Four teams still in SWAC football championship race, here are the scenarios

Four teams still remain in the hunt for a chance to participate in the final SWAC football championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Dec. 2.

Depending on the outcome of Saturday’s SWAC contests, we could potentially know who the representatives will be from the conference’s Eastern and Western divisions.

Alabama State and Alcorn State are the two remaining teams eligible to win the East Division, while Grambling and Southern remain in contention for the Western Division title.

Here are the SWAC scenarios for both divisions.

SWAC East

Alcorn State (6-3, 4-1 SWAC) controls its own destiny. The Braves can clinch the SWAC East by simply winning one of their two remaining games against Mississippi Valley State Saturday or Jackson State on Nov. 18.

Alabama State (3-5, 3-2 SWAC) has a much more difficult path. The Hornets, currently in sole possession of 2nd place, suffered a 24-10 loss to division-leading Alcorn State on Oct. 5. The head-to-head loss puts the Hornets at a disadvantage in the event of a tie at the end of the season. Therefore, Alabama State must win its last two games against Grambling State Saturday and Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 18 and needs Alcorn State to lose its last two games against Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State to win the division title.

SWAC West

Grambling State (8-1, 5-0 SWAC) and Southern (6-3, 4-1 SWAC) both control their own fate with two games each remaining on their respective schedules, which includes a season-ending matchup against each other Nov. 24 in the Bayou Classic.

However, the Tigers can clinch the West Division Saturday with a win over Alabama State and a Southern loss to Texas Southern.

Otherwise, the annual showdown in New Orleans between the Tigers and Jaguars will be the playoff game that decides who goes to Houston to play for a conference championship title.