Stories We Tell

By Kamryn Jackson

The Eagles went home in victory with a 30-16 score.

In a packed Truist Stadium with more than 15,000 fans ready to witness the storied rivalry game between the North Carolina A&T Aggies and the North Carolina Central Eagles, North Carolina A&T’s offense couldn’t muster up 60 passing yards, proving for the second time this season that their passing game is not good enough yet to climb the ranks of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).

Despite the home-field advantage, the Aggies fell to the Eagles 30-16 in their most highly anticipated game of the season, the annual Aggie-Eagle Classic.

After falling behind early, the Aggies went head 16-14 late in the second quarter, but the Eagles reclaimed the lead with a field goal in the quarter’s final seconds to go up 17-16 at halftime. The Eagles never trailed again and cruised the rest of the way. 

Both teams got off to a slow start, beginning their first drives with three-and-outs. But the Eagles got on the board first after a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Davius Richard.

Richard finished the game passing 15 of 23 for 127 yards and two rushing touchdowns, proving to be just as much of a threat on the ground as he is in the air. 

Redshirt freshman Eli Brickhandler started for the Aggies but was quickly subbed out for redshirt sophomore Zachary Yeager after passing 0 of 2 and fumbling the ball in the opening minutes of the first quarter.

Brickhandler put up 16 passing yards in two games, which is unprecedented for a Division I quarterback. 

Although Yeager performed better than Brickhandler, the passing game for the Aggies still struggled, as Yeager went 7 for 14 for just 51 yards and no touchdowns. 

Aggies head coach Vincent Brown admits his squad has work to do to improve the passing game, and it starts with the quarterbacks fine-tuning their decision-making.

“There are some schematic things we must do to get the ball into our playmakers’ hands,” Brown said. “Part of it is the quarterbacks’. They have to get the ball out of their hands on time.”

Although the Aggies lack in their passing offense, their run game is promising and kept them afloat in the first half. Tailbacks Kenji Christian and Wesley Graves combined for 167 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Christian and Graves performed well, but the lack of passing made the Aggies’ offense too predictable. A&T had 30 rushing attempts, twice as many as their passing attempts. And the Eagles were ready for it.

The Eagles pulled away in the second half and cemented themselves as the better team. 

Eagles running back Latrell Collier scored first in the second half with a 5-yard touchdown run, followed by a failed two-point conversion.

Richard would score the game’s final points with an 8-yard touchdown run. 

Despite the 0-2 start, Brown remains optimistic about the team’s next game against Elon University, as he believes it’ll be a more even match-up for the Aggies.

“We’re very excited about it,” Brown said. “I think there are a lot of similarities with our team’s. You never really know what the outcome will be when facing an FBS team [UAB] or a team that happens to be one of the better teams in FCS football and your arch-rival [NCCU]. 

“Now we go into conference play and can really see where we stand as a team.” 

The Aggies will face Elon University in Rhodes Stadium on Sept. 16 in their first CAA match-up.