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4C SPORTSAEte Cftatlatte $ot Thursday, August 18, 2005 For the Week of August 16 - 21, 2004 PERMISSION GRANTED Hampton Media Guide Cover CHAMP’S THEME: Joe Taylor's Pirates sought and got permission from him to win. Now all they have to do Is do it. BCSP TOP TEN; 2005 HOMECOMINGS, CLASSICS, PICKS AND PREDICTIONS 2005 BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS (by Head Coaches, SIDs and Media) CIAA EASTERN DIVISION Shaw Bowie State Virginia State Elizabeth City State Virginia Union 6. St. Paul's MEAC COACHES POLL 1. Hampton (8) 2. South Carolina State 3. Bethune-Cookman 4. Morgan State 5. North Carolina A&T 6. Delaware State 7. Howard 8. Florida A&M 9. Norfolk State WESTERN DIVISION Fayetteville State North Carolina Central Winston-Salem State St. Augustine’s Johnson C. Smith Livingstone MEDIA POLL 1. Hampton (16) 2. S. Carolina State (2) 3. Bethune-Cookman 4. Morgan State 5. Howard 6. Florida A&M 7. North Carolina A&T 8. Delaware State 9. Norfolk State SIAC 1. Tuskegee 2. Albany State 3. Fort Valley State 4. Miles 5. Kentucky State 6. Morehouse 7. Stillman 8. Lane 9. Benedict 10. Clark Atlanta SWAC EAST DIVISION 1 Alabama State (89) 2 Alabama A&M (68) 3 Alcorn State (53) 4 Miss. Valley St. (38) 5 Jackson State (36) WEST DIVISION 1 Grambling State (85) 2 Southern (72) 3 Ark.-Pine Bluff (61) 4 Prairie View A&M (38) 5 Texas Southern (29) CAZEEZ Convnunicaliont. tnc VOL XII. NO 1 Preseason No. 1 Hampton aiming higher Hampton Photo TAYLOR: Black col lege national title Is his to lose. BCSP PRESEASON TOP TEN HAMPTON - Defending MEAC hamps are loaded with 17 returning tarters including stars on offense, etense and special teams. After bat ing l-AA semifinalist William & Mary in rst round playoff game, the Pirates are joking for more. ALABAMA STATE - Defending !WAC champs only slightly behind lampton in terms of solid, talented play- ■rs on both sides of the ball. Favorites to speat in the SWAC. GRAMBLING STATE - The return o1 all-American QB Iruce Eugene makes the Tigers SWAC West favorites. Circle lov. 15, Grambing vs, Alabama State, perhaps a preview of ie Dec 10 SWAC title game. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE - MEAC co-champs are picked 3 challenge Hampton in the MEAC but must go on road to ace Pirates and Bethune-Cookman, Consistent play from QB ileveland McCoy will be key. BETHUNE-COOKMAN - WIdcats unexpectedly lost some ey players (Weems, Russell, Wiliams). Count on Alvin Wyatt 3 find the athletes to fill the void. SHAW - The surprise team of 2004, the CIAA champs won't neak up on anyone this year but they won't have to. lationally-ranked defense, capable offense and 19 returning tarters makes them CIAA favorites and favorites to reverse leir D-2 playoff snub from last year, TUSKEGEE - Eight points away from a perfect season in 004, Golden Tgers are the cream of the SIAC crop this year. ALABAMA A&M - All that's lacking tor SWAC's best etense is a productive offense. QB Kelcy Luke gets his hance to make it jell SOUTHERN - Pete Richardson's defending SWAC West hamps are flying under the radar and are thought to be re- ■uilding. It’s not wise to underestimate the Jags, 0 ALBANY STATE - Coming off perfect regular season and ear-miss in D-2 playoffs. Golden Rams are re-loading and hould challenge Tuskegee in SIAC. THE STAT CORNER VHO ARE THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS rOscoe nance Special to the BCSP Coach Joe Taylor ha.s devel oped one of the premier college football programs in the country during his 13 seasons at Hampton University. With 17 starters and 46 letlermen returning from last season's 10-2 squad that shared the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference title with South Carolina State and 12 pre season all-conference selections on hand, Taylor is cautiously optimistic about Hampton's prospects for the 2005 season. They are the No. 1 team in the Black College Sports Page pre season Top Ten, just ahead of defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Alabama State and Grambling State. "We've got to stay focused," Taylor says. "We've got to stay healthy and make sure we don’t put Hampton on our schedule. We can’t let distractions get to us. We can’t listen to the fact that just showing up is going to be enough. The key is to remain focused and not to forget what got us where we are." The Pirates, the defending SBN Black College National champions who were rated just behind Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference winner Albany State (li'l) in the final BCSP ranking, have won six conference titles in Taylor’s 13 seasons as coach (three as members of the CIAA and three since joining the MEAC). But their run of success hasn’t extended to postseason play. They are 1-6 in the I-AA playoffs, including a 42-35 first round loss to William & Mary in 2004 after leading 13-0. Taylor doe.sn’t dwell on Hampton’s previous postseason shortcomings, but he acknowledges that one of the Pirates’ goals is to make amends for their collapse against William & Mary. ’’This is their goal, to avenge what happened last year in the first round," Taylor says. "A lot of things go into it. When you score 35 points, in my mind you should win. Once the kids have been there and see what it takes, it should be to your advantage if you get there again. Experience is something that you can't overlook or pay for. When they left the field last Thanksgiving, I could tell they were disappointed with the outcome. They know they I DURANT LITTLEJOHN LANGFORD MURO SHEPHERD COLEMAN McDaniels PATERINI do belong and they can get it done." However, Taylor says that the Pirates' program isn't defined by post season play, and that Hampton doesn’t need to win in the playoffs to validate itself "You start off and you want to win all the championships, even lAA," Taylor says. "I don't look at it (the playoffs) as a monkey on our back. We've had 150 guys who have graduated. We want to get it done. But the world is not surrounded by win ning lAA. We'd love to win it. We want to win it. But we're not going to let (not winning it) say that we have not been successful." The Pirates, picked to repeat as MEAC champions, ranked No. 12 in the Sports Network preseason poll. Their defensive unit, which has nine of 12 starters returning from the group that led I-AA with 43 forced turnovers, will be critical to Hampton’s success. "You hope your strength is defense," Taylor says. "That’s where it all begins. If you play defense you always have a chance." Middle linebacker Justin Durant, the MEAC preseason Defensive Player of the Year and reigning defensive player of the year, is Hampton’s top defender. The Pirates will feature a big, athletic defensive line. It will be anchored first team all-MEAC senior defensive end Micah Littlejohn and tackle Marcus Dixon and end Kendall Langford, a pair of 6-6, 275-pound sophomores also named to the all-MEAC team. Comer backs Mike West and Calvin Bannister are bulwarks in the sec ondary, which is bound to be tested after giving up several big plays in the Pirates postseason loss and in light of the difficulty opponents are likely to have mnning the ball. On offense, the Pirates boast one of the top tandems of running backs in lAA in Alonzo Coleman and Ardell Daniels. Each rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season but were held to a combined 85 rushing yards in the playoff game. Coleman is the MEAC preseason offensive player of the year. The Pirates also have, proven players on special teams. Punter Cameron Muro and placekicker Andrew Paterini are first team pre- ' season all-conference as is Marquay McDaniels, who plays wide receiver and was among the nation's leaders in punt returns last year. But Taylor says the Pirates' offensive productivity will be deter mined by how efficient their passing game is. Senior quarterback Princeton Shepherd, another presea son All-MEAC pick, is the trigger- man. McDaniel, Dereck Faulkner and Onrea Jones are his prime tar gets. "If you run the ball all the time, they're just going to put a lot of peo ple in the box and try to shut you down," he says. "It's going to be important to stretch the coverage, keep people out of the box and allow ' us to throw the ball as well as catch it." BCSP Predictions: Boldly going... LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor The first and boldest prediction coming from the Black College Sports Page this year is that the 2005 season will be the most exciting, memorable and ground-breaking campaign since 1994 when Alcorn State QB Steve McNair rewrote the college passing record books en route to a third place finish in the Heisman Trophy. Why? Because 2005 has more great races, exciting players and intriguing stories than at any lime since. Here's our take on the conference races. SWAC By all accounts, defending champion Alabama State should repeat in 2005 but we’re not buying it. In fact, their road through the East Division to the SWAC title game will not be easy. As for the title, in the SWAC it’s what's on offense that counts and Grambling has more of it. Look out for Bruce Eugene's assault on the record books. BCSP PREDICTION: Grambling. SIAC T\iskegee and Albany State have won every SIAC championship since 1997. Alban Stale returns only four (4) starters and a tough mid-season schedule could doom Tuskegee and open the door to Fort Valley State, We say John Morgan’s Wildcats will walk right in. BCSP PREDICTION: Fort Valley State in an upset.- MEAC Hampton is head and shoulders above anyone in the MEAC and after several close calls should be ready to win a I- AA playoff game. The key will not be the defense that gave up 42 points to William & Mary, but a truly dominant rushing attack which produced two 1,000-yard rushers last year but did little against the Indians in the playoff loss. And don't be so sure that South Carolina State and Bethune-Cookman will finish behind the Pirates. Howard and Morgan State will have something to say about that. BCSP PREDICTION: Hampton, easily. CIAA How long has it been since N. C. Central challenged for a CIAA title? We’re predicting NCCU will break Fayetteville State's three-year stranglehold on the Western Division title and face defending champion Shaw in the Nov. 6 CIAA Championship Game. Now that’s a matchup the folks in Durham can gel excited about. BCSP PREDICTION: NC Central, at home, by a nose. 2005 CLASSIC, BOWL AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES 7:00pm 1:00pm 5:00pm SATURDAY, AUGUST, 27 Capital City Foundation Classic Lincoln vs. Central State in Topeka, KS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 SWAC / MEAC Challenge Alabama State vs South Carolina St. in B’ham. AL 2:30pm Detroit Classic Hampton vs. Jackson State in Detroit, Ml 1:00pm Chicago Football Classic Miss. Valley State vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Chicago3:OOpm John Merritt Classic • Tennessee State vs Alabama A&m 6:00pm Labor Day Classic Virginia State vs. Norfolk State in Norfolk, VA 6:00pm Labor Day Classic Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M 7:00pm SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Dayton City Classic Central State vs Saint Paul's in Dayton, OH 6:00pm MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Aggie-Eagle Classic N.C, Central vs. N.C. A&T in Raleigh. NC 1:30pm SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Wade Wilson Classic Cheyney vs. Saint Paul's in Cheyney, PA Palmetto Capital City Classic Benedict vs Johnson c. Smith in Columbia, SC Southern Heritage Classic Tennessee State vs. Jackson State in Memphis, TN 6:00pm Masonic Classic Morgan State vs. Bowie State in Baltimore, MD 6:00pm SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Clyde Williams Classic St. Paul’s vs. Fayetteville State in Martinsville, VA 1;00pm Ohio Classic Morgan State vs. Savannah State in Cleveland, OH 1:30pm Stan Lomax Classic Clark Atlanta vs Fort Valley State in Brunswick. GA 3:00pm Harvey Moore Azalea City Classic Edward Vinters vs Morehouse in Valdosta, GA 5:00pm Heritage Classic Kentucky State vs Central State in Lexington, KY 5;00pm Arkansas Classic Arkansas Pine Bluff vs Alabama State 52nd Gateway Classic Bethune-Cookman vs South Carolina State 7:00pm SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Willie Gary Triangle Classic Shaw vs. North Carolina Central ig Durham. NC 2;00pm SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Fish Bowl Classic Norfolk State vs. Bethune-Cookman in Norfolk, VA 1:00pm Gateway Classic Arkansas Pine Bluff vs Tuskegee in St. Louis, MO 4;00pm 35th New York Urban League Classic Morgai State vs Hampton in E Rutherford, NJ 4:00pm Atlanta Football Classic Tennessee State vs Flerida A&M in Atlanta Joe Turner Classic Savannah State vs Howard in Savannah. GA 6:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 7th Down East Classic Elizabeth City State vs St. Augustine's 6:00pm SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 5th Steel City Classic Stillman vs. Miles in Birmingham, AL 2:00pm SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 22nd Circle City Classic Tennessee State vs. N. Carolina A&T in Ind., IN 4;00pm FlU/FAMU Orange Blossom Classic Flonda Int'l vs. Florida A&M in Miami 6;00pm 32nd Gulf Coast Classic Alabama State vs Southern in Mobile, AL 7:00pm State Fair Classic Prairie View vs. Grambling State in Dallas 7:00pm SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 70th Tuskegee'-Morehouse Classic Tuskegee vs. Morehouse in Columbus, GA 2:Xpm Greenville HBCU Holiday Classic Edward Waters vs. Clark Atlanta In Greenville. SC 4:00pm Prince George's Classic Morgan State vs North Carolina A&T in Landover, MD4:00pm SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 13th CSRA Classic Savannah State vs. B-Cookman in Augusta, GA 2:00pm Battle of the Bay Norfolk state vs. Hampton in Norfolk, VA 7:00pm SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 Gold Bowl Virginia Union vs. Bowie State in Richmtjnd, VA 1:30pm SATURDAY. OCTOBER 29 64th Magic City Classic Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M in Birmingham, AL 2:30pm SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Knoxville Legacy Classic Morehouse vs Miles in Knoxville, TN * l2noon CIAA Championship Game E. Div. Champ vs. W. Div. Champ In Durham, NC 1:00pm 16th Fountain City Classic Albany Stale vs Fort Valley State in Columbus, GA 1:30pm SATURDAYDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Capital City Classic Jackson State vs. Alcorn State in Jackson. MS Rivalry Classic S. C. State vs N C. A&T in Charlotte, NC 2:00pm Flonda Classic XXVI Florida A&M vs Bethune-Cookman in Orlando. FL 4:00pm THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 82r}d Turkey Day Classic Alabama State vs Tuskegee in Montgomery, AL 1:00pm SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26 Bayou Classic XXXII Southern vs Grambling State in New Orleans 1:00pm SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 Pioneer Bowl CIAA Rep. vs. SIAC rep. in Mobile, AL TBA SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 SWAC Championship Game E Div. Champ vs W Div Champ in Birmingham 1:00pm 1:00pm 2005 HOMECOMINGS OCTOBER I8t ALABAMA A&M vs.Texas Southern 3:00pm BETHUNE-COOKMAN vs Morgan State 4;00pm CHEYNEY vs. Millersville 1:00pm N. C. CENTRAL vs. St. Augustine's 12n SAINT PAUL'S vs. Virginia Union 1:00pm OCTOBER 8th ALCORN STATE vs. Prairie View 2:00pm ALLEN vs. Chowan 1:00pm KENTUCKY STATE vs. Fort Valley State 1:30pm LANGSTON vs. Texas College 2:00pm LINCOLN vs. Georgia State 2:00pm MILES vs Lane 11:00am ST. AUGUSTINE'S vs. Johnson C. Smith ' 4;00pm SOUTHERN vs. Alabama A&M ’ 6:30pm VIRGINIA STATE vs. Saint Paul's 1:30pm VIRGINIA UNION vs Shaw 1 :Xpm OCTOBER 15th BOWIE STATE vs. Saint Paul's 1:00pm CLARK ATLANTA vs. Albany State 1:30pm FAYETTEVILLE STATE vs. J. C. Smith 1:30pm LANE vs. Morehouse 2:00pm MORGAN STATE vs Howard 1:00pm NORTH CAROLINA A&T vs Delaware St. 1 ;30pm SHAW vs. Elizabeth City State 1:30pm TEXAS SOUTHERN vs Alcorn, State 2:00pm WEST VIRGINIA STATE vs. W. Va. Tech 1 :Xpm OCTOBER 22nd ALBANY STATE vs. Benedict 1:30pm CONCORDIA vs. South Alabama TBA DELAWARE STATE vs. Morgan State 1:00pm ELIZABETH CITY STATE vs Saint Paul's 2:00pm FLORIDA A&M vs Norfolk State 3:00pm FORT VALLEY STATE vs. Stillman 1:Xpm HAMPTON vs South Carolina State 2;00fxn HOWARD vs. North Carolina A&T 1:00pm JACKSON STATE vs Grambling State 4:30pm MISS. VALLEY ST. vs. Texas Southern 2;00pm MOREHOUSE vs. Clark Atlanta 2;00pm PAUL QUINN vs. W. New Mexico 1:00pm OCTOBER 29th GRAMBLING STATE vs. Texas Southern 1:30pm JOHNSON C. SMITH vs N. C. Central 1:00pm LIVINGSTONE vs. Fayetteville State 2:00pm NORFOLK STATE vs. Howard 1 ;00pm PRAIRIE VIEW vs Mississippi Valley State 5:30pm SAVANNAH STATE vs Central State 2:00pm S. CAROLINA STATE vs Delaware State 1:30pm TEXAS COLLEGE vs. Haskell 4:00pm WINSTON-SALEM ST. vs. St Augustine's 2:00pm NOVEMBER 5th ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF vs. Prairie Vew 2;30pm BENEDICT vs Lane 2:00pm EDWARD WATERS vs. Atlantic College 3:00pm TENNESSEE STATE vs. Eastern Illinois 6:00pm TUSKEGEE vs. Kentucky State 1;00pm NOVEMBER 12th STILLMAN V8. Lincoln 1:30pm NOVEMBER 24th ALABAMA STATE VS Tuskegee 1:00pm
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Aug. 18, 2005, edition 1
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