mid-eastern
Photo by Wade Nash
(left to right) Ken Hudson, Atlanta Mayor's office; Southern coach Pete Richardson; Southwestern Athletic Conference Commissioner Dr. James Frank ; Assistant Mid - East ?
ern Athletic Conference; Commissioner Brendy McCoy; South Carolina State coach WUlie Jefferies; Heritage Bowl promoter John Ray.
Round Two for Bulldogs, JagUars in Heritage Bowl
Heritage Bowl Matchup will be first bowl game played by two historically black colleges
-??he battle lines have been drawn
oetween the Mid Eastern Athletic
| and Southwestern Athletic Confer
ences and the postseason warriors have
already met this year. Southern University,
who finished 10-1 and won their first
SWAC title in 34 years, and South Caroli
na State, who finished 8-3 and second in
the MEAC, will meet in Heritage Bowl III
at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on New
Year's Day.
Southern and S.C. State have played
twice before in the dome with the Jaguars
winning both times by a total of five
points. Both games have been decided in
the fourth quarter when Southern was able
to take advantage of S.C. State miscues
which set up scoring opportunities.
In 1992, when they met for the second
time in the 100 Black Men's Atlantic
Football Classic, freshman Duane Fuller
kicked the final of four field goals to beat
the Bulldogs 19-18 after a long punt
return. This past September got another
blessing when S.C. State botched a punt
and set up a Eric Randall to Landry
Williams TD pass to give Southern a 14
10 victory.
"Its going to be great to have the
opportunity to play them once again.** said
S.C. State head coach Willie Jeffries. "1
expect it to be another great game.**
Snyfoera'^ trio to the Black College
New Year*s show was a lot easier than
S.C. Stale's was. The Jaguars were clearly
the class of the SWAC this season finish
ing with an undefeated record in confer
ence play. This was the same group of
players who had finished 13-19 over the
past three years.
The biggest change in the Jaguar foot
ball program this year has been head coach
Pete Richardson. Richardson, who had
won three CIAA titles while at Winston
Salem State, brought his stingy defensive
philosophy to the Bayou and it worked.
The Southern defense finished with (op
defense in Division I-AA.
"When you've had three coaches in
the last four years you basically have to
change the attitude of the players," said
Richardson. "My guys deserve a lot of
credit for willing to work and pick up on
the philosophy of our coaching staff and it
has paid off."
The Bulldogs had to overcome a lot
more than Southern did to get to the Her
itage Bowl. After conference losses to
Florida A&M and Howard, S.C. State's
entire season came down to the finale
against rival North Carolina A&T. With
Southern having been anointed by the
SWAC, Southern knew a win over the
Aggies would give them a rematch.
However, they had to withstand one
of the most prolific offensive days in
MEAC history. S.C. State and A&T pro
duces more than 1,100 yards in total
offense and 110 points. The game was
decided in overtime when runningback
Michael Hicks scored his third touchdown
in OT and fifth of the game to give them a
58-52 victory. Itwas the Bulldogs first
victory over the Aggies in three years.
"If you would have told me that I
would coach in a game where there were
over 100 points scored 1 would have say
you were crazy," Jeffries said. "I may not
have a heart left but 'so gratifying when
you win."
The Heritage Bowl is not without its
share of o2fe$nding performers this year.
Southern will be led by quarterback Eric
Randall who some think he would have
been first team all-SWAC if there hadn't
been a Steve McNair. in the league. Offen
sive tackle Tommy Holliday earned all
SWAC honors for the third straight year
and has emerged as a solid NFL prospect
and All-American safety Sean Wallace
lead the Jaguars's defense.
S.C. State will be lead by the