Tag: North Carolina Central

Duke volleyball defeats NC Central in ‘Battle for Bull City’ exhibition match

The Duke volleyball season won’t officially get underway until next Friday, but the Blue Devils swept NC Central in a Wednesday exhibition.

The Duke volleyball team looked as good as it could in Wednesday’s exhibition against NC Central, sweeping the Eagles in three sets as the Blue Devils tune up for the 2024 season.

The game, dubbed ‘The Battle of Bull City’ on social media since both schools are in Durham, took place in NC Central’s home arena, McDouald-McLendon Arena.

The Blue Devils got off to a 9-2 start in 2023, winning nine consecutive matches over schools like Creighton, Michigan, Michigan State, and West Virginia. They finished the year 19-10 after 10 wins in conference play, their first double-digit ACC slate since 2018.

The Blue Devils need to replace outside hitter Gracie Johnson, who co-led the team with 356 kills last season, and setter Emma Worthington’s team-leading 1,013 assists after both players exhausted their eligibility. Outside hitter Kerry Keefe (the other Blue Devil with 356 kills in 2023) returns for her junior season, though, and senior Rachel Richardson (157 kills in 2023) should be a major factor again.

The Blue Devils face Colgate on August 30 for the first official match of the year, the first of three consecutive days with a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke battles Kansas on August 31 before playing South Carolina on September 1.

Former Duke safety Isaiah Fisher-Smith commits to North Carolina Central

Less than an hour after wide receiver Mehki Wall committed to North Carolina Central, former Duke safety Isaiah Fisher-Smith also joined the Eagles.

Former Duke safety Isaiah Fisher-Smith announced his commitment to North Carolina Central through social media on Wednesday.

Fisher-Smith spent four seasons with the Blue Devils starting in 2020. Across his time in Durham, he racked up 29 total tackles and a pass deflection. His most productive season came as a sophomore in 2021 when he recorded 15 tackles, including three against both North Carolina A&T and Kansas.

A former three-star prospect, Fisher-Smith was 247Sports’ 82nd-ranked safety in the Class of 2020.

Fisher-Smith wasn’t the only Blue Devil to join the Eagles on Wednesday. Less than an hour before the safety announced his commitment, former Duke wide receiver Mehki Wall also declared he would join NCCU next season. Wall spent two seasons with Duke, redshirting in 2022 before catching six passes last season.

https://twitter.com/IsaiahfisherSm1/status/1786144476831879462

Fisher-Smith and Wall became the first Duke transfers since the Blue & White Game to commit to a new program. Five other Blue Devils have entered the portal since the spring scrimmage.

Former Duke wide receiver Mehki Wall commits to North Carolina Central

Former Duke wide receiver Mehki Wall, who caught six passes for 38 yards as a freshman last season, committed to NCCU on Wednesday.

Former Duke wide receiver Mehki Wall found his next home.

On Wednesday, the former Blue Devil announced through social media that he committed to North Carolina Central for his next collegiate stop.

Wall caught six passes for 38 yards as a redshirt freshman last season. Five of those receptions came against Virginia on November 18, when he racked up 36 yards and caught his only collegiate touchdown thus far.

As a high school recruit, the 5-foot-9 North Carolina native was a three-star prospect and the No. 86 receiver in the Class of 2022.

Wall is one of seven Blue Devils to venture into the transfer portal since the Blue & White Game. He entered the portal on April 24.

None of the other six recent transfers have found a new school yet. Wall is one of two Duke receivers to enter the portal in the last two weeks along with former teammate Apollos Cook.

Former Tennessee tight end Miles Campbell commits to new school

Former Tennessee tight end Miles Campbell commits to a new school.

Former Tennessee tight end Miles Campbell announced his commitment to North Carolina Central University.

“Thankful for the opportunity to put on for the culture,” Campbell announced.

Campbell entered the NCAA transfer portal Dec. 5, 2022.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Campbell appeared in five games for the Vols from 2021-22. He did not record any receiving statistics, while totaling 25 yards on two kickoff returns.

He played for Josh Heupel at Tennessee. Heupel has compiled a 18-8 (10-6 SEC) record in two seasons as the Vols’ head coach. He was hired as Tennessee’s head coach in Jan. 2021.

Campbell came to Tennessee from South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Georgia.

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North Carolina Central ruins Deion Sanders’ last game at Jackson State with OT win

North Carolina Central wins the HBCU Championship by downing Deion Sanders and Jackson State

North Carolina Central saw victory erased as time elapsed at the end of regulation in the Celebration Bowl Saturday.

The Eagles remained calm, driving for a touchdown in overtime to ruin the end of the Deion Sanders era at Jackson State, 41-34.

The Tigers, who came in undefeated, had forced overtime on the final play of regulation when Shedeur Sanders threw a TD pass to Travis Hunter. They went for the PAT to send the game to the extra session rather than try to win it with a 2-point conversion.

In the extra period, Davius Richard scored on a 1-yard run and the Eagles kicked the PAT.

The Tigers’ drive ended with a pair of incompletions, one that saw sophomore tight end Hayden Hagler drop a potential TD pass in the end zone. The second pass from Shedeur Sanders was errant and North Carolina Central was the HBCU champs.

The Tigers named T.C. Taylor to replace Deion Sanders as head coach. Deion Sanders is taking over as head coach at the University of Colorado and bringing many Jackson State players with him to Boulder.

 

North Carolina Central uses Philly Special to build 7-point lead over Jackson State

North Carolina Central grabs the lead in the Celebration Bowl

North Carolina Central was doing its best to ruin Deion Sanders’ exit from Jackson State and the Tigers’ hopes for a perfect season.

The Eagles drove 73 yards over 11 plays in the fourth quarter to take the lead, 34-27.

Latrell Collier finished the drive with a 7-yard run. The Eagles borrowed from the Philadelphia Eagles with a “Philly Special” on the 2-point conversion and it worked.

Jackson State vs North Carolina Central Cricket Celebration Bowl Prediction Game Preview

Jackson State vs North Carolina Central game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Saturday, December 17

Jackson State vs North Carolina Central prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Cricket Celebration Bowl, Saturday, December 17

Jackson State vs North Carolina Central Cricket Celebration Bowl Prediction Game Preview

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Jackson State vs North Carolina Central How To Watch

Date: Saturday, December 17
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Jackson State (12-0), North Carolina Central (9-2)
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Jackson State vs North Carolina Central Cricket Celebration Bowl 5 Things To Know

Cricket Celebration Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

– Coach Prime has one more game at Jackson State. Deion Sanders has cranked it up as the new head coach at Colorado, instantly making it one of the hottest programs in college football – at least when it comes to the attention along with the interest from potential transfers. It’ll be TC Taylor’s job once this is over, but first …

– Sanders has some unfinished business. Last year’s Jackson State team got to the Celebration Bowl with a high-powered offense along with an 11-1 record and a whole lot of swagger. Oliver Pough’s South Carolina State team had other ideas on the way to a dominant 31-10 win. This time around, Sanders and his Tigers are trying to finis off a perfect season.

– This time around it’s North Carolina Central that’s trying to take down the might Jackson State team. It lost two early games – including a 26-24 loss to South Carolina State – before finding its footing on the way to a strong 9-2 season and the MEAC title.

– North Carolina Central won two Black College Division II national titles in the mid-2000s – and split one in 1954 – before making the move up to the MEAC in 2010. The 2016 team got to the Celebration Bowl but lost to Grambling State, meaning the pressure is on now because ….

– The MEAC is 5-1 in Celebration Bowl over the SWAC. That loss by the Eagles is the MEAC’s lone blemish. No matter what, expect a whole lot of scoring, a whole lot of offense, and one of the most entertaining all-around games on a Saturday loaded with bowls and key NFL matchups.

– CFN Expert Picks: Bowl Games December 16th-19th

Why Jackson State Will Win The Cricket Celebration Bowl

The offense gets all the headlines – along with the head coach – but it’s the defense that’s been able to take the team to a whole other level.

The Tigers have the best defense in the FCS, allowing just 233 yards and 11.2 points per game thanks to a killer pass rush that averages an FCS-best 3.9 an outing. The pressure will keep on coming, but that’s not a concern on the other side.

North Carolina Central will bring the offense, but it doesn’t generate nearly enough of a pass rush to bother Shedeur Sanders and a passing game that doesn’t hit a whole lot of big plays, but spreads it around and keeps on coming averaging close to 300 yards per outing.

Relentless, the Tigers can take over fast if the offense gets clicking right away. However …

Why North Carolina Central Will Win The Cricket Celebration Bowl

The great Jackson State defense was pushed a wee bit by Southern in the regular season finale.

The Tigers were never in any real danger, and they generated three picks, but they were also run on a bit and gave up a season-most 217 passing yards. Now they have to deal with NCCU QB Davius Richardson who threw for close to 2,500 yards with 24 touchdowns and ran for 691 yards and 13 scores.

Richardson is a big playmaker of an offensive weapon, he’s got a strong back in Latrell Collier to take some of the heat off, and no one in the FCS was better at keeping the chains moving on third downs.

No, the Eagles don’t have Jackson State’s pass rush, but they hold tough in the red zone, are great against the run, and they come up with the big plays that should be there against an attack that turned it over 20 times this year.

Cricket Celebration Bowl Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History

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Liberty’s Darius McGee defies logic, nets ridiculous 3-pointer with defender draped all over him

What a bucket!

Well, if you can’t get a clear shot to the hoop, you can always use your opponent to help set up the bucket. That’s exactly what Liberty’s Darius McGee did Monday night against North Carolina Central to notch a trey to widen the Flames’ lead on the Eagles.

On the play, McGee drove the basketball through North Carolina Central’s tight defense, but couldn’t find an open space to get his shot off. While being covered by an Eagles defender, McGee decided to leverage against his defender and crank out the 3-pointer anyway.

It’s as good a shot as you’ll see of someone who has no business making a bucket from beyond the arc while being defended.

If you’re going to make a contested shot, you might as well do it in style. McGee has to be proud that this one went in, and the Flames fans sure enjoyed it.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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