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Game notes: Bayou Classic, I-AA Playoffs, Dallas Lonestar Classic
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-- The 36th Annual Bayou Classic between Grambling and Southern drew 58,818 fans to the Superdome.
-- The 2nd Annual Dallas Lonestar Classic between Texas Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff netted just over 15,000 fans, barely more than half the attendance Cotton Bowl organizers were hoping for. By comparison, the State Fair Classic featuring Prairie View and Grambling drew 42,876 in a soaking rain (and that was down from the 54,000-plus at the dry 2008 game).
-- The second half was not kind to HBCUs this week. Grambling scored 17 points in the second half of their 31-13 win at the Bayou Classic. The 17 points were just three fewer than SC State, Texas Southern and UAPB totaled. SCSU hit a field goal in the second half of their game against Appalachian State, Texas Southern scored a touchdown against UAPB and UAPB had a touchdown and field goal. Three schools -- Southern, Tuskegee and Alabama State -- did not score at all the second halves of their respective games.
-- Alabama State had homecoming on Thanksgiving with the 86th Annual Turkey Day Classic. Unfortunately, "turkey" best described the Hornets' performance. They netted just 51 yards of offense, thanks to minus-57 yards rushing. That broke the Tuskegee defense's old mark of minus-24 set against SIAC rival Benedict back in 1998.
-- South Carolina State's rushing game was not much better. Despite the presence of MEAC leading rusher William Ford and backup running back Travil Jamison, the Bulldogs gained 33 yards on the ground against the Mountaineers of Appalachian State. Jamison had 29 yards and Ford had 22 before leaving in the third quarter with an injury. The main culprit in the running game (or lack thereof) was Appalachian State's constant pressure on SCSU quarterback Malcolm Long, who lost 24 yards while scrambling for daylight.
-- Oliver Young had seven catches for 92 yards in South Carolina State's 20-13 loss. He ended the season with a school-record 995 receiving yards, besting Monte Stoke's 2003 single-season mark of 933. Earlier in the season, Young set records for receptions and career receiving yards.
-- Other top performances:
Arvell Nelson, Texas Southern (21-33-0-256; 16 carries for 75 yards, 1 touchdown)
Frank Warren, Grambling (24 carries for 166 yards, 2 touchdowns)
Tony Forney, Tuskegee (21 rushes, 103 yards, 1 TD)
-- With SC State's first-round loss to Appalachian State in the FCS (Division I-AA) playoffs, HBCU's are 0-4 in the first round of the football playoffs.
In the Division II playoffs, Albany State (SIAC) fell 24-22 to West Alabama.
Also in Division II, Fayetteville State was no match for California (Pa.) in a 42-13 demolition.
Langston met a similar fate in a 42-14 pasting by Lindenwood in the first round of the NAIA playoffs.
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