Grambling works to avoid more forfeits

Grambling's decision not to travel to Jackson State for Saturday's football game did not stop the homecoming festivities on the Mississippi campus despite the forfeited game.

The music was blaring, the barbecue roasting and it looked like a typical JSU homecoming on Saturday morning with a performance by the school's popular marching band, the Sonic Boom of the South.

Disgruntled Grambling players refused to travel from Louisiana because of issues with leaders of the athletic department and the university.

Grambling officials are meeting this weekend in an effort to reach a resolution and avoid any more forfeits.

EMU player slain. It was seconds after the opening kickoff that the Eastern Michigan football team found a way to honor a fallen teammate.

EMU's Tyler Allen returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown against Ohio on Saturday at Rynearson Stadium. In doing so, he became the first Eagles player to record a return touchdown since Demarius Reed returned a punt for a score in 2011.

Reed was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds early Friday morning in the hallway of an off-campus apartment building in what police said was an apparent robbery.

Reed, a junior wide receiver from Chicago, had started all six of Eastern Michigan's games.

Ohio won, 56-28.