After giving up the game winning touchdown in the final seconds of last week's 30-28 loss at Fort Valley State, the Marauders return home to face perennial power Tuskegee during Military Appreciation Day this Saturday at 1 pm.
LAST WEEK
Both Central State and Tuskegee enter Saturday coming off emotional losses last week.
After falling behind, 20-0, to Fort Valley State in the first half, the Marauders rallied to score 28 unanswered points to take a 28-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. FVSU managed to chip in a field goal to narrow the gap. On the last drive of the game, FVSU converted two fourth down conversions on their way to scoring the game winning touchdown with just 2 seconds left on the clock. The loss dropped the Marauders to 1-7 overall. They enter Saturday with a 1-5 mark in the SIAC and 1-2 in the West Division.
Tuskegee's Homecoming celebration was ruined when the Tigers suffered their first loss of the season, 10-9, to the hands of Kentucky State. The loss dropped the then tenth ranked Golden Tigers down to twentieth in the FootballD2.com national poll. The loss also took Tuskegee down to second place in the SIAC West Standings. TU is 6-1 overall, 4-1 in SIAC play and 1-1 in the division.
CENTRAL STATE OUTLOOK
With two games remaining in 2016, the Marauders are focused on ending the year on a high note. Senior running back De'Michael Jackson is in contention for the SIAC rushing title. His 843 yards trails only Lane's Marcus Holliday's 846 yards on the ground. Jackson has eclipsed the century mark in five games this season, including last week's performance of 116 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Quarterback Lavon Meeks has had his share of ups and downs in his first season with the program. He ranks among the league leaders in passing with 997 yards. The downside has been the costly 14 interceptions. Despite the turnovers, the team remains confident in Meeks ability to make plays with his arms and legs. In the last two weeks, Meeks has shown more confidence in his running ability as he has picked up 4 scores with his feet.
The Marauder defensive unit has played well over the last month of the season. CSU has climbed up to No. 2 in the SIAC in yards allowed (271.2). Linebacker Deonate Gary maintains his consistent play. The senior currently ranks fourth in the conference with 62.5 tackles. He also leads the team with 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Nehemiah Coward, considered to be a highbred type of player, has made big plays on special teams and defense. He has 45.5 tackles along with 1 interception, 1 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. His most impressive statistics have been accumulated on special teams where he has blocked 5 punts season and returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a score in CSU's 27-10 win over Lane College.
TUSKEGEE OUTLOOK
Led by Osband Thompson's 75 tackles, TU's calling card remains its defense, which ranks No. 1 in NCAA Div. II in yards allowed per game (228.1). The Tuskegee pass rush has also been effective totaling 22 sacks for a cumulative loss of 171 yards. Vladimir Gray and Daryl George lead the team with 3.5 sacks each.
Offensively, the Golden Tigers rank second in the SIAC in scoring (25.7 ppg). A big part of TU's offensive success has been the efficient play of 6'5 dual threat quarterback Kevin Lacey. Lacey leads all SIAC passers with a 162.9 efficiency rating. He has thrown for over 1400 yards, 13 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions. Lacey's favorite target is 5'10 receiver Desmond Reece. Reece currently has a conference best 79.0 receiving yards per game.
HONORING THE MILITARY
In addition to the game, the Central State community will be celebrating Military Appreciation Day.
All active and retired members of the military will gain free admission to Saturday's game when they present a valid D.O.D. Identification Card.
The military will also have a strong presence inside of McPherson Memorial Stadium. The Army Reserves will have military vehicles on display for fans to view and take photos with. Informational tents will also be accessible for any individuals interested in learning more about the ROTC program on campus. The Army Reserves are also providing a obstacle course inside the stadium for younger fans in attendance.
At halftime, new ROTC cadets will take the Loyalty Oath of Service. Colonel Reginald Bryant, Professor of Military Sciences at Central State University, will conduct the ceremony. All military personnel in the stands will also be publicly recognized at halftime.
THE SERIES
Central State and Tuskegee first met in 1947 with Tuskegee winning 20-6. The Marauders took the next two contests in 1948 and 1949. The teams did not play each other again until Central State joined the SIAC in 2013. Tuskegee has won the last three games and currently holds a 4-2 edge in the all-time series.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Fans can follow the game on the following outlets:
Radio - Gem City Sports Network (http://www.gemcitysports.com/radio-1/)
Video - CSU Sports Streaming Channel
(http://maraudersports.com/watch/?Live=40) (http://maraudersports.com/watch/?Live=41)
Live Stats - Marauder Live Stats site (http://www.sidearmstats.com/centralstate/football/).
TICKETS
For tickets to Saturday's game, go to -
http://centralstate.universitytickets.com/... On campus parking requires a fee of $10.00.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Thursday, October 27th 2016 at 2:26PM
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