Races far from over, head for stretch

LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor

North Carolina A&T’s Head Coach Sam Washington’s big task will be slowing down head coach Brian Bohannon’s (r.) triple-option running attack at Kennesaw State’s that is the best in the Big South Conference and second in the FCS averaging 288 rushing yards per game. Sam Washington says stopping the run is the Aggies’ specialty. They currently lead the Big South in run defense (90.0 ypg).

Jackson State in the SWAC East, Bowie State in the CIAA North and Fayetteville State in the CIAA South cleared major hurdles this past weekend.

JSU dominated 2021 SWAC spring champion Alabama A&M 61-15 in their East Division showdown.

Bowie State shut down and knocked Chowan from the unbeaten ranks 14-3 on the road in the big CIAA North Division face-off.

Fayetteville survived 15-12 at Shaw in a battle of CIAA South leaders.

North Carolina A&T survived a scare from North Alabama before prevailing 38-34 to move to 2-0 in the Big South.

Those were big wins but the races are far from over. The stretch runs begin this week.

BIG SOUTH

NC A&T (3-2, 2-0) is currently one of four teams along with Monmouth (2-0), Campbell (2-0) and Kennesaw State (1-0) undefeated in Big South play.

The Aggies have a big date in their new conference as they travel to face 4-1 Kennesaw State Saturday (5 p.m. on ESPN+).

KSU, under eighth-year head coach Brian Bohannon, is ranked 13th in the latest AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. Bohannon has led the Owls since they started football in 2013.

His team runs the triple-option offense that leads the Big South and is second in the FCS averaging 288 rushing yards per game. The Owls average about six passes per game.

Last week in a 34-15 win over Hampton, KSU had 58 carries between ten different runners in piling up 339 rushing yards. The Owls threw the ball 11 times completing eight. Quarterback Xavier Shepherd ran for 179 yards on 29 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead the effort.

For the season, Shepherd has rushed for 438 yards and nine TDs. He has also completed 60% (27 of 45) of his passes for 399 yards and three scores. When he does take to the air, he has spread the ball around to five primary targets.

Third-year head coach Sam Washington’s NC A&T team prides itself on stopping the run. The Aggies currently have the Big South’s best rushing defense surrendering just 90.0 yards per game. Under Washington as defensive coordinator for seven years and in his three years as head coach, the Aggies have perennially been among the nation’s leaders in run and pass.

The key to stopping the triple option is stopping the dive play, usually the first option, and the QB keeper, Washington said.

“We have to make the quarterback pitch the ball,” he said.

Linebacker Jacob Roberts (32 tackles), safety Najee Reams (28) and linebackers

Ritchie Kittles and Joseph Stuckey (25 each) are the Aggies top tacklers. Jermain McDaniel is the sacks leader with four.

Also in the Big South Saturday, Hampton (2-3, 0-1) is at (5 p.m. on ESPN+) Charleston Southern (1-3, 0-2).

CIAA

Bowie State (5-1, 3-0 CIAA N) is at home Saturday (1:30 p.m.) to face its next N. Div. opponent, Virginia State (2-3, 2-1 N).

VSU showed it was not ready to let Elizabeth City State into division contention with a 35-7 mastery of the Vikings Saturday.

Virginia Union (2-3, 2-1 N), coming off a 32-0 shutout of winless Lincoln (Pa.). is on the road Saturday (1 p.m.) at Chowan (5-1, 2-1 N).

FSU (4-1, 3-0 S), with what amounts to a two-game lead in the South, hosts Johnson C. Smith (0-5, 0-3).

Winless Saint Augustine’s (0-4, 0-3 S) is at Winston-Salem State (1-4, 1-2 S) and Shaw (3-3, 2-1 S) is at Livingstone (1-5, 1-2 S).

SWAC

The SWAC East hurdle for Jackson State this week is Alabama State (3-2, 2-1 E) who the Tigers (4-1, 2-0 E) will entertain for homecoming Saturday (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+).

Alabama A&M (3-2, 1-2 E) will be trying to avoid its third loss in a row when it hosts (1 p.m. on ESPN+) Florida A&M (3-2, 1-1 E).

After a week off, SWAC West Division leader Prairie View A&M (4-1, 3-0 W) is back in action at winless Bethune-Cookman (0-6, 0-3 E) at 12 noon Saturday.

Alcorn State (3-2, 2-0 W) lurking a half- game behind Prairie View in the SWAC West, is at Mississippi Valley State. The Delta Devils (2-3, 1-1 E) have won two straight.

Texas Southern (1-3, 1-1 W), fresh off a 35-31 win over Southern – the first win for TSU over SU since 2011 – is at Grambling State’s homecoming (2 p.m.). The G-Men are at 2-4, overall, 1-2 in the West.

Southern (2-3, 1-1 W) is at homecoming (3 p.m. on ESPN+) for Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-4, 0-3 W).

SIAC

SIAC East leaders Savannah State (5-1, 3-0), Albany State (5-1, 2-0) and Fort Valley State (4-2, 2-0) have games within the division this week.

Albany State plays at dangerous Benedict (3- 3, 0-2). BC, under first-year head coach Chennis Berry, pulled off a stunning, last-second 24-21 win over two-defending SIAC champion Miles at the Golden Bears’ homecoming last Saturday.

Savannah State has its homecoming vs. Clark Atlanta (2-4, 0-2) while Fort Valley State is at homecoming at Morehouse (1-5, 1-1). Morehouse knocked off Tuskegee Saturday 31- 15 for its first win.

In the wacky SIAC West, Kentucky State (3-3, 2-1), on top of the standings, travels to Edward Waters. Miles (2-4, 1-2) is at Lane (4-2, 1-1) and Tuskegee (2-4, 1-1) is at Central State (1-5, 0-3).

MEAC

Only three MEAC teams will hit the field

this week. Both Norfolk State (2 p.m. on ESPN3) and South Carolina State (3:30 p.m. on ESPN3) have homecomings Saturday.

SCSU (1-4, 0-0 MEAC) hosts Morgan State (0-5, 0-1) in a conference match up. NSU (3-2) is hosting Virginia Lynchburg (0-6).