The best game on the HBCU slate on Saturday involves Texas Southern.
Wut.
Who would have thought that heading into the 2014 season when Texas Southern seemingly was an afterthought in the Black College Football world? The program made more headlines over the last three years for consistently being underachievers on and off the field. The NCAA hammered them into the dust over improprieties, APR and other misdeeds.
Darrell Asberry’s bunch won just one more game than Grambling State last season. Two.
The Tigers are now 4-0. Perfect. How good are they? We will find out when they take on Alabama State and that bowling ball full of butcher knives Malcolm Cyrus in Montgomery. Beating a bunch of pudgy teams — even if one of those wins came outside the continental United States — is not impressive enough.
THE FORECAST
Prairie View vs. Grambling State
Never give bums confidence. Jackson State did just that last week by handing a home win to then winless Grambling State nearly a year after the G-Men spoiled their homecoming. I don’t think you’ll find LaMontiez Ivy at the State Fair Classic.
Prairie View 27, Grambling State 23
Southern vs. Alcorn State
Southern got a huge win on the road against a disappointing Prairie View outfit. I don’t know how head coach Dawson Odums is able to hold the Jaguars together with a freshman QB and a roster who he doesn’t know will be eligible to play.
Alcorn State is probably the best team in the SWAC right now after they destroyed a hapless Mississippi Valley State team.
Do the tailgaters in Lorman have Jaguar on the menu?
Alcorn State 31, Southern 20
Texas Southern vs. Alabama State
If Texas Southern can find a way to stop Malcolm Cyrus, they might have a chance in this one. Texas Southern QB Homer Causey was rusty in his last outing after missing three weeks due to a knee injury. Alabama State is just too good right now for him to get off to another slow start.
Alabama State 34, Texas Southern 27
Savannah State vs. Delaware State
Both teams come into this matchup defeated. Somebody gotta win. Neither leaves much to be desired. Even though Delaware State has more losses than Savannah State, the Hornets’ margin of loss is significantly lower.
Delaware State 3, Savannah State 2
Tennessee State vs. Florida A&M
The Rattlers should have beaten Jackson State. They shouldn’t have beaten Miami or Coastal Carolina. They won’t beat Tennessee State.
Tennessee State 37, Florida A&M 10
