After defeating the North Carolina Central Eagles (NCCU), the N.C. A&T Aggies plan to keep the momentum going for their first Big South Conference home game.

The atmosphere was electrifying returning to Aggieland for the first time since Nov. 2019. What’s a better way to have the first game without the cheerleaders along with the band and Golden Delights? There isn’t one. The game would be incomplete without the interactive student body, alumni, and parents. 

In last week’s game against NCCU, N.C. A&T rushed for 254 yards and averaged 6.9 yards per carry ending the game 37-14. The Aggies got back to what they do best, which is running the ball and playing good defense up front. 

COVID-19 and injuries took a significant toll on the Aggies for these past few weeks, and many players returned for the game against Central, such as defensive end, Jermaine Mcdaniel and cornerback, Amri McNeill.

Quarterback Jalen Fowler also made his return after missing the Duke game two weeks ago from an injury. Fowler made smart decisions this entire game, as he completed 64 percent of his passes and didn’t throw any interceptions. 

When playing against Central, four different running backs carried the ball for the Aggies. Running back Kashon Baker led the running game with his first career 100-yard game in the first half. In the first quarter, Baker set the tone with a 47-yard touchdown run, giving the Aggies a 10-0 lead.

The Eagles had a difficult time going up against N.C. A&T’s defensive front, as they were held to 52 yards rushing. The Eagles struggled in getting the ball to the end zone until the fourth quarter. They ended the streak of 12 straight quarters without a touchdown against the Aggies. Linebackers Joseph Stuckey and Jacob Roberts led the defensive line with three solo tackles. 

The team is ready for their new conference play against Robert Morris and hope to treat this conference like they treated the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference (MEAC).

The Robert Morris Colonials are two games into their season. The Colonials are not off to a great start on the road. They were defeated by Central Michigan University and were not able to get any points on the board losing 45-0.

This match-up against Central Michigan was only the Colonials second time playing a school in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). Wide receiver Dallas Dixon surfaced as a major threat for the Colonials. Dixon had five clutch catches with 73 yards. He ended the game with two touchdowns.

On the defensive end, Jamar Shegog has 24 tackles and got his first sack during the Central Michigan game. He sat out his freshman season and plans to be the leader of Robert Morris’ defensive core. 

Robert Morris is currently in a trial and error stage. They have been taking a chance on 10 new starters. Freshman defensive back William Barber got his first start along with two other freshmen offensive lineman Ryan Liams and wide receiver Jaylon Brown.

At home, the Colonials were victorious over the Howard Bisons winning the game 22-16. In this exhibition, they began to catch fire in the second quarter scoring back-to-back. As the fourth quarter concluded, they scored one last time to seal their victory. 

The fourth quarter was also a display of how well their defense plays under pressure while keeping Howard away from their endzone. 

Kickoff for the Aggies and Colonials will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. N.C. A&T fans can also cheer at home by tuning into ESPN 3.