Winston-Salem State 27, Florida A&M 23

October 6, 2007

NDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Winston-Salem State Rams (3-3) were able to pull out a hard-fought roller coaster win over the Florida A&M Rattlers (2-3) in he 24th Coca-Cola Circle City Classic at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, IN. The game was an up-and-down one from the very beginning and the team had to battle to the very end to secure the 27-23 victory.

The Rams had their hands full contending with an aggressive Florida A&M offense that was third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference heading into the game averaging 359.0 yards per game and 20.5 points per game. The WSSU defense would stand up to the test forcing a pair of fumbles that led to 13 WSSU points, all of which the team needed in order to secure the victory. Senior defensive lineman William Hayes led the way for the Rams with 12 total tackles, all solo. He also added a pair of sacks and led the team with three tackles for a loss of thirteen yards.

After getting off to a slow start, the WSSU offense kicked things into high gear with a powerful rushing attack the amassed 296 yards on the ground. Senior running back Jed Bines powered the Rams to the win rushing for 126 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The effort was enough to earn him offensive MVP honors for the Rams. Not far behind Bines was fellow senior Monte Purvis who rushed for 89 yards on 23 carries. Junior running  back Roderick Fluellen added 82 yards rushing, many of which came on a crucial fourth quarter drive that set up the winning touchdown.

“I thought our kids showed a lot of character coming through the third quarter I think that was the turning point,” WSSU head football coach Kermit Blount said following the victory. “Once we got through the third quarter I though our kids stepped it back up and we made plays when we had to make plays.”

Though the Rams defense struggled early in the contest, the team was able to stay ahead on the strength of some key defensive plays early on in the game. The Rams got their first break of the game when junior defensive back/punter Jamaine Mack recovered a FAMU fumble on the Florida A&M two-yard line that set up a one-yard Purvis touchdown run that gve theh Rams their first lead of the game with 8:34 left in the first quarter. The PAT kick by freshman Matt Mitchell was blocked and left the Rams leading 6-0 midway through the first quarter of the game. The 6-0 WSSU lead would stand through the first quarter, but not without some scares for the Rams. Florida A&M freshman running back Phillip Sylvester returned the ensuing kick 44 yards, but were held to a missed 47-yard field goal attempt. The Rattlers would also drive deep into WSSU territory once again, but were forced to punt once again and keep the Rams in the driver’s seat heading into the second quarter.

The WSSU defense would step up once again forcing a second FAMU turnover when WSSU defensive lineman Michael Moore another Rattler fumble, FAMU’s third of the game, and gave the Rams the ball at the FAMU 43-yard line with just over 10 minutes left in the half. The Rams would take advantage of the FAMU turnover when Bines ran in his first touchdown of the game scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 8:13 left in the second quarter. Purvis would run in the Rams’ first two-point conversion of the season to give the team a 14-0 lead. The touchdown capped a seven-play 33-yard drive that left the Rams on top by a pair of scores.

Though the Winston-Salem State defense would allow a few FAMU first downs for the rest of the half, the team would not give up a score and take the 14-0 lead down to the final seconds of the half. However, the Rattlers were able to get on the scoreboard hitting a 46-yard field goal right at the half. The field goal would leave the Rams ahead, 14-3 at the half. For the half, the Rams totaled 107 yards of offense powered by 72 rushing yards by Bines. However the Rams completed just one pass for seven yards.

The Rattlers game out hot following the extended halftime returning the opening kick 69 yards to the WSSU 18-yard line and then rushing 18 yards for the touchdown. The ensuing PAT kick cut the WSSU lead down to just four points, 14-10 with 14:42 left in the third quarter. At the other end of the spectrum, the Rams found themselves struggling early in the second half, fumbling five times in the quarter, including two that were recovered by the Rattlers.

The most costly fumble occurred when WSSU junior David Irizarry lost the ball on a fair catch at the WSSU 31-yard line, leading to the second FAMU field goal of the game, this time a 44-yarder from FAMU’s Wesley Taylor that cut the WSSU lead down to just one ppoint, 14-13 with 8:25 left in the quarter. The Rams’ struggles continued with the team giving up its fifth fumble of the quarter when WSSU junior running back Roderick Fluellen gave the Rattlers the ball at their 30-yard line. It was up to the WSSU defense to keep things close forcing FAMU to punt on the ensuing drive.  

Things would look up for the Rams when Corey Sheppard tipped a Florida A&M punt that WSSU defensive back Ernest Blakley recovered and returned to the FAMU seven-yard line. An illegal block by WSSU erased the return however, and gave the Rams the ball on the WSSU 41-yard line. The team would not be able to do anything with the drive going three-and-out and punting the ball back to the Rattlers. A missed pass by the Rattlers would end the quarter and send the Rams heading into the fourth quarter clinging to a 14-13 lead.

The fourth quarter would get off to a hot start for the Rams with Irizarry returning a FAMU punt 46 yards and starting the Rams out at the FAMU 39-yard line to open the quarter. The Rams would score the go-ahead touchdown when senior running back Jed Bines would run in a nine-yard TD run. The PAT kick was blocked and left the Rams on top 20-13 with 13:41 left in the game. Florida A&M would not give in, however tying the game 20-20 with 11:00 left in regulation when Sylvester scored on a nine-yard TD run. It was the ensuing PAT kick that tied the game.

It was Bines who would seal the game, scoring his third touchdown of the day taking a one-yard carry into the endzone with 6:59 left in the game. The PAT kick would put the Rams on top for good, 27-20. Florida A&M would hang around driving the ball deep into WSSU territory, but the Ram defense would keep the Rattlers out of the endzone and force a 31-yard field goal with 4:54 left to play. The effort was not enough as the Rams would keep the ball for the remainder of the contest and walk out with the victory.

With the win the Rams improve to 3-3 on the season while the Rattlers fall to 2-3. The Rams will have a bye this week and will next head to Daytona Beach, FL to take on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats.