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THE GAME
Prairie View A&M University "Panthers" vs. North Carolina Central University "Eagles" 

THE KICKOFF
Sunday, September 2, 2018 – Kickoff at 12:00 p.m. 

THE SITE
Georgia State Stadium (25,000 capacity/FieldTurf) - Atlanta, Ga.

THE RECORDS
N.C. Central (0-0 overall, 0-0 MEAC); Prairie View A&M (0-1 overall, 0-0 SWAC)

MEDIA COVERAGE
Audio: NCCU Sports Network "GameCentral" at NCCUEaglePride.com (internet stream). Broadcast starts at 11:40 a.m. (Jonathan Duren, play-by-play).
Video: ESPN2 (Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker and Olivia Harlan)

QUICK HITS
• North Carolina Central University is under the direction of first-year head coach Granville Eastman, who accepted the interim role after Jerry Mack left to be the offensive coordinator at Rice.
• This is NCCU's first appearance in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and the Eagles first gridiron meeting against Prairie View A&M University.
• NCCU received votes in the STATS FCS Top 25 preseason poll, after finishing last season with a 7-4 overall record.
• NCCU senior safety Davanta Reynolds is the Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team (Second Team) after recording six interceptions to tie for second among NCAA Division I-FCS leaders last year.
• In 2017, NCCU's defense ranked second in NCAA Division I-FCS and topped the MEAC in third-down conversion percentage defense (24.5 percent).
• Since the start of the 2012 season, NCCU has scored 36 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three defensive scores last year.
• NCCU returns just nine starters (6 offense, 3 defense), but boasts nine members of the Preseason All-MEAC Team: First Team - DB Davanta Reynolds, RB Isaiah Totten, OL Nick Leverett, DL Kawuan Cox; Second Team - TE Josh McCoy, OL Andrew Dale, DL Randy Anyanwu; Third Team - WR Xavier McKoy, and DB De'Mario Evans.

ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL
NCCU won three consecutive MEAC championships from 2014-16, and represented the MEAC in the 2016 Celebration Bowl versus Grambling in the Georgia Dome.
NCCU Recent Records:
2017: 7-4 overall, 5-3 MEAC
2016: 9-3 overall, 8-0 MEAC – MEAC champions
2015: 8-3 overall, 7-1 MEAC – MEAC co-champions
2014: 7-5 overall, 6-2 MEAC – MEAC co-champions

MEAC IN THE MEAC/SWAC CHALLENGE
• The MEAC leads the MEAC/SWAC Challenge 9-3 since the event started in 2005.
• The MEAC won five straight games in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge from 2011-15, before Southern University beat S.C. State University in 2017.
THE SERIES
This will be the first gridiron meeting between the NCCU Eagles and the Prairie View A&M Panthers.

LAST WEEK
Rice 31, Prairie View A&M 28 (Houston, Texas): Prairie View A&M lost on the final play of the game at Rice, falling 31-28 at Rice Stadium on Saturday (Aug. 25). PVAMU quarterback Jalen Morton completed 16 of 28 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed 12 times for 53 yards. Wide receiver Tristen Wallace caught five passes for 157 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers, while Panthers running back Dawonya Tucker rushed 10 times or 73 yards. Rice scored the final 12 points of the game in the fourth quarter, including a 23-yard field goal on the final play of the game, for the final margin.

THE COACHES
NCCU: Granville Eastman (Saint Mary's, 1992) is in his first season as a college head coach. With 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to his credit, Eastman joined the NCCU staff in January 2014, serving as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and safeties coach until his promotion to interim head coach on Dec. 8, 2017. Prior to joining NCCU, Eastman spent nine seasons (2005-13) as the defensive coordinator at Austin Peay State University in Clarkesville, Tennessee. During his 11 total seasons at APSU, he coached defensive backs and linebackers, and also served as special teams coordinator (2003-04) and interim head coach (winter 2013). Eastman coached four seasons (1999-2002) at Tiffin University in Ohio, including the last three seasons as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, while working with defensive backs and defensive line during his tenure. A native of Toronto, Canada, Eastman secured his first coaching position at York University in his hometown, where he spent two seasons (1994-95) working with defensive backs. He then served as a defensive graduate assistant for three seasons (1996-98) at Arkansas State University, earning a master's degree in sociology in 1999. Eastman was a two-time all-city defensive back at Stephen Leacock High School in Toronto before attending Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he was a three-year letterman as a defensive back. Twice Saint Mary's played in national title games while he was there. Eastman earned his bachelor's degree from Saint Mary's University in 1992.
Prairie View A&M: Eric Dooley was named Prairie View A&M University's head football coach on December 22, 2017. Dooley spent the previous four seasons at Grambling State University as offensive coordinator (2014-17), helping the Tigers to three consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference Western Division titles (2015-17), two SWAC Championships (2016-17), and an HBCU National Championship (2016). Dooley also worked three seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2011-13). Those seven seasons as offensive coordinator were preceded by 14 years as an assistant coach in various roles at Southern University (1997-2010). Dooley played wide receiver at Grambling under legendary coach Eddie Robinson (1985-88), winning two SWAC Championships. He earned his bachelor's degree from Southern University New Orleans (1999), and his master's degree from Southern University Baton Rouge (2005). His professional playing experience includes earning a free agent contract with the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders, one year with the AFL's Arizona Rattlers and one year with the World League's Taipei Dragons (China).

NINE NCCU EAGLES VOTED TO PRESEASON ALL-MEAC TEAMS
Nine NCCU Eagles were voted to the Preseason All-MEAC Football Teams. Earning All-MEAC First Team honors for NCCU are Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year senior defensive back Davanta Reynolds, sophomore running back Isaiah Totten, junior offensive lineman Nick Leverett, and junior defensive lineman Kawuan Cox. Three NCCU Eagles on the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team are senior tight end Josh McCoy, sophomore offensive lineman Andrew Dale, and senior defensive lineman Randy Anyanwu. Receiving Preseason All-MEAC Third Team honors are junior wide receiver Xavier McKoy and senior defensive back De'Mario Evans.

THREE NCCU EAGLES ON HBCU PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Three NCCU Eagles – senior safety Davanta Reynolds, sophomore running back Isaiah Totten and freshman running back Jamal Currie-Elliott - are among the 52 student-athletes from 25 different HBCUs to be named to the 2018 Watch List for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award, the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced Wednesday. The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College & University. The winner of the 2018 Black College Football Player of the Year Award will be honored with the Deacon Jones Trophy during the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which takes place on Feb. 16, 2019 in Atlanta. Four finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 29.

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 69 games, NCCU has scored 36 touchdowns on defense and special teams, including three in 2017, 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. 

FOUR EAGLES ALREADY EARNED UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
Four NCCU student-athletes on this season's football team have already earned their undergraduate degrees: OL Nick Leverett, LB King Kiaku, DB Jamarcus Johnson, and WR Marvin Zanders (graduate transfer from Missouri).

LEVERETT RECOGNIZED FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
NCCU offensive lineman Nick Leverett is one of 169 college football nominees for distinguished recognition on the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, as announced by Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has been one of the most esteemed honors in college football for more than 25 years, celebrating the remarkable accomplishments of college football student-athletes on the field, in the classroom and in the community. A native of Concord, North Carolina, Leverett is a two-time All-MEAC offensive lineman and team captain, a criminal justice major with a 3.373 overall grade point average, a campus leader, and an active participant in community service. The final roster of 22 award recipients and honorary head coach will be unveiled in September. Two NCCU football student-athletes have earned distinction on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® in recent years, Jordan Reid (current NCCU running backs coach) in 2013 and Carl Jones in 2016.

LONG SNAPPER SCHLECKER EARNS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA HONOR
NCCU senior long snapper Erik Schlecker was named to the HERO Sports 2018 FCS Preseason All-American Team. A native of Sunrise, Florida, Schlecker earned a spot on the FCS Preseason All-American Third Team for achieving a 99 percent success rate on his snaps with only one errant snap in the past two seasons at NCCU. The transfer from ASA College also boasts a snap time average of 0.75 seconds. To his credit, each NCCU teammate Schlecker has snapped for during the 2016 and 2017 seasons – two placekickers and a punter – has garnered all-conference recognition.

THREE FORMER NCCU EAGLES ON NFL ROSTERS
Three former NCCU Eagles are currently on NFL rosters: defensive back Ryan Smith (NCCU 2012-15) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, linebacker Reggie Hunter (NCCU 2014-17) with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and defensive back Mike Jones (NCCU 2013-16; Temple 2017) with the New York Giants.

NCCU FOOTBALL ON ESPN NETWORKS; FIRST GAME ON ESPN2
Since 2011, when NCCU became official members of NCAA Division I (FCS), the Eagles have played in 15 games on ESPN networks, but this will be their first appearance on ESPN2. NCCU has a 4-11 record in those games, but the Eagles were 2-1 last season.

ABOUT NCCU FOOTBALL
North Carolina Central University is in its eighth 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 140 all-conference selections (first team), 67 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.