NC A&T 16, Norfolk State 14

September 10, 2005

GREENSBORO, N.C., ­ Quante Speight rushed for 153 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries to lead N.C. A&T to a 16-14 win over Norfolk State, Saturday at Aggie Stadium.

Speight entered the game in the second quarter to replace starter Brandon Sweeney, who rushed for 150 yards the previous week against N.C. Central. Sweeney had 42 yards on seven carries before he left the game Saturday with an injured ankle.

It took Speight awhile to get into a rhythm. Saturday marked his first real game action since injuring his foot Oct. 16, 2004 and missing the remaining four games of the 2004 season. In the second half, in all came back to him, however.

He led the Aggies on an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Chaz Truesdale running in from five yards out to give the Aggies a 16-7 lead with 9:30 remaining in the game. The Aggies drive featured runs of 34, 10 and 5 from Speight.

The Spartans answered with an eight-play drive of their own. Jonathan Allen’s 12-yard touchdown pass from Norfolk State quarterback Brandon Brooks was set up by a 45-yard completion from Brooks to James Callaham.

N.C. A&T head George Small would then use Speight and Truesdale to secure the Aggies (1-1, 1-0 MEAC) first conference and overall win of the season. Speight had six carries for 30 yards, and Truesdale added three carries for 26 yards on a drive that took 12 plays, spanned 57 yards and lasted the final 5:50 of the game.

“As we stated in the team meeting, whoever went down, the next guy has to step up,’’ said Small. “That was a classic example of the next man stepping up and taking the load,’’ Truesdale, who is accustomed to filling in when starters are injured, added 41 yards on seven carries and he scored once. A year ago, it was Truesdale who replaced the injured Quante Speight and rushed for 48 yards on 12 carries and the game-winning touchdown against Howard.

Norfolk State (0-2, 0-1 MEAC) was led by Brooks, who completed 13 of his 24 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. He put the Spartans on the board early when he connected with wide-open Callaham for a 44-yard touchdown pass.

The Aggies answered on a crucial lapse in judgment. Spartans punt returner Dario Walker fielded a Dominique Brown punt in his own end zone, fumbled, only to have the Aggies Brandon Colbert recover the ball in the end zone to pull the Aggies to within one after a missed extra point.

The Aggies will not have much time to savor their victory. They welcome in No. 13 Hampton on Thursday night at 7:30. The game will be aired by ESPNU. Meanwhile, Norfolk State has next week off.