North Carolina Central pummels North Carolina A&T for definitive win in the Aggie-Eagle Classic

The Eagles scored in a myriad of ways, against an over-matched and beleaguered North Carolina A&T defense. Saturday Blitz takes a closer look at the games outcome, and what it means for both programs going forward.

NC Central's offensive balance proved to be too much for the Aggies. The rumors of an offensive decline for North Carolina Central in the wake of Davius Richard moving on to greener pro pastures are greatly exaggerated.

There have been stretches of the season to this point where current QB Walker Harris has looked absolutely surgical running Eagle Offensive Coordinator Matt Leone's balanced and intricate offensive scheme. Saturday was no different as the North Carolina Central offense had their way with an over-matched (and often confused) North Carolina A&T defense.

Harris completed 15 of 22 pass attempts for 254 yards and 3 touchdowns, while racking up another score on the ground. The NCCU QB accounted for 28 of the Eagles' 66 point outburst. When Walker Harris wasn't carving up the Aggie secondary, RB J'Mari Taylor was running through it.

Taylor had 19 carries for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns of his own, including an explosive 66 yard touchdown run to open the game. As good as North Carolina Central's offensive success was, it's defense was equally as impressive, generating 4 takeaways from the North Carolina A&T offense.

Is the NCA&T Aggie Program at a crossroads?

North Carolina A&T showed some glimpses of offensive solvency early in the first half, but it was fleeting. Starting QB Kevin White was knocked out of the game and replacement Justin Fomby found the going pretty rough in relief, accounting for 2 interceptions while only completing 12 of 26 attempts for 158 yards passing.

Running backs Kenji Christian and Shimique Blizzard were effective running the ball for brief stretches, but the Aggie brain trust didn't \commit to sticking with it. Christian, in particular, could've provided some much-needed offensive punch on the ground and in the passing game if there were more designed touches for him.

Christian averaged 18.5 yards a carry, but he only got 3 carries. Ultimately, Head Coach Vincent Brown and staff were searching for offensive answers that were extremely hard to come by.

Where do the Aggies and Eagles go from Here?

Getting the woodshed treatment in a rivalry game never feels good for the program on the receiving end of the loss. This outcome was particularly egregious because of the vast disparity on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball shown between the two programs.

For North Carolina Central, the dominating win may set the stage for a renewed run at regaining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) crown and solidifying a spot in the familiar confines of the Celebration Bowl. The offensive potential is there with Walker Harris and J'Mari Taylor providing possibly the best offensive 1-2 punch in the MEAC.

Conversely, North Carolina A&T is a proud program that has some hard realities to face about the current direction of this year's team and beyond, particularly as they embark on the conference portion of their schedule in one of the toughest leagues in FCS football in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).

Head Coach Trei Oliver and the North Carolina Central University Eagles travel to Indianapolis, Indiana next to face off against conference foe Norfolk State in the 40th Annual Circle City Classic. The Aggies of North Carolina A&T take another road trip to visit a heated rival when they travel to Orangeburg, South Carolina to face off against the South Carolina State University Bulldogs.