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By Mark F. Gray
AFRO Staff Writer
[email protected]
Bowie State may have passed their final test on the road to the CIAA Championship Game and left no doubt who the best team is in the North Division and their conference. The Bulldogs, who actually dropped a spot in the national Division-II polls after the win at Virginia State, bludgeoned Virginia Union 52-17, the next to last home game this season.
Barring an immense collapse, BSU figures to march into the CIAA Championship Game 10-0. They finished the regular season schedule against Lincoln and Elizabeth City State who have a combined 2-14 entering the final two weeks of the regular season.
For the last two years the Amir Hall show was the talk of the season. However, this year is proving they may not be as individually dynamic, but may be a better overall team than the team who won the 2018 CIAA championship. The offense seems to be peaking as the season moves towards its final month, while the defense continues to be the most dominant in the conference.
BSU improved to 8-0 (5-0 CIAA, 3-0 North) sparked by a season-high 594 yards of total offense. Junior quarterback Ja’rome Johnson passed for 395 passing yards and five touchdowns while finishing with 56 yards rushing. Johnson targeted his talented redshirt junior wide receiver Montez Clay, who led the Bulldogs with 80 reception yards and scored a pair of touchdowns. Junior Calil Wilkens was Bowie State’s leading rusher with 68 yards and scored a touchdown.
As their offense has evolved the Bulldogs defense has remained constant this year. Sophomore Demetri Morsell Morsell intercepted two passes and returned one for a 92-yard.
NEXT: Lincoln (PA) 11/2 Bowie, MD
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Morgan St. Can’t Contain FAMU
Cosmetically things are getting better for Morgan State. Despite the challenges of a rebuilding roster, they continue to play with resilience although they don’t have much to show for it. The Bears played, arguably, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s best team to a standstill, but couldn’t capitalize in their 24-12 loss to nationally ranked Florida A&M at Hughes Stadium.
The 20th ranked Rattlers didn’t need any late-game heroics to extend their win streak to seven games with the victory in Baltimore. Despite playing with a redshirt freshman quarterback, FAMU overcame a slow start to score 17 unanswered points and did not look back after a taking 17-7 second-quarter lead.
Rasean McKay started in replace of Ryan Stanley, a quarterback, and finished 25 of 35 passing for 246 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He completed passes to six different receivers as the Rattlers were victorious in one of their rare trips to Charm City.
MSU’s (1-7, 1-4 MEAC) defense kept the game close and shutout FAMU’s explosive nationally ranked offense in the second half. But the Bears offense couldn’t capitalize which continues to frustrate first year head coach Tyrone Wheatley.
“Defense put us in some really great positions,” said Wheatley. “We have to be able to come out and capitalize on some things and not stall. We had some play calls on the offensive side where if I had a chance to go back, I would’ve changed them.”
NEXT: at NORFOLK ST. 11/2/ 2 p.m. (ESPN3, WEAA, 88.9FM/ HSRN)
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HOWARD CRUSHED AT NCA&T HOMECOMING
There has always been a healthy disdain between Howard and North Carolina A&T, so when either team has a chance to blow the other out they normally don’t waste the chance. Homecoming gave the Aggies another chance to give the Bison the blues as their self proclaimed “growing pains” continued with a 64-6 loss before a sellout crowd of 21,500 at BB&T Stadium.
Junior running back Jah-Maine Martin had another superb afternoon as he led the Aggies rushing for 138 yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries. Martin had touchdown runs of 65, 55 and nine before against Howard’s defense that gave up over 50 points for the fourth time in eight games this season.
Howard’s lone bright spot this year continues to be senior wide receiver Kyle Anthony, who is on the verge of becoming the most accomplished in school history. His three receptions give him 178 which are six receptions shy of tying the all-time career reception leader Gary ‘Flea’ Harrell. Anthony also needs just six receiving touchdowns to become the Bison all-time career leader.
NEXT: NC Central 11/2 (1PM ESPN3)
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
HOWARD CRUSHED AT NCA&T HOMECOMING
There has always been a healthy disdain between Howard and North Carolina A&T, so when either team has a chance to blow the other out they normally don’t waste the chance. Homecoming gave the Aggies another chance to give the Bison the blues as their self proclaimed “growing pains” continued with a 64-6 loss before a sellout crowd of 21,500 at BB&T Stadium.
Junior running back Jah-Maine Martin had another superb afternoon as he led the Aggies rushing for 138 yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries. Martin had touchdown runs of 65, 55 and nine before against Howard’s defense that gave up over 50 points for the fourth time in eight games this season.
Howard’s lone bright spot this year continues to be senior wide receiver Kyle Anthony, who is on the verge of becoming the most accomplished in school history. His three receptions give him 178 which are six receptions shy of tying the all-time career reception leader Gary ‘Flea’ Harrell. Anthony also needs just six receiving touchdowns to become the Bison all-time career leader.
NEXT: NC Central 11/2 (1PM ESPN3)
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