 (It was a good homecoming day for the Marauders who won their first game since their season-opener more than a month ago which was also their last home game. Deandre Grant rushed for 142 yards to lead Central State's 274 ground assault. Michael Wilson rushed for two touchdowns and threw another)

Miles 19, Kentucky State 13 (Miles moved into a SIAC West second-place tie with Stillman in defeating KSU. Miles had a shutout going until Kentucky State scored two TDs in the game's final two minutes. Ora Johnson, who threw those two TD passes, finished with 180 yards in the air. The Miles defense had five sacks and held the conference's leading rusher, Jacquese Lockett. to only 74 yards rushing.  Miles' David Whipple rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns.)


Paine 38, Edward Waters 14 (Paine's homecoming was a happy affair as the Lions got their first regular season, intercollegiate win since 1962. This is the first season of regular season competition since 1962. Paine erased a 14-0 second quarter deficit with two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and an interception return for a touchdown. Paine's Austin Beamus caught six passes for 89 yards and a TD)

Benedict 21, Clark Atlanta 10 (Cameron Stover had three first half touchdowns, two passing and one rushing, as Benedict broke a three-game losing streak. The CAU defense held Benedict 257 yards of total offense all day, Stover suffered a concussion and didnt play in the second half, as the Benedict offense bogged down. But CAU's league worst passing game - they only had 57 yards passing Saturday - couldn't help them to come back. Montavious Taylor did have 100 yards rushing and a touchdown for CAU.)

Fort Valley State 24, Limestone 19 (Limestone gave Fort Valley State a fight as they were only down by one midway through the third quarter. But ten Fort Valley State points over the next 15 minutes gave the gave the Wildcats an important win. FVSU moved ahead of Morehouse in the SIAC East is only a game behind Albany State, who they play in the final game of the regular season. Jalen White rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown to lead the Wildcats while Limestone's Jonathan Clark threw for 224 yards and a two TDs.)

OTHERS

Langston 38, Wayland Baptist 7 (The Lions of the NAIA's Central States Football League picked up their third straight win by easily handling Wayland Baptist on homecoming day.  Langston, now 4-3, leads the CSFL with a 2-0 record and is off next weekend before they take on high-scoring Oklahoma Panhandle State, an NCAA Division II team that averages 48 points and has won five straight games. During their five-game winning streak, the fewest points that Oklahoma Panhandle has scored is 37 in a win last week)

Lock Haven 28, Cheyney 0 (The good news for Cheyney is their defense forced four interceptions and had two sacks. The bad news is their offense only had 79 yards of total offense in being shut out as they go to 0-7 this season. Cheyney only had 26 yards rushing and 53 yard passing. Lock Haven's Beau Swales rushed for 116 yards while Caleb Walton threw for 181 yards and two TDs. Cheyney visits Shippenburg next week)

Lincoln (Mo) 62, Texas College 6 (Morris Henderson rushed for 222 yards and four touchdowns as Lincoln gets their second win of the season, this one on homecoming day.  Quarterback Owen Jordan passed for 261 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Tigers. Lincoln had 600 yards of offense Saturday.  The Lincoln defense only allowed 91 yards of rushing to winless Texas College. Lincoln visits Indianapolis next weekend)