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Wildcats Welcome Maroon Tigers for Homecoming in ‘The Valley’

10/18/2023 12:19:00 PM

By: Chris Myers
FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Wildcat Stadium and campus will be the place to be once again this weekend. Fort Valley State welcomes Morehouse College this Saturday for the annual Homecoming in 'The Valley.'
 
Coming off a tough result, the Wildcats aim to return to their winning ways in front of the joyous and friendly crowd ready to celebrate them in the 2 p.m. kick-off against the Maroon Tigers.

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Morehouse College at FVSU
Sat., Oct. 21, 2 p.m.
Wildcat Stadium
(A Cashless facility)
Fort Valley, Ga.
Tickets
Live Stats
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Wildcat Stadium Continues to be a Cashless Facility
     In keeping with all other facilities, Wildcat Stadium will continue to be a Cashless Facility this weekend. This means all tickets, parking and tailgating will be made online. All three can be purchased right now at: wildcatticketoffice.com.
 
FVSU vs. Morehouse College – 49th Meeting
     For the second year in a row, FVSU will see Morehouse play in The Valley for the meeting in the series.
     FVSU has claimed the victory last Oct. 15 at home by a 56-28 final over Morehouse. The Wildcats had won five in a row before the Maroon Tigers won the 2021 matchup played at Clark Atlanta by a 51-3 final.
     FVSU has won the last five meetings played in Fort Valley. Morehouse's last victory in Wildcat Stadium came by a 49-12 final in 2011.
     Overall, FVSU holds a 35-13 advantage over Morehouse for the series.
      Last 14 Scores (2008-22):
      2022 -- @FVSU 56, MHC 28
      2021 – MHC 51, FVSU 3 (N)
      2019 – @FVSU 37, MHC 21
      2018 – FVSU 27, @MHC 22
      2017 – @FVSU 52, MHC 7
      2016 – FVSU 24, @MHC 16
      2015 – @FVSU 35, MHC 3
      2014 – @MHC 24, FVSU 21
      2013 – @FVSU 46, MHC 19
      2012 – FVSU 26, @MHC 19
      2011 – MHC 49, @FVSU 12
      2010 – MHC 47, @FVSU 34
     2009 – FVSU 36, @MHC 13
     2008 – MHC 38, @FVSU 35

Gibbs Tries for Second Win over Tigers
     After only 17 games at the helm, FVSU Head Coach Shawn Gibbs has secured 13 wins as a collegiate head coach (13-4 & .765).
     Gibbs and his Wildcats will try to make Morehouse the fourth team for him to post two wins against.
     With a win Saturday, the Wildcat head coach can also seal his second winning season in a row.
     His teams also are 5-1 at Wildcat Stadium.
     FVSU posted an 8-2 record last fall during Gibbs first year at the helm.

Series Last Meeting: Wildcats Seal Winning Season on 'Senior Day,' Double Up Maroon Tigers

     Fort Valley, Ga. (Oct. 15, 2022) -- The final Wildcat Stadium days will always bring a smile to a dozen Wildcat seniors. Fort Valley State scored three times in a six-minute span of the third quarter and ran away from Morehouse College, 56-28, on the gridiron Saturday afternoon for 'Senior Day.'
     Leading by only one score, 21-14, at half, the top Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference running back Emanuel Wilson took over. On his fourth-straight carry of the second possession of the third frame, Wilson was gone for 60 yards and the touchdown. The FVSU score started a run of three touchdowns in a row. A 13-yard Gentry Sparks screen pass from Kelvin Durham before Wilson turned another short Durham toss into a 54-yard touchdown and suddenly the Wildcats raced ahead, 49-14, and never looked back against the Maroon Tigers.
     With the victory, FVSU improved to 6-1 and 3-1 in the SIAC East. The six wins sealed the first Wildcat winning season under fledgling Head Coach Shawn Gibbs and last time since their 6-4 finish of the 2019 campaign.
     Wilson, the top SIAC back (now Green Bay Packer in 2023), touched the football only 12 times on Saturday, but he more than made the most of them with 211 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. After he had only 59 yards in the first half, Wilson more than doubled it with a finishing total of 129 yards on nine carries and scoring rushes of two and 60 yards. The redshirt junior pulled in three passes for 82 yards with scoring grabs of 13 and 54 yards.
     Durham completed 15 of 25 attempts with 255 yards and a career-high five scoring passes to one interception. He also ran for 60 yards on six rushes. Sparks had three catches for 37 yards and his 13-yard touchdown, while Fralon Warren added three of his own for 35 yards and a 20-yard score. Hakeem Ellington and Epps finished with two receptions for 57 and 26 yards, while Corintheus Edmonds added a 13-yard touchdown with his only catch. Kentrelle Williams capped the home scoring with a 64-yard burst up the middle as part of his 69 yards on seven totes.
     The Wildcat offense eclipsed the 500-yard total offense mark for the first time in seven games this year. FVSU rushed for 264 yards and passed for another 252 for a balanced 516 yards of offense on only 54 plays for a 9.6-yard average. FVSU accomplished this while it had the ball almost 10 minutes less on the day, 25:48 to 34:12.
     The FVSU defense allowed 422 yards of offense, but it gave up only 291 yards and 14 points over the first 50 minutes of the day with four tackles for loss, an interception and three forced fumbles.
     For the first time this season, FVSU had four double-digit tacklers led by linebacker Dialo Mosley's 11. Kentrell Lawson, Landon Austin and Adeon Farmer, who had 1.5 tackles for loss, all added 10 stops. Lataj Wright picked off a pass and returned it 38 yards and Solomon Riggins sacked the Morehouse quarterback once.
     The Wildcats started fast with touchdowns on their first two possessions and three of the opening four. With the ball first, Wilson pulled in the 13-yard pass from Durham only 5:14 into the game ona 9-play, 75-yard drive. Following a three-and-out by Morehouse, Wilson capped another long 73-yard drive with a two-yard plunge and 14-0 advantage.
     Leading 14-7, on the first second-quarter possession, Durham found Warren wide open on a cut to the middle from 20 yards for the third home score at 6:50 to go in the frame.

FVSU Slides to No. 7 in HBCU D2 Coaches Poll
     After rising up to No. 5 a week ago, FVSU slide down two positions to No. 7 in the latest HBCU D2 Coaches Poll.|

HBCU D2 Coaches Poll: Top three remain, TU, FVSU drop back after losses
boxtorow.com
     Benedict, Virginia State, and Virginia Union continue to hold the top three spots in the HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW which was released on Tuesday.
     BC remained undefeated after Thursday's nationally televised victory over Fort Valley State and received all but one first place vote. VSU also remained undefeated after defeating Bluefield State.
     Meanwhile, FVSU dropped two spots to No. 7 this week, while Tuskegee's loss to Edward Waters dropped the Golden Tigers four spots to No. 8 this week. No. 4 Miles, No. 5 Fayetteville State, and No. 6 Allen all moved up two spots from last week. Johnson C. Smith, by virtue of its victory over Saint Augustine's, reentered the poll at No. 10.
     The HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW is administered by BOXTOROW, and is voted on by the HBCU NCAA Division II coaches.
2023 HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW
Week 7
(Records as of October 14, 2023)
No. Team W-L Pts Last Week
1 Benedict (19) 7-0 199 1
2 Virginia State 7-0 178 2
3 Virginia Union 6-1 159 3
4 Miles 5-2 123 6
5 Fayetteville Sate 5-2 97 7
6 Allen 6-1 96 8
7 Fort Valley State 5-2 79 5
8 Tuskegee (1) 5-2 75 4
9 West Virginia State 4-2 32 9
10 Johnson C. Smith 5-2 21 NR
 
Others receiving votes: Albany State (4-3) 18, Edward Waters (4-3) 12, Lincoln (Pa.) 8, Bowie State (3-4) 2.
(1st place votes in parentheses)

FVSU Last Week: Benedict Takes Advantage of FVSU Miscues, Claims Marquee Contest

     COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Wildcat opening drive put points on the scoreboard and saw their early momentum fall away. Nationally-ranked and defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Benedict College took advantage of Fort Valley State miscues and claimed the league's marquee contest, 48-6, Thursday night.
      FVSU (5-2/5-1 SIAC) saw kicker Daniel Gibbs boot a new season-long 42-yard field goal to start the night's scoring as he capped a 54-yard and 11-play encouraging drive. After the Wildcat defense held for a short 4-yard pass on the home team's first play, Benedict's Deondra Duehart ran off the right side and down the sideline for 64 yards and plunged into the endzone from a yard out four plays later to give the Tigers a lead they wouldn't give up the rest of the night.
     The Wildcat offense had a tough next four possessions where it turned the ball over on downs on the home 47-yardline, lost a fumble, had a three-and-out and saw the Tiger defense return an interception for a touchdown to fall behind 27-3 by late in the second quarter. FVSU did finish with a high note into halftime after it drove 61 yards on 12 plays and saw Gibbs boot his second field goal this time from 27 yards to make it 27-6. It would be, although, as close as the Wildcats would be able to get the rest of the night.
     Quickly becoming the SIAC's top rusher, Brandon Marshall rumbled for over 100 yards for the third time in the last four games. He carried 23 times for 104 yards. Quarterback Kelvin Durham completed 14 of 31 passes for 144 yards with Fralon Warren pulling in two of those for 56 yards. Za'Tarious Anderson added three catches for 37 yards. 
     Defensively, Landon Austin paced the FVSU unit with nine tackles with one for a loss. Malik Harp posted five stops, 1.5 for a loss. 
     Benedict's Aeneas Dennis threw for 324 yards on 16 of 25 attempts with one score. Duehart finished with 86 yards on 15 rushes with 64 of it coming on the one long run. 

Morehouse Last Week: Morehouse Runs Out of Gas Against Miles College

      Atlanta, GA- The Morehouse Maroon Tigers suffered another tough loss, 36-22, on their Senior Night against Miles College. After a 6-game road stretch to start the season, this was also the home opener for the team.
     The Golden Bears were prepared to defend their win streak against the Maroon Tigers, as they scored two touchdowns in the opening two minutes of the quarter. Freshman wide receiver Jacquel Fells caught two receptions from graduate transfer quarterback Edwin Kleinpeter Jr. after Miles kicked off the game. Following that, during Morehouse's opening offensive drive, sophomore defensive back Brennan Melton scored on an interception to make the score 14-0. With the help of a strong first half from the defense, the Maroon Tigers were able to stay in the game, but were down 21-8 at the half.
     Coming back from the half, Morehouse was hungry for a comeback. Miles had other plans as they would score another touchdown making the score 28-8 but Morehouse would keep fighting and would get another touchdown with the last 10 minutes of the game by Chase DeVaughn ending the third quarter, 28-15.
     Withing 12 minutes into the fourth quarter Morehouse would make an exciting play by Didier Attipou who would force a fumble on Miles which would lead Tyler Davis into recovering the ball and getting an 89 yard return touchdown making the score, 28-22. On a fourth down, Miles ran a fake punt and immediately closed out the game, as that drive took the Maroon Tigers out of striking range.

Marshall Leading the Wildcat Ground Game
     After moving up in quality of college football program from Mercer to FVSU, Marshall has started to become the top SIAC running back.
     Coming from up north in Philadelphia, Marshall started with solid numbers in the Wildcats first three games of 35 carries for 187 and two touchdowns for a 62.3-yard per game average.
     Over the last four games, the graduate student's production has almost doubled. Marshall increased his work load to 90 attempts for 451 yards and three scores. He averaged 112.8 yards over those games.
     The FVSU running back now sits second in the SIAC with a 91.1-yard per game average. He has totaled 638 yards on 125 carries for a 5.1-yard per tote average with five touchdowns. Brandon also has 15 catches for 127 yards and one more touchdown.
    
Wildcats (5-2/5-1 SIAC) vs. Maroon Tigers (0-7/4-0) – SIAC Ranks
     FVSU                                 Category                                MHC
       3rd (32.7 ppg)                  Scoring Offense                     13th (16.0 ppg)
       5th (26.7 ppg)                  Scoring Defense                     13th (40.1 ppg)

       5th (349.4 yds/gm)          Total Offense                          3rd (399.7 yds/gm)
       6th (135.4 yds/gm)          Rush Offense                         2nd (145.2 yds/gm)
       7th (214.0 yds/gm)          Pass Offense                          4th (254.5 yds/gm)

       6th (363.9 yds/gm)          Total Defense                         13th (432.3 yds/gm)
       2nd (84.1 yds/gm)           Rush Defense                         13th (200.1 yds/gm)
       13th (279.7 yds/gm)         Pass Defense                         9th (232.1 yds/gm)

 Wildcats Stay at Home for 'Senior Day'
     The Wildcats will round out their home slate of games next weekend, Oct. 28, for 'Senior Day.' FVSU hosts Virginia University-Lynchburg in a non-Conference game starting at 2 p.m.
 
 
 
 
-Wildcats-
 
 
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