Complete Game Notes PDF |
VIDEO: Weekly Press Conference
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University "Eagles" vs. North Carolina A&T State Univ. "Aggies"
THE KICKOFF
Saturday, November 18, 2017 – Kickoff at 1:00 p.m.
THE SITE
Aggie Stadium (21,500 capacity/natural grass) - Greensboro, N.C.
THE RECORDS
N.C. Central (7-3 overall, 5-2 MEAC); #7 N.C. A&T (10-0 overall, 7-0 MEAC)
MEDIA COVERAGE
Audio: NCCU Sports Network "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (internet stream). Broadcast starts at 12:40 p.m. (
Jonathan Duren, play-by-play; Joe Simmons, color analyst).
Video:
ESPN3
QUICK HITS
• North Carolina A&T is ranked No. 7 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 9 in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll.
• North Carolina A&T leads the series 49-34-5, while NCCU has defeated the Aggies in the last three meetings.
• NCCU has a 10-2 record in the month of November since 2014.
• In the last four seasons under head coach Jerry Mack, the Eagles own a 13-2 record in conference road games, including 12 in-a-row.
• With two interceptions at Hampton, junior safety
Davanta Reynolds now has six picks to top the MEAC and tie for second among NCAA Division I-FCS leaders.
• NCCU senior
Nathaniel Tilque amassed 349 punting yards (43.9 avg.) at Hampton to become the school's career leader. He now has 9,696 punting yards, breaking the record of 9,449 yards held by Eric Hines (1975-78).
• NCCU redshirt-freshman running back
Isaiah Totten ranks second in the MEAC and 20th in the NCAA Division I-FCS with an average of 5.8 yards per rush.
• NCCU's defense ranks second in NCAA Division I-FCS and tops MEAC in third-down conversion percentage defense (24.3 percent).
• Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 36 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three defensive scores this year.
• MEAC opponents have rushed for just 67.3 yards per game vs. NCCU this season, while the Eagles average 156.0 rushing yards per contest in those league outings.
• NCCU had its 18-game conference win streak and its school record 11-game home win streak come to an end on Oct. 21 with a 28-21 loss to Norfolk State.
• In four seasons under head coach Jerry Mack, NCCU owns a 26-5 conference record, earning MEAC co-championships in 2014 and 2015, and the outright league title in 2016.
• Former NCCU head football coach Rod Broadway is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Aggies. Broadway led the Eagles to back-to-back CIAA championships in 2005 and 2006.
2016 NCCU HIGHLIGHTS
• Captured the conference's first outright championship since 2012, after sharing the league crown in 2014 and 2015.
• Became first football team in school history to win a third consecutive conference championship.
• Beat nationally-ranked No. 9 North Carolina A&T 42-21 on Nov. 19, 2016, to cap an undefeated conference campaign.
• Earned a trip to the second annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.
• Posted the most wins in the program's Division I era with nine triumphs.
• Broke the NCCU single-season record with 4,614 yards of total offense.
• Received first national ranking as a Division I-FCS program on Nov. 7, 2016, when the FCS Coaches Poll announced NCCU at No. 25. By the end of the regular season, the Eagles jumped to No. 18, and then finished at No. 19 in the final 2016 poll.
• Placed a league-high 17 student-athletes on the All-MEAC teams.
THE SERIES
This will be the 89th meeting between the Eagles and Aggies, dating back to 1924 when NC A&T tied NCCU, 13-13, in Durham, North Carolina. The Aggies lead the series 49-34-5. NC A&T has won 18 of the last 26 meetings. NCCU has won seven of the last 11 contests, including three in-a-row. Eight of the last 12 games have been decided by seven points or less.
11/19/2016 - #20 NCCU 42, #9 NCA&T 21 (Durham, N.C.)
11/21/2015 - NCCU 21, #13/16 NCA&T 16 (Greensboro, N.C.)
11/22/2014 - NCCU 21, #24 NCA&T 14 (Durham, N.C.)
11/23/2013 - NCA&T 28, NCCU 0 (Greensboro, N.C.)
11/17/2012 - NCA&T 22, NCCU 16 OT (Durham, N.C.)
11/19/2011 - NCA&T 31, NCCU 21 (Greensboro, N.C.)
09/25/2010 - NCCU 27, NCA&T 16 (Durham, N.C.)
10/03/2009 - NCA&T 23, NCCU 17 OT2 (Greensboro, N.C.)
10/04/2008 - NCCU 28, NCA&T 27 (Charlotte, N.C.)
09/22/2007 - NCCU 27, NCA&T 22 (Greensboro, N.C.)
09/05/2005 - NCCU 23, NCA&T 22 (Raleigh, N.C.)
09/05/2004 - NCA&T 16, NCCU 15 (Raleigh, N.C.)
08/31/2003 - NCA&T 25, NCCU 0 (Raleigh, N.C.)
09/01/2002 - NCCU 33, NCA&T 30 OT (Raleigh, N.C.)
09/01/2001 - NCA&T 22, NCCU 0 (Raleigh, N.C.)
(Complete game-by-game series on last page of notes)
THE LAST MEETING
(#20 NCCU 42, #9 NC A&T 21 - Durham, N.C. - Nov. 19, 2016) North Carolina A&T entered the contest with the nation's fifth-ranked run defense, but NCCU senior quarterback
Malcolm Bell and sophomore running back
Dorrel McClain combined for 240 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Aggies had not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season, until Bell rushed for a game-high 131 yards and two touchdowns, while McClain tallied 109 rushing yards with three trips to the end zone. Bell added 184 yards and a touchdown on 10-for-18 passing to finish with 315 yards of total offense. And while the NCCU offense posted the most points against the Aggies since 1984 and the second-most in the 88 match-ups of the series, the Eagles also soared defensively. Tarik Cohen, the nation's third-leading rusher, was held to just 82 yards and an average of on 3.6 yards per carry.
THE LAST MEETING IN GREENSBORO
(NCCU 21, #13 NC A&T 16 - Greensboro, N.C. - Nov. 21, 2015) With the MEAC regular-season title on the line, NCCU knocked off nationally-ranked rival North Carolina A&T to earn a share of the conference championship for the second straight year, as the Eagles beat the Aggies 21-16 for their seventh win in-a-row. In front of a near-capacity crowd of 18,409 inside Aggie Stadium, the visiting Eagles amassed 393 yards of total offense, including 193 yards on the ground against the No. 1 rushing defense in the nation. Entering the contest, NC A&T, ranked 13th in the FCS coaches poll, had allowed opponents only 73.7 rushing yards per game to top the NCAA Division I-FCS. NCCU redshirt freshman running back
Dorrel McClain had 74 yards rushing in the first half, and finished with a season-high 167 yards and a touchdown on the ground. NCCU junior quarterback
Malcolm Bell also ran for a score, while completing 14-of-28 passes for 200 yards through the air. His favorite target was junior receiver
LaVontis Smith, who caught seven passes for 123 yards, a season-best for any Eagles' receiver. Smith also ignited the NCCU faithful with a 67-yard punt return touchdown.
LAST WEEK
Bethune-Cookman 13, NCCU 10 (Durham, N.C.): With 16 seconds remaining in a critical MEAC match-up, North Carolina Central University took its first lead of the game with a fourth-down, 4-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback
Chauncey Caldwell to sophomore receiver
Xavier McKoy. However, on the game's final play, starting with just five seconds on the clock, Bethune-Cookman University quarterback Larry Brihm, Jr. rolled to his left, set his feet and fired a pass to the end zone, where the ball was deflected and caught by Keavon Mitchell for the game-winning, 48-yard touchdown. The wild 13-10 Wildcat victory ends NCCU's run for a fourth consecutive conference championship. Caldwell accounted for 248 of NCCU's 307 yards of total offense, rushing for a season-high 148 yards and passing for 100 yards, completing 14 of 32 attempts with an interception and the go-ahead touchdown. Bethune-Cookman was held to 178 total yards, with nearly half of the Wildcats 100 yards passing coming on the last play. Senior linebacker Kenneth O'Neal topped the Eagles' defense with seven tackles, including 1.5 stops for a loss with a solo sack. Sophomore defensive end
Kawuan Cox registered 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass break-ups.
N.C. A&T 36, Savannah State 17 (Greensboro, N.C.): The N.C. A&T Aggies got 127 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 27 carries from junior Marquell Cartwright to earn a 36-17 win over Savannah State at Aggie Stadium.
THE COACHES
NCCU: Jerry Mack (Arkansas State, 2003) is in his fourth season as a college head coach. Mack has led NCCU to three consecutive conference championships and a trip to the 2016 Celebration Bowl. In recognition of his success in 2016, Mack was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Football Coach of the Year, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Regional Coach of the Year, and as one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year. He was also recognized as the HBCU Football Coach of the Year by Black College Sports Page and The Pigskin Club in Washington, D.C., and the HBCU Male Coach of the Year by HBCU Digest. He boasts 12 years of coaching experience, including stints with five NCAA Division I programs and three conference championship teams. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Mack has held positions as wide receivers coach at the University of South Alabama (2012-13) and the University of Memphis (2011), as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2010), as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Central Arkansas (2008-09), as wide receivers and tight ends coach at Jackson State University (2006-07), and as an offensive graduate assistant at Delta State University (2004-05). Mack began his collegiate playing career at Jackson State before transferring after one season (1999) to Arkansas State University. He lettered three years at Arkansas State (2001-03) before earning his bachelor's degree in management information systems in 2003. Mack completed his master's degree in physical education from Delta State in 2006.
North Carolina A&T: In his seventh season as the head coach of the Aggies football program, Rod Broadway (North Carolina, 1977) is no stranger to NCCU. He was head coach at NCCU from 2003-06, guiding the Eagles to 33 victories with the best winning percentage in school history (.750), back-to-back CIAA championships in 2005 and 2006, and a 2006 Black College Football National Championship with an 11-0 regular-season record. Following NCCU, Broadway spent four seasons as the head coach at Grambling, where the Tigers posted a 35-12 record.
EAGLES AGAINST NATIONALLY-RANKED OPPOSITION
Since the start of the transition to NCAA Division I-FCS in 2007, NCCU is 3-10 against nationally-ranked FCS opponents. The Eagles have been out-scored 430-211 (33.1-16.2 avg.) in those contests.
12/17/2016 - #14 Grambling State - 9-10 L (Celebration Bowl)
11/19/2016 - #9 North Carolina A&T - 42-21 W
11/21/2015 - #13/16 North Carolina A&T - 21-16 W
11/22/2014 - #24 North Carolina A&T - 21-14 W
11/1/2014 - #20 Bethune-Cookman - 20-34 L
11/2/2013 - #13 Bethune-Cookman - 14-38 L
9/21/2013 - #4 Towson - 17-35 L
10/23/2010 - #14 Bethune-Cookman - 10-23 L
9/18/2010 - at #1 Appalachian State - 16-44 L
10/10/2009 - at #9 Appalachian State - 21-55 L
9/12/2009 - at #24 Liberty - 10-35 L
11/8/2008 - at #3 Cal Poly - 3-49 L
9/6/2008 - at #8 James Madison - 7-56 L
EAGLES TURN DEFENSE, SPECIAL TEAMS INTO POINTS
Since the start of the 2012 season, the Eagles have demonstrated a knack for finding the end zone when the offense is off the field. In the past 68 games, NCCU has scored 36 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three this season, three in 2016, six in 2015, five in 2014, nine in 2013 and 10 in 2012. In that time, the Eagles have made trips to the end zone on 14 punt returns, six kickoff returns, three blocked field goal returns, 10 interceptions and three fumble recoveries.
NCCU IN MEAC PLAY
Since becoming eligible to compete for a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship in 2011, NCCU has a conference record of 34-20. The Eagles posted league marks of 1-7 in 2011, 5-3 in 2012 and 3-5 in 2013, 6-2 in 2014, 7-1 in 2015, 8-0 in 2016, and 5-2 in 2017. In four seasons under head coach Jerry Mack, NCCU owns a 26-5 conference record.
NCCU CONFERENCE WIN STREAK ENDS AT 18
NCCU's 28-21 loss to Norfolk State on Oct. 21 ended the Eagles' 18-game conference win streak, which matches Bethune-Cookman (2011-13) as the third-longest streak in MEAC history. S.C. State holds the record at 21 from 2008-10, while Hampton won 19 consecutive league games from 2004-06. The Norfolk State setback is NCCU's first conference loss since Oct. 3, 2015, a 28-26 defeat against Bethune-Cookman.
ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL
North Carolina Central University is in its seventh season of full NCAA Division I (FCS) athletics competition as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Eagles have won 13 conference championships as members of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1953, 1954, 1956, 1961, 1963, 1980, 2005, 2006) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (1972, 1973, 2014, 2015, 2016), and have made three appearances in the NCAA playoffs (1988, 2005, 2006). The Eagles won back-to-back football conference championships and a Black College National Championship in their final two years in the Division II ranks (2005 and 2006) before starting the transition to Division I in 2007. During its storied gridiron tradition, NCCU has produced 136 all-conference selections, 66 all-Americans, 41 NFL draft picks, 13 conference championships and two Black College National Championships (1954, 2006). Two Eagles have represented NCCU on the National Football League's grandest stage - the Super Bowl. The first NCCU Eagle to make a Super Bowl appearance was Richard Sligh, who was a reserve tackle with the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 14, 1968. Sligh, who holds the distinction as the tallest player in NFL history (7'0"), played at NCCU from 1962-64 and was later drafted by the Raiders in the 10th round of the 1967 NFL draft. On Jan. 24, 1982, former NCCU Eagle Louis Breeden was a starting cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI against the San Francisco 49ers. Earlier in the season (Nov. 8, 1981), Breeden intercepted a pass thrown by San Diego Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts and returned it a team-record 102 yards for a touchdown. The following year, he was selected as a First-Team All-Pro. He completed his 10-year NFL career with 33 interceptions for 558 return yards and two touchdowns. The first Eagle selected in the NFL Draft was Matt Boone, who was taken by the Giants with the eighth pick in the 18th round in 1956. The latest Eagle announced during the NFL Draft was Ryan Smith, who was chosen by the Buccaneers in the fourth round in 2016. NCCU's highest draft pick was Doug Wilkerson, who was selected in the first round with the 14th overall pick of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Oilers. The Eagles have also had three second-round NFL draft picks, including Robert Massey in 1989 by the Saints, Charles Smith in 1975 by the Broncos and Chuck Hinton in 1962 by the Browns. HBCU football pioneer John Brown, who represented NCCU (then North Carolina College) on the gridiron in the 1940s, was one of the first to play professional football out of a historically black college or university. Brown shares the honor with Ezzret Anderson of Kentucky State and Elmore Harris of Morgan State, who all began their professional football careers in 1947. Brown and Anderson were teammates on the Los Angeles Dons, while Harris was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. According to NCCU records, Brown was the first of the three to sign a professional football contract. He played center and linebacker with the Dons from 1947-49, before moving to the Canadian Football League.
