North Carolina Central and Alabama State each had questions about their respective football teams coming into Sunday’s Orange Blossom Classic in Miami Gardens, Florida.
NC Central got an answer: They can be content with a 31-24 win over the Hornets, starting what they hope will be a journey that ends with a return trip to Atlanta and the Celebration Bowl. Meanwhile, ASU may need to decide just who will lead their offense throughout the remainder of the season.
Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s game.
J’Mari Taylor: Playmaker Extraordinaire
Taylor shared the backfield spotlight with Mookie Collier last season but showed Sunday that he is a weapon that quarterback Walker Harris can count on. Taylor rushed for over 100 yards and collected three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) against a very good Alabama State defense. If Taylor can provide that level of running and receiving excellence, the Eagles become that much harder to beat.
It’s good to have a Walker at quarterback
Walker Harris managed the game as well as NCCU head coach Trei Oliver could hope for, minimizing mistakes and relying on his playmakers (Taylor and wide receiver Joaquin Davis) to get in space and make things happen. No one expected Harris to throw for five touchdowns as he did against Mississippi Valley State last season, but he was calm and composed against one of the top defenses in the country. That calm and composure is what the Eagles will need if they are to win the MEAC this season.
Andrew Body possibly wins the Alabama State quarterback competition
The late, great John Madden once said, “If you’ve got two quarterbacks, you have none.” While Jonah O’Brian might be the better passer at the moment, Body’s athletic ability kept the Hornets in the game until the end, rushing for 134 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. O’Brien threw for more yards, but not that many to make a difference. ASU’s best chance to win is with Body.
NC Central DBs wanted for theft
The North Carolina Central defense as a whole made it difficult for Alabama State to get any type of passing game going, but their defensive backs made two big plays at the beginning and the end of the game. Kole Jones’ pick-six opened up a 21-0 Central lead in the second quarter, while D.J. Estes was in the right place at the right time to grab O’Brian’s wounded duck in the final seconds.
5. North Carolina Central is on a mission
Sure, there are still 10 games or more left in their season, but Trei Oliver’s Eagles are on a quest to regain the crown they lost in a line of Howard University fire last November. Though they had to sweat out the Orange Blossom Classic’s conclusion, it’s clear that NCCU is indeed the best team in the MEAC – and possibly all of HBCU football.
