The excitement of Black college football will return once again to the lakefront Saturday when Central State University battles West Virginia State University in the 11th annual Chicago Football Classic. Kickoff at Soldier Field is at 4 p.m.
The excitement of Black college football will return once again to the lakefront Saturday when Central State University battles West Virginia State University in the 11th annual Chicago Football Classic.
Kickoff at Soldier Field is at 4 p.m.
The game will be telecast on a tape-delayed basis Sunday on Digital Channel 100.
“Each year, the Classic keeps getting better, and we expect this year’s game to live up to the previous ones,” said Classic organizer Larry Huggins.
It will be a full weekend of activities including a President’s Reception, a golf outing, a pre-game Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fair beginning at 10 a.m. along with a Chicago Public School’s Battle of the Bands.
In addition, there will be a concert featuring singers J. Holiday, Pleasure P and Hostels.
Head coach Earl Monroe’s West Virginia State squad comes into the game on a roll. The Yellow Jackets opened the 2008 season this past weekend with a convincing 67-13 victory over Lincoln University of Missouri.
Leading the way for West Virginia State in the win was quarterback Kevin O’Brien, who threw for four touchdowns and 216 yards along with running back Brian Mitchell who rushed for 148 yards.
West Virginia State rolled to a 57- 0 halftime lead and never looked back.
Central State, meanwhile, under head coach Al West will be looking to bounce back from a 31-12 loss to the University of Dayton in their opening game last weekend.
It’s much more than a football game also for officials at Central State and West Virginia State.
“This game presents Central State University with an opportunity to recruit Chicago students,” says Anthony Fairbanks, the school’s vice-president for institutional advancement. “It’s a chance for us to take our school to them.”
In other Black college football news: Playing the school’s first football game since 1960, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania didn’t miss a beat, defeating George Mason, 34-7.
“What we saw on the field represented a whole lot of hard work by a group of young men coming together,” said Lincoln president Dr. Ivory V. Nelson.
Located 50 miles southeast of Philadelphia, Lincoln is the oldest HBCU in the country.
Also, Hampton edged Jackson State, 17-13 at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Trailing 7-3 at halftime, Hampton rallied for the win making it a winning debut for Jerry Holmes as the Pirates head coach.
“I thought our guys did a great job of getting the job done,” Holmes said.
Quarterback Herbert Byrnes earned Outstanding Player of the Game honors by throwing for 151 yards and a touchdown.
* * *
Defending Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Tuskegee opens the season at No. 14 in the 2008 preseason American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll.
While the American Football Coaches Association has the Tuskegee Golden Tigers ranked No. 14, Lindy’s Magazine Poll placed them at No. 16, the Sporting News at No. 6 and USA Today Preseason Top 25 D2 poll at No. 23.
The Golden Tigers, who are the preseason pick to win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, finished 2007 ranked 16th and the only undefeated college football team in the nation.
Defending national champion Valdosta State opens the season at No. 1. Valdosta State received 17 of a possible 26 first place votes and will seek to win its third national title in five years in 2008. A semifinalist from last year, Grand Valley State, received six first place votes and begins the season at No. 2. Last year’s national runner-up, Northwest Missouri State, is No. 3.
______
Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
