Albany State win nets VSU rematch
Albany State QB Uyl Joyner threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns and RB Vaeontray Hughes ran for 110 yards and a touchdown to lead the #2-ranked Golden Rams to a 42-24 romp over Arkansas Tech in the second round of the 2004 NCAA Division II playoffs, held in Albany, Ga.The SIAC champion Golden Rams will now host Gulf South champ Valdosta State Saturday for the Southeast Region championship and a berth in the national semifinals. VSU defeated Carson-Newman 38-12 in a second round playoff game Saturday. Albany State (11-0) handed Valdosta State (10-1) its only loss of the season, 24-22 on Sept. 4 in Albany, Ga.
After spotting ATU a 3-0 early in the first quarter, the Golden Rams, who got a first round bye by virtue of their top seeding in the Southeast Region, ripped off 35 unanswered points before halftime to all but put the game away.
The Albany State defense intercepted ATU quarterback Jason Campbell five times, three by strong safety William Felton, one that he returned for a second quarter touchdown, and one by free safety Chris Henderson, who also led the Golden Rams with 11 tackles.
Trailing 35-3, Arkansas Tech opened the third quarter with two touchdowns to narrow the margin to 35-17, but the Golden Rams again got on the board as Hughes got his TD on a 25-yard run that capped a seven-play, 63-yard drive.
The win over Valdosta State in early September was the first for the Golden Rams in ten meetings with the Blazers. In that game, ASU running back Antonio Atkins ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns and placekicker Adrian Adango drilled a 35-yard field goal with 1:23 to play for the final margin. VSU was ranked third in the nation at the time of the first meeting and is now ranked just behind No. 2 Albany State in most D-2 polls.
"There's a lot on the line, and they beat us to give us our only defeat this season," Valdosta coach Chris Hatcher said Sunday. "That just adds a little bit to it."
ASU will be trying to extend the nation's longest winning streak which is currently at 19 games.
Fabian Walker, who has completed 70% of his passes, starts at QB for VSU. Walker has thrown for 18 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Tyran Robinson is the key guy in the Blazers' ground attack rushing for 1,011 yards averaging 6.1 yards per carry while scoring eight touchdowns. The Blazers average 33.6 points per game.
Including Joyner, ASU has rushed for 36 TDs with four players topping 100 yards in a game. The Golden Rams also sport the SIAC's top offense and defense averaging 38 ppg., while giving up 13.7.
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.