ACU, A&M-Kingsville notch impressive victories for LSC - Abilene Reporter News
After going 1-4 during the first week of the season last week, Lone Star Conference teams acquitted themselves well this past week.
No. 6 Abilene Christian University and No. 17 Texas A&M-Kingsville posted impressive victories over ranked teams, and No. 8 West Texas A&M looked impressive in a 34-31 road loss at No. 2 Grand Valley State.
But the biggest victory of the weekend belonged to Texas A&M-Kingsville, as the Javelinas stunned No. 1 Northwest Missouri State University 16-7 on Thursday. Nate Poppell, making his first career start for the Javelinas, threw for 258 yards and a touchdown, and the Kingsville defense recorded seven sacks, three by Matt Romig, in holding the defending national champions to 189 yards on offense.
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Depending on Drew - Ben Johnson, Tahlequah Daily Press
Leading up to the first game of the season at Tarleton State, Northeastern State coach Kenny Evans had a big question mark in the RiverHawks’ kicking game.
Evans was concerned that Drew Patton, a freshman kicker from Fayetteville, Ark., might not be able to play against the Texans due to nagging injuries that just wouldn't go away.
"He was a little bit injured when he got here," Evans said. "And for the first couple of weeks, we were wondering what we were going to do if we had to kick a field goal."
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Bears WR Knox conditioned for a breakout season - Sean Jensen, Chicago Sun-Times
When he was at the Pro Bowl in Miami last January, Bears receiver Johnny Knox wasn't starry-eyed around his all-star teammates.
He didn't seek autographs or insight from perennial Pro Bowl peers.
In fact, he was most fired up to meet Michael Irvin, the Hall of Fame receiver from the Dallas Cowboys.
''I had a chance to introduce myself to Michael Irvin,'' said Knox, who's from Houston. ''Growing up in Texas and being a Dallas fan, that meant a lot.''
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Cudjo, Asiodu make NFL rosters - Edmond Sun
EDMOND — Two former Central Oklahoma defensive standouts survived the final cuts in the National Football League over the weekend, with rookie Jermelle Cudjo making the 53-man roster of the St. Louis Rams and K.C. Asiodu sticking with the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.
Cudjo, a 6-2, 299-pound tackle who ended a stellar four-year career with the Bronchos last fall, signed with the Rams as a free agent during the spring. He made two sacks during an impressive preseason performance and was one of 14 rookies who made the final roster, with St. Louis set to open the season at home Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Asiodu finished his UCO career in 2008, signed as a free agent with the Rams and played there most of last year, finishing with 11 tackles and a blocked punt. The 6-2, 242-pound linebacker was released by St. Louis in late June and signed with the Saints on Aug. 25, making five tackles in New Orleans’ last preseason game to solidify his spot on the roster.
The Saints open their season Thursday by hosting the Minnesota Vikings.
Cudjo was a four-year starter for the Bronchos, earning All-Lone Star Conference North Division honors three times. The Lawton native had 58 tackles with 12.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks as a senior last fall and played in the Cactus Bowl, an NCAA Division II all-star game in Kingsville, Texas in January.
Asiodu was a first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division pick and the co-Linebacker of the Year as a senior for UCO in 2008 when he helped lead the Bronchos to the division crown and a 7-4 record.
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Arkansas schools moving forward - Sean Ingram, Russellville Courier
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LSC Football Weekly Release: Kingsville, ACU knock off top-10 opponents - LSC Office
KINGSVILLE, ACU KNOCK OFF TOP-10 OPPONENTS
Texas A&M-Kingsville topped top-ranked Northwest Missouri State, 16-7, while Abilene Christian defeated No. 9 Washburn, 34-26, in non-conference action. The Javelinas upset the Bearcats on the road to earn their second ever victory over a No. 1 ranked team in school history and the Wildcats won its third-straight season opener against a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association opponent. Six teams - Kingsville, ACU, Midwestern State, Angelo State, Northeastern State and Texas A&M-Commerce - picked up wins to start the season 1-0. NSU and ASU each won their Lone Star Conference crossover matchup to take the early lead in the league standings.
Click here for the complete release
CROSSOVER TIME
A full slate of LSC crossover games will be played in week three. All the games will take place on Saturday including the third annual Harvey Martin Classic at the Cotton Bowl with Angelo State playing Texas A&M-Commerce at 5 p.m.
IN 2010, ALL LSC GAMES COUNT
Due to the addition of Incarnate Word, all 14 LSC football teams will play 10 conference games with four crossover and six division contests. Previously, each team counted only nine games in the conference standings and due to unequal teams in the divisions, three South Division teams played a crossover game that did not count in the standings.
NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
The LSC will play 13 non-conference games this year including five in week one, six in week two and two more in week four. After 11 games, the LSC is 5-6 against foes outside the LSC. Games are scheduled against opponents from the Mid-America Intercollegiate (MIAA), Great Lakes Intercollegiate, Gulf South, Northern Sun and Rocky Mountain conferences along with the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision and NAIA ranks. Below is the breakdown:
MIAA (5): Texas A&M-Kingsville 16, NW Missouri State 7; Abilene Christian 34, Washburn 26; Emporia State 27, Southwestern Oklahoma 7; Pittsburg State 31, Central Oklahoma 20; Fort Hays State 45, East Central 23
GLIAC (1): Grand Valley State 34, West Texas A&M 31
GSC (1): Henderson State 44, Southeastern Oklahoma 13
NSIC (1): Texas A&M-Commerce 33, Upper Iowa 10
RMAC (1): Midwestern State 52, New Mexico Highlands 6
NAIA (2): Langston 28, Incarnate Word 20; Eastern New Mexico 59, Southern Nazarene 21
DIVISION I FCS (2): Northeastern State at North Dakota; Tarleton State at Northwestern State
PLUS ONE
The LSC has added a new member and 14th football team with the addition of Incarnate Word. The Cardinals will play in the South Division, while Eastern New Mexico moves to the North resulting in seven teams for each. UIW’s first LSC game will be a crossover tilt at Southeastern Oklahoma on Sept. 11. Head coach Mike Santiago leads the team in the program’s second year.
FOOTBALL QUICK HITS
In week 2 the LSC had three quarterbacks throw for 300-plus yards, seven receivers and two rushers over the century mark and eight double-digit tacklers. Top performances included:
Passing: 421, Taylor Harris (37-53-4), WTAMU at Grand Valley State
Rushing: 8-131, Marcus Mathis, MSU at NM Highlands
Receiving: 11-215, Jeken Frye, Tarleton vs Northeastern State
Tackles: 14, Linvel Mosby, ENMU at Angelo State
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NORTH OFFENSIVE
Trey McVay, Northeastern State University, WR, Ft. Gibson, Okla./Fort Gibson HS
McVay had three catches for 89 yards and one TD to help pace Northeastern State to a 31-23 win at Tarleton State in the season opener. McVay’s 43-yard reception inside the Texans’ 5-yard line to open the fourth quarter set up a Kenny Davis one-yard plunge to put the RiverHawks up 24-7 with 13:39 to go.
NORTH DEFENSIVE
Donald Dangerfield, Northeastern State University, JR, LB, Hugo, OK/Hugo HS
Dangerfield had nine tackles, two for losses of 14 yards, a QB sack and one interception in Northeastern State’s 31-23 win at Tarleton State. The junior rover picked off a Nick Stephens pass to thwart a potential TSU scoring drive in the first half.
NORTH SPECIAL TEAMS
Nate Robinson, Northeastern State University, JR, PR/KR, Rockingham, NC
Robinson’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown essentially put the game away for Northeastern State in its season-opening victory at Tarleton State. The Texans had reeled off nine straight points to pull to within 24-16 with 7:02 left. However, Robinson’s return reversed the momentum swing and his TD gave the RiverHawks a 31-16 margin just 16-seconds later.
CO-SOUTH OFFENSIVE
Nate Poppell, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, JR, QB, Spring, Texas/Spring HS
In his first career start, Poppell guided the Javelinas to a 16-7 win over No. 1 Northwest Missouri State. He was very efficient as he completed two-thirds of his passing attempts with one score. His 1-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal in the third quarter gave the team a two-possession lead.
Mitchell Gale, Abilene Christian University, SO, QB, Alva, Okla./Alva HS
ACU’s sophomore starting quarterback led a mistake-free Wildcat offense to a 34-26 win over Washburn in a matchup of top-10 teams at Yager Stadium. ... After an 8 of 10 performance in the first half, Gale was 16 of 20 in the second half to help the Wildcats to their third straight season-opening win over an MIAA team. ... At one point from midway through the second quarter to the end of the third quarter, Gale completed 13 straight passes for 148 yards and two scores. ... He threw touchdown passes of 41 and 51 yard to Edmund Gates and 4 yards to Emery Dudensing. ... The 51-yard pass to Gates with less than five minutes to play gave the Wildcats a 34-19 lead.
SOUTH DEFENSIVE
Matt Romig, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, SO, DE, Bells, Texas/Bells HS
Romig keyed a Javelina defense that limited #1 Northwest Missouri State to only 189 total yards of offense. He had 3.5 sacks for a loss of 35 yards and forced a fumble as he harassed All-American QB Blake Bolles all game long. He recorded the most sacks by a Javelina since Donovan Gans had four on Nov. 20, 1993 at Portland State. The school record is five held by Pro Football Hall of Famer, John Randle.
SOUTH SPECIAL TEAMS
Darrell Cantu-Harkless, Abilene Christian University, FR-RS, RB, Austin, Texas/Austin Crockett HS
In his first action as a Wildcat after sitting out a redshirt season in 2009, Cantu-Harkless made an immediate impression, helping the Wildcats dominate in the special teams area against Washburn. ... Cantu-Harkless returned four kickoffs for 163 total yards (40.8 yards per return), including a 93-yard return from two yards deep in the end zone to the Washburn 7-yard line. ... That 93-yard return is tied for the 11th-longest kickoff return in school history, and it’s the longest non-scoring kickoff return in school history. ... Cantu-Harkless was the return man on the game’s opening kickoff, and the first time he got his hands on the ball as a Wildcat he returned the kick 42 yards.
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Grand Valley State Takes Over Top Spot in Division II Poll
With former No. 1 Northwest Missouri State losing to then-No. 14 Texas A&M-Kingsville, Grand Valley State held on to a 34-31 win over then-No. 8 West Texas A&M to take over the top spot in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Lakers gathered 21 of the 26 first place votes.
Rounding out the Top 5 are No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 3 North Alabama, No. 4 California (Pa.) and No. 5 Abilene Christian. There is only one Top 25 matchup in this week’s games as No. 1 Grand Valley State hosts No. 11 Hillsdale (Mich.).
Two new teams entered the Division II Coaches’ Poll this week with Edinboro (Pa.) and East Stroudsburg (Pa.) coming in at No. 24 and No. 25, respectively. Nebraska-Kearney re-enters the poll at No. 23 after a one-week hiatus.
Top Five and Super Region 4 Teams
1. Grand Valley (2)
2. Minnesota-Duluth (3)
3. North Alabama (4)
4. California, PA (5)
5. Abilene Christian (6)
6. Texas A&M-Kingsville (14)
8. Northwest Missouri (1)
9. West Texas A&M (8)
12. Central Washington (13)
13. Midwestern State (17)
14. Missouri Western (19)
15. Washburn (15)
Receiving Votes - Nebraska-Omaha, Central Missouri, Texas A&M-Commerce, Tarleton State, Pittsburg State
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