LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
The CIAA and SIAC will determine their football champions in title games in Durham,N. C. and Columbia, S. C. respectively this Saturday.
In the SIAC title game at Benedict’s Charlie Johnson Stadium (2 p.m., ESPNU), the homestanding Tigers (9-1, 7-1) square off against Kentucky State (8-2, 7-1).
In the CIAA championship game at Durham County’s Memorial Stadium (3 p.m., CIAA Sports Network), Virginia Union (9-1, 8-0 CIAA) will face 2025 champion Johnson C. Smith (8-2, 7-1) in a rematch of last year’s title game won by JCSU, 45-21.
SIAC TITLE GAME
Third-year head coach Ron Dickerson Jr. has Benedict back in the SIAC title game after falling to Albany State in last year’s game, 22-16. The Tigers last won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 under head coach Chennis Berry, now the head coach at South Carolina
State.
Dickerson’s 9-1 Tigers opened the 2026 season with a big 32-10 win over 2025 CIAA titlist J. C. Smith. The only blemish on their ledger is a 20-17 loss to SIAC member Tuskegee on Sept. 24. They went on to win their final six games including holding on for a 45-38 win
over Central State Saturday, a team that could have knocked them out of the title game. Fourth-year head coach Felton Huggins Jr.
has the 8-2 KSU Thorobreds in the championship game after a 9-3 finish in 2025 earned them a Div. II playoff berth. KSU was last in the title game in 2016 under then head coach John L. Smith, a 33-30 double-overtime loss to Fort Valley State.
KSU’s losses were to SWAC member Southern (34-15 on Sept. 5) and a 61-42 loss to conference member Edward Waters (Oct. 3). For what it’s worth, Benedict beat Edward Waters, 45-24 on Oct. 17.
In team statistics, Benedict has the league’s stingiest defense (17.8 ppg.) and top rushing offense (201.5 ypg.) while KSU is second in total offense (293.6 ypg.) and passing offense (293.6 ypg). Individually, Benedict’s David Smith leads the league in rushing (836 yards, 83.6 ypg.) while KSU quarterback Juan Gainous has thrown for 1,631 yards and 14 TDs with just three interceptions.
CIAA TITLE GAME
After winning CIAA titles in 2023 and 2024, ninth-year VUU head coach Dr. Alvin Parker Jr. brings his Panthers to the CIAA finale after
J. C. Smith prevented a three-peat last season. After a season-opening loss to Lenoir-Rhyne,the Panthers have run off nine straight wins,
finishing 7-0 in league play including a title-game clinching 36-14 win Saturday against rival Virginia State.
Parker is back with a vaunted rushing attack but not one dominated over the past two seasons by 2,000-yard rushers Jada Byers and Curtis Allen. The Panther rushing leaders this season are Ramon Brown (816 yards, 8 TDs) and Travon Tensley (483 yards, 5 TDs). They
both average over 5 yards per carry. J. C. Smith counters with the league’s top rusher in junior Fabian Duncan (1,564 yards, 13 TDs). The
Golden Bulls’ workhouse has had 39 and 37 carries in their last two games. After losing its opener to Benedict, JCSU only lost 16-13 at
Bowie State’s Oct. 24 homecoming.
Senior QBs R. J. Rosales of VUU (1,573 yards, 17 TDs, 1 int.) and Damien Mazil of JCSU (1,846, 14 TDs, 3 ints.) are the field generals. VUU (10.0 ppg.) and JCSU (13.4 ppg.) have the top scoring defenses in the league and the top rushing offenses JCSU at 220.3 ypg. and VUU at 209.9 ypg.
MEAC and SWAC
The MEAC and SWAC races are headed to down-to-the wire finishes.
With two games left in the MEAC regular season, South Carolina State and North Carolina Central are 3-0 and in a showdown in Orangeburg (S.C.) Saturday (1:30 p.m.,ESPN+). Delaware State, a game back at 2-1,is at Howard (1-2) while 0-3 Norfolk State is at
0-3 Morgan State (12 p.m., ESPN+).
After last week’s results, Jackson State and Alabama A&M are on top of the SWAC East at 4-2, while Prairie View A&M, Alcorn State
and Arkansas-Pine Bluff lead the West at 4-2.
In games involving the East leaders, JSU is at 3-3 Alabama State (2 p.m., ESPN+),Alabama A&M hosts 2-4 Texas Southern (2 p.m., SWAC TV) and 3-3 Bethune-Cookman hosts 2-4 Grambling State (1 p.m., SWAC TV).
In a battle of West leaders, PVA&M plays at UAPB Saturday (2 p.m., SWAC TV) while Alcorn State is at 3-3 Southern (2 p.m., HBCUgo.tv).