NC Central 31, Langston 21

October 21, 2006

DURHAM, N.C ­ At his annual Tuesday press conference, North Carolina Central University head coach Rod Broadway said Langston University (4-2) was the best team the Eagles would play in some time. That echoed true at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Saturday, as NCCU (8-0, 5-0) held off a challenging Lions squad, 31-21.

NCCU is now 8-0 for just the second time in school history (1941) and the first time in 65 years.

Just two minutes into the game, Eagles junior linebacker Derrick Ray hit Langston running back Jimmy Scales, forcing a fumble that was recovered by NCCU sophomore defensive end Xavier Joe.

Only three plays later, NCCU freshman quarterback Stadford Brown connected with a streaking NCCU wide receiver Wayne Blackwell for a 43-yard touchdown. The touchdown catch was the first of the season for Blackwell, who finished the day with a career-high five receptions for 85 yards. NCCU place-kicker Brandon Gilbert, booted his 61-consecutive extra point kick to give Broadway’s squad a 7-0 lead with 12:49 remaining in the first quarter.

The Langston Lions offense, led by 2005 Central State Football League Offensive Player of the Year Kendrick Dozier, drove the Lions 83 yards on just nine plays to tie the game at 7-7. Dozier found senior wide receiver Jimmy Early open in the end zone for his 16th touchdown pass of the season. Dozier finished the contest with 218 yards of total offense, including 196 yards and a touchdown passing and 22 yards and a score rushing.

After a Julius McClellan fumble, Langston received a first and goal at the NCCU 1-yard line. Three plays later, Scales rushed to his left and found the end zone. Langston place-kicker Trint Rust connected on the extra point attempt giving Langston a 14-7 lead with 1:01 remaining in the first half.

NCCU, who had only trailed for a combined 16 minutes and 25 seconds out of 215 minutes of play entering the game, was behind for the first time since they trailed 10-7 against Lenoir-Rhyne College on Sept. 9.

However, NCCU’s offense got on track in the second quarter and the defense stiffened, allowing minus-7 rushing yards to a Langston unit that had 71 rushing yards in the first quarter.

Eagles sophomore running back Jeff Toliver took an inside hand-off 21 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the season and for the second consecutive game. Gilbert, who passed Joe Simmons into third place on the NCCU all-time career scoring chart, made his 62nd straight extra point kick to tie the game at 14-14 with 12:09 remaining in the second quarter.

Following a 37-yard punt return by junior kick returner Brandon Alston, NCCU’s all-time leader in punt return yards, Gilbert connected on a 46-yard field goal, the second longest of his career, to put the Eagles back on top 17-14, a lead that they would never relinquish.

With less then five minutes left in the second quarter, Brown found senior tight end Kenneth Broadway open on the right sideline and Broadway did the rest, running it in for a 9-yard touchdown reception. The touchdown was Broadway’s third of the season. Gilbert made his 63rd straight extra point to give the Eagles a 24-14 halftime lead.

Both defenses stiffened in the second half, yielding only 14 combined points.

NCCU held Dozier to 196 yards passing and picked him off twice. The two interceptions by NCCU (Andre George and Craig Amos) were the first of the season thrown by Dozier.

With 7:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Brown threw a 34-yard touchdown strike to senior Eagles wide receiver Daunte Fields, his first of the season. Gilbert’s 63rd straight successful extra-point kick gave NCCU a 31-14 lead.

Later in the fourth quarter, Dozier scored a four-yard touchdown run, finishing the scoring and giving NCCU its final 31-21 cushion.

The Eagle defense was led by senior linebacker Naim Adbul-Malik, who recorded 10 tackles (two solo), a tackle for loss and one sack. NCCU freshman linebacker Rashard Coleman amassed nine tackles (three solo) and three tackles for loss, while Ray contributed eight tackles (four solo), a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss. Eagles junior defensive back Craig Amos intercepted his sixth pass, blocked a field goal, accumulated five tackles and three pass breakups.

NCCU has won 25 of its last 28 games and has lost just two CIAA contests since 2003. NCCU is 14-2 at home since 2003, the only losses being a 22-8 setback against Saint Augustine’s in 2005 and a 24-21 defeat at the hands of North Alabama in the second round of the 2005 NCAA playoffs (Nov. 19, 2005).

NCCU travels to Salisbury, N.C. to face the Livingstone College Blue Bears at 2 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Stadium. The Eagles will have a chance to clinch the CIAA’s Western Division title for the second consecutive season and become the first squad in school history to start a season 9-0.