Congratulations Fall 2002 Graduates The Broncos’ Voice of Fayetteville State University *31 'TO INFORM, EDUCATE, INSPIRE, AND ENTERTAIN’ December 10, 2002 Volume X, Issue 3 Fall 2002 EDITION CIAA CHAMPS Coach Kenny Phillips accepts the 2002 championship trophy. Photo by Kantrell Shelton FSU Broncos’ Football Team Makes History Staff Report Fayetteville State University’s football team returned Nov. 16 to a place where it celebrated one of its greatest triumphs, a 30- 26, four-overtime win over Winston-Salem State. The win set the tone for another history-making event in the same venue. On Nov. 16, the Broncos defeated Bowie State University for the school’s first CIAA football championship. Fayetteville State defeated Bowie State 17-14 to capture the first CIAA football championship in school history. And the Broncos did it on the same field. Bowman Gray Stadium, where they first believed that taking the conference title was possible. “The key game was the Winston-Salem State game,” said Fayetteville State receiver Elliott London, who was named the CIAA championship game Most Valuable Player after catching seven balls for 103 yards and a touchdown. “After that game we kept telling ourselves we’re going to win it.” Fayetteville State became the first CIAA team in eight years to get a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs. The bids came out Nov. 17 and the Broncos were ranked No. 3 in the South region. The top four teams in each region gets a bid to the tournament. The Broncos lost in the NCAA’s to powerhouse Carson-Newman College Nov. 23. The Broncos declined an invitation to the Pioneer Bowl, which matches the champion of the CIAA against the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, to participate in the NCAA tournament. Fayetteville State’s win against Bowie didn’t come without a few scares. The Broncos had been cruising along, scoring two touchdowns after two Bowie State turnovers to take a 17-6 lead into the fourth quarter. “Their defense was able to make the big plays to set their team up to go ahead,” Bowie State coach Henry Frazier said. But the Bulldogs (6-5) still had opportunities to win late in the game. On a drive aided by a roughing-the-passer call on third-and-8, the Bulldogs cut Fayetteville State’s lead to 17-14 when Julius See History Page 8

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