Today, for both North Carolina A&T and Tennessee State, it was the dawn of a new era. For North Carolina A&T, Shawn Gibbs returned to the Aggies in hopes of restoring the glory they accrued during their MEAC championships and Celebration Bowl runs. Meanwhile, Reggie Barlow leads a Tennessee State program that found immense success with Eddie George, including winning a share of the OVC-Big South Championship as well as clinching a bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs.
Although both Tennessee State and North Carolina A&T both do not compete in HBCU conferences, we rarely see them play against each other. But today, both teams had the opportunity to start their new eras against one another. Ultimately, Tennessee State emerged victorious, but they certainly had to earn the victory against Gibbs’ Aggies.
North Carolina A&T found pay dirt first off of Wesley Graves’ 40-yard run that ended a nine-play, 85-yard drive. Tennessee State wasn’t to be denied, though, with six minutes and 51 seconds left in the first quarter. Tennessee State quarterback Jonathan Palmer found Devaughn Slaughter for an 82-yard touchdown pass to knot the game at 7-7. Tennessee State would then take the lead off a Freddie Perez 41-yard field goal to go up 10-7. But Braxton Thomas for North Carolina A&T capped off a four-play, 33-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run that put the Aggies up 14-10…