DATE: Friday, September 26, 1997            TAG: 9709261036

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: PAUL WHITE

LENGTH: 67 lines

MEAC ROUNDUP

No. 1 in the polls

doesn't interest

Florida A&M coach

Florida A&M coach Billy Joe loved the fact that his team pounded Jackson State Saturday, but he downplayed the Rattlers' subsequent ascension to the top spot in the Sheridan Black College poll.

The fact that the last time the Rattlers claimed the No. 1 spot they lost their following game may have been part of it.

But Joe said a Division I-AA title, not black-college supremacy, is the main force driving his Rattlers.

``Winning it all is the ultimate goal,'' Joe said. ``If you establish yourself as the top team in the country, period, there shouldn't be any question about the other stuff.''

The Rattlers also feel they were stung by last year's Sheridan poll, which honored Howard as the black college national champion after the Bison won the Heritage Bowl.

The Bison finished second to the Rattlers in the MEAC and Florida A&M won the head-to-head showdown.

Hampton takes on legend

in Grambling's Robinson

Hampton, the surprise MEAC leader after three games, will take on legendary coach Eddie Robinson and Grambling Saturday in the 26th annual Whitney Young Classic at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

Robinson, the winningest coach in college football history, has a 406-156-15 record in 51 seasons. He has announced that this will be his final campaign.

A crowd of more than 50,000 is expected. Last year's Classic pitting Hampton against Virginia State drew ``only'' 43,289, but the two previous games featuring the Pirates and Grambling each drew well over 60,000.

Penalties appear to be a

way of life in the MEAC

Delaware State coach John McKenzie bemoaned his team's 14 penalties in the Hornets' 24-21 victory over Norfolk State, but such a performance is hardly unusual in the flag-plagued MEAC. In fact, the Hornets' average of nearly 100 penalty yards a game is the fifth-best in the conference.

Four teams lose more than 100 yards a game because of penalties, the worst offender being North Carolina A&T (128 yards per game). Florida A&M (77 yards) and Norfolk State (81) are the league's least penalized teams.

Briefly . . .

Bethune-Cookman figures to be in good shape Saturday hosting Division II Cheyney, which has lost its last 25 games. MEAC teams are 11-4 against non-district foes, although five victories have come against Division II opponents. ... The big MEAC showdown Saturday has two-time defending champion Florida A&M visiting preseason favorite Howard. The Bison fell 21-20 when the teams met last year. ... If the Jeff Sagarin power ratings published in USA Today can be believed, Saturday's Morgan State-Norfolk State Fish Bowl Classic should be a thriller. The Spartans are ranked 192nd among Division I-A and I-AA schools; the Bears 193rd. ... Former Norcom star David Turner of Hampton is the MEAC defensive player of the week. The 6-1, 200-pound junior linebacker keyed a Pirate defense that held North Carolina A&T to 93 yards total offense in Hampton's 7-2 victory.

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