FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY WILDCATS
VS
CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY PANTHERS
PRE-GAME NOTES
The Matchup: The Fort Valley State University Wildcats (0-2) will take on the Panthers of Clark Atlanta University (1-1) in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest.
THE LOGISTICS: Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Panther Stadium on the Clark Atlanta University campus in Atlanta, Georgia.
ON THE AIR: FVSU will air the game live via the Wildcats Sports Network on radio (WFVS 104.3 FM) in Fort Valley and worldwide through the FVSU website at www.fvsu.edu. Award winning play-by-play announcer Charles Ward and color analyst Mark Lassiter will provide the live coverage.
LAST TIME OUT:
Fort Valley State vs. Delta State
After nearly upsetting Division I FCS Florida A&M University in the opening week, Fort Valley State University (FVSU) returned home to take on #11 Delta State only to suffer a similar fate, losing 27-7 to the Statesmen on Saturday night.
The Wildcats (0-2) took an early 7-0 lead when quarterback Antonio Henton connected with wide out Chris Slaughter for a 27-yard touchdown pass.
The Statesmen (2-1) tied the game few minutes later when quarterback Micah Davis threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chance Dennis.
With the game tied at 7-7, the Statesmen took the lead in the second quarter on a 41-yard touchdown run by Rafael Mitchell. The Statesmen maintained their 14-7 at the half.
In the third quarter, Mitchell caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Davis to expand the Statesmen lead to 20-7. And finally, with six minutes remaining, Statesmen running back Richard Freelon capped the night with an 11-yard touchdown run to give Delta State the 27-7 win.
FVSU quarterback Antonio Henton, who left the game early in the first quarter, threw for 65 yards on a 6 of 11 passing performance and one touchdown.
Clark Atlanta University vs. Lane College
After an opening week loss, Clark Atlanta University (CAU) rebounded with a 21-3 win over conference-foe, Lane College.
The Panthers scored first with a 4-yard run from Rashad Lewis late in the first quarter. Lane responded with a 31-yard field goal from Ryan Bullock with 14:21 remaining in the second quarter. Later in same quarter, CAU got a safety and took a 9-3 lead into halftime.
After the intermission it was all CAU. With 2:10 remaining in the third, quarterback T.J. Smith found Jonathan Johnson for a 14-yard touchdown pass to make the score 15-3. CAU's Kemuel Lawrence added field goals of 27 and 20 yards for the final points of the game.
Freshman Rashad Lewis rushed for a game-high 117 yards on 25 carries while the CAU quarterback duo of Bryan Mann and T.J. Smith combined for 232 yards passing with a 19/33 completion effort and one touchdown. The Clark Atlanta defense, led by Harrison Porter with a team-high 10 tackles, held the Dragons to an astonishing 32 yards of total offense, including minus 103 yards rushing.
Lane's Cordero Cooper led the team with 95 all-purpose yards, including 39 yards receiving. On defense, Kyle led the way with six solo tackles, 10 total, and 3.5 tackles for loss while Paris Hopper finished with 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
WHAT'S AT STATE: This game pits two members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in a conference contest.
· A win by the Wildcats would give them their first of the season.
· The Panthers would notch their second conference win if they are able to knock off the Wildcats.
THE SERIES HISTORY: The series between FVSU and CAU dates back to 1950. This is the 61st meeting between the teams and FVSU leads the series 43-14-4.
LAST MEETING:
Wildcats Pound the Panthers
By: FVSU Office of Sports Information
The stakes were pretty high for the Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) as they traveled to Atlanta on Saturday (Oct. 9th) for a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) match up with the Panthers of Clark Atlanta University. For the Wildcats it was simple: win and keep your conference title and post season play off hopes alive. Lose and your hopes for the same are greatly diminished.
Couple that reality with the fact that the Wildcats also had a measure of revenge on their minds. Last season, the Panthers spoiled the head coaching debut of FVSU's Donald Pittman and the grand opening celebration of renovated Wildcat Stadium. “We were still a bit salty after last year's result,” said Pittman.
The tinge of revenge was so strong, in fact, that Coach Pittman and a few other Wildcat coaches sported gold T-shirts (instead of their traditional travel shirts) with the acronym “MUFLY” in bold lettering on the front and back as the team arrived at Panther Stadium. “MUFLY” stands for “make up from last year.” (More on MUFLY T-shirts later in this report).
The not so subtle reminder apparently worked for the Wildcats. Their 40-16 win over the Panthers was a definitive statement that the Wildcats never forget.
On the first drive of the contest, the Wildcats mounted a five play, 69 yard drive resulting in the game's first score and generating a lead that FVSU would never surrender. Junior running back Tony Reid capped the Wildcat drive with a run from three yards out for the Wildcat touchdown. In what is becoming almost automatic, Justin Rosenbaum converted on the point after attempt as the Wildcats took a 7-0 lead.
That lead was stretched to 10-0 when Rosenbaum hit a 41 yard field goal with 3:12 left in first half. Just one week earlier, Rosenbaum set the FVSU record for the longest field goal when he converted a 48 yard effort.
At the 9:10 mark in the second quarter, the Panthers finally got into the scoring column. In an extremely impressive 9 play, 77 yard drive, running back Winston Thompson finished the drive with an 11 yard run for the touchdown. With the converted extra point, the Wildcats lead was trimmed to 10-7.
Sophomore quarterback Nicholas Stephens and junior running back Aaron Courtney would connect through the air to answer the Panther touchdown. With 5:15 left before halftime, Stephens found Courtney on a 13 yard passing route for a touchdown. The catch concluded an eight play, 66 yard drive. With Rosenbaum's point after, the Wildcats pushed their lead to 17-7.
In response, a 22 yard field goal by CAU's Joshua Dubois cut the Wildcat lead to 17-10 with 2:34 before halftime.
However, after the Panthers fumbled a punt return at their own 31 yard line with less than a minute before halftime, the Wildcats needed only one play to extend their lead. Again, the score involved Tony Reid. This time it was Reid on the receiving end of a 31 yard touchdown pass from Stephens. Add Rosenbaum's extra point and FVSU led 24-10.
Neither team scored in the third quarter. But successive scores by the Wildcats in the fourth ensured the Wildcat win. At the 14:11 mark, Reid and Stephen reconnected. The 13 yard scoring strike was the duo's second of the game and Rosenbaum's kick elevated the Wildcat lead to 31-10.
Reid would push the Wildcat lead even further later in the quarter with his fourth score of the game. From six yards away, Reid scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. Now five for five on the day, Rosenbaum converted on the extra point to give the Wildcats a 38-10 lead.
While a Panther touchdown pass from Kyle Lacey to Jacoby Anderson with 4:07 left in the game lessened the Wildcat margin, a block of the extra point attempt and return for two points by Tim Shelly gave the Wildcats their final margin of victory, 40-16.
In a game in which the Wildcats accumulated 326 yards of offense, the four touchdown performance by Tony Reid was the highlight of the contest. Reid finished with 122 yards rushing with two touchdowns and 63 yards receiving with two touchdowns.
Sophomore quarterback Nicholas Stephens' 13 of 19 performance for 132 yards was also noteworthy. The Los Angeles, CA native threw three touchdown passes.
THE COACHING MATCH -UP: Fort Valley State University Head Coach Donald Pittman is in his third season at FVSU. The Wildcats are 15-9 under Pittman and last year's team represented the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in the Pioneer Bowl.
Clark Atlanta University Head Coach Daryl McNeil is in his second year as head coach of the Panthers. His teams are 5-7 under his direction. His overall coaching record is 41-48.
FVSU FOOTBALL TRIVIA: Who holds the FVSU record for the longest field goal? Answer: Current FVSU place-kicker Justin Rosenbaum. His field goal of 48 yard against Kentucky State University in 2010 is the school record.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WILDCATS?: Interviews with the Head Football Coach Donald Pittman and key players can be arranged through Sports Information Office by calling (478) 825-6437.
For the latest on Fort Valley State University Athletics contact Charles Ward, Sports Information Director at (478)-825-6437 or by e-mail at wardc@fvsu.edu or visit the website at http://www.fvsusports.com.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Wildcats will travel to Columbia, SC to meet the Tigers of Benedict College at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 22nd in Charlie Johnson Stadium.
The Panthers take to the road next weekend when they travel to St. Louis, MO to participate in the St. Louis Gateway Classic to meet Arkansas Pine-Bluff University at 3 p.m.
GAME TICKET INFORMATION: General admission tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased through the CAU Office of Sports Information located the Epps Gymnasium, 2nd Floor. For ticket information, please call 404-880-6685.
