Page 18 - Florida Sentinel 11-24-17

HBCU News
Florida Classic: It’s 7 In A Row For Bethune Cookman Over FAMU
Make that a seventh win in a row for Bethune-Cook- man Football against Florida A&M.
BCU quarterback, Larry Brihm, Jr. rushed for a pair of fourth quarter touch- downs, including the go- ahead touchdown on a two-yard naked bootleg with 1:15 remaining as Bethune- Cookman rallied for a 29-24 come-from-behind victory over Florida A&M in the Florida Blue Florida Classic before a Camping World Stadium crowd of 47,819 and a national ESPN audi- ence.
The redshirt senior con- cluded his career by manu- facturing a 14-point fourth quarter comeback to deliver the Wildcats' seventh con- secutive victory in the series and conclude Bethune- Cookman's 2017 campaign at 7-4 (6-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) MEAC.
Brihm finished with 280 yards and one touchdown passing in addition to the
two rushing touchdowns. Florida A&M (3-8, 2-6 MEAC) out gained the Wild- cats 136-8 as they took a 24- 10 lead on Ricky Henrilus' 4-yard run and Devin Powers' 8-yarder to
start the fourth quarter. Bethune-Cookman quickly closed to within one touchdown with a 9-play, 52-yard drive that produced Brihm's 5-yarder with 11:27 left. Completions of 15 yards to Frank Brown and 20 yards to Jawill Davis
sparked the drive.
The Wildcats then re-
ceived a golden opportunity thanks to Cameron Rigby, who eluded two Rat- tlers blockers to tackle punter Chris Faddoul shy of the marker on a fake punt.
The quick 32-yard march produced Michael D. Jones's 4-yarder with 7:02 remaining, but Florida A&M kept the 24-23 lead when Antonio Miller blocked the PAT from junior kicker
Uriel Hernandez.
After the Maroon and Gold defense registered a three-and-out, Brihm's final drive as a Wildcats stu- dent-athlete was a 13-play work of art.
Lawmaker Calling For Firing Of FAMU Coach
State Rep. Ramon Alexander, a Florida A&M University graduate, wasn't a happy fan Saturday.
Alexander went to Twit- ter following FAMU's 29-24 loss to Bethune-Cookman to call for head coach Alex Wood’s immediate firing.
Wood's contract is up next month.
“It is extremely rare that I will make this type of public comment...,” Alexander wrote after the game.
“Coach Alex Wood MUST be fired immediately for the fake punt call in the 4th Quarter of the Florida Classic....and I mean imme- diately.”
FAMU Alum Couple Donated $500,000 To Marching 100 For New Uniform
Bernard and Shirley Kinsey donated $500,000 to FAMU’s Marching 100 for new uniforms.
Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, who graduated from Florida A&M University in 1966, have long been gener- ous to their alma mater.
On last Saturday, the uni- versity’s Marching 100 showed off the fruits of the couple’s $500,000 donation when it debuted new uni- forms at the Florida Classic in Orlando.
The Marching 100 paid special tribute to the Kin- seys during the perfor- mance.
“This is a way Shirley and I would like to use our
blessings to help the band and the university,” Kinsey said last Friday from Or- lando.
“The band is the symbol of excellence for everybody in the Southeast as it relates to marching band"There has never been an organization that I belong to that has had the impact in shaping me in the person I am today as the Marching 100.”
The 241-member band's freshman class also boasts GPA averages between 3.0 and 4.0, with many honors students majoring in STEM disciplines.
Hampton Is Joining Big South Conference
In a move that could cause a cultural shift and change the balance of power in HBCU athletics, Hampton University announced that it is leaving the MEAC to join the Big South Conference.
According to a statement released by Hampton Univer- sity President Dr. William R. Harvey, Hampton sought a more proximity-friendly con- ference.
“Our student-athletes will spend less time traveling and more time in classes on cam- pus,” Harvey said. “This keeps the proper focus on ac- ademics, which is our chief reason for being. The smaller geographic footprint will also reduce travel expenses.”
Most of the MEAC schools are located in North Carolina,
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington — with two in faraway Florida (Florida A&M and Bethune-Cook- man).
However, the entire Big South Conference for most sports is based in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, obviously much more geographically friendly for Hampton, which is cele- brating its 150th anniversary this year.
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