HOW THEY DID IT: Game Recaps
The three top teams in the MEAC _ Hampton, South Carolina State and Delaware State _ each got conference wins but were challenged.
_ Hampton 31, Howard 24
Three-time defending champion and BCSP No. 1
Hampton (1-0, 1-0 MEAC) broke from a 10-10 tie at the end of the third quarter to down
Howard (0-1, 0-1 MEAC) in the debut of new Bison coach
Carey Bailey. Hampton QB T. J. Mitchell
(19-36-0, 310 yards) threw all three of his TD passes (38, 78, 19) in the fourth quarter
though the Bison hung in scoring two TDs themselves
in the final period. In the final stats, Howard
matched Hampton with 405 yards of total offense,
outgaining the Pirates on the ground (161 to 95). Howard
QB Brian Johnson completed 21 of 37 passes for
244 yards and two TDs (1, 16) without an interception.Hampton WR
Jeremy Gilchrist had eight receptions for 93 yards including
a19-yarder for a score. Kevin Teel had four receptions for
110 yards including a 78-yard TD. Jarahn Williams
led Howard with nine receptions for 101 yards including a one-yard TD catch.
_ Delaware State 20, Florida A&M 7
Delaware State (2-0, 1-0 MEAC) QB Vashon Winton (17-25-1, 179 yards) threw two TD passes (11, 19) and the Hornets got two field goals from Peter Gaertner (34, 36) in downing Florida A&M (0-2, 0-1 MEAC) in another close MEAC contest. The Hornets scored first following a second quarter blocked punt which gave them the ball at the FAMU 1. Winton hit Shaheer McBride (5 rec., 57 yards) from 11 yards out for the score. Winton hit William Griggs with a 19-yard score in the third quarter. FAMU QB Albert Chester completed 19 of 34 passes for 172 yards with one interception. Taj Jenkines got the Rattlers' score on a 5-yard second quarter pass from Chester.
_ South Carolina State 24, Bethune-Cookman 13
Two Bethune-Cookman fumbles by QB Jimmie Russell in its own teritory led to South Carolina State scores and allowed the Bulldogs (1-1, 1-0 MEAC) to hold off the Wildcats (1-1, 0-1 MEAC). SCSU piled up 277 rushing yards and got two TD passes (11, 49) from QB Cleveland McCoy, After the Bulldogs converted a 35-yard field goal in the game's opening possession, Russell's first fumble led to Travil Jamison's three-yard TD run with 7:32 left in the first period. B-CU blocked two field goals to keep the game close and only trailed 17-13 when placekicker Luis Esquevil kicked thru his second field goal of the game, a 27-yarder with 2:12 left in the third quarter. Earlier in the quarter, Corey Council scored the Wildcats' only TD when he retrurned a kickoff 98 yards for a third quarter score. The Bulldog's final score came on McCoy's 49-yard pass to Oliver Young. early in the fourth quarter.
Four SWAC teams stayed unbeaten, with Southern and Alabama State getting conference wins.
_ Alabama A&M 41, Clark Atlanta 10
Defending SWAC champ and BCSP No. 2 Alabama A&M (2-0, 0-0 SWAC E) rolled up 608 yards of total offense in routing Div. II Clark Atlanta (0-3, 0-1 SIAC). A&M QB Kelcy Luke complete 21 of 32 passes for 301 yards and four TDs (65, 51, 20, 26) without an interception while RB Ulysses Banks ran for 211 yards on 19 carries with TD runs of 3 and 4 yards. WR Morti Lightburn was the lone bright spot for the Panthers catching five passes for 123 yards ncluding their only TD on a 61-yard reception.A&M registered seven sacks and held the Panthers to -2 yards rusing in 24 attempts.
_ Prairie View 22, NC A&T 7
Val Ford returned two second quarter blocked punts for TDs as Prairie View (2-0, 1-0 SWAC W) stayed unbeaten with a win before a crowd of 32.278 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in the Angel City Classic. The Panthers added a second half TD on QB Chris Gibson's nine-yard run at the end of the third quarter. A&T's TD came in the fourth quarter when back-up QB Shelton Morgan hit Giorgio Lawrence on a 32-yard hook up. A&T RB Michael Ferguson rushed for 181 yards on 22 carries.
_ Southern 23, Mississippi Valley State 6
Southern (2-0, 1-0 SWAC W) racked up 293 rushing yards and got three TD passes (54, 12, 20) from QB Bryant Lee (16-28-0, 206 yards) as the Jags handed Mississippi Valley State (1-1, 1-1 SWAC E) its first loss. WR Kendrick Smith scored on his only two receptions and Brian Threat led Southern rushers with 102 yards on 11 carries as the Jags rolled up 499 yards of total offense. MVSU's only score came on Clarence Cotton's 20-yard reception from Paul Roberts (17-31-0, 121 yards) just before halftime.
_ Alabama State 21, Texas Southern 10
Jay Peck ran for 141 yards and Rahmod Traylor added 97 rushing yards and both had late fourth quarter scores to allow the Hornets (2-0, 1-0 SWAC E) to rally past Texas Southern (0-2, 0-2 SWAC W). After trailing 7-0 at the half, TSU tied the score on a 13-yard Tino Edgecombe to Daniel Davis TD pass in the third quarter and took a 10-7 lead early in the fourth on Djavan Conway's 23-yard field goal. Peck ended a 4-play, 24-yard drive that following a 17-yard TSU punt with a three-yard TD run with 2:40 left to put ASU back on top. After stopping TSU on downs, Traylor ran in from 22 yards on the ensuing play. Brian Haith had six receptions for 118 yards to lead TSU.
_ Virginia Union 37, Central State 20
QB Lamar Little (12-25-1, 232 yards) threw two TD passes (16, 97) to Wr Michael Hampton and ran six yards for another score as Virginia Union (2-0, 0-0 CIAA E) stayed unbeaten with a win over Central State (1-1). RB Elihu Smith added 155 rushing yards on just ten carries and scored on a 45-yard TD run. Hampton finished with six receptions for 138 yards.
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