TUSKEGEE, Ala. | Strength versus strength.

That is the theme surrounding the final week of the regular season as Virginia State (8-2) travels to Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium to take on 14th-ranked Tuskegee (8-1) Saturday afternoon at 12 noon.

"We are excited about being here and getting ready to play," Tuskegee head coach Willie Slater said. "This will be a big game for us, and we get to go against a familiar foe in coach (Reggie) Barlow. I know he has a very good team, and he is excited about coming down here and showing the people in this area what kind of football team he has. It is going to be an interesting game for us."

The game will feature the Virginia State rushing attack that is averaging 280 yards per game, the fifth best in the country; however, they will be facing a Tuskegee defense that is 14th in the country allowing just 93.8 per game. The Trojans have a pair of backs who average over 100 yards per game on the ground in Trenton Cannon (1,115 yards) and Kevon Bellomy (1,003 yards); however, the Golden Tigers' rushing defense has allowed just one runner to reach the 100-yard mark this season and have held six opponents under 100 yards rushing this season.

The Tuskegee defense is one of the best in the country, second in total defense (237.7 ypg) and fourth in scoring (13.8) on the season and they will be tested by a Virginia State offense that averages 416.6 yards per game this season.

"I think they have great team speed," Slater said. "I know their linebackers and defensive line run well. The secondary plays a lot of man coverage, and that tells you that they have good players there. They have a mobile quarterback and they like to run the football, which is always tough. But at the same time, that is one of strong points for us on defense and I am excited to see that."

Osband Thompson, the SIAC Defensive Player of the Year, leads the Golden Tigers defensively with 97 tackles; while fellow linebacker Quavon Taylor is second on the team in tackles 80 and Kalil Gray with 45. The trio have combined for 222 tackles this season and have spearheaded the defensive attack that has helped with the rushing defense. The Golden Tigers have also been able to rotate defensive linemen (11) this season to keep fresh legs on the field which will be beneficial against Virginia State on Saturday.

Offensively, SIAC Offensive Player of the Year Kevin Lacey leads Tuskegee with 1,850 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns. The senior has thrown the football to 13 different receivers this season including First Team All-SIAC tight end Leo Gilbert (16-290-4) and Second Team All-SIAC receiver Desmond Reece (37-675-7). Sophomore Javarrius Cheatham is also among the team's leaders with 22 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns.

As a team this season, Tuskegee leads the SIAC in scoring at 26.1 points per game and have averaged 339 yards per game through the first nine games this season. The Golden Tigers have come from behind in the fourth quarter to pick up three wins this season, including last week's win over Miles when the team drove the field and scored with 75 seconds remaining in the game.

"Normally you get into a routine on how you do thing," Tuskegee defensive coordinator Joseph Carter said. "You just have to burn the midnight oil, and prepare for a team that you haven't seen play before. You just have to prepare and do what you do, go through your checks and balances as a coach. At the end of day, they have two backs who have rushed for over 1,000 yards that tells the story. It is going to be a very physical team, and they will be well-coached."

Both teams come in with a must-win mindset as they both contend for a playoff spot, Tuskegee in Super Region 2 and Virginia State in Super Region 1.

"It's nice to be at home," Carter said. "Playing against an opponent we are not familiar with is going to be a challenge. I think our kids are going to be ready for it knowing the ramifications of the outcome."

The game will be a return to the Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium for the Golden Tigers, where they last played on homecoming against Kentucky State and many thought it would be the last game played in the stadium this year.

"We have been prepping the guys all year," Slater said. "We have told them there was always a possibility that we going to play another home game. The guys are excited about it. We are a little banged up, but that is because of the tough game against Miles. It is always tough when you play against someone who knows you. It's always like that when we play Miles, it doesn't matter what the records are."

The game will be carried by the Tuskegee Digital Network, with pregame beginning at 11:45 am.

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