Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 12-20-16 Online Edition

HBCU Event
Grambling Wins Black College Football National Championship
It’s quite ironic that the 2nd an- nual Air Force Reserve Celebra- tion Bowl Saturday in Atlanta to determine the 2016 black college football national champion would come down to a celebration.
But that’s exactly what made the difference in a 10-9 victory for SWAC champion Grambling State over MEAC champion North Car- olina Central in a hard fought game Saturday at the Georgia Dome pitting the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in HBCU football.
NCCU (9-3), who shut out the high-scoring Grambling offense in the first half and led 3-0 at the break, was trailing 10-3 late in the
fourth quarter when quarterback Malcolm Bell rolled left and lofted a 39-yard strike to senior wideout Quentin Atkinson in the back of the end zone to pull the Eagles within 10-9 with just 2:14 to play.
In the ensuing celebration how- ever, Atkinson removed his hel- met and was flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. Gram- bling head coach Broderick Fobbs chose to have the penalty assessed on the point-after, forc- ing NCCU placekicker Brandon McLaren to try his attempt from the 34-yard line. Grambling’s Joseph McWilliams got around
the right side of the Eagles line and stuffed the attempt leaving Grambling with the one-point ad- vantage.
NCCU recovered an onside kick following the PAT but was called offsides on the play. A second on- side attempt was recovered by Grambling’s Chad Williams with 2:12 left. After NCCU burned its final timeout, Grambling faced a 3rd-and-12 from the Eagles’ 44, but quarterback Devante Kin- cade hit Verlan Hunter in the left flat and he ran by two defend- ers for the first down. Grambling was able to kneel down to run out the clock.
The win gives Grambling the 2016 national title, just three years after back-to-back one-win sea- sons had the most storied program in black college football in the dol- drums. Head coach Broderick Fobbs has engineered the turn- around getting the G-Men back to the pinnacle in his three years on the job.
What many thought would be a high-scoring game pitting the two champions turned into a defensive struggle with neither team able throw offensive haymakers. The closest thing to splash plays came from exciting Grambling running back/kick returner and game of-
fensive mvp Martez Carter, who had runs of 35 and 32 yards and 69 yards in returns. He finished the day with 109 rushing yards on 12 carries and 178 all-purpose yards to earn the game’s offensive MVP award.
Grambling (11-1), who came in averaging 500 yards and 44 points per game, was held to 345 yards and just one touchdown by the game NCCU defense. But that touchdown proved critical as it came on the Tigers’ first posses- sion of the second half and gave them their first score and lead of the game.
Celebration Bowl was a war between defenses. his big win.
Tampa native, ESPN sportscaster, Tiffany Greene-Berry covered the game from the sideline and interviewed Grambling’s coach after
Celebration Bowl Contenders
NCCU And Grambling QBs Among Finalists For Inaugural Black College Football ‘Player Of The Year’ Award
The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced last week 4 Finalists for the inau- gural Black College Football Player of the Year Award. It will be pre- sented annually to the most out- standing football player from a Historically Black College & Uni- versity (HBCU) that embodies the rich tradition of athletic excellence and integrity associated with HBCUs.
The Finalists include QB Mal- colm Bell (North Carolina Cen- tral University), RB Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T University), QB DeVante Kincade (Gram- bling State University) and RB Lenard Tillery (Southern Uni- versity).
The Finalists were chosen by a five-member Selection Commit- tee, which is composed of Black College Football Hall of Fame founders James "Shack" Har- ris and Doug Williams, Sheri- dan Broadcast Network's Director of Sports Ty Miller, former USA Today sports writer Roscoe Nance, and ESPN College Foot- ball Analyst Jay Walker.
"On behalf of the Black College
Football Hall of Fame Trustees, we congratulate the inaugural Black College Football Player of the Year Finalists," said Doug Williams, BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2011 Inductee. "These student-athletes represent the best of HBCU Foot- ball today."
The winner of the 2016 Black College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on Feb- ruary 25, 2017 at the Eighth An- nual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in At- lanta, Georgia. He will be pre- sented with the Deacon Jones Trophy, named in honor of the football legend and inaugural BCFHOF inductee.
"Players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities have had a tremendous impact on the game of football," said BCFHOF founder and 2012 inductee James Har- ris. "This award will allow us to highlight the great student ath- letes from today's HBCUs and rec- ognize them in front of the legends that paved the way."
About Deacon Jones David "Deacon" Jones played defensive end for South
Carolina State University and Mis- sissippi Valley State University from 1958 to 1960. Blessed with speed, agility, and quickness, the "Deacon" became one of the finest pass rushers in the business. He won unanimous All-NFL hon- ors six straight years from 1965 through 1970 and was selected to eight Pro Bowls. Jones is an in- augural Black College Football Hall of Fame inductee (2010) and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
About Black College Football Hall of Fame
The Black College Football Hall of Fame was established in Octo- ber of 2009 by African-American pioneers and quarterbacks, Pro Bowl MVP James "Shack" Har- ris and Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, to preserve the history and honor the greatest football players, coaches and contributors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). There have been 64 Inductees since in- ception, including Mel Blount, James Harris, Willie Lanier, Art Shell and Doug Williams, who serve as Trustees.
NCCU QB Malcolm Bell and Grambling’s DeVante Kincaid are among the 4 finalists for the Black College Hall of Fame ‘Player of the Year’ title. Also named were running backs, Tarik Cohen of North Carolina A&T and Lenard Tillery of Southern.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13