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GREENSBORO — When last we saw N.C. Central at N.C. A&T, security officers were dousing players from both teams with pepper spray to break up an altercation on the football field.

It was a September night in 2007, and N.C. Central won 27-22. Some of the Eagles celebrated by stomping on the A&T logo at midfield. Some of the Aggies — in the midst of what would become a 27-game losing streak — took exception.

Most of the players from that night are gone. But the rivalry remains.

The Aggie-Eagle Classic returns to Aggie Stadium on Saturday night. It's the 81st game between the schools since they first played back in 1924, but it's just the second played on A&T's campus since 1992. The last four games have been decided by a total of eight points.

"We don't plan to let anybody come into our back yard and make it happen," A&T coach Alonzo Lee said. "That's already happened one time this year with Hampton, and we're not going to let it happen again."

That's tough talk for a team coming off back-to-back losses. But Lee believes today's 2-2 team is better than the team that was 2-0.

"We're better because of the lessons we've learned," Lee said.

The Aggies have learned the hard way, and watching game film hasn't been a lot of fun. The tape shows blocks missed here and there, defenders plugging the wrong gaps, runners hitting the wrong holes and catchable passes hitting the turf.

"Guys see the mistakes that are happening on film and they're really evaluating themselves," Lee said. " ... There's no doubt we still have a great football team. I'm just waiting for the explosion. It's just like I tell the guys: I'm just waiting for us to put all things together and waiting for that explosion to happen."

If it happens against Central, it'll snap a three-game losing streak to the Eagles — and no one will be tempted to stomp on any logos.

BIG CROWD: The Aggie-Eagle Classic drew 20,180 to Durham's Memorial Stadium last year. A similar crowd will likely fill A&T's stadium Saturday night.

"It's almost like another homecoming game," A&T sophomore cornerback Quay Long said.

Freshman wide receiver Larry Raper, a speedster who has cracked the starting lineup and leads the team with 127 yards receiving on eight catches, said it's a thrill to play in front of a big crowd. But the home-field advantage only goes so far.

"The crowd don't play the game," Raper said. "We have to go out there and we have to execute. We have to put some points on the scoreboard this week."

DÉJÀ VU? A&T won its first two games last season, and went on to finish just 3-9. Back-to-back losses to Hampton and Coastal Carolina have prompted some unwelcome comparisons.

"They were in the same situation last year," Lee said, "but we're not last year's team. Bottom line: We played a good football team (at Coastal Carolina), and down the stretch they executed and we didn't. We can live and learn from that."

Lee went on to say the loss at Coastal should help his offense against N.C. Central, because the Eagles play a similar defense with similar blitz packages.

FEARS MANAGEMENT: Senior quarterback Carlton Fears has struggled in each of the last two games, and he's been benched during both to give freshman Lewis Kindle some snaps. Kindle has fared worse.

Fears will get another shot this week, based in part on his improved play in the second half against Coastal Carolina after an awful first half that sent him to the bench.

"When you have a senior quarterback, the ideal situation is for him to step up and make it happen," Lee said. "He's improved. It's just like I was telling him, 'Son, you just have to settle down and play your game.' I think Carlton gets a little bit too hyper as a quarterback coming into the game. He's a different player in practice."

Lee said the coaches have been working with Fears to manage his "tension level."

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com