In the wake of Alcorn State’s 64-44 Celebration Bowl loss to North Carolina A&T on Saturday, it appears that SWAC fans have had it with the league’s inability to beat MEAC squads.
Since its inception in 2015, the MEAC — North Carolina A&T particularly — has won four of the five Celebration Bowl matchups.
When you combine that stat with the fact that the SWAC went 0-3 against the MEAC during the regular season, it apparently created the perfect recipe that gave SWAC fans no other choice than to speak out.
On the HBCU Sports Forum, a thread created by a Jackson State fan entitled “SWAC Coming to Jesus ASAP” initiated a bevy of opinions regarding the SWAC’s futility against the MEAC. Below are a few of the comments.
From LuvTheBoom16 (Jackson State supporter):
“Now, I said I wasn’t holding my breath over the swac winning the CB, but because I try to be loyal to my swac brothers over the meac I thought Alcorn after three visits against the same team, facing probably the weakest Aggie secondary in their championship era, and having the mismatches on the offensive side too match up well that they would get it done. Well today with an embarrassing national TV score of 64-44 is a reflection of the whole SWAC since ‘16…. 1-5 record in the CB? HELL NO!!!”
From Kendrick (Jackson State supporter):
Truth be told, the MEAC has been better than the SWAC years before the Celebration Bowl existed. First, the barometer for conference supremacy was often measured by the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, which the MEAC dominated, to be honest. But some felt the disparity only existed because it would often be the SWAC’s second and third-tier teams going up against the best of the MEAC in those games. That’s not the case anymore in regard to the bowl game. It can’t be explained away. The MEAC has proven without question to be significantly better than the SWAC.
From In_The_662 (Mississippi Valley State supporter):
AGAIN A&T has shown you the blueprint. Your admin, athletics director and alums have to be on the same page as far as where you want the program to go. You can’t have your student athletes out here staying getting in P5 money games but then when we ask where is the money, everyone gets the doo doo face. Take that money and invest it back into athletics. Winning attracts the best and right now, A&T is the best (along with FAMU) then it’s Alcorn, SCSU, SU and BCU with AAMU and Grambling knocking at the door. As someone said, A&T’s DL and OL look like some G5 players.
At this point, Alabama State is probably the closest to this point followed by PV and then maybe Grambling. ASU’s problem is that they do well everywhere else EXCEPT the money sports
From Decks (N. Carolina A&T supporter):
My take for the SWAC.
1. The SCG is hurting you when it comes to the Celebration Bowl. We had a month to heal up, game plan, sell tickets and practice. I understand the revenue factor but you have a placed yourselves at a competitive disadvantage.
2. Toughen up those schedules….at least the teams at the top of the SWAC. VUL and the likes aren’t helping you. Play more FCS ooc teams. The regular season is pretty much a barometer for the post season.
From Storm96 (Prairie View supporter):
A&T is the class of HBCU football right now and is a well run university top to bottom in all facets.
Week 1 of the 2020 football season will feature South Carolina State and Grambling State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge on Sunday, Sept. 6, in Atlanta.
At least they aren’t the CIAA ??♂️??♂️??♂️ St. Augustine’s supporter
I understand the frustration of SWAC fans,but weren’t these the same people who wanted the Legacy Bowl about 10-15 years ago? I mean,this post reads like the posts about the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Coach Buddy Pough has a 5-1 record against teams from the SWAC.North Carolina A&T is 3-0 against the SWAC in the Celebration Bowl,Al corn State in particular.
Now all of a sudden,the SWAC is expressing it’s frustration about losing in postseason play? Well, perhaps the league should take a page out of A&T’s book. With the plethora of experience SC State,A&T,FAMU and Bethune-Cookman has coming back,it’s going to be awfully tough for any team from the SWAC to win the Celebration Bowl.
And one more thing. Next year is the final year of the Celebration Bowl. What will ESPN do? Will they re-up the postseason bowl,or will both conferences battle for a playoff spot in the FCS?
The CIAA would treat the SIAC the same way and be competitive vs SWAC
I am an Alcornite 24/7. The negative remarks from fellow SWAC teams are disheartening. Several Alcornites including myself attended the 2019 opening game in Atlanta to support the SWAC contender, JSU against the MEAC contender, Bethune—Cookman. Unfortunately, the SWAC was defeated by the MEAC in that season opener for both teams, however I don’t recall JSU, member of the SWAC, being diminished with all of this negativity. So remember Alcorn and Grambling are not the only SWAC contenders to loose to the MEAC.
Respectfully,
BRAVE Enough
Aggie supporter from a baby to the blessed age
Of 70. The SWAC schools have as we know have
Found themselve falling behind beating the MEAC but this is HBCU football programs. We Aggie have had some real rough times back after Bill Hayes to Broadway . You name it we had problems so it is call turn around and guess where Broadway was. You change the culture and then nurture it to keep. SWAC people just get better organized classroom finance your coaches players and alum and community
Whoa!!! Just hold on a minute!! PRAIRIE VIEW beat the brakes off North Carolina Central last year on national television!!! So let’s just slow this talk about conference superiority!! PV nation can roll with anybody.
[…] 3. SWAC fans express frustration in league’s inability to defeat MEAC teams […]
Out of the 10 best player to ever play at HBCUs 8 are from the SWAC ,Who do the NFL call their greatest player of all time ?( Jerry Rice from MVSU) I say Walter Payton from JSU .HBCU has only had two QB to play in the Super bowl Doug Williams (GSU) and Steve McNair ( ALCORN).Doug won mvp of the super bowl and was the first black QB to do so and Steve finished a yard short from winning it but was the first African American QB to win the AP NFL MVP only three have done it the other two CAM NEWTON and PATRICK MAHOLME . He finished 3rd in the heisman and His record for most offense yards still stand today . The term QB sack came from guy from MVSU by the name of Decon Jones, oh they had to change rules in the NFL to stop one guy from SU, MEL Blount .In the last 10yrs only 2 players in all of the HBCUs has been drafted in the 1ST round 1 from Ark. Pine Bluff and 1 from ALABAMA STATE (SWAC SCHOOLS). The SWAC is the blue print of NFL they have set the standards for every position in the NFL . So i wouldn’t be talking bad about your Daddy (THE SWAC )
One thing that is consistent is we all appear to love our HBCU schools. I am a 1969 graduate of NC A&T and I am very proud of the university and the team. We have all got to acknowledge that once the game is over; we have to support all HBCU schools. A&T is the flagship, hopefully, we can inspire others. We are different; but we are on-in-the-same.
The Swac keeps hanging their hat on the past, and it’s tiresome to be honest. What your eyes focus on, is the direction you will go. (Backwards)