LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA. (September 17, 2008) – The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania football team invades Durham County Stadium to meet reigning CIAA champion Shaw University Saturday afternoon beginning at 4:00 p.m. The game can be heard live at www.brandywineradio.com with Ryan Messick calling all of the action. (GAME NOTES)
Both teams enter the game coming off losses. Lincoln lost 63-0 to Fayetteville State last week. Shaw dropped a 40-29 decision to Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team Texas Southern University in the Capital City Classic in Sacramento (Calif.). Shaw is the second consecutive opponent Lincoln will face that played a FCS team the week before.
In addition to playing in California, Shaw has played games in Georgia and Florida this season. This will be the first meeting between the two schools since a 10-7 Shaw victory in 1960.Lincoln has enjoyed the upper-hand in the series between the two schools, winning nine of the 16 games played.
This has been a weird series – one that began in 1919. Both teams have combined for 11 shutouts against each other. Seven of Lincoln's victories in the series have been by shutout. This game will count as a CIAA conference game for Shaw, which is playing its home opener.
The Lions (1-2 overall) will look to freshman linebacker and business major Bruce Lee Sterile (Miami, FL/North Miami Beach) to lead them against the formidable Bears. Sterile leads Lincoln in tackles with 19. Sophomore defensive back and health science major Chris Richards (Philadelphia, PA/Penn Wood) and sophomore linebacker Brandon McElwee (Gloucester City, N.J./Gloucester City Junior and Senior HS) (Gloucester City, NJ/Cloucester County) have 18 tackles each for Lincoln, which has recorded at least one sack in each of its three games. Lincoln has scored a non-offensive touchdown in two of its three games.
Sophomore wide receiver and physical education major Trey Thomas (Canton, GA/Woodstock) (Canton, GA/Woodstock) leads the Lincoln offense. He has 19 catches in three games. Thomas has had a big play in each of Lincoln's first three games. He had a 28-yard reception against George Mason, caught two touchdowns against Southern Virginia and returned a kickoff 61 yards against Fayetteville State.
Shaw has been pretty successful since reinstating football in 2002, winning two CIAA championships, including last year's. The Bears return most of their team from last season including reigning CIAA Defensive Player of the Year Louis Ellis. He anchors a defense that has allowed 1.7 yards per carry. Texas Southern became the first team to rush for 100 yards against Shaw. The Bears allowed 19th-ranked Albany State 54 yards in a 27-10 loss and Edward Waters 32 yards on the ground in a 55-13 victory.
Monte Coleman (22 tackles) and Gerard Jones (20) have been perfect complements to Ellis. Martell Braxton has two sacks to lead the Bears.
Offensively, the Bears average 31.3 points per game. Shaw has been whistled for 30 penalties, an average of 10 per game. Johnny Wooten (69.3 yards per game) and Raymon Williams (63.7) have combined for 58 of Shaw's 115 rushing attempts. Shaw likes to run the ball as evidenced by it averaging 158.7 yards per game. The Bears only victory this season was a 55-14 decision over Edward Walters College.
Lincoln's next game will be against Livingstone College next Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Avon Grove High School. Meanwhile, Shaw will remain home and host Bowie State University.
NOTES: Fans can listen to a recap of the Fayetteville State game and a preview of the Shaw contest on the weekly Coaches Corner show on www.brandywineradio.com Thursday September 18, 2008 beginning at 5:00 p.m. with Doug Stirling and Rob Knox. In addition to listening to Lincoln head coach O.J. Abanishe's comments, sophomore women's soccer player Shaynita Blanchard (Portmore, Jamaica/Archbishop Carroll) will share some insights into the women's soccer program and her career goals during the weekly student-athlete feature.
Founded in 1854, Lincoln University is the first historically black institution of higher education and its graduates include such luminaries as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American justice of the United States Supreme Court, and acclaimed poet and author Langston Hughes. Lincoln University is nationally regarded for producing African Americans with undergraduate degrees in the physical sciences.
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