Stillman-Morehouse Outcome ruled "No Contest"

TUSCALOOSA, AL---After two days of deliberation between Stillman College and Morehouse College the official ruling on the September 8 football game is that of a "no contest".

Officials in the Stillman College Department of Intercollegiate Athletics found a "tie or no contest" rule on page three of the News and Features section in the September 30, 1996 issue of the NCAA News. The rule states that in non conference games, the coaches must agree to either resume or terminate the game. But if they cannot agree (for example, one coach wants to finish the game at a later date and the other wants to declare it over), the game is ruled a "no contest," according to football playing rules.

With 7:15 left to play in the fourth quarter game officials suspended the contest because lightning flashes were spotted. At the time of suspension Morehouse held a 24-21 lead. According to the rule neither the score nor stats of the game will be included in the two teams records.

Whereas, Stillman players took the field in hopes of resuming the game the Morehouse team made the decision not to return.

Before the stoppage of play Morehouse had possesion of the ball on the Stillman 30-yard line with 4th down and 18-yards to go. Around 7:15 pm lightning flashes were spotted around Stillman Stadium and the game was delayed. After about 45-minutes the lightning had stopped.

There was much discussion about the terms "suspended" or "terminated" in describing the outcome of the game. The terminology became the issue and an agreement was never reached. After several discussions between both athletic directors and game officials concerning a way to settle the issue disagreements continued.

Earlier in the game Morehouse jumped out to an early lead. With 7:13 left in the first quarter, Morehouse's Byron Archibald kicked a 18 yard field goal taking a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. With 14:32 left in the second quarter, Morehouse's Chivalrik Daughtry rushed 51 yards for a touchdown. Archibald kicked the field goal making the score 10-3.

At 13:30 in the second quarter Stillman's Riccardo Thomas rushed for 72 yards for a touchdown. Eric Beech kicked the field goal cutting the score to 10-7. At the 10:31 mark Morehouse's Thomas Howard recovered a Tyvun Green fumble and returned it 43 yards for the touchdown. With a little more than three minutes left in the second quarter, Stillman's Tyvonn Green marched the Tigers 80-yards down the field, capping the drive off with a one yard rush for a touchdown. Eric Beech kicked the field goal making the score 17-14.

With 7:57 left in the third quarter, Stillman's Riccardo Thomas ended a three play 21-yard drive with a 9-yards touchdown run. Beech kicked the field goal making the score 21-17.

At 1:06 in the third quarter Nathaniel Zackery put Morehouse back ahead with a two yard touchdown run.

At this time it is not clear if the two schools will face each other on the gridiron in the near future.

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