Unrelenting wind combined with cold weather and a little bit of

rain did not create the most ideal conditions to play a football

game Saturday.

Unrelenting wind combined with cold weather and a little bit of rain did not create the most ideal conditions to play a football game Saturday.

With this being a homecoming game where sole possession of the conference was up for grabs, the Norfolk State Spartans took the No. 1 spot in the MEAC.

The Aggies football program has improved already this year after going 1-10 last season, as well as posting back to back winless seasons a few year ago. Under first year head coach Rod Broadway, the Aggies have defeated perennial power and defending MEAC co-champion Bethune-Cookman.

However, with all the success that the Aggies short-handed football program generated this year there are times where fans, coaches, and players are reminded of all the shortcomings the program has had to endure over the years .This reminder was evident in the final seconds of their heartbreaking 14-10 loss to the Norfolk State Spartans at William “Dick” Price Stadium on Saturday.

“We ended up getting our [butts] beat. We had another opportunity to win the ball game, just didn’t make enough plays,” said Broadway. “That’s my responsibility. We have to learn how to win the close ball games. I said a number of times if we’re going to be a really good ball team we have to win the close ball games.”

This is the second straight loss for the Aggies who came into the game after losing 35-28 in overtime to Howard. Ironically it was also Howard’s homecoming.

The loss, according to Broadway, was the culmination of all the numerous mistakes they made throughout the game.

“We just didn’t execute,” said a visibly frustrated Broadway.

This is after the Aggies finished just 2 for17 on third downs, had a punt go only a yard giving Norfolk St. the ball on their first possession game at the A&T 10.

The Aggies also allowed quarterback, Lewis Kindle to be sacked seven times. A holding call at the NSU 11 forced the Aggies to be pushed back which later resulted in Kindle turning the ball over on a fumble at the NSU 21 and down by four points.

However, even with all the mistakes the Aggies still had a chance to take control of the game. Jose Garcia-Camacho’s field goal attempt from 44-yards out with a little over twelve minutes remaining in the game was blocked by Jamal Giddens and recovered by Terrence Pugh, keeping the Aggies in a 14-10 deficit.

With one last gasp, the Aggies took over at their own 33-yard line with 2:25 to go. Kindle, who had runs of 7, 6, 20 and 9 yards, set the Aggies up with a 1st-and-10 at the NSU 13 after finding running back Mike Mayhew out in flats. After a quick spike on first down to stop the clock, Kindle threw to the back corner of the end zone to Wallace Miles who could quite haul it in for the go head score.

Next Kindle tried to hook up with Larry Raper but that pass fell incomplete as a Spartan defender tackled him as the ball arrived. The Aggies’ last shot at the win ended with a diving Torrian Warren failing to reel in Kindle’s pass as he went to the ground with what look to be the go head touchdown pass.

“We don’t have anybody to blame but ourselves and our mistakes,” said Broadway.

It was a tough loss for the Aggies considering they outgained Norfolk State in total yards 288 to 265, but were held to 120 yards offense in the second half. Miles led the Aggies with eight catches for 109 yards while linebacker D’Vonte Grant had a season-high 17 tackles and 3 ½ tackles for loss.

This was just the second game of a four-game conference road trip. The loss puts the Aggies (4-4, 3-2) into a log jam for third place in the MEAC, while Norfolk State (7-2, 5-1) stays a half game up on Morgan State for first place in the MEAC.

The Aggies will look to end this slump their in next week as they travel to Tallahassee to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers (5-3, 3-2) another one of the teams looking to gain some separation in the conference.

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• Malcolm Batts, Contributor