Football Weekly Release: September 12
SWAC.org
Southwestern Athletic Conference Football News and Notes
• Week two saw Southwestern Athletic Conference football finish 6-3 with three teams putting up over 50 points on the board.
• Both Texas Southern and Jackson State remain undefeated heading into week three atop their respective divisions. The pair are averaging over 40 points per game this season.
• Alabama State upset No. 14 Tennessee State 27-21 at home in the Inaugural Classic (Sept. 6). The Hornets took a 24-2 lead early in the third quarter and held on for the win after two lightning delays that held play for 88 minutes.
• Jackson State University will face Tennessee State in the 25th Annual Southern Heritage Classic on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CST at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn.
• It will be fun in the sun for Texas Southern University this week as they take on Central State University in the in the HBCU Classic Saturday in Nassau, Bahamas. This is the only SWAC football contest being played outside the continental U.S. this season.
• SWAC teams are national leaders in seven different statistical categories, including blocked kicks/punts allowed, fumbles lost, and passes had intercepted.
• In week two, the eastern division went 3-2 scoring 136 points, while the west finished 3-1 scoring 139 points.
• Southern’s offensive line has not allowed a single quarterback sack this season. They rank first in the nation in sacks allowed.
• Prairie View is a perfect 1.000 when looking to score in the red zone.
• Place kicker Preston Clark (Alabama State) is ranked No. 1 nationally in field goal percentage and field goals per game.
• Najee Bright (Alabama State) was named College Football Performance Awards Co-National Defensive Performer of the Week (Sept. 8) after the Hornets upset No. 14 Tennessee State, 27-21.
• The SWAC Mobile Marketing Tour is underway. They will hit six schools to provide fans exclusive access to SWAC items, including the opportunity to win tickets to the 2014 Toyota SWAC Football Championship. The tour starts at Alabama State on September 13.
• Three former SWAC football student-athletes put time in on the gridiron during the NFL’s opening weekend. League rookie and Alabama State standout Isaiah Crowell earned his first professional touchdown, Grambling State’s Jason Hatcher recorded his first sack as a Washington Redskin, and Terron Armstead from Arkansas-Pine Bluff helped the New Orleans Saints outrun the Atlanta Falcons.
• Alabama State took home two of the four SWAC Athlete of the Week honors in running back Malcom Cyrus and kicker Preston Clark.
• The 2014 SWAC head football coach weekly teleconference interviews are posted online. Go to www.swac.org to hear from each program’s leader following the weekend’s competition.
• Malcom Cyrus (Alabama State) was named offensive student-athlete of the week after contributing to the Hornets 27-21 win over No. 14 Tennessee State. He rushed for a game-high 170 yards on 26 carries and caught three passes for another 86 yards, including a 70-yard reception. He finished with 256 all-purpose yards.
• Javancy Jones (Jackson State) earned defensive student-athlete of the week honors for his role in the Tigers 59-0 rout of Virginia Lynchburg (Sept. 6). The linebacker picked up nine tackles, four for a loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.
• Preston Clark (Alabama State) went a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals against No. 14 Tennessee State (Sept. 6) to earn specialist of the week. The freshman connected on two field goals at 32 and 27 yards, respectively, and hit all three extra points to total nine points in the win. Clark also put in work as a punter, averaging 33.5 yards per punt, with one dropped inside the 20.
• Darryan Ragsdale (Alcorn State) earned newcomer of the week honors after accounting for 111 of the Braves 295 rushing yards in their near comeback against FBS opponent Southern Miss. (Sept. 6). Ragsdale averaged 10.1 yards in his 11 carries. His longest of the day was a 35-yard run.
• The Jackson State defense has been dominating opponents this season. The Tigers have allowed just 17 points in two games with offenses averaging under 200 total yards and one touchdown per game.