HBCU Opening Week Recap

Albany State and Wingate come through in the clutch

Aug. 27, 2007

By Eric N. Moore

Special to CSTV.com

	Eric Moore Eric contributes a twice-weekly HBCU column for CSTV.com. E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- HBCU FOOTBALL 12/15: Oliver The Catalyst 12/13: Old Rivals Meet Again 12/3: Tuskegee Completes Perfect Season 11/29: Pioneer Powers 11/21: Final Weekend Of HBCU Features Classics 11/19: The Last Hurrah 11/15: Last Division Standing 11/12: CIAA, MEAC Crown Champs 11/8: Title Time In CIAA And MEAC 11/5: East Meets West As CIAA Title Game Set 11/1: Judgment Day In HBCU 10/29: Homecoming Hurts 10/25: Weeks Winding Down 10/22: Two Tigers Teams Take Steps Toward Titles 10/18: SWAC Division Leaders Set For Showdown 10/15: Hampton's Pirates Walk The Plank 10/11: Queen Isn't Only Title At Homecoming 10/8: Southern Goes South 10/4: Classic Games Take Center Stage 10/1: Hello To October 9/27: Battle Of Unbeatens In Atlanta 9/24: The Pursuit Of Perfection 9/20: SIAC Leaders Showdown In Tuskegee 9/17: Stars Falling In Alabama 9/13: Rematch of '06 CIAA Title Game Set For Big Time 9/10: Pirates, Bulldogs and WWHornets Strike Early 9/6: Who's HU In HBCU 9/3: Southern Breaks The MEAC Streak 8/30: Calling Their Bluff 8/27: HBCU Opening Week Recap 8/23: Beginning With A Rematch 4/12: A Great American Is Laid To Rest 4/4: A Coaching Legend Has Passed Away 12/18: Alabama A&M Finally Wins A SWAC Title 12/4: Winding Down 11/23: Playoffs, Bayou Classic, Dominate HBCU Weekend 11/20: Two HBCUs Fall in Playoffs 11/16: Six HBCU Schools Heading to Postseason 11/13: Three Down, One To Go 11/6: It's Title Time 11/6: Rams Are First...Who's Next? 11/2: CIAA Championship Game Berth On The Line 10/30: Surprise Results Revise SIAC Title Race 10/26: MEAC Logjam Could Be Broken On Saturday 10/23: Pirates Walk The Plank 10/19: Showdown Saturday in HBCU Football 10/16: Jackson State No Longer SWAC Pushover 10/12: Homecomings Abound In HBCU Football 10/9: Albany State Takes SIAC Lead 10/5: SIAC Leaders Face Off in Albany, GA 10/1: Pirates Keep Win Streak Alive 9/28: Hampton Tries to Extend MEAC Winning Streak 9/25: NCC Wins Game, Loses Belongings 9/21: Eagles, Jaguars Meet for First Time 9/18: Panthers Get Over the Hump 9/11: Traditional Powerhouses Hit Bumps 9/7: Conference Play Begins in Earnest 9/5: Grand Stages Open Season 8/28: All Sorts of Change In 2006 HBCU BASKETBALL 2/23: North Carolina Central Earns First National Ranking 2/23: Virginia Union Returns To Top Of CIAA Tournament 2/15: North Carolina Central Is So Hot Right Now 2/15: Returning Courtside 2/9: Delaware State, Mississippi Valley Among HBCU Standouts 2/9: HBCU Notebook: It's Title Time

        ---   HBCU Links   --- MEAC Standings MEAC Scoreboard SWAC Standings SWAC Scoreboard CIAA Standings CIAA Scoreboard SIAC Standings SIAC Scoreboard

The HBCU football season kicked off with 12 contests including a couple of blowouts, a shutout and two contests that went down to the final seconds of the game.

Cardiac Moment - Albany

North Carolina Central and Albany State had a classic matchup that wasn't decided until the final play of the game.

ASU prevailed, 16-10, thanks to Isaiah Gay's deflection of a Stadford Brown pass in the end zone as time expired.

Albany State held a 7-3 lead going into the fourth quarter, and scored twice to take a 16-3 lead.  Tory Torstenson kicked a 28-yard field goal and Brian Porter galloped 60 yards to paydirt to give the Golden Rams the lead.

The Eagles from Carolina responded with a five-play, 50-yard drive with just 2:01 remaining.

After an ASU punt, NCCU got the ball with :30 left and drove 44 yards before Gay's pass breakup saved the day for the Golden Rams.

Cardiac Moment - Fayetteville

Another frantic finish took place in Fayetteville, NC as Fayetteville State saw its comeback fall short, at home, against Wingate, 34-26.

FSU led 16-10 early in the third quarter, but Wingate outscored the Broncos, 24-3 to take a 34-19 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

FSU cut the lead to eight points on an 18-yard run by backup quarterback Ben Williams.

After a Wingate punt, the Broncos mounted their final drive with 2:58 remaining and went 48 yards in eight plays but came up short on a fourth-and-goal with :30 left.

Shutout in Charlotte

The defense outscored the offense for Johnson C. Smith as the Golden Bulls used Fred Hoskins' 30-yard return of a blocked punt and a 95-yard interception return by Garrison McCormick to shut out Edward Waters, 24-0, in Charlotte.

Following a scoreless first quarter, JCSU scored its only offensive touchdown on a 33-yard pass from Carlton Richardson to Jeremy Franklin.  Herbert Collins added a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give JCSU a 10-0 halftime lead.

Tennessee Blowout - East

Two blowouts in Tennessee began Thursday night as Virginia State felt the wrath of Carson-Newman in Jefferson City dropping a 52-21 decision to the Eagles.

VSU struck first, midway through the first quarter, on a 72-yard TD pass from Michael Terry to Brandon Crump.

The Trojans extended their lead to 14-3 on another 72-yard bomb, this time from Davian Richards to fellow wide receiver Jerome Choice.

VSU opened the second half scoring with another TD reception by Choice as he pulled in a 31-yard toss from Lamar Blizzard.

It was the last time the Trojans would see the end zone. 

CNC scored 28 unanswered points to seal VSU's fate and send the Trojans home with their worst season-opening loss in team history.

Tennessee Blowout - West

Friday, the blowout went the way of the Dragons as Lane College chalked up 555 yards of total offense on the way to a 54-3 defeat of Lincoln (Mo.) University in Jackson.

SIAC Player of the Week Sherard Ellis chalked up 239 yards of total offense on 23 for 30 passing for 191 yards and five rushes for 48 yards.  He scored two TDs running and threw for two more in just three quarters of play.

The Lane defense limited Lincoln to just two trips to the red zone.  The Tigers only score came on a 26-yard field goal, late in the third quarter.

HBCU Football Scoreboard

August 23
Carson Newman 52, Virginia State 21
Glenville State 29, Bowie State 19

August 25
Albany State 16, NC Central 10
Fort Valley State 13, Clark Atlanta 10
Henderson State 44, Texas College 7 
Johnson C. Smith 24, Edward Waters 0
Lane 54, Lincoln (MO) 3
Mercyhurst 21, Kentucky State 6
Morehouse 23, Benedict 14
Shaw 24, Miles 7
Stillman 30, Concordia 14
Wingate 34, Fayetteville State 26