Grambling Takes SWAC Title, Bowl Bid by LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor Downs Alcorn State 40-32 West Division Champ and BCSP No
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FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 5 - 11, 2017 Grambling takes SWAC title, Bowl bid by LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor Downs Alcorn State 40-32 West Division champ and BCSP No. 2 for second straight SWAC crown ™ Grambling State (11-1) put up 28 unanswered and Celebration Bowl berth second-quarter points to jump on top of East Di- vision champ Alcorn State at the break and held end zone on a 15-yard pass from Kincade to on to defeat the Braves 40-32 in the 19th and last tight end Jordan Jones to go up 24-10. The Ti- scheduled SWAC Championship Game Satur- gers recovered a Braves fumble two plays after day in Houston. the kickoff at the Alcorn 46 and cashed in four SWAC Championsihp Game Logo With the win, Grambling’s second straight plays later when Kincade ran in from 27 yards G-MEN ARE BACK: championship game victory over Alcorn State, away to lead 31-10. GRAMBLING Atop SWAC after 40- the Tigers will now represent the SWAC for the After another Alcorn 3-and-out, GSU BACK TO BACK CHAMPS: Grambling players PREVAILS 32 title game win over second year in a row in the third annual Air Force drove 75 yards in six plays and scored on Kin- pose with 2017 SWAC Championship Game Tro- Alcorn State and in Reserve Celebration Bowl vs. MEAC champion cade’s 4-yard toss to Quinton Guice to give the phy after defeating Alcorn State, 40-32 Saturday AGAIN bowl game in Atlanta. and BCSP No. 1 North Carolina A&T on Dec. Tigers the big 38-10 lead headed at the half. in Houston. 16 at the new Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlan- But in effect, that would be the game or at SETS UP NO. 1 VS. NO. 2 IN CELEBRATION BOWL; ta. Its the final game of the 2017 season that will least all the G-Men would need to claim their drive for a tying score. Beginning with less than WYATT OUT AT EWC; SWAC NAMES TOP PLAYERS determine the BCSP national champion. second straight SWAC championship. After a a minute left, the Braves drove to the Grambling Grambling QB Devante Kincade scored on scoreless third quarter that saw back-up quar- 48 before time ran out. a 14-yard first quarter run in the game’s opening terback Geremy Hickbottom come in for Kin- Kincade, named last week as the SWAC’s possession but Alcorn answered with a 2-yard cade, Grambling only scored on an early fourth- Offensive Player of the Year, passed for 223 DeLance Turner touchdown run in the ensuing quarter safety. yards (14-24-0) and two scores and ran for 75 UNDER THE BANNER possession. Both teams fumbled leading to first After the safety, Alcorn recovered a Hick- yards on 11 carries and another two scores to WHAT'S GOING ON IN AND AROUND BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS quarter field goals that saw the period end in a bottom fumble that started a comeback and saw win the game’s MVP award. GSU linebacker 10-10 tie. the Braves score on their next three possessions. De’Andre Hogues was the defensive MVP af- But the Tigers opened the second quarter The final score that pulled them to within 40- ter registering a team-high tying seven tackles, a scoring on a 5-yard Martez Carter run to lead 32 came on a 6-yard run from Turner with just sack and a forced fumble. 17-10 and scored on its next three possessions under two minutes to play. Grambling recovered QB Lenorris Footman’s 307 passing yards while building a 38-10 lead at the break. the ensuing onsides kick but was not able to (20-34-0) and Turner’s 134 rushing yards and Following Carter’s score, Grambling move the ball. A Grambling punt to the Alcorn two scores led the Braves. Marquis Watford stopped Alcorn on a 3-and-out and reached the 2-yard line gave the Braves one last chance to had seven receptions for 131 yards. Kincade Christmas McElfresh BCSP Notes 2017 SWAC FOOTBALL HONORS: Alcorn State's Reginal Johnson breaks leg, BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Ath- likely out for the season letic Conference released its top football honorees and BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference re- 2017 All-Conference Teams with 12 turning scoring leader and Preseason Player of the Year, Reginal Johnson Cannon Hall Kincade Raynard players from head coach Broderick of Alcorn State, is expected to be lost for the season Fobbs’ SWAC champion Grambling after breaking his leg last Wednesday in a game at Tu- which is composed of Black College Football Hall of Fame founders State being tabbed for the most indi- lane. James "Shack" Harris and Doug Williams, longtime SBN Broadcaster vidual honors. Johnson, a 6-5, 230-pound forward for the and Director of News and Sports for the Power News Radio Network Ty The teams were announced Braves, averaged 16.0 points per game a season ago, Miller, former USA Today sports writer Roscoe Nance, and ESPN Col- two days prior to the 2017 Toyota tops among returning SWAC players, and 6.3 re- lege Football Analyst Jay Walker. Fobbs SWAC Football Championship at bounds. This season through eight games he was aver- The winner of the 2017 Black College Football Player of the Year NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, af- aging 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He was Award will be announced on February 10, 2018 at the Ninth Annual Black ter ballots were cast by the league’s head coaches and one of the main reasons the Braves were expected to College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Presented by the At- sports information directors. Johnson challenge three-time SWAC champion Texas South- lanta Falcons in Atlanta, Georgia. He will be presented with the Deacon After helping lead the Tigers to a conference-best ern this season. Jones Trophy, named in honor of the football legend and inaugural BCF- 10-win season, Grambling State quarterback Devante He was injured Wednesday after falling awkwardly on his right leg in HOF inductee. Kincade was the voters’ choice for the SWAC Offensive the first half. Johnson stayed down for over 15 minutes as an air cast was The finalists will also be recognized at the Celebration Bowl in At- Player of the Year award. Following up on his SWAC placed on his right leg. With his family, coaches and teammates standing lanta on December 16th, along with the BCFHOF Class of 2018, which Preseason Offensive Player of the Year nod, Kincade by, Johnson was taken off on the stretcher and transported to a nearby will be televised on ABC. completed 59.7 percent of his passes and threw for 2,409 medical facility. yards with 19 touchdowns against just three intercep- TRENTON CANNON tions. The senior held the top passing efficiency with a Running Back … Virginia State … Senior … 1st Team All-Conference rating of 143.8 and led in total offense with 2,649 yards. Wyatt steps down at Edward Waters (CIAA) as a running back and kick returner … CIAA Offensive Player of the GSU’s De’Arius Christmas was tabbed as the Edward Waters College Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Stan- Year … Led CIAA and all black colleges in rushing yards (1,638), rushing SWAC Defensive Player of the Year after he was ranked ley B. Cromartie has announced that Alvin B. Wyatt, Sr. has resigned his avg. (7.7 YPC) and all-purpose yards (2,686) … Scored 22 total touch- downs (2nd in CIAA) … Named CIAA’s Offensive Back of the Week five fourth in the conference in tackles with 76, third in the position as head football coach at EWC, effective immediately. Wyatt joined Edward Waters in 2012 as de- times during 10-week regular season … Became Virginia State's all-time SWAC with 14.5 tackles for a loss, to go along with 3.5 leading rusher … Candidate for The Harlon Hill Award (Division II College sacks (18th in SWAC), and two forced fumbles (tied for fensive coordinator after a storied 13-year career at Bethune-Cookman University as its head coach. He Football Player of the Year) … Two-time All-CIAA 1st Team (2016 and fourth in SWAC). 2017) … Born July 23, 1994. Mississippi Valley State junior transfer wide receiv- was selected as the 13th head football coach in EWC er Quinn McElfresh was named the SWAC Newcomer football history on December 10, 2013. AMIR HALL of the Year after leading the conference in receptions per "Coach Wyatt has been a legendary figure in Quarterback … Bowie State … Junior … Two-time 1st Team All-Confer- game (5.2), was ranked second in receiving yards per the world of coaching and molding young men," said ence (CIAA) … Led conference in passing yards (3,519), passing touch- Cromartie. "We thank him for his hard work and dedi- downs (41) and total offense (3,929) … Also had 406 rushing yards and game (80.8), led in receiving yards (889) and added five Wyatt eight rushing touchdowns … Owns nearly every quarterback record for touchdowns. cation to our football program at EWC and we wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors." Bowie State, including career passing yards (6,974), passing touchdowns Prairie View A&M kicker Zach Elder was honored (69) and passing efficiency (163.6) … Candidate for The Harlon Hill Award with the SWAC Freshman of the Year award after ranking Cromartie will meet with the remaining assistant coaches on Monday and will launch a national search for the next head football coach soon (Division II College Football Player of the Year) … 2016 CIAA Offensive tied for third in the conference in scoring (72 points) as Player of the Year … Born September 26, 1997.