NC Central rides five takeaways to blowout win over Norfolk State
N.C. Central put up big numbers on both sides of the ball and eased past Norfolk State, 36-6, on Saturday.
The Eagles (3-3, 2-1 MEAC) finished with five takeaways, including three interceptions.
“We really came out and played with a lot of energy,” NCCU head coach Granville Eastman said. “This was a great defensive team effort. The coaches worked to put together a good, sound plan.”
One of the picks, by senior safety Jaquell Taylor, came with the Spartans in the red zone. That play set up a 93-yard pass from Chauncey Caldwell to tight end Sherman McLeod, which the program said was the second-longest pass in school history.
Caldwell ran for a 5-yard touchdown that with a pair of Adam Lippy field goals helped set up a 12-0 halftime lead.
Central also got scoring runs from Isaiah Totten (35 yards) and Tyquan Watson (5) in the fourth quarter. Totten led the Eagles with 108 yards on the ground.
Norfolk State (3-3, 1-2 MEAC) got its lone score in the final seconds of the game, on a 6-yard run by D’Andre Thomas.
This story was originally published October 20, 2018 at 8:24 PM with the headline "NC Central rides five takeaways to blowout win over Norfolk State."