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The 1990 Central State Football Team helped set the standard for CSU football. After establishing the program as a perennial NAIA powerhouse throughout the 1980s, Hall of Fame coach Billy Joe and the Marauders solidified their place in history by delivering the first national football title to CSU in 1990.
Entering the season with a high powered offense, a shutdown defense, and an electrifying special teams unit, the Marauders began the 90' campaign with blowout victories over Morgan State, St. Francis and Tennessee State. In week four, the Marauders suffered their only loss of the season in a 43-42 shootout against Northeast Missouri State.
According to the coaches and players, the loss sparked a new found motivation to finish the season off the right way. CSU dominated the remainder of the regular season and entered the NAIA playoffs with a 7-1 record.
After disposing Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, with a 48-10 win in the first round; CSU's semifinal matchup pitted them against Carson-Newman College in Johnson City, Tennessee – the team that had ended CSU's postseason runs in '87, '88 and '89. With extra incentive to beat their rivals, the Marauders cruised to a 41-14 win to advance to the national title game against Mesa State University. If there ever was a way to make winning a national title look easy, the Marauders did just that with a dominate 38-16 win over Mesa State in Junction City, Colorado, to bring a title back to Wilberforce. Senior running back Ray Hill was named the game's Offensive MVP while junior linebacker Marvin Pope earned Defensive MVP.
On their march toward the title, the 1990 national champion Marauders set NAIA Div. I records by scoring 594 points (54.8 ppg) and averaging 492 yards of offense. The Marauders defeated opponents by an astounding average point margin of 37.5 per game.
The Central State players and coaching staff went on to earn many individual honors. OL Erik "Big E" Williams, QB Henderson Mosley, DB Marvin Coleman, Hill and Pope earned All-American honors that season.
1990 Results
Morgan State - W (63-13)
Saint Francis - W (39-6)
Tennessee State - W (35-14)
Northeast Missouri State - L (43-42)
Knoxville - W (70-44)
Bowie State - W (56-7)
Kentucky State - W (69-14)
West Virginia State - W (64-14)
Fort Hays State - W (48-10)*
Carson-Newman - W (41-14)*
Colorado-Mesa State - W (38-16)*
*-denotes NAIA Playoffs
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