We are entering week two of the HBCU football season, providing key in-conference matchups that we could see again in November.
In addition, we will also see some heated rivalry games that will produce fireworks on the field and maybe even in the stands.
Here are the Five Games to Watch in Week 2 of the HBCU football season.
Jackson State vs. Southern
In a rematch of the 2022 SWAC championship, the Jackson State Tigers go on the road to Baton Rouge to face the Southern Jaguars.
Both teams are coming off losses to Florida A&M and Alabama State, respectively, and will be desperate to get back in the win column.
Although this is not a conference contest, both teams will be eager to return to the win column, building momentum toward the looming SWAC gauntlet.
This especially goes for Southern, who has lost three straight to Jackson State, including last season’s conference championship game.
Should Jackson State win this game, it would be the first time they have won four straight over the Jags since 1988.
North Carolina Central vs. North Carolina A&T
The reigning HBCU national champion North Carolina Central Eagles will search for a second straight win over their longtime rival North Carolina A&T Aggies.
Last season, North Carolina Central snapped a four-game losing streak against North Carolina A&T, winning 28-13.
Although the Eagles enter this game as the favorites, the Aggies will have a significant advantage in this year’s contest.
The game will be played in the Aggies’ home stadium, where they have not lost a game since November 2021.
That home-field advantage extends to their rivalry, with the Eagles having won six of their last seven home matchups (last loss in 2016) against NC Central.
Hampton vs. Norfolk State
The Battle of the Bay is set to commence, with the Hampton Pirates looking to gain a second straight win over the Norfolk State Spartans.
This series has not been kind to the home team recently, with the road team winning each of the last four contests.
This spells disaster for the Pirates, who have not beaten Norfolk State in their home stadium since 2012 (three straight losses).
Also, as Norfolk State is coming off an embarrassing loss to the CIAA’s Virginia State Trojans, this will surely be a highly competitive contest, as both teams will be motivated to win.
Virginia Union vs. Shaw
The Virginia Union Panthers take their first step to CIAA championship contention when they face off against the Shaw Bears.
Although this game is not an official CIAA conference game, it presents a test for each team that could determine what could be their fate at the end of the season.
Virginia Union is coming off a 45-13 win against Morehouse. Despite the winning margin, the Panthers’ offense was forced to fight for it, with much resistance from the Maroon Tigers’ defense.
Meanwhile, Shaw was on the wrong side of a 52-0 blowout loss against Benedict. The Bears will be eager to put that loss behind them and prove they are still a contender in the CIAA South.
Tuskegee vs. Kentucky State
In the SIAC, the Tuskegee Golden Tigers and Kentucky State Thorobreds will look to build off impressive week one victories when they clash in their respective conference opener.
Tuskegee held off the Fort Valley State Wildcats in a frantic fourth-quarter finish, securing a 37-31 victory.
Meanwhile, Kentucky State head coach Felton Huggins started his first season at the helm in grand fashion, defeating Clark Atlanta 34-20.
Now that the SIAC has done away with divisions in the conference, the two former members of the SIAC West could eventually see each other again in the championship game.
