South Carolina State QB Cleveland McCoy led a dominant ground game that pounded out 269 rushing yards and the senior scored the game's only TD on a 17-yard first quarter run as the Bulldogs (4-3, 3-1) handed Hampton (7-1, 5-1) its first conference loss in nearly two years and first this season in Orangeburg, SC. McCoy rushed for 114 yards, 106 of them in the first half as the Bulldogs built a 10-6 lead. The 'Dawgs defense then completely shut down and shut out the Pirates in the second half, holding them to 67 total yards and four first downs in four possessions. Hampton's deepest second-half penetration was to the SCSU 49 on its last play from scrimmage, a fourth down pass intercepted by Bulldog rover Marshall McFadden with just over a minute left.

Alabama A&M QB Kelcy Luke's two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game, was stuffed with two minutes left preserving Arkansas-Pine Bluff's narrow victory. The Golden Lions (4-3, 3-2) fell behind 7-0 early on a six-yard Ta'mar Scott run and then scored the game's next 23 points to lead 23-7 after scoring early in the fourth quarter. SWAC rushing leader Martell Mallett went for 123 yards on 20 carries but the Golden Lions scored on two Chris Wallace TD tosses to Jason Jones covering 35 and 63 yards, a 22-yard TD scamper by Dedrick Poole and a John Heflin 48-yard field goal. A&M scored twice in the fourth quarter to set up the dramatic ending. Travis O'Neal hauled in a 48-yard score from Luke with 10.26 left and then Luke capped off a 15-play, 78-yard drive with a seven-yard TD run.

© 2006 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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