Fayetteville State wins CIAA Football Championship

Fayetteville State scored two late touchdowns, ten seconds apart in the fourth quarter, and its defense pitched a second-half shutout to come from behind and knock off Bowie State 21-10 in the CIAA Championship game Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 7,532 at County Memorial Stadium in Durham, N. C.

Trailing 10-7 late into the final stanza, back-up quarterback Benjamin Williams was the difference, engineering the winning drive that completed the comeback after throwing a touchdown pass for FSU’s first score, Williams led FSU (8-3) on a 12-play, 88-yard drive, completing five clutch passes covering 74 yards and rushing for another 16 in the drive that culminated in a 3-yard scoring run by Richard Medlin that put the Broncos up 14-10 with 2:29 to play.

Ten seconds later, after BSU (6-5) returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 21, BSU back-up quarterback Tyrae Reid’s attempt at a first-down screen pass was picked off by FSU lineman lineman Jamal DIxon at the BSU 22 who rumbled untouched in the end zone to put the game out of reach.

Williams, picked as FSU’s Most Valuable Player, finished the game with 6 completions on 14 attempts for 87 yards and one TD.

“I’m ecstatic to win the game,” said Williams who started the season as the #1 signal caller but was benched in favor of Tyler Hosler five games ago after a loss at Virginia State.

“This whole season was a test of character. I had some rough times at the beginning of the season. I got benched. At that point, it was just a matter of still keeping my head in the game, keep coaching my guys and wait for my turn. The offense knew that we would have to make plays, I’m just ecstatic right now.” Trailing 10-0 at the half, Williams entered the game early in the third quarter after Hosler was ineffective. Williams threw a 13-yard scoring pass to Jamere Pugh on his first play from scrimmage with 11:36 left in the period. Austin Turner’s PAT left the Broncos trailing 10-7.

The second-half FSU surge was in stark contrast to a first half that saw the Broncos struggle under Hosler. They gained only 58 yards on offense and suffered two missed field goals of 38 and 29 yards by the usually reliable Turner thru most of the half. FSU mounted its most serious first-half scoring threat just before the break. Hosler, operating from the shotgun in a hurry-up offense, drove the Broncos from their own 31, reaching the BSU 8 before his pass was intercepted by BSU linebacker Kyle Jackson at the halftime gun.

FSU got its first score after forcing the first Bowie State turnover on BSU’s first second-half possession. Linebacker Joseph Brown picked off a pass by BSU QB Andre Johnson to put the Broncos in business at the BSU 48. From there a pass interference call took the ball to the BSU 16. After Hosler threw wildly on second down from there, FSU head coach Kenny Phillips inserted Williams at QB. On his first play, Williams hit Pugh for the score, putting the Broncos on the board. Austin Turner’s PAT left the Broncos trailing 10-7.

Bowie State scored on the game’s opening drive, going 80 yards in seven plays, capped by Ramono Flowers 10-yard run. The big play was running back Rodney Webb’s 43-yard run that took the ball down to the FSU 10. Flowers scored from there.

The Bulldogs added a 21-yard field goal by Michael Gagne early in the second quarter. The big play in that 13-play, 75-yard drive was a 54-yard run by Johnson on 3rd-and-nine from his own 34.

The key play in the game may have been earyl in the fourth quarter when Johnson was knocked out of the game on a vicious hit by FSU linebacker Darius Powell. Johnson ran for 70 yards on six carries and completed 6 of 9 passes for 13 yards.

Webb, who ran for 99 yards on 21 carries, was named Bowie State’s game MVP.

The win gives FSU and Phillips their third championship game win of the decade (‘02, ‘03) and gives them an outside shot at a NCAA Div. II playoff berth. The Broncos entered the game ranked tenth in Super Region II of Div. II. They would need to get up to eighth in ranking to receive a playoff bid. The playoff field will be announced on Monday Nov. 9.

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Tags: African Americans, bowie state university, championship, ciaa, college, conference, fayetteville, fayetteville state, football, HBCU, State, Universities