Boxscore

RALEIGH, N.C. – Playing its first ever football contest on campus, Saint Augustine's College put together a complete game to knock off Johnson C. Smith University 34-15 Saturday (Oct. 22) in front of an overflowing Homecoming crowd at the George Williams Athletic Complex estimated at 5,126.
 
The Falcons got contributions from all three phases – offense, defense and special teams. CIAA passing leader Teddy Bacote (Soph./Hampton, Va.) threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns, and Deonte Toliver (Redshirt Jr./Gaithersburg, Md.) rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons, who gained 332 offensive yards and were 4-for-4 in red zone scoring chances.
 
Defensively, Chaz Robinson (Soph./Hampton, Va.) had a game-high 16 tackles and led a defense which slowed quarterback Keahn Wallace, the CIAA total offense leader who passed for 195 yards and two interceptions. Michael Lima (Redshirt Fr./Miami, Fla.) booted two field goals for the first time in his short career, including a 44-yarder which was two yards off the modern school mark.
 
It all added up to a historic win over an improved Johnson C. Smith squad.
 
“We came out to make history,” St. Aug Head Coach Michael Costa said. “Opening up on our home field, we didn't want to be losers.”
 
Led by Wallace, a hot-shot freshman quarterback, the Golden Bulls (4-4 overall, 3-2 CIAA) entered the contest on a two-game winning streak. But they ran into a fired-up Falcons squad on a special day.
 
Lima gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead on his 44-yard field goal early in the first quarter. It was the first points scored at the stadium.
 
The Falcons scored their first touchdown in the Williams Complex with 10 seconds left in the first quarter. Bacote found Jamian Smith (Sr./Kenansville, N.C.) for a four-yard pass for a 10-0 lead. Derrick Manning (Jr./Waldorf, Md.) set up the score with an interception.
 
The Golden Bulls scored on a 45-yard field goal, but the Falcons answered with a 35-yard field goal by Lima set up by Jermaine Jones' (Redshirt Soph./Wilmington, N.C.) 58-yard kickoff return.
 
Leading 13-3 at halftime, the Falcons scored on the opening drive of the third quarter. Bacote connected with Brian Richards (Redshirt Soph./Waldorf, Md.) for a 10-yard touchdown to make the score 20-3.
 
The Golden Bulls answered by scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, but they missed the extra point. Leading 20-9, the Falcons turned to their ground attack. Toliver, who has played sparingly due to a preseason injury, scored twice as the Falcons took command.
 
His two-yard run in the third quarter after Brian Jones' (R-Soph./Warner Robins, Ga.) 30-yard interception return extended the lead to 27-9. He added an electrifying 57-yard run in the fourth quarter to push it to 34-9. The Golden Bulls added a late touchdown, but the outcome was pretty much decided at that point.
 
The victory satisfied the crowd, who headed to the tailgate areas afterward. Many had waited anxiously to see the Falcons play in their own stadium since football returned in 2002.
 
Costa received the traditional Gatorade bath after the victory. School president Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber, responsible for bringing football back to St. Aug, was given the game ball.
 
“We want to thank the President, the Board of Trustees and everybody else who supported us,” Costa said. “We are thankful for the vision Dr. Suber had and followed up on it.”
 
George Williams, the iconic track coach and school's athletic director whom the stadium is named after, was overjoyed by the win. Williams, Dr. Suber and Board of Trustee President Hilton Smith each spoke at halftime.
 
The Falcons (3-5 overall, 2-3 CIAA) snapped a three-game losing streak. They are home for the second consecutive week next Saturday (Oct. 29), hosting Livingstone on Senior Day starting at 1:30 p.m.