LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
Half the participants for the Nov. 15 CIAA championship game in Durham, N.C. and SIAC championship game were decided last week.
Two-time defending CIAA champion Virginia Union (8-1, 6-0 CIAA) stayed undefeated in CIAA play and earned its shot at a third straight league title with a 70-14 win at Bluefield State Saturday.
Preseason SIAC favorite Albany State (8-1, 7-0 SIAC) proved the prognosticators true as the Golden Rams stayed unbeaten in conference play, earned the championship game berth and host designation with a tight 21-18 win at Savannah State Saturday.
Who their opponents will be are to be determined in regular season finales this week.
The CIAA
Johnson C. Smith (8-1) and FayettevilleState (5-4) enter this week’s final regular season games tied for second behind VUU at 5-1 in CIAA play. JCSU handed FSU its only league loss last week in a down-to-the-wire, dramatic 17-14 decision at FSU. The head-to-head win gives JCSU the upper hand going into Saturday’s finales.
A win for JCSU at home in Charlotte Saturday (1 p.m., CIAA Sports Network) in the Commemorative Classic vs. Livingstone (5-4,3-3) would give the Golden Bulls the slot opposite VUU the following week in the title game.
Livingstone knocked JC Smith out of a title game slot in 2024 with a 15-10 win in the regular season finale. The Commemorative Classic celebrates the first game between black college opponents when JCSU, then known as Biddle College, met Livingstone on December 27, 1892.
A JCSU loss and win by FSU at home vs.Winston-Salem State (1 p.m., FSU Stream) would put the Broncos in the title game.
If both JCSU and FSU lose, Virginia State (6-3, 4-2) could tie both JCSU and FSU at 5-2 in CIAA play with a win in its finale Saturday at Virginia Union (1 p.m., HBCUGo.tv). In that scenario, JCSU would get the title game berth as
VSU’s two conference losses were to JCSU and FSU while JCSU has the head-to-head win over FSU.
The SIAC
Benedict (8-1) and Kentucky State (7-2) both enter Saturday’s regular season finales tied for second behind Albany State with 6-1 conference records. Both KSU (49-21) and Benedict (31-3) have 28-point losses to Albany State this season.
Benedict closes Saturday (3 p.m., SIAC Network) at Savannah State (4-5, 3-4). KSU is also on the road (3 p.m., SIACN) at winless Lane (0-9, 0-7). Wins by both SSU and KSU would trigger SIAC the tie-breaking procedures below:
1) Head-to-head competition – Benedict and KSU did not face each other this season; 2) A team’s win-percentage against common opponents – Both would be 4-1 vs. common opponents; 3) Results against common opponents based on final SIAC standings order – Same; 4) The combined win-percentage of all conference opponents – Both would be 7-1, .875; 5) If a tie still exists, the team with the higher NCAA regional ranking advances
Going into this week, Benedict is 3rd and KSU is sixth (see UNDER THE BANNER); 6) If the tie continues, a random draw (coin flip?) will determine the representative.
The MEAC race
Delaware State and South Carolina State are both atop the conference at 2-0. DSU (6-3) is at Morgan State (0-2, 3-6)Thursday (12n, ESPN+), and on Saturday (1:30 p.m., ESPN+) SCSU (6-3) is hosting Howard (4-
5, 1-1) and NC Central (6-3, 1-1) hosts (2 p.m., ESPN+) Norfolk State (1-8, 0-2).
SWAC races tighten
Jackson State, Alabama State and Bethune-Cookman are tied atop the East Division with 4-1 SWAC records. B-CU, who is at Grambling (6-3, 3-2 W) Saturday (2 p.m., SWACTV), is the only one with a healthy starting QB (Cam’Ron Ransom) as both ASU’s Andrew Body and JSU’s Jacobian Morgan are likely out for the season with injuries.
ASU is hosting Texas Southern (6-3, 3-2 W),JSU is on the road at Miss.Valley State (1-7, 0-4 E)and West leader Prairie View (6-3, 4-1) is at Alabama A&M (4-5, 1-4 E) all at 2 p.m. on SWAC TV.