MEAC Football Highlights

By Uba Okereke

Norfolk State Clinches MEAC Football Title

Norfolk State routed Savannah State 45-3 last Saturday behind Chris Walley’s five total touchdowns.

Walley’s two first-quarter touchdown passes and a 17-yard touchdown run helped the Spartans take a 21-0 lead. Ryan Estep added a field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give Norfolk State a 24-0 lead at halftime.

Walley continued to torch the Tigers defense with two more touchdowns in the in the third quarter. Norfolk State led 38-3 at that point.

Nico Flores scored the final touchdown for the Spartans in the fourth quarter from four yards out much to the chagrin of Savannah State.

The win clinches the Spartans (8-2, 6-1 MEAC) a share of the MEAC title coupled with Morgan State’s 49-23 loss to Bethune-Cookman. It is the first conference football title since winning the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship in 1984.

Savannah State (1-8, 1-5) was 0 for 12 on third down conversions and did not make a single trip into the red zone.

The Spartans outgained the Tigers 559-45 in total yards and were 20 yards shy of last year’s record setting performance versus Savannah State.

Walley passed for 271 yards on 20 of 25 completions and added 72 yards rushing on four carries.

35 Consecutive Points Helps Bethune-Cookman Upend Morgan State

Bethune-Cookman rallied to beat Morgan State 49-23 last Saturday in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Jackie Wilson scored the opening touchdown with a one-yard run to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.

Morgan State (5-4, 4-2 MEAC) responded with 10 unanswered points to lead by three in the second quarter. Bethune-Cookman (6-3, 4-2) took the lead for good by scoring 35 straight points in a stretch of 22:43.

During that span, Johnathan Moment scored on runs of 28 and three yards, Wilson scored on four and 45 yards and Isidore Jackson scored the fifth touchdown on a 21-yard run to give the Wildcats a 42-10 fourth quarter lead.

Morgan State scored twice in the second half but the damage was already done.

The Wildcats’ defense also contributed to the win with nine tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions.

Jackson led all BCU rushers with 93 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Travis Davidson rushed for 138 yards on 17 carries for Morgan State.

Florida A&M Beats NC A&T with Game-Ending INT

Florida A&M defeated North Carolina A&T 26-20 last Saturday night in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Aggies led 20-7 midway through the second quarter behind two touchdown runs by Mike Mayhew. FAMU then scored 13 straight points including two Trevor Scott field goals to tie the game 20-20 at halftime.

Scott broke the halftime tie with a 40-yard field goal to give the Rattlers a 23-20 lead with 11:08 left to play in the third quarter. He then added another field goal in the fourth quarter to increase the lead to six (26-20) with 4:41 remaining.

Lewis Kindle led North Carolina A&T from their own seven-yard line to the FAMU 39 before John Williams intercepted his pass in the end zone as time expired, preserving the win for the Rattlers.

Florida A&M (6-3, 4-2 MEAC) has now won three straight games while NC A&T (4-5, 3-3) have lost three in a row.

Damien Fleming passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns for Florida A&M.

Mayhew rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns for the Aggies.

Okereke is a contributing writer for Regal Black Men's Magazine, a publication dedicated to the African American community.