Written by Louis Fernandez for WRAL Sports

Durham, N.C.

The N.C. Central Eagles dominated South Carolina State at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on Thursday night, easily defeating the Bulldogs 62-28. This victory brings NCCU’s record to 7-1 for the season and marks their first win against South Carolina State since 2018. The Eagles have also increased their home win streak to nine games.

“I believed the team was prepared to compete tonight. We were aware that we were facing a strong football team, but I felt that we performed well in all aspects of the game,” stated Trei Oliver, head coach of N.C. Central, following the game.

The Eagles managed to score a total of three touchdowns, one on offense (precisely seven points), another on defense (a 20-yard fumble return by Max U’Ren), and the third on special teams (a fumble recovered in the end zone during a kickoff return by Romeo Stancil).

The quarterback, Davius Richard, led the offense with 352 passing yards and seven touchdowns (five passing and two rushing) in a similar fashion as he has throughout the season.

Richard praised his teammates for their exceptional effort, noting that the o-line provided him with ample time to pass the ball to his play makers. He also acknowledged the play makers for their ability to make plays when the ball was in their possession.

The highest score ever achieved by an NCCU team against South Carolina State was 62 points, surpassing the previous record of 48 points set in 2014.

Latrell Collier, the top rusher, left the game during the first drive due to an injury. He only had one run against the Bulldogs. As of Thursday night, there is no new information about his condition. He was able to jog off the field after the incident.

Richard expressed disappointment over losing Mookie (Latrell Collier) and hopes for his quick recovery. Despite this setback, he emphasized the importance of maintaining a high standard and ensuring that all players, including the twos and threes, are aware of it.

The Eagles got off to a strong start, as Richard launched a 60-yard pass down the sideline to J’Mari Taylor for an early 7-0 advantage.

The defense also contributed to the game when junior defensive back Kole Jones caused a fumble with a powerful tackle on a South Carolina State player. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Max U’Ren picked up the loose ball and maneuvered through a group of Bulldogs to score a 20-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 14-0.

However, it was the second quarter that truly sealed the victory. Richard recorded two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns, including a 60-yard throw to Devin Smith and a 30-yard catch-and-run by redshirt sophomore Twan Flip Jr. This gave the team a 41-14 lead going into halftime.

Oliver stated that at halftime, they posed a challenge to their opponents. He acknowledged that the game was not yet finished and recognized their opponents as a formidable football team. He also noted that just as they scored 41 points, their opponents were able to match their score with 41 points as well.

“I was pleased that we maintained our composure and the team continued to persevere.”

The most recent instance where the Eagles achieved a score of 60 or more points was during their 65-7 victory over St. Augustine’s in 2016.

NCCU, currently ranked 10th in the FCS Coaches Poll and 13th in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, has three remaining games on their schedule. This includes a homecoming game next week against Norfolk State at 3:30 p.m.

Source: wralsportsfan.com