Tuskegee looks to continue edge over Morehouse

When you glance at the game on paper, it makes plenty of sense why Tuskegee once again enters the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic as the perceived favorite.

The Golden Tigers enter the 80th version of the Classic with a 4-1 record and have been ranked as high as 17th in the country in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Poll.

Oh and by the way, Tuskegee has owned its biggest rival over the past two-plus decades. Since 1994, the Golden Tigers have won 17 of the 21 meetings with Morehouse, including winning the past three by an average margin of 23 points.

So it makes plenty of sense why many people are picking Tuskegee to prevail once again today over their biggest rivals.

Tenth-year head coach Willie Slater knows all of that, but he is only worrying about one thing, improv

ing the Golden Tigers week-to-week.

"I feel like we are lucky to have the record we have to be completely honest," Slater said.

"We have played erratic this year and some of that has to do with our young offensive line, but we have to become more consistent."

Slater and the Golden Tigers are coming off a tough 29-17 loss to UNC Pembroke last weekend in a wet and soggy North Carolina. In the game, Tuskegee was without three starters on the offensive line and it showed. Pembroke was able to sack junior quarterback Kevin Lacey four times, a season-high.

"There are no excuses," Slater said. "Both teams had to play on the same field and we were out-played."

Slater expects his offensive line to play better this week with or without his starters returning.

"It starts with the front and we are getting better up there. In order for us to be successful, we need a strong line," he said.

If Slater wants consistency, he gets it out of his defensive unit.

The Golden Tigers have the best scoring defense in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, allowing just 14 points per game. Senior middle linebacker Jewell Ratliff has been named the SIAC Defensive Player of the Week twice already this season and is just outside of the top 20 in the nation in total tackles with 57 in five games.

"We have played well all year on the defensive side of the ball and Jewell has really stood out for us," Slater said. "Our defensive line might be the best that we have had here in my 10 years."

As for the rivalry Slater knows the importance.

"This is the Morehouse game and our guys know how important this game means to the institution and to our fans," he said.

The 80th annual Tuskgee-Morehouse Classic will kickoff at 2 p.m. today at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium.

This story was originally published October 9, 2015 at 11:52 PM with the headline "Tuskegee looks to continue edge over Morehouse ."