LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
Critical games are ahead this weekend for football races in all four major black college conferences.
Only two weeks remain in the CIAA and SIAC races with plenty left to be decided.
The SWAC and MEAC races are really just getting started with a host of teams still in the championship picture which won’t likely be decided until late November.
SIAC
Four teams are tied at the top of the SIAC race with one loss in conference play –Kentucky State at 6-1 and Benedict, Edward Waters and Central State at 5-1 – with only two weeks to determine the two teams that will face off in the Nov. 14 Championship Game.
So far in SIAC play, Kentucky State gave Central State its lone loss (41-14), Edward Waters handed Kentucky State its lone loss (61-42), Benedict was the only program to down Edward Waters (42-24) and Tuskegee deal Benedict its only loss (20-17).
On Saturday, two teams at the top – Edward Waters and Central State – have a showdown in Wilberforce, Ohio (1 p.m., SIAC Network). Benedict is hosting 1-7 Savannah State (2 p.m.,ESPN+). SSU threw a real scare into Kentucky State Saturday before falling in the final minute 27-24. Kentucky State has a bye week.
In next week’s (Nov. 7) finales, KSU meets Morehouse in the Bahamas, Benedict hosts Central State and Edward Waters hosts Allen.
CIAA
The three teams with undefeated conference records in the CIAA – Virginia State, Virginia Union and Johnson C. Smith – were reduced to two Saturday as Bowie State (4-4, 4-2) got a big 20-17 upset win at its homecoming over JCSU.
The Golden Bulls (5-1) can put themselves right back in the championship game picture if they can get by Virginia State (6-0) Saturday at home in Charlotte, N. C. (1 p.m., CIAA Network).The game will match the top two offensive players in the league in VSU QB Rahsaan Matthews Jr., the league’s passing leader (2, 225 yards, 24 TDs, 3 ints.) and JCSU running back Fabian Duncan, the rushing leader (1,213 yards, 9 TDs). VUU (6-0) plays Lincoln (Pa.)(1-7, 1-5) Friday (1 p.m., CIAAN) in the first of two games in Philadelphia this week.
VSU will host VUU in the Nov. 7 regular season finale while JCSU closes next week at Livingstone (2-6, 2-5).
Additionally, the CIAA’s new Friday Night Blitz Game pitting the third- and fourth-place teams scheduled for Nov. 13 (6 p.m.) the day before the Saturday, Nov. 14 title game, is still o be decided. In addition to VSU, VUU and JCSU, Bowie State and Fayetteville State, both 4-2 in league play, are prime candidates for the fourth-place slot. FSU hosts BSU Saturday (1 p.m., CIAAN) in what amounts to an elimination game for the fourth-place slot.
SWAC
The five teams eligible for the SWAC East Division title are separated by just one game. The six teams still alive for the SWAC West crown are 1-1/2 games apart. In other words, the division races are for from over.
Bethune-Cookman got a big 24-21 win over Jackson State Saturday and is now tied with Alabama A&M atop the SWAC East at 3-1.
B-CU (5-3. 3-1 E) travels to Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-3, 2-2 W) Saturday (2 p.m., SWAC TV) while Alabama A&M (6-2, 3-1 E)meets traditional in-state rival Alabama State (4-3, 2-2 E) at Birmingham’s Legion Field (2:30 p.m., ESPN+) in the 85th Magic City Classic.
In other SWAC East vs. West match ups, Alcorn State (4-4, 2-2 W) travels (2 p.m.SWAC TV) to Mississippi Valley State (3-5,2-2 E) and Southern (3-5, 1-3 W) is at Florida A&M (3 p.m., HBCUGO.tv). Grambling State (4-3, 2-2 W) meets Texas Southern (2-5, 1-3) in a West Division meet-up Saturday in LaPorte,TX (7:30 p.m., SWAC TV).
MEAC
The five-week MEAC race is just getting started. Opening week winners were South Carolina State, Howard and North Carolina Central.
This week, S. C. State plays at Morgan State in a 7 p.m. Thursday night game on ESPNU.
On Saturday, North Carolina Central hosts Howard in Durham, N. C. and Norfolk State hosts Delaware State in Philadelphia with both games starting at 2 p.m. and streaming live on ESPN+.