— NC Central starting QB Davius Richard was an efficient 14 of 23 for 200 yards as the Eagles shut out former CIAA rival Winston-Salem State, 41-0 at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium Saturday evening. The Eagles move to 2-0 after their season opening 28-13 win over former CIAA and MEAC rival NC A&T last week in Charlotte. It’s the first 2-0 start for NC Central since 2006, its last year in the CIAA before joining the MEAC.
— The Eagles scored all seven touchdowns on short runs. Running backs J’Mari Taylor and Latrell Collier both had two scores. Taylor had 7- and 5-yard TD runs while Collier had scoring runs of 6 and 1 yards. Richard scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter. The final score was by Chris Mosley on a 3-yard run with just under three minutes left.
— Collier, a junior from Bluefield, W. Va. and a transfer from Marshall, led the Eagles’ ground attack that finished with 233 yards. He had 118 yards on 13 carries. It was his second 100-yard game as an Eagle. Taylor had 65 yards on 16 carries.
— Back-up quarterback Walker Harris replaced Richard in the fourth quarter and led the Eagles to a late score. The big play in the drive was a 47-yard pass from Harris to Treveyon Pratt that carried to the WSSU 3. Walker went all the way at quarterback in last year’s contest vs. WSSU as Richard was out with an injury. NCCU won a close one, 20-13.
— The NCCU defense, that shut down NC A&T last week, held WSSU to 145 total yards, 124 rushing and just 21 passing yards (5 of 10, 1 interception).
— WSSU’s best and only real opportunity to score came on the game’s opening possession. Starting at their own 28 after the kickoff return, the Rams drove 60 yards in eight plays to penetrate to the NCCU 12. From there, quarterback Richard Lattimer’s pass was picked off in the end zone by NCCU’s Khalil Baker. Baker also had a red zone interception against NC A&T last week.
— The Eagles then drove 80 yards in nine plays to score on Taylor’s 5-yard run.
— NC Central hosts New Hampshire of the CAA next week in Durham at 6 p.m. New Hampshire beat new CAA member Monmouth last week, 31-21 and defeated Bryant of the Big South, 28-23 Saturday.
— WSSU (0-2) plays at Elizabeth City State (0-2) next Saturday at 12 noon.