The
Bears did something today that no other CIAA school has done
this year. They
beat an SIAC team.
Prior to the season, I said that playing Kentucky
State would be the toughest opponent that Shaw has played in the
three years of football. While
the Thorobreds gave a valiant effort and only lost 34-28, the
game was not that close. To
me it speaks volumes and shows where this football program
really is.
In
the last two years, the CIAA is 4-9 versus the SIAC, 1-4 this
year with Shaw’s victory over Kentucky State.
But to be quite honest, this game was bigger than the
CIAA vs. the SIAC. I
don’t think people understood the magnitude of this game and
the magnitude of the win. This win will certainly help to propel Shaw’s chances of
playing in the national playoffs.
You could argue that this game was bigger in terms of
national attention and playoffs then the CIAA Championship game
will be. The Bears will
certainly be in that category "others receiving votes"
with respect to the top 25 national rankings. But the
Bears are ranked in almost every Black College poll in the
country, except for the SBN poll, which I'm sure the Bears will
crack this week. All eyes are now on Shaw
University, the small school in Raleigh, NC, with the third-year
football program.
For
those of you at the game, did you see this kid Marcus Wright
from Kentucky State, number 24?
He may have been the fastest player Shaw has played
against in these three years.
He returned punts, kickoffs, caught passes and played
defensive back. He
had 124 all-purpose yards on six touches and also made four
tackles. I
definitely have to give him his props.
So
now it’s off to play Fayetteville State in the championship
game next Saturday. Fayetteville
State made somewhat of a statement today with a 63-19 walloping
of Livingstone. These
Bears might not say it publicly, but you’d have to think that
they had to be hoping that the Broncos would win so the Bears
could look to avenge the 24-14 loss back on September 25.
The Broncos of course are two-time defending champions.
They are looking to do what no team has done since 1983
and that is to win three-straight CIAA Football Championship
Games. The last
team to do it was Virginia Union from 1981 to 1983.
So
last week I said that the offense needed to score more points.
And that was the case today.
Jermonty Kimbrough continues to look like the quarterback
from last year. He
completed 16-of-29 passes for 255 yards and five touchdowns.
He also rushed for 33 yards.
Today was also senior day and did the seniors step up or
what? Damon
Harrison had his best game as a Bear.
Five receptions for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
He also threw a pass on a little razzle-dazzle play and
almost completed the pass.
Harrison played quarterback in high school back in
Newark, NJ you know. They tried the same play getting the ball to Harrison as the
quarterback and he opted to run and almost picked up a first
down. How about A.J.
McDonald? The
defensive tackle had three tackles and a crucial quarterback
sack as he helped to put pressure on the ‘Bred quarterbacks
all day long. Punter
William Sanders had a great game too booming a 50 and 49-yarder. Center Robert Rhodes was the anchor of an offensive line that
helped the Bears to 455 yards of total offense, 200 of those
rushing. And then
there is Chris Peavy. Peavy
is a Harlon Hill Award nominee – the award for the best
college football player in Division II.
And he showed it today.
He was all over the field with 18 tackles, (seven solo),
two tackles for loss, one sack and two passes defended.
He now has 105 tackles on the season on the second-ranked
defense in the nation. WOW!!
