The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WHEN the Bahamas HBCUX Classic kicks off this weekend, one of the teams slated to square off in the showdown will suffer their first loss of the season.

Both the Texas Southern Tigers and Central State Marauders come into the game, slated for September 13 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium, with undefeated records on the line.

The Tigers hosted a successful home debut at BBVA Compass Stadium when they moved to 2-0 on the young season with a 52-14 win over the Texas College Steers.

The Steers led briefly, midway through the first quarter 8-7, but were outscored 44-6 the rest of the way.

Texas Southern’s Jamal Small filled in for injured starting quarterback Homer Causey, and threw three touchdown passes.

Small was 6-of-9 passing for 146 yards for the Tigers, coming off a 37-35 victory over Prairie View in their opener Sunday.

Causey suffered a leg injury in a 37-35 win for the Tigers in week one. His status for this weekend’s game remains uncertain.

It was a breakout performance for Small who threw touchdown passes to Malik Cross, Daveonn Porter and Billy Rosenberg all in the first half.

TSU had a total of 529 yards of total offence with the quarterback combination of Small and Christope finishing the game with a combined 18-of-25 for 284 yards and four touchdowns.

The Tigers, an NCAA Division I programme in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, is coached by Darrell Asberry and will feature a 2014 recruiting class which is ranked among the top 10 historically black colleges and university classes. They will also welcome former Texas A and M linebacker Darian Claiborne to the programme, who will be eligible to play immediately because the Tigers are a member of the Football Championship Subdivision.

Central State, on the other hand, got the Cedric Pearl era off to a winning start with a 28-18 win over the Clark Atlanta University Panthers in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play.

At home in McPherson Memorial Stadium, sophomore quarterback Terrance Wafford led the Mauraders to a combined 422 total offensive yards, including 201 on the ground.

Wafford connected with Leon Chambers for a 67-yard score and would throw his second touchdown pass late in the first half, this time to Christopher Murray.

The Marauders, an NCAA Division II programme in the SlAC, will also feature a pair of preseason SIAC players in tight end Zach Thomas and pass rusher Justin Woods-West.

Thomas, an accounting major from Columbus, Ohio, had 28 receptions for 300 yards last year.

Woods-West, a criminal justice major from Detroit, Michigan, had 42 total tackles, 31 unassisted tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback sacks and four passes defended last year.

The matchup on the field between the Central State Marauders and Texas Southern Tigers is just one of the events that will headline the Bahamas HBCUX Classic September 12-13.

The weekend will get started 8am to 3pm September 12 with a Celebrity Golf Tournament at the One & Only Ocean Club. The tournament will be followed by a “Classic Old-School Party” 9pm until at the Atlantis resort. Game-day will feature a myriad of events beginning at 12pm with the Coca Village Tailgate Party.

The star-studded concert will feature performances from the Bahamas’ hottest recording artists as well as other regional and international acts.

The tailgate party will include a freestyle NPHC Greek stepshow and an appearance by R&B artist Jeremih.

The game takes place at 5pm and will be followed by the highly anticipated Battle of the Bands between Central State’s “Marching Maurauders” and Texas Southern’s “Ocean of Soul.”

Tickets for the event are currently available at the National Sports Authority box office at the TAR Stadium, or can be purchased online at www.nsa-Bahamas.com