Football

CIAA Preview Week Seven 
October 4, 2006

CIAA FOOTBALL 2006: "THE YEAR OF THE QUARTERBACK"
CIAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - NOVEMBER 11 - DURHAM

We're at the halfway mark of the 2006 season and it appears that North Carolina Central has asserted themselves as the favorite in the CIAA West. In the East, Elizabeth City State stepped to the front of the pack with its 49-0 manhandling of St. Augustine's. Johnson C. Smith continues to move closer to postseason play with its third road win of the season over St. Paul's. Shaw kept its conference hopes alive with its 18-14 win at Livingstone.

GAME OF THE WEEK: JOHNSON C. SMITH AT LIVINGSTONE: Johnson C. Smith still controls its own postseason destiny. With only one conference loss, the Golden Bulls remain one game behind undefeated North Carolina Central. The postseason possibilities are abundant for JCSU. If they continue to win, they may find themselves in the Championship Game. But, they must keep winning. On paper, Livingstone appears to be a huge underdog to the Golden Bulls but this I-85 rivalry is older than well...I-85. The first contest between the Golden Bulls and Blue Bears took place in 1892 and was the first between historically black colleges. 104 years later there is still no love lost on the football field. Special teams and defensive standout De'Audra Dix has been a stalwart for JCSU. He has supported the JCSU offensive duo of QB Carl Richardson and WR Marquis Belton. Belton, a preseason all-conference pick, has lived up to his billing with four touchdown catches in ‘06. Livingstone could not follow up their upset of Bowie State against Shaw. However, a win over rival Johnson C. Smith will surely salve any wounds from a lackluster season thus far. (6:00 p.m. at Salisbury, NC).

Players to watch: Johnson C. Smith: Carl Richardson, QB; Marquis Belton, WR; De'Audra Dix, DB.
Livingstone: Jason Mitchell, QB; Alvin Hudson, LB; Tyrone Baisden, WR.

NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL AT ST. AUGUSTINE'S: Lindy's Preseason Football Annual named this game as one of the Division II games to watch. However, the anticipation was St. Augustine's would enter the contest undefeated as it did in 2005 and face an undefeated North Carolina Central as was the case last season. Last year's contest was a battle for the top slot in the region and St. Augustine's handled NCCU in its worst loss of the season, 22-8. The Falcons easily handled the Eagles and looked to be on a fast track toward the NCAA Playoffs and the CIAA Championship Game. However, St. Aug lost its final two contests and allowed NCCU to slip into the Championship Game and the rest is history. While the Eagles have maintained their winning ways, circumstances have been much different for St. Aug. At 1-4, their postseason hopes seem all but gone and hopes of having a winning season are slipping away as well. After last week's big win over Bowie State, NCCU seems to be on cruise control but they cannot afford to overlook the Falcons. (1:30 p.m. at Raleigh).

Players to watch: North Carolina Central: Stafford Brown, QB; Greg Pruitt, RB; Craig Amos, DB.
St. Augustine's: Kevin Jones, LB; Brandon Franklin, QB; Alex Hall, DL.

VIRGINIA STATE AT ELIZABETH CITY STATE: 2006 was tabbed as "The Year of the Quarterback" featuring returning stars such as Shaw's Jermonty Kimbrough, and FSU's Jay Autry, however ECSU QB Curtis Rich is arguably having the best year of any quarterback in the nation. The junior has thrown 12 touchdowns and only one interception in ‘06 in leading the Vikings to a surprising 4-1 start. ECSU may have been the favorite going into its contest with St. Aug but no one could have predicted the 49-0 handling that took place. The Vikings Chris Carter...no not that one...has also been impressive with seven touchdown catches. Defensively, the Vikings have one of the best fronts in Division II with Maceo Thomas, and Greg Moore. VSU took a difficult loss at homecoming last weekend when FSU nearly shut them out 30-3. The Trojans face a difficult task looking for its first win at ECSU. (1:30 p.m. at Elizabeth City, NC).

Players to watch: Virginia State: Davian Richards, WR; Anthony Hailstock, DB; Thomas Boyd, QB.
Elizabeth City State: Curtis Rich, QB; Chris Carter, WR; Greg Moore, DL.

BOWIE STATE AT SHAW: The Bears and Bulldogs have been the last two eastern division winners. However, both are in difficult positions this weekend. With another loss, BSU will be eliminated from division contention. Many prognosticators had picked the Bulldogs to win the CIAA this season. Shaw is hoping to get back into the Eastern race with a win over nemesis Bowie State. QB Kimbrough pulled off his famous late-game heroics against Livingstone last weekend. He will need to continue to make plays if Shaw has a chance to win the East.
(1:00 p.m. at Raleigh).

Players to watch: Bowie State: Nathaniel Queen, RB; Larry Dixon, WR; Terrence Stafford, DB.
Shaw: Jermonty Kimbrough, QB; James Pettway, WR; Reginald Price, RB.

ST. PAUL'S AT VIRGINIA UNION: Virginia Union played its second multiple-overtime contest but got a win over Central State. QB Lamar Little passed for five touchdowns in the Panthers' 55-53 win. Little leads the CIAA with 15 touchdowns. St. Paul's appeared ready to assert itself in the East after upsetting Fayetteville State at home last weekend. However, SPC fell at home to JCSU. The loser of this contest will be more than likely out of the divisional race.
(1:30 p.m. at Richmond).

Players to watch: St. Paul's: Demetrius Brown, QB; Lonie Sanders, WR; Terrance Peterkin, DB.
Virginia Union: Lamar Little, QB; Michael Hampton, WR; Chad Talley, P.