NONCONFERENCE SEASON CONTINUES IN WEEK 3

Triskaidekaphobia: Fear the 13! – 2010 CIAA Football
The Championship Game – November 13 – Durham, NC

WEEK 3 – NONCONFERENCE SEASON CONTINUES IN WEEK 3
Hampton, VA – Last weekend produced mixed results for the CIAA as it enjoyed exhilarating victories as well as disappointing defeats. This weekend, ten CIAA schools will be in action and eight of them will be meeting nonconference opponents. The lone contest featuring CIAA teams, Bowie State – Fayetteville State, is a rematch of the 2009 Championship Game. However, several nonconference tilts will be important as the league continues to raise its football reputation.
 
GAME OF THE WEEK: WINSTON-SALEM STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL: The Rams have come out of the gate fast with an impressive 2-0 start. With victories over Virginia Union and its long-time rival, North Carolina A&T, WSSU has already earned one more win than it did in 2009 (1-10). Last weekend’s comeback win over the Aggies is one of the best wins the Rams have enjoyed in years. After last weekend’s handling of VUU, the mettle of WSSU was put to the test. The Rams came through with flying colors. Two quarterbacks were necessary to orchestrate the win over the Aggies.  This strategy might be necessary to knock off North Carolina Central. RB Nic Cooper has also provided a consistent running threat. Defensively, the Rams are giving up only 13.5 points per contest and will need to play solid against an NCCU team that won 59-0 last weekend. The Eagles knocked off WSSU 18-10 last season and the Rams once again seek revenge against its one-time CIAA divisional rival (6:00 p.m. at Durham).
Players to watch:  (Winston-Salem State:  LB Carl Fields; DB Alton Keaton; RB Nic Cooper).
 
MARS HILL AT ST. AUGUSTINE’S: Last weekend’s win over Catawba marked the second time in three seasons that St. Aug won at Catawba. With an experienced quarterback in Joaquin Green and a stout defense, the Falcons tackled perennial Division II power Catawba in Salisbury. Green threw two touchdowns at Catawba in a rare home opener loss for the Indians. LB Steven Stanback was a tackling machine against the Indians with 14. Mars Hill is 6-1 all-time against the Falcons including last year’s 20-14 squeaker. The Falcons will look to be the first league team since the reinstatement of divisional play in 2000 to go 2-0 against the SAC. (4:00 p.m. at Raleigh).
Players to watch: (St. Augustine’s: QB Joaquin Green; LB Steven Stanback; WR Jone’ Harris).
 
BOWIE STATE AT FAYETTEVILLE STATE: The Broncos and the Bulldogs suffered disappointing losses against local rivals. However, the losses were of a different variety. BSU’s defense held MEAC rival Morgan State out of the end zone in a tight 14-7 road loss. However, special teams mistakes (which doomed BSU against Seton Hill) kept Morgan State in the game. A Morgan State safety was due to a center snap sailing over the head of the punter in the second quarter. All other scores by MSU were via four field goals. However, BSU has had a tough time generating offense. With QB Tyrae Reid and WR Clifton Budd returning among other returning starters for BSU, the Bulldogs must be disappointed with their offensive output thus far. The Broncos suffered a tough 39-0 loss to rival UNC-Pembroke on Saturday. FSU seemed overmatched against the Braves, giving up 450 total yards. The Broncos could only gain 81 yards offensively. Both teams will need to generate much more offensive production to return to the Championship Game and win their respective divisions in 2010. This game will not count in the conference standings.  (6:00 p.m. at Fayetteville, NC).
Players to watch: (Bowie State: LB Delano Johnson; QB Tyrae Reid; WR Clifton Budd).
(Fayetteville State: RB Richard Medlin; K Austin Turner; DB Aaron Peterson).
 
SHAW AT ELON: Shaw started its 2010 season on a high-flying start, scoring 57 points against the Panthers. RB Raymond Williams and QB Kevin Atkins accounted for five touchdowns against VUU. However, the Bears will face a difficult test travelling to Elon College, NC to face the Phoenix. Elon is ranked #8 in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Phoenix also played Duke last weekend and dropped a tough 41-27 defeat. (7:00 p.m. at Elon College, NC).
Players to watch: (Shaw: RB Raymond Williams; QB Kevin Atkins; LB Fred Sparkman). 
 
WEST VIRGINIA STATE AT VIRGINIA STATE: The Trojans started off well against Livingstone on August 28. After a bye week, the Trojans hope to continue their strong momentum against WVIAC foe West Virginia State. WVSU is 0-1. VSU received inspiring play from QB Jared Battle. He accounted for three TDs (2 rush, 1 pass) against the Blue Bears. Antwain Lyde and Kenay Hawkins also provided support with the running attack. VSU would like to enter their game against in-state rival Norfolk State (Sept. 18) with a sparkling 2-0 record. (1:30 p.m. at Ettrick, VA).
Players to watch: (Virginia State: QB Jared Battle; WR Corey Young; K Justin Parker).
 
WEST VIRGINIA TECH AT JOHNSON C. SMITH: The Golden Bulls are looking to rebound from a disappointing 59-0 loss to North Carolina Central. If JCSU is going to pull out its first win of the season, it must get maximum production from its QB-WR battery of Ryan Carter and Jeremy Franklin. Defensively, JCSU has given up 90 points in its first two contests. However, West Virginia Tech (0-1) will not provide the caliber of competition that Elizabeth City State and NCCU did the first two weeks. (2:00 p.m. at Charlotte).
Players to watch: (JCSU: QB Ryan Carter; RB Jeremy Franklin; RB Dedric Anderson).
 
UNC-PEMBROKE AT ST. PAUL’S: The Braves are riding high after handling Fayetteville State, 39-0. They look to get their second straight win against the CIAA on Saturday. St. Paul’s lost its opener 35-28 to West Virginia Wesleyan.
Players to watch: (St. Paul’s: QB Steffen Miller-Cohen, WR Jason Davis, DB Dominic Tolson).
 
CATAWBA AT LIVINGSTONE: Livingstone has suffered two tough losses to open 2010. On opening weekend, the Blue Bears fell to VSU, 30-6. Last weekend, Livingstone lost to Newberry, 55-0. LC mustered just eight yards of total offense against Newberry. Catawba is 11-0 against Livingstone and has won all ten times they have played for the Mayor’s Cup. Both Livingstone and Catawba are located in Salisbury. (6:00 p.m. at Salisbury, NC).
Players to watch: (Livingstone: LB Bryan Aycoth; QB Curtis Edens; LB Shawntez Jones).
 
LINCOLN (PA) AT NEW HAVEN: Lincoln launched its first season in the CIAA off with a win over in-town rival Cheyney. QB Laquan Williams passed for 129 yards and rushed for another 97. It was the second shutout in two years for the Lions against Cheyney, 12-0. This weekend, the Lions travel to New Haven to play in the Harmony Classic. (1:00 p.m. at New Haven, CT).
Players to watch: (Lincoln: QB Laquan Williams; WR Matthew Colston; DB Jairon Bailey).