DOVER, Del. (November 12, 2016) – Sharing is not nice.
Through their play over the first 10 games of the football season, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central obviously believe this philosophy. After the two longtime arch rivals have shared the MEAC title over the past two years, one of them will win it outright on November 19, 2016. The winner will also receive the league's invitation to the second annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl to be played at noon, Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Georgia Dome against the SWAC champion.
Ninth-ranked N.C. A&T (9-1, 7-0 MEAC) held up their end of the bargain for the Aggie/Eagle undefeated showdown with a 45-14 win over Delaware State Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium. At approximately the same time the Aggies were doing that, No. 25 NCCU (8-2, 7-0) was putting the final touches on a 30-21 home win over Howard. It sets up a winner-take-all scenario next week in Durham when the Aggies face the Eagles at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium, Saturday at 2 p.m.
“It's going to be a big one,” said N.C. A&T coach Rod Broadway. “We're going up against a 7-0 team and they're our biggest rival. We have to be better prepared to play well next week.”
Walter Payton Award (FCS Player of the Year) candidate Tarik had touchdown runs 59 and 84 to lead the Aggies with 221 yards on 13 carries. Cohen's day marked the fourth time this season and the eighth time in his career he has rushed for 200 or more yards in a game. Cohen, who leads the nation in touchdowns, tied Stoney Polite's single-season school record for touchdowns. Both men now have 18 in a single season for the Aggies.
There are two more notes on Cohen. As of two weeks ago, South Carolina State and Delaware State were the only two MEAC teams that Cohen had not scored against. He took care of that problem in back-to-back weeks against the Bulldogs and Hornets. Cohen's backup Marquell Cartwright had two rushing touchdowns as the Aggies rushed for 351 yards and averaged an incredible 11.3 yards per carry.
Through the air, freshman Elijah Bell caught four passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Senior Denzel Keyes had three receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown passes thrown to Bell and Keyes were made by fifth-year quarterback Oluwafemi Bamiro who was 12-for-24 for 168 yards.
Broadway's call for better play stems from the fact he doesn't believe his team played their best on Saturday. N.C. A&T had some miscues. They fumbled at the DSU 2-yard line. They had a punt blocked and they had a shaky start. The Hornets (0-10, 0-7 MEAC) went 80 yards in nine plays on the opening drive of the game and scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Williams from Gilbert Rivera.
DSU's next drive was going smoothly as well. But on 3rd-and-2 from the Aggies 28, Brycen Alleyne was thrown for a seven-yard loss by Marcus Albert. The Hornets then lined up to attempt a 53-yard field goal that was never attempted. Instead the Hornets faked the field goal with holder Daniel Epperson pitching the ball to kicker Wisdom Nzidee. Nzidee fumbled the pitch at the Aggies 38 and sophomore Marquis Willis scooped it up and returned the ball to the 41.
It was the opening the Aggies needed. It wasn't long after the ball was placed down for the Aggies first down play that Cohen was racing down field for a 59-yard touchdown. The Aggies next drive didn't end as gracefully. Sophomore punter Steven Sawicki had his punt blocked by Keenan Black, which gave the Hornets a 1st-and-10 from the Aggies 28. DSU drove the ball to the 4-yard line but could not convert on a 4th-and-2.
Three plays later Cohen was racing down the field again, this time for his 84-yard TD and a 14-7 Aggies lead.
“We wanted to give the ball to our playmakers to allow them to make a few plays for us today,” said Broadway. “Tarik went out there and made some of those big plays for us today. Those runs really turned the game around for us.”
The first half ended with Bamiro connecting Bell in the back of the end zone for a 28-yard TD reception as the Aggies went into the locker room ahead 21-7. Five minutes into the second half, Keyes made a diving 11-yard TD reception to bring the Aggies total to 28 unanswered points. DSU did finally answer on their next drive as DSU rushed for 81 yards on a 7-play, 92-yard drive that ended with a Mike Waters 1-yard touchdown. But Cartwright put the game away with a 43-yard TD sprint up the middle on a 4th-and-1 that gave the Aggies a 35-14 advantage with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter.
“We didn't play as sharp as we normally play. We didn't play as fast as we normally play. It's was hard to recognize my team out there at times. But heck we won 45-14 and we didn't play very well, so I'm pleased with the win. I'll take it and keep moving forward.”
The next step forward #onthechas3 is in Durham. Follow the Aggies football on Twitter @ncat_football and follow Aggie Athletics on Facebook (@ncatathletics), Twitter (@ncataggies) and Instagram (@ncatathletics).
