For over six years, I have waited for
today (Saturday, November 9, 2019). In fact, I have waited since Saturday,
September 14, 2013. On that very date, Central State University’s (CSU)
Football Team hosted its archrival Kentucky State University (KSU). From 2014
through 2017, the annual contest was held in Indianapolis, Indiana. Each of
those seasons, the game was the Circle City Classic College Football Game.
While it was great to see both CSU and KSU playing inside of Lucas Oil Stadium,
one sentiment is for certain. Without any shadow of a doubt, I am extremely
happy that the series has returned to both campuses. Not everyone was able to
attend the Circle City Classic. Many people (myself included) were never in
attendance. Playing in a well-known stadium (such as Lucas Oil Stadium) is an
esteemed accomplishment for any sports team. Therefore, I can only imagine how
proud the student athletes of CSU and KSU must have felt. Now with the game
having been moved back to the actual campuses, the liveliness of each campus
increases significantly. For years, the heated rivalry which exists between CSU
and KSU has been one of the best in all of college sports. It does not matter
that the rivalry is between two NCAA Division 2 Schools. I would put the
rivalry right up alongside that of any rivalry which exists between Power 5
Institutions. That is exactly how much admiration and respect I have for both
schools. Of course, I am a very proud graduate of CSU. Therefore, that goes
without saying.
If
you have never been to a Central State University vs. Kentucky State University
Athletic Game (of any kind), I highly suggest you make it a top priority to do
so. YOU
WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! Kentucky State University won the
Official Coin Toss. However, the Thorobreds elected to defer. Central State
University started on Offense first. After an Illegal Procedure Violation
during the kickoff, KSU had to kick again. Once it was all settled, CSU’s
Offense got started on its own 33-Yard Line. On 2nd Down and 4, the
ball was on the 39-Yard Line. Terraris Saffold took the hand-off. He was almost
tackled for a loss. Instead, Saffold managed to slip away from the defense and
avoided being tackled. Eventually, he was brought down on the 42-Yard Line
(14:13). As the critical 3rd Down and 1 Play was getting started,
penalty flags were thrown. KSU’s Defense committed an Offside Violation. That
penalty gave CSU a First Down on the 47-Yard Line. The Thorobreds’ Defense soon
made another mistake. With 13:32 on the clock, penalty flags were thrown again.
Kentucky State was penalized for Sideline Interference (15-Yard Penalty). As a
direct result, the ball was moved from Central State’s 49-Yard Line to Kentucky
State’s 36-Yard Line. Instead of facing 2nd Down and 8, the
Marauders’ Offense now had a 1st Down and 10.
On
2nd Down and 2 from the 28-Yard Line, Saffold rushed the ball to the
24-Yard Line (12:53). CSU’s good fortunes soon came to an abrupt end. At this
point, matters got very hectic. On 1st Down and 10 from KSU’s
24-Yard Line, Central State’s Quarterback Derell Williams took the
snap-from-center. As he was trying to avoid an oncoming blitz, Williams was
backing up. For a loss of 28-Yards, he went on to be sacked. During the
process, Williams had the ball come loose. Kentucky State’s Jimmy Edmonds
recovered the loose ball. From CSU’s 40-Yard Line, Edmonds proceeded to run
27-Yards. He was tackled on the Marauders’ 13-Yard Line (12:06). At the 11:21
mark, the ball was on the 10-Yard Line. On 2nd Down and 7, KSU’s
Running Back Brendan Lawler took the ball into the end zone. Michael Bobak’s
Extra Point Kick was good. By the score of 7-0, Kentucky State leads Central
State. After the ensuing kickoff, the Marauders’ Offense started from its
18-Yard Line.
Central
State’s Offense instantly made things happen. On 1st and 10,
Williams completed a 13-Yard Pass to Kevin Greenhow (11:09). Williams went on
to complete consecutive passes to Dalane Brown, II (6-Yards) and Greenhow
(6-Yards). CSU soon avoided disaster. On 1st Down and 10 from CSU’s
43-Yard Line, the snap-from-center was high. The Quarterback did not get to
touch the ball. Instead, Saffold grabbed the ball out of the air. Then, he
proceeded to rush the ball to Kentucky State’s 39-Yard Line (18-Yards – 9:14). Saffold
soon came up big again. With the scoreboard reading 7:51, it was now 3rd
Down and 6 from the 35-Yard Line. At the snap, Saffold rushed the ball 9-Yards
(to the 26-Yard Line). From that point, the Marauders went three plays and out.
After a sack on 3rd Down and 10, the Marauders lost 9-Yards. On 4th
Down and 19, CSU’s Isaiah Smith punted the ball (5:43). The punt was short. The
Thorobreds took over on the team’s own 20-Yard Line.
With
5:31 remaining in the 1st Quarter, the ball rested on the 23-Yard
Line. On 2nd Down and 7, Kentucky State’s Quarterback Jaylen Myers
moved the ball 40-Yards. He was brought down on Central State’s 37-Yard Line. The
drive soon experienced some stalling. After two runs, the ball was positioned
on the 31-Yard Line. After the snap on 3rd Down and 4, Isaiah
Jackson rushed the ball to CSU’s 3-Yard Line (28-Yards – 2:48). The next play
ended with Christopher Coneway in the end zone. Bobak’s Extra Point Kick was
good. KSU leads CSU 14-0. As the 1st Quarter came to a close, CSU
faced a critical 4th Down and 1 Play. The ball was on the Marauders’
40-Yard Line. At 8.8-Seconds, Williams
picked up 3-Yards. At 14:19 of the 2nd Quarter, it was now 3rd
Down and 9 from the 44-Yard Line. Williams completed a 16-Yard Pass to Brown,
II. From the Thorobreds’ 40-Yard Line, the Marauders’ Offensive Drive
unraveled. First, Saffold rushed for a loss of 3-Yards. Next, Williams was
sacked. That sack cost CSU 10-Yards. Then, a False Start Violation resulted in
a 5-Yard Loss. On 4th Down and 28 from CSU’s own 42-Yard Line, Smith
was forced to punt (12:32).
After
a high snap, Smith’s punt was a good one. The ball ended up being downed on the
Thorobreds’ 3-Yard Line. KSU soon ended up with some much-needed breathing
room. On 1st and 10, Brett Sylve moved the ball to the 15-Yard line
(12-Yards – 12:13). At the conclusion of the 2nd Down and 9 Play
from the 16-Yard Line, Jackson made his way to the 30-Yard Line. Before the
next play could begin, KSU was penalized for Delay of Game. That 5-Yard Penalty
moved the ball back to the 25-Yard Line. The Thorobreds’ Offense went on to go
three plays and out. On 4th Down and 14 from the 26-Yard Line,
Kentucky State had to punt. Central State took over on its 40-Yard Line. The ball
would never move past the 44-Yard Line. On 4th Down and 6, Smith
punted again (6:17). KSU started its next Offensive Drive from its 21-Yard
Line. The first play had Isaac Fields rushing to the 35-Yard Line. From that
point forward, the ball would go on to only be moved 5-Yards. With 3:37
remaining in the 2nd Quarter, the Thorobreds faced 4th
Down and 5. After the snap-from-center, Bobak punted the ball. Eventually, it
was downed on the Marauders’ 35-Yard Line.
Central
State’s Offense was prevented from moving the ball far. The team went three
plays and out. At the 2:36 mark on 4th Down and 8, the ball was on
the 37-Yard Line. Smith made an excellent 63-Yard Punt. The ball went into the end
zone. On 1st Down and 10 from Kentucky State’s 20-Yard Line, Lawler
ran the ball 37-Yards to CSU’s 43-Yard Line (2:17). With the scoreboard
displaying 49.4-Seconds, KSU faced 3rd Down and 1 on CSU’s 34-Yard
Line. Sylve picked up 9-Yards. Before the First Half ended, the Thorobreds
almost hit pay dirt. On 4th Down and 14 from the 29-Yard Line,
Jaylen Myers threw the ball into the end zone. Jonathan Powell was the intended
receiver. Unfortunately, the pass was incomplete (2.6-Seconds). CSU’s Willie
Johnson knocked the ball down. At the end of the 2nd Quarter and
First Half, KSU leads CSU 14-0. After the Halftime Break, the Thorobreds’
Offense got started on its 35-Yard Line. At the snap, Lawler took the hand-off.
He proceeded to rush to the Marauders’ 30-Yard Line (35-Yards). At that spot,
the Marauders’ Malik Johnson stripped the ball loose. Johnson went on to
recover the loose ball at CSU’s 20-Yard Line (14:45).
Johnson’s
big plays meant nothing. Central State’s Offense went three plays and out. With
the ball on the 21-Yard Line, it was now 4th Down and 9. At 12:41,
Smith made another 63-Yard Punt. The ball was downed on Kentucky State’s
16-Yard Line. Led by Lawler (7-Yards); Sylve (5-Yards and 6-Yards); and Fields
(10-Yards), KSU’s ground game got the ball to the 44-Yard Line. On 2nd
Down and 3 from CSU’s 49-Yard Line, Christopher Coneway obtained the First Down
(4-Yards – 9:34). Next, Fields picked up another First Down. From CSU’s 45-Yard
Line, Fields moved the ball 12-Yards to the 33-Yard Line. An Illegal Formation
Violation and a Holding Penalty would go on to hinder the drive. At the 6:43
mark of the 3rd Quarter, the ball was on CSU’s 39-Yard Line. On 2nd
Down and 16, Myers completed a pass to Powell. Powell was wide-open, and he was
past the defense. When he stopped running, he was standing in the end zone.
Bobak’s Extra Point Kick was good. KSU now leads CSU 21-0.
After
the kickoff, Central State’s Offense got going on its 35-Yard Line. Play soon
got very weird. On 2nd Down and 10, Williams was intercepted by
Kentucky State’s Jacob Abrahms. Abrahms was on his team’s 45-Yard Line. He
returned the ball to Midfield (50-Yard Line). At this point, CSU’s Darius Meadors
forced a fumble. His teammate Darico Ellis recovered the ball at Midfield
(6:27). The Marauders ended up coming out on the winning end of that entire
sequence. With 5:50 remaining in the 3rd Quarter, the ball rested on
the Marauders’ 45-Yard Line. At the snap on 1st Down and 15,
Williams kept the ball. He sprinted his way to the Thorobreds’ 17-Yard Line (38-Yards).
An ensuing Personal Foul Penalty moved the ball back to KSU’s 33-Yard Line. On
3rd Down and 26 from the 33-Yard Line, Williams picked up 21-Yards
(4:41). On 4th Down and 5 from the 12-Yard Line, Williams completed
a Touchdown Pass to Kevin Greenhow (3:53). Once Joshua Nunes’ Extra Point Kick
was successfully completed, KSU’s lead was cut to 21-7. Central State’s Offense
would soon have possession of the ball again.
At
3:48, Kentucky State’s Offense started on its 35-Yard Line. On 1st
and 10, Myers kept the ball. For a loss of 4-Yards, he rushed the ball. Central
State’s Donta Marshall forced Myers to fumble the ball. CSU’s Shemar Moss
recovered the ball on KSU’s 31-Yard Line. On 1st and 10, Williams
completed the 31-Yard Touchdown Pass to Brown, II (3:41). Nunes’ Extra Point
Kick was good. CSU trails KSU 21-14. The Thorobreds’ next Offensive Drive
started on the team’s 33-Yard Line. Three, consecutive runs by Sylve got the
ball to CSU’s 47-Yard Line. The Offensive Drive came down to 3rd
Down and 1 from CSU’s 47-Yard Line. Coneway went on to obtain 2-Yards (1:21).
By the score of 21-14, the 3rd Quarter would go on to end. As the 4th
Quarter got underway, KSU faced another 3rd Down and 1 Play. With the
ball on the 36-Yard Line, Sylve rushed the ball to CSU’s 28-Yard Line (8-Yards –
14:56). At the 13:30 mark, CSU was penalized for a Personal Foul. On top of
that, right before the penalty, Sylve picked up 15-Yards. Sylve moved the ball
from the 25-Yard Line to the 10-Yard Line. The Personal Foul placed the ball on
the 4-Yard Line.
On
3rd Down and Goal, Sylve rushed to the end zone for the 2-Yard
Touchdown (12:04). Bobak’s Extra Point Kick was no good. Regardless, Kentucky
State leads Central State 27-14. With 11:18 on the clock, CSU had to deal with
2nd Down and 8 on its own 35-Yard Line. Williams completed a 20-Yard
Pass to Greenhow. Eventually, Williams went on to be sacked by KSU’s Devante
Wright. That 5-Yard Loss pushed the ball back to Midfield (50-Yard Line). On 4th
Down and 15 from Midfield, Smith punted (9:35). The Thorobreds’ Offense took
over on its 19-Yard Line. On 1st Down, Lawler rushed the ball to the
37-Yard Line (18-Yards – 9:18). The momentum continued on. At the end of the
next play, Sylve obtained a First Down for his team. His 20-Yard Run moved the
ball from KSU’s 37-Yard Line to CSU’s 43-Yard Line. With 6:36 remaining in the
game, the ball was positioned on CSU’s 27-Yard Line. On 3rd Down and
7, Myers completed a Touchdown Pass to Fields. Bobak’s Extra Point Kick was
good. KSU now leads CSU 34-14.
Once
the ensuing kickoff was complete, Central State’s Offense started from its
38-Yard Line. On 1st Down and 10, Williams took the snap. Kentucky
State’s Defense was rushing directly at him. As a result, he was forced to run
backward. Eventually, he had no choice. Williams had to run out-of-bounds
(6:20). On the 24-Yard Line, Williams ran out-of-bounds. On 3rd Down
and 24, the ball was still on the 24-Yard Line. Williams ended up being sacked.
However, flags were thrown (5:41). The Marauders received a huge break. The
Thorobreds’ Defense was penalized for 2-Personal Fouls (Face Mask and
Unsportsmanlike Conduct). For the Marauders, the combined penalties resulted in
a gain of 31-Yards. The ball was placed on KSU’s 45-Yard Line. On 1st
Down and 10, Williams went on to complete a 31-Yard Pass to Greenhow (5:28).
Greenhow was brought down on KSU’s 14-Yard Line. The next play ended with
Williams completing a 6-Yard Pass to Brown, II.
On
2nd Down and 4 from the 8-Yard Line, Williams took the ball into the
end zone (4:26). Nunes’ Extra Point Kick was good. CSU trails KSU 34-21. The
Marauders’ Defense soon made a huge play. The Thorobreds’ Offense had a 1st
Down and 10 on its 25-Yard Line. At 4:12, Sylve rushed the football and he
fumbled. CSU’s Kailen Abrams forced the fumble. His teammate Keandre Powell
recovered the fumble. The play ended on KSU’s 35-Yard Line. The very next play
had Williams being intercepted by KSU’s Nigel Cochran. Unfortunately, the
Thorobreds’ Xavier Johnson was penalized for Pass Interference (4:05). The penalty
moved the ball to the 20-Yard Line. When the next play got going, Williams
almost threw another interception. However, the pass ended up being incomplete.
On 2nd Down and 10, Williams was sacked by KSU’s Antwoine Lloyd for
a loss of 10-Yards. Immediately following the play, flags were thrown. Devante
Wright committed a Personal Foul (Face Mask). The ball was moved to the 10-Yard
Line.
With
3:41 remaining in the game, Central State had a 1st Down and Goal on
Kentucky State’s 10-Yard Line. After the snap-from-center, Williams completed a
6-Yard Pass to Brown, II. The completion moved the ball to the 4-Yard Line. The
next play concluded with an Incomplete Pass. On 3rd Down and Goal,
Williams kept the ball himself. That was a very wise move. Williams took the
ball into the end zone (3:05). Nunes’ Extra Point Kick was good. By only
6-Points, CSU now trails KSU 34-28. After receiving the ball again, KSU was
left with one of two choices. Either get into position to run out the clock, or
leave open the possibility of CSU receiving the ball again. If CSU receives the
ball again, the Marauders would only be left with a small amount of time to
make something happen. At the 1:21 mark, KSU faced 3rd Down and 1
from its 34-Yard Line. Coneway was handed the ball. He proceeded to pick up
5-Yards. With Coneway successfully obtaining a First Down, CSU’s hopes of
making a comeback were officially ended. KSU went on to run the clock out. By
the Final Score of 34-28, the Kentucky State University Thorobreds avenged last
year’s (2018) Home Loss to Central State University.
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