WEEK 4 – NONCONFERENCE SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE

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

September 14, 2010
 
WEEK 4 – NONCONFERENCE SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
Hampton, VA – The nonconference season comes to a close this weekend with several teams playing outside conference competition for the final time. Several conference teams line up against one another including Winston-Salem State which seeks to go 2-0 in the conference against Chowan.
 
GAME OF THE WEEK: FAYETTEVILLE STATE VS. ELIZABETH CITY STATE: The Broncos and Vikings, longtime CIAA rivals, play for the first time since 2007. In fact, since the initial Down East Viking Classic in the late ‘90s, FSU has a 4-1 record against the Vikings. However, ECSU knocked off the Broncos 43-31 in their last Down East Classic matchup to signal the rise of Viking Football. Since that time, the Vikings have won or tied for the Eastern Division (now North Division) title three times. The Vikings have, arguably, the league’s best collection of offensive talent. QB Creven Powell , RB Daronte McNeill, and WR Dexter Manley bring serious offensive punch for the Vikings. Manley has become one of college football’s most feared deep threats. This senior added to his resume’ last week, with an 82-yard TD catch against Central Arkansas. Defensively, DL Malcolm Jenkins is one of the nation’s best pass rushers. The Broncos bounced back well against Bowie State after falling to UNC-Pembroke in Week One. New Bronco QB Robert Benjamin injected new life into an offense that did not score in Week One. Benjamin passed for 189 yards and two touchdowns. RB Richard Medlin had the best day of his career, rushing for 163 yards. The CIAA Champs will look to establish their 2010 presence with a win over two of the Northern Division favorites in consecutive weekends (beat Bowie State 27-7). The Vikings look to continue their fine play in the Down East Classic (3-1 since 2006). Rocky Mount has become a home away from home for ECSU. This should be one of the most exciting and best attended games of the CIAA season. (4:00 p.m. at Rocky Mount, NC).

Players to watch: (Fayetteville State: RB Richard Medlin; QB Robert Benjamin; DB John Hicks).
(Elizabeth City State: WR Dexter Manley; DL Malcolm Jenkins; RB Daronte McNeill).
 
CHOWAN AT WINSTON-SALEM STATE: The Rams have won back-to-back road games against two of their most fierce rivals, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central. WSSU has won two back to back thrillers pulling out fourth quarter wins. Last weekend, QB Kameron Smith passed for 294 yards and five TDs to lead an explosive Ram Offense averaging 34 points per contest. RB Nic Cooper rushed for an additional 88 yards to help out Smith. WSSU looks to go 2-0 in the CIAA before their huge divisional opener against Fayetteville State on September 25. Chowan will have a difficult task earning its first win at WSSU. The Braves lost two difficult contests to open the season against Lenoir-Rhyne and The Citadel. (6:00 p.m. at Winston-Salem).

Players to watch: (Chowan: QB Cameron Stover; RB Elliot Smalls; WR Eddie Coard).
(Winston-Salem State: WR Tehvyn Brantley; QB Kameron Smith; RB Nic Cooper).
 
VIRGINIA STATE AT NORFOLK STATE: The Trojans have jumped out to a 2-0 start with wins over Livingstone and West Virginia State. QB Jared Battle has passed for four touchdowns on the season for VSU. RB Antwain Lyde leads the league in rushing at 115 yards per contest. Norfolk State enters the contest at 1-1 coming off a win over NC A&T. NSU was picked preseason number three in the MEAC. The Trojans will look to enter the CIAA season 3-0 with a victory over their in-state rival. (6:00 p.m. at Norfolk, VA).

Players to watch: (Virginia State: QB Jared Battle; RB Antwain Lyde; WR Corey Young).
 
SHAW AT CATAWBA: Shaw looks to rebound after a tough 55-26 loss at Football Championship Subdivision Member Elon. Catawba is 1-1 vs. the CIAA with a win over Livingstone last week and an opening week loss to St. Augustine’s. Shaw opened its season with a dazzling offensive showcase, putting up 57 points against Virginia Union. RB Raymond Williams is one of the CIAA’s best at the position and he will look for running lanes against CU. QB Kevin Atkins will also look to keep up his play, having passed for six TDs and one interception.  (7:00 p.m. at Salisbury).

Players to watch: (Shaw: RB Raymond Williams; QB Kevin Atkins; LB Fred Sparkman).
 
LINCOLN (PA) AT VIRGINIA UNION:  Both Virginia Union and Lincoln (PA) open their CIAA schedules with this contest. VUU is looking to bounce back after facing two of the CIAA’s best teams in its first two contests (WSSU and Shaw). This week, they look to knock off Lincoln (PA), which has gone 1-1 thus far in ’10. Defensively, the Panthers had a tough time stopping the explosive offenses of Shaw and WSSU. The Lions have not proven that they have the weapons of those two powers. However, they are hungry to earn their first win in the CIAA since the 1940s. VUU looks to get its vaunted running game going behind massive OL David Mims. (7:00 p.m. at Richmond).

Players to watch: (Lincoln: QB Laquan Williams; WR Matthew Colston; DB Jairon Bailey).
(VUU: OL David Mims; QB Aris McGlone-English; WR Michael Hassell).
 
BOWIE STATE AT LIVINGSTONE: Bowie State has struggled offensively and has gotten off to a rocky 0-3 start. This weekend as they open their conference season, the Bulldogs will look to get their offense untracked. Defensively, the Bulldogs remain stout, but gave up an uncharacteristic 27points against FSU on Saturday. Livingstone has gotten off to an even tougher 0-3 start. They have only scored once in their first three games. Bowie State is not the team where an opponent seeks to get its offense jumpstarted. The size and speed of the Bulldog defense will provide major challenges to Livingstone.  (1:00 p.m. at Salisbury, NC).

Players to watch: (Bowie State: LB Delano Johnson; WR Clifton Budd; DB Ken Turner).
(Livingstone: LB Bryan Aycoth; QB Curtis Edens; LB Shawntez Jones).
 
BREVARD AT JOHNSON C. SMITH: Johnson C. Smith earned its first week of the season with a decisive win over West Virginia State. QB Ryan Carter had a banner day passing for 296 yards and 3 TDs. All-CIAA WR Jeremy Franklin caught two of those TD passes. RB Joshua James provided a jolt to the running game with 143 tough yards. The Golden Bulls look to even their record at 2-2 with a win. They will close out their nonconference slate this weekend before Winston-Salem State comes to town on October 2. (2:00 p.m. at Charlotte).

Players to watch: (JCSU: QB Ryan Carter; WR Jeremy Franklin; RB Joshua James).