LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
November 14 championship-game matchups for the CIAA and SIAC will come down to classic regular-season ending battles this Saturday (Nov. 7).
Unfortunately, as of press time Tuesday(Nov. 3), neither the CIAA or SIAC conference offices had put out championship game scenarios or tie-breaking procedures based on this weekend’s outcomes.
Trying to explain all the possible scenarios based on wins and losses in either conferences is daunting. Perhaps that’s why nothing has come out. But, here goes.
SIAC
In the SIAC, Central State’s thrilling 35- 28 home win over Edward Waters Saturday leaves head coach Tony Carter’s Marauders (6-3 overall) tied atop the conference race with Benedict and Kentucky State, all at 6-1 in league play headed to Saturday’s finales.
Edward Waters is now 6-3 overall, 5-2 in SIAC play. Tuskegee is also 5-2 in the SIAC headed into its homecoming finale vs. Miles (4- 5, 4-3) Saturday (2:30 p.m.).
It appears that a weird combination of factors could earn any of the five – Benedict, Central State, Kentucky State, Edward Waters and Tuskegee – a spot in the title game.
Here’s how.
CSU will play at Benedict Saturday (2 p.m., ESPN+) with the winner guaranteed a spot in next Saturday’s title game. That’s the simplest way one of the five reaches the championship game.
Meanwhile, KSU hosts Morehouse (3-6,3-4) in Frankfort, Kentucky (1 p.m., KSU Sports Network) in a game originally scheduled to be played in Nassau, Bahamas. Edward Water closes the season Saturday (2 p.m., SIACN) hosting Allen (3-6, 2-5) in Jacksonville, Fla.
With a win, Benedict would be 7-1 and host the championship game. With a CSU win, the Marauders would be in the title game but the location of that game and who they face will depend on the outcome of the other contests.
A Benedict loss would earn KSU the title-game berth provided the Thorobreds get by Morehouse and also be at 7-1. If both Benedict and KSU lose and Edward Waters defeatsAllen, all three would be tied with 6-2 marks. A Tuskegee win over Miles also lands the Golden Tigers, who have the only conference win so far over Benedict, as one of four teams at 6-2 with their losses to CSU and Morehouse. Benedict has a win over Edward Waters in head-to-head play but did not play Kentucky State.
If all of that is confusing, welcome to the club. The outcomes and break outs will be anxiously awaited.
CIAA
Saturday, J. C. Smith’s 39-33 home win in overtime vs. Virginia State coupled with Virginia Union’s 51-10 win at Lincoln (Pa.) Friday leaves VUU on top of the conference at
7-0 and VSU and JCSU tied at 6-1.
VSU is hosting VUU in their traditional season-ending showdown Saturday (1 p.m.,A VSU win and JCSU win forges a three-way tie at the top at 7-1 and triggers a series of CIAA-mandated three-team tie-breaking procedures. A VSU loss and JCSU win puts the Trojans in third place and in the CIAA’s new Friday Night Blitz Game on Nov. 13 vs.Fayetteville State.
SWAC and MEAC
Outcomes over the next three to four weeks will tell whether the SWAC and MEAC races are headed to complicated similar tie-breaking scenarios. See the schedules above.
As of now, Alabama A&M leads the SWAC East at 4-1, a game ahead of Bethune-Cookman and Jackson State, both at 3-2. Prairie View, Alcorn State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff are tied with 3-2 records in the West. Division leaders Alabama A&M and Prairie View A&M meet Saturday (2 p.m., SWAC TV) in Texas.
SC State and N. C. Central are first in the MEAC at 2-0. SCSU is at 1-1 Howard Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPNU) while NCCU is at 0-2 Norfolk State Saturday (12n, ESPN+).