FAYETTEVILLE -
Kenny Phillips doesn't want to talk about tiebreakers, hypothetical scenarios and possibilities.
Fayetteville State's head coach only wants to discuss what he knows.
He knows that his team faces a tough St. Augustine's (3-5, 3-2 CIAA) team on Saturday at 2 p.m.
He knows the Falcons have one of the best defensive lines in the CIAA and that SAC's offense has been on a torrid place recently.
A division title and the CIAA Championship, however, aren't on the coach's radar.
"We have to go out on Saturday and win a football game," Philips said during his weekly press conference. "If we don't go out and play well on Saturday then you have to worry about other things. All we have to do is go out and continue to do the things we do well and eliminate the things we don't do well."
If the Broncos (5-3, 4-1 CIAA) are able to beat SAC for the seventh time since 2000, FSU will play for the CIAA Championship on Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. in Durham.
In 2008, FSU faced a similar situation, but fell to Shaw 19-12.
Phillips said that game and Saturday's contest had no bearing on each other.
"They aren't similar because they are two different types of football teams you're playing against," Phillips said. "But we have not talked about going to a championship game. The only thing we've talked about is coming out and beating St Augustine's."
Saturday's game is also FSU's homecoming and the final regular-season game at Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium this season.
According to Phillips, keeping his team's eye on football is paramount.
"Homecoming can't be a distraction for you as a football team," said Phillips. "Our biggest challenge this week is to make sure our guys stay focused and get ready for Saturday."
In the Broncos' 30-12 win over Johnson C. Smith, running backs Richard Medlin and Calvin Harris combined for 336 yards rushing.
"You have to be able to run the football in this league," Phillips said. "We have to be able to run the football against St. Augustine's in order for us to have any success."
Over his last three games, Harris has averaged 139 yards per game.
"The one thing about Calvin is his ability to make people miss," said Phillips. "He's not blessed with blazing speed but it always seems that people have a hard time catching him on Saturday."
Phillips said the improvement of the running game has helped the development of junior quarterback Tyler Hosler.
Hosler has started the Broncos' last three games - all wins.
"The biggest thing is not losing football games," said Phillips of the quarterback position. "The big thing is to get out there and manage the football game and take advantage of what the defense gives."
SAC Head Coach Michael Costa's defense isn't giving up much of anything this season.
The Falcons rank fifth in the conference in rushing defense and third in pass defense.
"They're always a scrappy team on defense," Phillips said. "They have a very good defensive line and they are always athletic in the secondary. "
Joaquin Green, the Falcons' quarterback is the top five in the CIAA in passing attempts, completions, total passing yards, touchdowns and passing yards per game.
"They have two, very good, athletic quarterbacks," said Phillips. "We have to make sure we keep them in the pocket and get them down on the ground."
FSU's Austin Turner has 16 field goals in 2009, tops in the CIAA. He needs three more in the Broncos' last two games to set school single-season and career records.
Turner missed two field goals in the Broncos' loss to Johnson C. Smith. Phillips said the sophomore kicker was sick last week and only practiced one day.
"This game is going to come down to special teams," he said. "Last year, we probably left five field goals on the field in that game in Raleigh. Our kicker is going to have to kick the ball a lot better than he did last Saturday."
FSU travels to Livingstone on Oct. 31 in its regular-season finale. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
