The Road to Charlotte and the CIAA Football Championship
"Returning to Charlotte after 25 Years"
The Championship Game - November 10

September 5, 2007

WEEK 3 - CIAA TEAMS BATTLE OUT OF CONFERENCE FOES

Hampton, VA - For the first time in recent memory, all CIAA Teams will be in action outside of the league. After a tough Week Two of the season, the CIAA looks to bounce back this weekend. Shaw and Johnson C. Smith, both victors in Week One, will swing back into action. Virginia Union, the lone conference team to post a win last weekend, looks to remain undefeated by knocking off Central State.

GAME OF THE WEEK: BOWIE STATE AT NEWBERRY: After a disappointing 29-19 loss to Glenville State, the Bulldogs will face 2006 South Atlantic Conference Champ Newberry. The Indians are fresh off of a 67-0 crushing victory over Chowan and look to continue their winning ways against the Bulldogs. Record-setting QB Josh Stepp has graduated but apparently the Indians' Offense has not lost a step. The Indians began their 2006 campaign with a blazing 10-0 start and look to match that this season. The Bulldogs are looking to return to the Championship Game and win the Eastern Division. However, they will need more help from their usually reliable defense. (1:00 p.m. at Newberry, SC).

Players to watch: (Newberry: LB Will Newell; OL Heath Benedict; RB Alex Haynes).(Bowie State: OL Jerrick Jeffreys; DL Sherman White; QB Jason Scott).

ELIZABETH CITY STATE AT CHARLESTON (WV): ECSU suffered a difficult home loss to Catawba 34-7 but must bounce back quickly. Last season, the Vikings won a hard fought 12-7 victory over Charleston. The Vikings will need to get their offense cranked up. QB Curtis Rich and the Viking Offense will look to reassert itself against Charleston this weekend. Defensively, the Vikings gave up an uncharacteristic 34 points and will look to reassert itself as well. (1:00 p.m at Charleston, WV).

Players to watch: (Elizabeth City State: QB Curtis Rich; RB Brandon Fields; DL Greg Moore).

SAVANNAH STATE AT JOHNSON C. SMITH: The Golden Bulls opened their 2007 campaign with a 24-0 blanking of Edward Waters. Last Season, JCSU handled Savannah State 27-6. Defensively, JCSU will look to continue its dominating ways. DB De'Audra Dix will lead the way defensively for the Golden Bulls. (4:00 p.m. at Charlotte).

Players to watch: (Johnson C. Smith: QB Carlton Richardson; RB Marco Kirven; DB De'Audra Dix).

LIVINGSTONE AT CATAWBA: The Blue Bears will have their hands full against their crosstown rivals, Catawba. The Indians put up 34 points against Elizabeth City State and will be difficult for Livingstone to stop. QB Brad Roach will look to receiver Brent Johnson and RB Jamelle Cuthbertson to help him carry the load offensively. Livingstone suffered a 43-6 loss to Benedict and will need to lick their wounds quickly. QB Steven Williams will look to get the Blue Bears cranked up offensively. (7:00 p.m. at Salisbury, NC).

Players to watch: (Catawba: QB Brad Roach; DL Ron Ellington; RB Jamelle Cuthberson).(Livingstone: QB Steven Williams; DB Lionel Vincent; RB Rashaad Flucker).

ST. PAUL'S AT CHOWAN: St. Paul's opened their season with a difficult opener against Wingate. The Tigers fought against the powerful Bulldogs blow to blow defensively. However, the offensive firepower of Wingate was too much to handle; St. Paul's fell 26-7. This week, the Tigers have a much more realistic shot of getting in the win column against Chowan. (1:00 p.m. at Murfreesboro, NC).

Players to watch: (St. Paul's: QB Demetrius Brown; DB Jerome Mann; KR Montrell Jones).

SHAW AT EDWARD WATERS: Shaw opened with arguably the league's most impressive win to date. The Bears 24-7 victory at Miles perhaps is a good barometer of things to come in 2007. Shaw QB Matthew Stevenson and RB Raymond Williams spurred a Shaw offense which outgained Miles 211-81. Defensively, DL Louis Ellis and DB Pierre Reeves will lead the way against Edward Waters. (5:00 p.m. at Jacksonville, FL-Willie Gary Classic).

Players to watch: (Shaw: QB Matthew Stevenson; RB Raymond Williams; DB Pierre Reeves).

CENTRAL STATE AT VIRGINIA UNION: Virginia Union pulled off the league's only win against the South Atlantic Conference last weekend. The Panthers pulled out a 28-13 contest at Lenoir-Rhyne. All-purpose phenom Lamar Little passed for 247 yards and a touchdown against the Bears. Last year, VUU knocked off Central State in one of 2006's most exciting contests, 55-53. Look for QB Little and the rest of the Panthers to fatten up their offensive statistics this weekend. (6:00 p.m. at Richmond).

Players to watch: (Virginia Union: QB Lamar Little; WR Michael Hampton; DB D.J. Spellmon).

ST. AUGUSTINE'S AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL: St. Augustine's suffered a disappointing 22-9 loss to Mars Hill. The Falcons will look to bounce back against the Eagles this weekend. (6:00 p.m. at Durham).

Players to watch: (St. Augustine's: QB Brandon Franklin; DL Alex Hall; WR Tim Lovick),

Other games in the conference:

Virginia State University vs George Mason University, Petersburg, VA, 6:00pm