NC Central 49, Fayetteville State 6

October 14, 2006

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - North Carolina Central University held Fayetteville State University to just 203 total yards of offense and forced six turnovers, as the Eagles defeated the preseason pick to win the CIAA’s Western Division, 49-6, at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C.

NCCU (7-0, 5-0) amassed 390 yards of total offense en route to its seventh straight win to open the season, the first time the Eagles have accomplished that feat since 1969.

NCCU defensive back Craig Amos, whose five interceptions are the most by an NCCU player since Eagles defensive backs coach Adrian Jones had eight in 1998, intercepted FSU (2-5, 1-3) QB Jonathan Autry’s pass on the second play from scrimmage. Amos returned it 37 yards which led to a five-yard Corey Brown touchdown. Eagles place-kicker Brandon Gilbert connected on his 54th straight extra-point kick to make the score NCCU 7-0 with 12:22 remaining in the first quarter.

With 8:40 remaining in the second quarter, NCCU senior safety Andre George stepped in front of a pass by FSU quarterback Ryan Horton and returned the interception 60 yards for an NCCU defensive touchdown. Gilbert connected on the extra point giving NCCU a 14-0 cushion. George’s return marked the second consecutive game in which an Eagles defender returned an interception for a touchdown, and the third time in the last four games.

The NCCU defense held FSU to just 99 yards passing. Horton finished the contest 9-of-21 for 79 yards and three interceptions. The Eagles also recorded three sacks and eight tackles for loss.

After NCCU defensive coordinator Cliff Yoshida’s unit forced a three-and-out, NCCU junior linebacker Derrick Ray recovered a Horton fumble to give his offense the ball at the FSU 14-yard line. Three plays later, Eagles freshman quarterback and four-time CIAA Rookie of the Week Stadford Brown hit freshman fullback Saeed Abdul-Azeez on the right side of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown. The touchdown, which was the first of Abdul-Azeez’s career, coupled with a Gilbert extra point put NCCU up 21-0 with 5:22 remaining in the first half.

FSU wide receiver/running back Amir Holding capped a five-play, 58-yard drive with a two-yard scamper into the end zone, giving FSU its’ only points of the game, and making the score 21-6 with just 2:13 remaining in the first half.

Only six plays later, NCCU senior wide receiver Charles Futrell, playing in his hometown of Fayetteville, N.C., caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from Brown 23 seconds before halftime to give NCCU, the third highest scoring team in the CIAA (28.0 points per game entering the contest), a 28-6 lead at intermission.

Futrell, a 6-6, 200-pound computer science major, now has seven touchdown receptions this season, a feat only accomplished 13 times in school history.

NCCU blanked FSU in the second half and scored 21 points, a 3-yard touchdown run by Brown in the third quarter, a 4-yard run by sophomore running back Jeff Toliver and a 25-yard run and the first career touchdown of freshman running back Antonio Fuller, to win the game 49-6.

The win at FSU’s Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium was the first for NCCU since a 35-27 win in Fayetteville, N.C. on October 7, 2000. The win was NCCU’s biggest win over Fayetteville State since a 55-0 shutout on October 5, 1996 in Fayetteville, N.C., under former NCCU head coach Larry Little.

NCCU’s defense was paced by senior defensive tackle Greg Peterson, who recorded four tackles, including three for a loss of 10 yards with two sacks for a loss of nine yards, and a forced fumble. Junior linebacker D.J. Fretwell added a game-high 10 total tackles (six solo) and one hit for a loss of 16 yards, while George had two interceptions, one returned 60 yards for a touchdown, and three tackles. Eagles junior defensive tackle Courtney Coard amassed seven takedowns (five solo), including one for a loss of a yard and Ray tallied five tackles and fumble recovery.

NCCU has won 10 straight conference games overall and eight consecutive conference road games. In total, the head coach Rod Broadway led Eagles, have won 24 of their last 27 games. NCCU also is 27-3 when they score 20 or more points since Broadway became the head coach in 2003. NCCU’s 49 points against FSU were its most scored since a 70-12 win over Edward Waters on August 27, 2005.

NCCU returns home to O-Kelly-Riddick Stadium for the first time in 42 days to face Langston University of Oklahoma (4-1), Oct. 21 at 1:30 p.m.