CIAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VI
NC Central comeback clips Bowie St., 26-23
Western Division champion North Carolina Central fought back from a 17-0 halftime deficit and got a 30-yard field goal from placekicker Brandon Gilbert with three seconds left to knock off East Division champ Bowie State 26-23 and claim the title in the sixth CIAA Championship Game Saturday in Durham, N.C.
The win helped the 10-1 Eagles land the second seed in
the NCAA Div. II Southeast Region field announced Sunday and
earn a first-round bye into the national championship playoffs that
begin Saturday. On Nov. 19 the Eagles will host the winner of
this Saturday's matchup of No. 3 seed Valdosta State (9-2) and No.
6 seed North Alabama (8-2).
At press time, there was no word on whether Bowie State (8-3) would represent the CIAA in the Dec. 3 Pioneer Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. That announcement was expected Tuesday afternoon.
Gilbert's field goal was the last of four he kicked in the second half that helped keep the Eagles' comeback going. He hit on kicks of 33 yards and a career-best 47 yards in the third quarter and opened the fourth quarter with a 23-yarder before his game-clincher.
Between Gilbert's efforts, the Eagle offense, which had been held to 27 first half yards, came alive beginning with the second half kickoff that WR/KR Julius McClellan returned 36 yards to the Central 44. Six-plays and 56-yards later RB Greg Pruitt's 26-yard run put the Eagles on the board.
After stopping the Bulldogs on the ensuring possession, the Eagles' Michael Cook blocked BSU's Aaron Moore's punt and NCCU got the ball back on the BSU 18. Unable to pick up a first down, the Eagles' comeback got its first hiccup when Gilbert was short on a 40-yard field goal try. But it turned out to be the only second half possession in which they came up empty.
The Eagle defense, which was shredded for 212 first-half yards, again stopped the Bulldogs on a three-and-out and forced a punt. This time the Eagles moved into field goal range and Gilbert booted through his 33-yarder to get them within 17-10.
Bowie State (8-3) came right back however needing only three plays to cover 80 yards, the last 46 on a pass from QB Lamar Manigo to wideout Glenn Thomas, their second scoring hookup of the day, that put the Bulldogs up 23-10 with 3:45 to go in the period.
Undeterred, the Eagles took the ensuing kickoff and marched 48 yards in nine plays and inched to within 23-13 as Gilbert was true from 47 yards away, 12 seconds before the end of the quarter.
The Eagles then got their only turnover of the game at the beginning of the final quarter when linebacker Greg Peterson picked off a Manigo pass that set them up at the BSU 9. Again, with the offense unable to advance the ball, NCCU head coach Rod Broadway turned to Gilbert whose 23-yarder cut the deficit to 23-16 with 13:55 to play.
BSU went on a 10-play, 62-yard drive that took more than four minutes off the fourth quarter clock but Ronald Walls' 36-yard field goal was wide left and gave the ball back to the Eagles with 9:29 left. Five plays later QB Adrian Warren found McClellan on a fly pattern down the left sideline that he hauled in for a 60-yard score. The celebration, and 15-yard penalty for it that followed, forced Gilbert to kick a 35-yard PAT that pulled the Eagles even at 23 with 7:41 left.
BSU's final drive lasted just three plays and Moore's punt gave NCCU the ball at their own 49. They ran 10 plays over the final 5:08 before Gilbert put through his game-winner.
Gilbert shared game MVP honors with BSU running back Isaac Redman, who tallied 112 yards on 28 carries and scored the game's first TD on a two-yard run.
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