Bethune-Cookman 14, Florida International 12 – It took a little luck but the Wildcats made it two victories in a row over the Panthers. Bethune-Cookman escaped with the win when Florida International botched a 46-yard field goal attempt with five seconds remaining in the game. Holder Chris Ayers could not handle the snap and kicker Austin Taylor never got a chance to kick the ball.. The Wildcats dropped Ayers for a 16-yard loss to preserve the victory. The miscue came on Taylor’s second attempt. His first try sailed wide, but Bethune-Cookman coach Brian Jenkins called timeout just before Taylor got his kickoff. Bethune-Cookman led 14-6 before Florida International freshman quarterback Alex McGough came off the bench and sparked the Panthers’ offense. McGough’s five-yard touchdown pass to T. J. Lowder cut Bethune-Cookman’s lead to14-12 with 6:47 left in the game. The Panthers tried for a two-point conversion that would have tied the score, but McGough’s pass was incomplete. The victory was the second against an FBS opponent in school history for the Wildcats. Their first came last season when they defeated Florida International 34-13.
North Carolina A&T 47, Alabsama A&M 13 – The Aggies relied on big plays to crush the Bulldogs in the 10th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge Sunday in Orlando. The Aggies scored touchdowns on plays that covered 26, 59, 80 and 95 yards to give the MEAC an 8-2 edge in the series. The game was a coming out party for Aggies sophomore running back Tarik Cohen the 2013 MEAC Rookie of the Year, who rushed for a freshman school record 1,148 yards last season. Cohen ran for 166 yards on 11 carries and scored on runs of 80 and three yards. Quarterback Kwashaun Quick had 188 yards total offense – 94 rushing and 94 passing. He had touchdown runs of 26 and 59 yards. The Aggies other big play was 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Tony McCrae. Alabama A&M held the Aggies in check in the early going. The Bulldogs scored first and led 3-0 on Ceaser Diaz-Ramon’s 20-yard field goal, and they only trailed 7-6 after Diaz-Ramon connected on a 26-yard boot with 16 seconds remaining in the first period. But McCrae returned the ensuing kickoff and the scoring dam broke. The loss spoiled James Spady’s coaching debut with Alabama A&M. Spady replaced Anthony Jones, whose contract was not renewed after last season even though he had the third highest winning percentage in school history.
Texas Southern 37, Prairie View A&M 35 – Quarterback Homer Causey was a one-man wrecking crew as the Tigers defeated their arch-rival in a SWAC West Division contest at BBVA Stadium Sunday in Houston. Causey threw for 224 yards and a touchdown, a 44-yard strike to Malik Cross. He also rushed for another 88 yards, including a four-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as the Tigers took control of the game.
Tenn. State 58, Edward Waters 6 – The Tigers, the defending Black College National Champions, showed why they are considered the class of the HBCU field and one of the better teams in the FCS with an easy victory in the 16th annual John Merritt Classic in Nashville. Junior running back Tom Smith led the onslaught with 151 rushing yards on 12 carries. Smith, a redshirt junior transfer from the University of Tennessee, scored four touchdowns, the most by a Tiger since Trabis Ward scored times against Southeast Missouri on Oct. 13, 2012. Tennessee State’s defense was suffocating. The Big Blue limited Edward Waters to 30 yards total offense in the first half, including minus one yard rushing, and one first down. The Big Blue also forced six turnovers. Edward Waters finished the game with 76 total yards and five first downs. All-American defensive end Anthony Bass had a standout performance. Bass registered four tackles, two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and he intercepted a pass.
Other Results
MEAC
Akron 41, Howard 0
East Carolina 62, North Carolina Central 7
Eastern Michigan 31, Morgan State 28
Maine 10, Norfolk State 6
Middle Tennessee State 61, Savannah State 7
Monmouth 52, Delaware State 21
Old Dominion 41, Hampton 28
South Carolina State 63, Benedict 0
SWAC
Alcorn State 55, Virginia-Lynchburg 7
Lamar 42, Grambling State 27
Louisiana-Lafayette 45, Southern 6
Miss. Valley State 32, University of Faith 7
Sam Houston State 51, Alabama State 20
Texas State 65, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 0
OTHERS
Belhaven 44, Texas College 6
