No. 20 Albany State, No. 22 Tuskegee square off in DII football showcase NCAA.com
CHAMPS
PRESENTED BY Week 1 was full of upsets in Division II football. Eleven ranked teams found themselves in the loss column, leading to a shakeup in the Top 25. Winston-Salem State, Albany State, and Tuskegee were all on the winning side of big upsets. It's only fitting that they highlight this week's DII football showcase. RELATED: Bowie State at Winston-Salem State 4 p m ET
Game 1 of the showcase is a matchup of 1-0 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association teams. WSSU pulled off the upset last weekend, defeating then-No. 19 UNC Pembroke 34-31. Running back Kerrian Moore led the charge with a 230-yard day, picking up CIAA Offensive Back of the Week honors. Quarterback Amir Hall was equally impressive for Bowie State as the Bulldogs upended Seton Hill 48-7. Last week both teams combined for over 1,000 yards and more than 80 total points -- this game has the makings of a shootout. Both teams were projected to win their respective CIAA divisions, with Bowie State tops in the North and WSSU best of the South. 2017 outlook: Bowie State Winston-Salem State 2016 record: 7-4 2016 record: 9-3 Head coach: Damon Wilson (9th year) Head coach: Preseason ranking: NR Current ranking: RV (13) Preseason ranking: NR Current ranking: No. 19 Key players (Week 1 stats): Amir Hall, QB: 361 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 55 rushing yards, 1 TD Lansana Sesay, Geordan Clark, Kerrick Pollack, WRs: combined for 301 yards and 4 touchdowns Derrick Tate, LB: 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble Key players: Kerrian Moore, RB: rushed for 230 yards and 3 TDs in upset Canard Brown, WR: QB Rod Tinsley only threw for 158 yards. Brown caught 125 of them, along with a TD Kyrell Williamson, LB: team-high 9 tackles, including 0.5 sacks 2017 by the numbers: Bowie State Winston-Salem State OFFENSE OFFENSE Points: 48 Points: 34 Pass yards: 382 Pass yards: 158 Rush yards: 217 Rush yards: 278 Total offense: 599 Total offense: 436 DEFENSE DEFENSE Points allowed: 7 Points allowed: 31 Total defense: 151 Total defense: 237 RELATED: Albany State vs Tuskegee 5 p m ET br
Suddenly, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has two Top 25 teams. Thanks to two upsets in Week 1, Albany State (GA) and Tuskegee face off in the only game featuring two ranked teams this week. Unlike the first matchup, neither offense lit up the stat sheet in Week 1. In fact, Tuskegee won with only 192 total yards. The Golden Tigers have one of the premier linebackers in DII football -- All-American Osband Thompson -- who will need to make his presence felt for Tuskegee to win. Both defenses will make finding room on the ground and through the air difficult for either team. Here is the INT from Jonah McCutcheon that helped sealed Tuskegee's 14-6 win over Alabama State last night. via — Tuskegee Athletics (@MyTUAthletics) Coined the White Water Classic, the game will be played on neutral turf in Phenix City, Alabama. As with the first game, this is a battle of projected division winners, so it will go a long way in deciding who will be the king of the SIAC come season's end. 2017 outlook: Albany State Tuskegee 2016 record: 5-4 2016 record: 9-3 Head coach: Gabe Giardina (1st year) Head coach: Willie Slater (12th season) Preseason ranking: NR Current ranking: No. 20 Preseason ranking: NR Current ranking: No. 22 Key players: McKinley Habersham, RB: ran for 110 yards Nick Scott, DB: had a 75-yard interception return for a TD in upset Zavondric Shingleton, LB: 6 tackles, 2 sacks Key players: Osband Thompson, LB: Jonah McCutheon, S: 7 tackles, 46-yard interception return for a TD Peyton Ramzy, WR: 66 yards, including 55-yard TD 2017 by the numbers: Albany State Tuskegee OFFENSE OFFENSE Points: 29 Points: 14 Pass yards: 88 Pass yards: 139 Rush yards: 212 Rush yards: 53 Total offense: 300 Total offense: 192 DEFENSE DEFENSE Points allowed: 12 Points allowed: 6 Total defense: 311 Total defense: 367 The Battle of the Mascot Week 2
Last week's debut of the Battle of the Mascot was a battle for Arkansas. The Wonder Boys of Arkansas Tech prevailed in a 28-21 upset of Great American Conference rival Southern Arkansas . Who's on tap this week? It was a tough choice. The Pennylvania State Athletic Conference has an exciting matchup between the Lock Haven Bald Eagles and the Edinboro Fighting Scots. As enticing as that may be, there may be an even better contest. The South Dakota School of Mines Hardrockers. The 'Rockers edged the 'Blazers by a four points in last year's matchup, so we can hope that this one goes right down to the wire as well. and . His work has appeared on Bleacher Report, MLB.com, AJC.com, SB Nation and FoxSports.com and in publications like The Advocate and Lindy's Sports. Follow him on Twitter at . The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. Everything to know about DII football' s Fountain City Classic Albany State vs Fort Valley State
Since 1989, the Fountain City Classic has been one of the premier Division II HBCU rivalries. The game features the Albany State (GA) Golden Rams and the Fort Valley State Wildcats in a SIAC battle. Subscribe To Email Updates
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