Southern prevails; B-CC, A&T fall

LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor

Southern (11-1) and coach Pete Richardson not only got their tenth win in 11 games in the classic against Grambling (9-3), but this time halted the Tigers three-year stranglehold on the SWAC title by taking the West Division crown and a spot in the Dec. 13 SWAC Championship Game in Birmingham.

The Jaguars also moved back atop the BCSP Top Ten and in position to take their first black college national championship since 1998.

When the dust cleared Saturday in the offensive slugfest before the season's second largest black college crowd, 70,151 fans at the New Orleans Superdome, Southern and Grambling had combined for 1,136 yards and a classic-record 85 points.

Southern senior quarterback Quincy Richard and a host of his receivers were the stars. Richard (34-42-2 ints.) ran for one touchdown and threw for a career-high 552 yards and five touchdowns while three of his receivers (Alfred Ard, Chris Davis and Drayton Bridges) topped 100 receiving yards.

Grambling junior quarterback Bruce Eugene, who passed for 409 yards and three TDs (26-48-2), was in tears after the game. And as great as the contest was, perhaps the most outstanding highlight was the Southern players' reaction to Eugene.

As the New Orleans native shed tears profusely with NBC 's cameras giving an up-close glimpse to millions on national TV, player after player from Southern came up to console him.

Perhaps the most poignant comment about the so-called 'fierce rivalry' between the two Louisiana schools came from Southern defensive back Erin Damond, who picked off Eugene's final pass as he attempted to lead Grambling to a last-minute victory.

"I've never experienced anything like this," said Damond, an LSU transfer. "It's a rivalry, but it's nothing but love, no hatred. You have to be a part of it to really feel how it is."

Wofford's methodical option attack rolled up 370 rushing yards on 58 attempts while getting none through the air (0-2, 0 yds.) in wearing down A&T.

Wofford QB Jeff Zolman did the most damage, getting most of his 141 yards on 12 carries through the middle of the Aggie defense. RB Kevious Johnson got most of his 106 yards on the edges as the Terriers varied their ground attack.

After trailing 10-0 at the half, and going down 17-0 early in the third period, the Aggies fought back to within 17-10 on a three-yard TD run by QB Rico Watkins and a 25-yard Yonnick Matthews field goal, both in the third quarter. But Wofford opened the fourth quarter with a 17-play, 85-yard drive consuming almost seven minutes and resulting in Zolman's four-yard TD run that effectively put the game away.

The Aggies rushed for 162 yards and netted 176 passing yards but were hurt by Watkins' four sacks for -44 yards.

Bethune-Cookman, playing without injured star QB Allen Suber for more than three quarters, battled back from 17-point deficits in the first and fourth quarters getting to within 27-24 late before FAU pulled away for the victory.

Suber, the Wildcats' versatile MEAC offensive player of the year, went out early in the first quarter with a bruised sternum and did not return. B-CC head coach Alvin Wyatt used three reserve QBs, using all three in some drives, as the Wildcats went away from their option attack choosing instead to put the ball in the air after trailing 17-0 in the first quarter and 27-10 in the last period.

Reserve Scott Austin (26-42-1 int., 191 yds., 2 TDs) was the most effective. After a 23-yard Jesus Cortez field goal got the 'Cats on the board before the half, Austin hit Jonathan Summers with a 53-yard TD pass to open the second half scoring and get them to within 17-10 early in the third quarter.

FAU came back to score 10 more points before two quick B-CC touchdowns, Austin's six-yard scoring pass to Eric Weems (11 rec., 124 yds.) and a 19-yard TD run from Brad Lee got B-CC to within 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter. But they could not mount a scoring threat after that.

B-CC outgained the Owls 400 to 316 yards and sacked FAU QB Jared Allen six times but were done in by four lost fumbles, two interceptions and 16 penalties for 142 yards.

In getting the win, new head coach Charlie Coe accomplished something that L. C. Cole, the man he replaced barely a month before the season stated, could not do in four tries.

After falling behind 14-0 in the first period, the Hornets scored 34 unanswered points to take control of the contest. ASU QB Tavarus Jackson (11-22-0, 230 yards) threw for three TDs while WR Reginald Glover (6 rec., 176 yds.) hauled in two scoring passes. RB Keldrick Williams ran for 112 yards and another two TDs (40 and 12 yards).

ASU will enter the SWAC title game with an 8-4 record. Tuskegee ends its season at 5-6.

© 2003 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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