Terrance Wolfolk

FVSU Prepares for SIAC Championship Rematch with Tuskegee

10/11/2018 2:19:00 PM

By: Chris Myers

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – It will be just over 11 months since that title game Saturday last November. Fort Valley State prepares to reverse the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship rematch result against Tuskegee University on Saturday evening.

In an important SIAC contest for both teams, the Wildcats (1-5/1-2 SIAC East) hosts the Golden Tigers (3-3/1-1 SIAC West) in a 6 p.m. kick-off at Wildcat Stadium, which will be carried nationally on ESPN3 online and on the Watch ESPN app.

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Seek to Snap Tuskegee Series Success
Despite six one-score results of the last nine meetings, FVSU has only put a 'W' in the win column one time since 2008 against Tuskegee. The Golden Tigers take a six-game winning run into Saturday night, including taking the SIAC title on the same Wildcat Stadium field in a 13-7 final.

2017: SIAC Championship – TU 13, @FVSU 6
2014: @TU 35, FVSU 28
2013: TU 21, @FVSU 13
2012: @TU 49, FVSU 18
           SIAC Championship (@Atlanta) – TU 55, FVSU 24
2011: TU 18, @FVSU 15
2010: @FVSU 26, TU 0
2009: @TU 22, FVSU 15
2008: TU 20, @FVSU 16

Wildcats Final Drive Fell Short
Last November 11 in the SIAC title game, the same two teams played a one-possession exciting game. Tuskegee scored the first touchdown at 5:26 in the 1^st quarter and never trailed the rest of the day in the 13-7 final.

FVSU booted a 33-yard, second quarter field goal, but it missed getting closer when a 41-yarder was missed on the first-half's final play to keep it 7-3.

The Golden Tigers added a second score with 7:44 left in the game for a 13-3 margin. The Wildcats connected on a 36-yard field goal with 4:07 left. The FVSU defense held, but the offense was unable to move the ball on four plays after getting the ball on its own 41-yardline with 2:12 remaining.

Aim for Wildcat Stadium Victory
After playing its opening four games on the road, FVSU has not been able to send its fans home with a win the last two weeks. The Wildcats have finished on the short end of the scoreboard against both Virginia University Lynchburg (31-14) and a week ago to Clark Atlanta (21-19).

FVSU seeks its first home win since it took down Morehouse College last October 28^th by a 52-7 final. The current losing run sits at three games counting the 2017 SIAC Championship Game loss to the same Tuskegee team.

Wildcats Honor Nine Senior Members
With Homecoming next weekend, FVSU will take time to honor its nine Wildcat seniors before Saturday's game.

The nine seniors include:
#      Name
11    RB - CHRISTOPHER WEEMS
15    QB - SLADE JARMAN
27    DB - QUINTERIOUS PRATHER
31    DB - KENTRON JAMES
68    OL - JOSE HERNANDEZ-RUIZ
71 OL - JULIAN WILLIAMS
73    OL - KAJEEM GRANT-LOGAN
78    OL - JAMES RUSSELL
91   DL - JUAN GARDNER
97    DL - NIYKIEM FLOYD

Bryant Named SIAC Newcomer of the Week
Voris Bryant helped the Wildcats defense force three Panthers of Clark Atlanta turnovers, nine punts and nine tackles for loss last Saturday night.

Bryant registered nine tackles with a pair of sacks for 12 yards, three tackles for loss of 17 yards, forced a fumble and had a quarterback hurry. The graduate student transfer forced a late third-quarter fumble and was part of a sack with teammate Aaron Dore on a 3^rd-and-8 to end a Panthers possession, before the Wildcats offense drove 47 yards to pull within 21-19 with 5:27 left in the game.

In the first six FVSU games, Bryant from Gray, Ga., has 26 tackles, 11 solo, with nine tackles for loss of 41 yards and 4.5 sacks for another 30 yards. He also has four quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles to his credit.

Clark Registers Top Season Rushing Mark
Without a 100-yard game rusher this season, FVSU saw Jamari Clark come closest this season last week. The junior tailback ran 10 times for 89 yards against Clark Atlanta. His total included a 67-yard burst through the secondary until he was caught on the five-yardline where teammate Jeremy McCants ran in from there on the next play. Clark also pulled in two passes for 14 yards in the game.
Clark holds a 4.6-yard per carry average on the year with 234 yards on 51 totes.

Smothers Hits for Century Mark for Second Time
The Wildcats all-around slot back Lorenzo Smothers returned to the lineup to a tune of his second 100-yard receiving game this season. Smothers grabbed six balls for 101 yards and a 38-yard touchdown. It was his first time hitting the century mark since he logged a career-high 207 yards on six catches to open 2018 at Florida A&M.

Smothers also covered 91 yards on six catches again versus nationally-ranked Valdosta State in the second contest. For the year, the sophomore has 26 grabs for 465 yards in five games for an average of 93.0 yards per game. The 465-yard total already has eclipsed his 35 receptions for 428 yards in 10 games last year.

Wildcats Defense Keeping Foes in Check
Even though the team has only one victory, the FVSU defense has shown success against opposing offenses. Taking out the contests against FCS Florida A&M and ranked Valdosta State where those offenses both had over 400 yards of offense in the opening two weeks, the Wildcats have no allowed more than 313 yards in a game against the last four opponents.

FVSU has held three of six foes to under 51 yards rushing and not allowed any team to post more than 247 yards passing. The Wildcat defenders also have at least two sacks in every game, including four or more in three. FVSU has picked off a pass in five of the six games and have 11 takeaways of those matchups.

Golden Tigers Steady D and Moves Ball on Offense
With three wins in six games, Tuskegee brings a stingy defense and an offense that moves the ball into Saturday. The Golden Tigers defense is allowing only 241.8 yards per game to opposing offenses. Last week's 30 points to Morehouse in 3OT was the highest point total allowed this season. It has not gave up more than 17 points to any Division II opponent, including a 20-0 shutout over Albany State. Davoris Thomas (41 total tackles, 4.5 tfl and 2 INTs) and Ricky Norris (37 TT, 6.5 tfl) lead the unit.

On offense, Tuskegee has a 340.5-yard average on total offense. Despite the solid offensive yard average, the offense has not totaled more than 24 points in any one game and average 18.7 points. The Golden Tigers QB Ahmad DeRamus has thrown for 843 yards on 49 of 99 attempts with seven touchdowns to two pick-offs. Javarrius Cheatham is the top target with 21 catches for 408 yards and five of those touchdowns. The running back trio of Taurean Taylor, Justice Owens and Kenny Gant have 197, 197 and 157 yards on a combined 120 rush attempts.

Homecoming Set for Oct. 20
Capping off four-straight home dates, it will be the big Homecoming gala when FVSU hosts Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday, Oct. 20^th, in a 2 p.m. start time.

-Wildcats-

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FVSU Prepares for SIAC Championship Rematch with Tuskegee