Another game of inches

Shock and disbelief  set in on the N.C. Central University sideline Saturday night after redshirt sophomore wide receiver Wallace Miles dived across the goal line to land the N.C. A&T Aggies a 23-17 victory in double overtime. 

It was all joy on the Aggie sidelines at the 82nd meeting of the Aggie-Eagle Classic. 

“This is an unbelievable feeling that I have never had before,” said Miles in the post-game press conference.

the loss marked the second time this season NCCU came away empty-handed in overtime. The 13-10 loss to Morehead State Eagles came after a field goal in double overtime.

It was also the second time this decade the Eagles and Aggies fought into overtime, but in 2002 the Eagles walked away with a 33-30 win.

The Eagles had the Aggies in their sights at the end of the fourth quarter when they came within a yard of a touchdown and walked away with only a field goal, to tie the game at 17-17.

The Aggies then drove into Eagle territory, but A&T freshman place-kicker Patrick Courtney missed 37-yard kick wide left for the win.

During the first overtime the Eagle defense held and forced another missed short field goal from Courtney, in spite of an unsportsmanlike penalty declared on Eagle sophomore cornerback David Ingram.

“When they missed the field goal I just knew we had the game won,” said senior wide receiver Will Scott.

From there the Eagles took over and ran one play, getting the team to the 10-yard line.NCCU now had its first win in its sights.

But one Aggie defender — senior defensive end Jarrell Herring — had other plans.

“I told coach: ‘Run the block scheme to my side so we can block it.’ From there I just imposed my will,” said Herring.

It worked. Herring blocked the field goal and forced a second overtime.         On top of the missed field goal attempt, NCCU was forced to start at the Aggie 40-yard line because of a facemask penalty.

After completing a 5-yard pass, the Eagles decided to go for a 50-yard field goal. Amazingly, it was made by freshman Frankie Cardelle.     
Even more amazingly, a timeout had been called by NCCU head coach Mose Risonright before the play started. 

The field goal was negated and what would have been a 20-17 lead wasn’t.  “We thought perhaps the distance was too long, but we should not have been in that situation anyway,” said Rison.

NCCU sent its offense back on the field to try and convert on 4th and 6. On that play, a screen pass to Scott was broken up. Now the Aggies had the ball on their 25-yard line and the rest was history.“When it was all said and done they came out with the victory,” said Rison.
 

in the first half it looked like the Eagles would be run off the field because of costly turnovers that ended drives and gave the Aggies the ball with a short field.         With just  17 seconds remaining in the first half, A&T had the Eagles down 17-0 lead, but a 2-yard pass by sophomore quarterback  Keon Williams  to senior fullback Saeed Abdul-Azeez ended the half with the Eagles down 17-7.

Will Scott stepped up and put the team on his shoulders throughout the game, catching 5 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown.

“Each week we go into the game saying how we have to get the ball in Will Scott’s hands,” said Rison.

The Aggie offense was led by senior quarterback Carlton Fears and receiver Miles Wallace, who connected for 2 touchdown passes, including the game-winner.
 

“Carlton stepped up big for us he is an incredible talent,” said A&T head coach Alonzo Lee. “This game definitely has great emotions behind it. It’s a rivalry that dates back past the ’60s.”

The game marked the fifth consecutive time that the two arch rivals have played to within a seven- point margin.

Next the Eagles, now 0-5, face Appalachian State, a team that has won three national championships in the last four years and is quarterbacked by FCS offensive player of the year Armanti Edwards.