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Direct Link to Tennessee State/Tennessee Tech Stream
The OVC Football "Game of the Week" series on ESPN3 returns on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. CT when Tennessee Tech hosts Tennessee State in the first Conference game of the season.
This contest is the second of an exclusive nine-game package that will air on ESPN3 this season.
The games will be produced by WebStream Sports, an Indianapolis-based company which is a proven leader in video production, streaming video and content creation. The company, founded in 2006, produces more than 1,000 events annually and has also served as a web streaming consultant for the OVC for the past year. The OVC and WebStream have agreed to a three-year production agreement that will feature at least eight football games over each of the next three years.
Kevin Ingram, host of "The Wake Up Zone" on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, will handle play-by-play duties while Bob Belvin, Sports Director for 100.7 FM/AM 540 (ESPN Clarksville), will provide analysis. The duo worked together last year in the league's TV package.
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of global sports events annually and accessible online via WatchESPN.com, on smart phones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members and on Apple TV. It is currently available in more than 85 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.
GAME PREVIEW
Tennessee State Tigers (2-1, 0-0 OVC)
at Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (2-1, 0-0 OVC)
Saturday, Sept. 21 • 7:00 p.m. CT
Tucker Stadium (16,500) • Cookeville, Tenn.
TV:...................................................................... ESPN3
Live Stats:
http://livestats.prestosports.com/ttusports/fball
Series Record:...................... Tennessee State leads 16-10
Last Meeting:.......... Tennessee State won 22-21 (10/27/12)
Rod Reed at Tennessee State:...................... 18-18 (4 yrs.)
Rod Reed Overall:................................................... same
Watson Brown at Tennessee Tech:................ 30-40 (7 yrs.)
Watson Brown Overall:......................... 124-191-1 (29 yrs.)
Tennessee State Last Week: W, 26-16 vs. Jackson State (in Memphis)
Tennessee Tech Last Week:.............. W, 30-27 at Hampton
GAME NOTES: In-state rivals Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech will meet in the first OVC football game of the 2013 season on Saturday night. The game is part of the “OVC Game of the Week” package that will air on ESPN3. The Tigers have won seven of the last nine in the series including 22-21 in Hale Stadium on the TSU campus a season ago. That game came down to the final play of the game as A.C. Leonard caught a touchdown pass from Michael German and Jamin Godfrey added the winning extra point with no time on the clock. German finished the day with 294 passing yards while Trabis Ward rushed for 129 yards. Darian Stone led the TTU attack, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for a team-high 86 yards and another score. Godrey was named National Specialist of the Week after converting on five field goals in the contest (37, 32, 27, 41 and 22). The game is a part of the annual Sgt. York Trophy series, competed for by the four OVC football-playing schools in the state of Tennessee. Tennessee State has taken home the trophy each of the last two years (sharing the title with TTU in 2011 and UTM last season) while Tennessee Tech has not taken home the trophy since 2009.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE STATE: Tennessee State won its second-straight game by topping Jackson State 26-16 in the Southern Heritage Classic held at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis on Saturday. The tough TSU defense forced six turnovers, including five interceptions to improve to 2-1 on the season. Included in the interceptions was one that Daniel Fitzpatrick returned 50 yards for at touchdown to put TSU up 26-10 midway through the fourth quarter. David Van Dyke also picked off a pass for the third-straight game and currently leads all FCS players in that category (1.0/game). As a team the Tigers rank third nationally in total defense (261.0 yards/game allowed) and sixth in scoring defense (11.7 points/game allowed). After being suspended for the first two games of the season, junior quarterback Michael German returned to action, coming off the bench to pass for 42 yards and rush for a touchdown. TSU got productive running games once again from the duo of Telvin Hooks (92 yards) and Tim Broughton (91 yards). Kicker Jamin Godfrey, who ranks third nationally in field goals (2.3 made/game) connected from 26, 23, 29 and 42 yards in the contest. Godfrey is now 13 points away from fourth on the TSU career scoring list.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH: Tennessee Tech bounced back from its loss to FBS foe Wisconsin with a 30-27 road victory over Hampton, who was its first FCS opponent of the season. Trailing 20-10 in the third quarter, the Golden Eagles scored 20 unanswered points to win the game. The win snapped a six-game losing streak on the road dating back to the beginning of the 2012 season. Tech was able to limit the Hampton rushing attack to just 55 yards on 29 carries (1.9 ypc). Bill Dillard led the defense with eight tackles and a fumble recovery. Cody Matthews finished the game by catching nine passes for 114 yards and a touchdown; his touchdown catch of 32 yards came on a 4th-and-14 play with just over four minutes to play in the game. Junior Cody Forbes rushed for a career-best 73 yards on 19 carries; he leads the team with 155 yards (51.7/game) on the season. Ladarius Vanlier had an 80-yard kickoff return in the third quarter that helped start the comeback; Vanlier ranks 27th nationally in all-purpose yards/game (140.67). As a team Tech ranks second nationally in punt returns (27.8 yards/return) and fourth in net punting (42.31 yards/punt).