GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T has lost to its chief rival in football, North Carolina Central University (NCCU), in four consecutive games after Saturday evening's result at Truist Stadium. The last two have been particularly rough for the university that resides on the east side of Greensboro, NC.
The NCCU Eagles proved unstoppable offensively, compiling 745 yards of offense in a 62-20 win over the Aggies. It marked the second straight game the Eagles were able to compile more than 60 points against A&T. The Eagles have won the last two matchups by 42 points, the largest margin of victory for the Eagles in the 98th meeting between the two heated rivals.
"We weren't prepared for the moment. We didn't respond well," said A&T head coach Shawn Gibbs. "We didn't do a good job of tackling. We beat ourselves. (Head coach Trei Oliver) has a good football team and a good program. They're well coached. We have a lot of work to do before we can defeat a team like that."
A&T received some positive news amid challenges at the quarterback position. Redshirt sophomore Kevin White, the Aggies starter to open the 2024 season, made the start on Saturday after sustaining a severe leg injury during spring practice. White's return proved timely, considering there are five other quarterbacks on the roster dealing with injuries.
In addition, this time last season, White endured a season-ending injury at the hands of the same Eagles team in Durham. On Saturday, he completed 10 of 16 passes for 232 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. NCCU sacked him four times.
"I really wish we didn't have to play Kevin," said Gibbs. "He had a pretty bad injury in the spring that needed surgery. But he worked his butt off to recover and has been working hard all summer and all fall camp. The doctors cleared him, so hats off to him because he went out there when a lot of guys wouldn't have."
While A&T had an effective passing game. The running game never got established on Saturday. NCCU held A&T to 42 yards rushing while compiling 342 yards on the ground, led by Chris Mosley's 168 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Mosley also caught four passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Arthur Rodgers added 129 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
"Whenever you're watching a football game and you see someone running through untouched, that means someone wasn't in their gap or someone got dominated on a block," said Gibbs. "When he is running to the edge, and he doesn't have to cut up or break stride, that means we're not setting edges. That's not him, that's us.
I don't want to take anything away from Chris because he is a good back. I'm going to be excited to follow him for the rest of the season. I wish him nothing but the best. But how hard is it when there's nobody out there?"
NCCU took command of the game early in a first quarter that oddly featured the Eagles scoring on two safeties. Before the first safety, Mosley scored on the second play of the game with a 53-yard TD run. Before the second safety, Mosley scored on a 14-yard run as the Eagles went into the second quarter leading 17-0. Rodgers added to the Eagles lead with a 1-yard touchdown run before the Aggies offense registered a response.
White rolled to the right and found graduate wide receiver Jamison Warren in the back of the end zone for a 9-yard TD throw. It was set up by a 50-yard completion to redshirt junior Amonte Jones, where Jones caught a bubble screen at the A&T 39-yard line and sprinted to the NCCU 9.
After Mosley scored on a 50-yard TD reception from NCCU quarterback Walker Harris, White had another big completion to Rucker. It went for 56 yards, setting up a nifty 2-yard TD run from White to bring the Aggies to within 17 at halftime, 31-14. But it was all NCCU from there, with the Aggies' only second-half score coming from a 21-yard fumble return for a touchdown by graduate defensive end Tim Alderman.
Alderman also had two sacks, and redshirt junior Jonathan Kimbrough-Campbell led A&T with a career-high 15 tackles. Harris added to the Eagles' offensive prowess with 380 yards passing and three touchdowns on 22-for-29 passing.
"I'm not worried about anything. That's not how I operate," said Gibbs. "When I go into any game the rest of the season, I'm going in there to win it. I'm definitely concerned about us being the best version of ourselves in each and every game. But I'm not going to back down.
That's not in my nature. I'm going to put my foot forward and swing against anyone we face, and I need to get my team to take on that same attitude."
A&T returns to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play at Maine when they take on the Bears at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, September 27, inside Alfond Sports Stadium.
