It was a rough week for the predictor in Week 5, but Week 6 is a new day…I think.
So many SWAC, CIAA, and SIAC matchups could go either way that this week could be a great or not-so-great one. That’s the beauty of HBCU football, and with each game carrying more weight as we get into conference play, the stakes have been raised considerably.
Before tackling Week 6, let’s take a quick look at Week 5’s predictions.
Last Week’s Record: 20-8
Overall Record: 113-39
Best Pick: Alcorn State 17, Alabama State 13 (Alcorn State won 23-20)
Worst Pick: Bowie State 22, Livingstone 9 (Livingstone won 31-18)
Game of the Week: Florida A&M (4-1, 3-0 SWAC East) at Southern (2-2, 2-0 SWAC West), Saturday October 7, 7 p.m. EST, ESPNU
The next chapter in one of HBCU Football’s greatest rivalries will be written Saturday night on ESPNU as Florida A&M, head and shoulders above everyone else in the SWAC East, visits A.W. Mumford Stadium and a Southern team tied with its biggest rival (Grambling) for first place in the SWAC West.
For all the concern and social media chatter about Rattlers QB Jeremy Moussa, the numbers seem to back him up as a top passer in the SWAC – he ranks first in completions (105), yards (1,399), and touchdowns (12). The Rattlers may need to find a way to jumpstart their running game, which ranks ninth in the SWAC.
Southern has decided on Harold Blood as their quarterback, and he has rewarded head coach Eric Dooley’s faith, ranking second behind Moussa in passing yards per game (228.3). The Jaguars’ passing game is spread around, as 14 players have caught passes this season, including eight players with at least two receptions.
Both defenses will be challenged as the offensive fireworks each fan base craves could be displayed in front of a national audience on Saturday.
Prediction: Florida A&M 40, Southern 34
Grambling State (3-2, 2-0 SWAC West) at Alcorn State (2-3, 1-1 SWAC West), Saturday October 7, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN+
Grambling has won three straight games, including last week’s interesting State Fair Classic win over Prairie View in Dallas, and they look to keep pace with Southern at the top of SWAC West. Alcorn State, of course, won’t make that easy by any means.
The Braves are in the top half of the SWAC in terms of fewest points allowed, and considering they permitted 78 points combined to Southern Mississippi and Stephen F. Austin, their SWAC-only numbers are much better than that.
If Alcorn can get another great game from reigning SWAC offensive player of the week Aaron Allen to match Grambling’s Myles Crawley, it could be another high-scoring, fast-paced game for which the SWAC is famous.
Prediction: Grambling State 30, Alcorn State 27
Benedict (5-0, 3-0 SIAC), at Miles (4-1, 3-0 SIAC), Saturday October 7, 1 p.m. EST, HBCUGo
In a game that could be a conference championship preview, Benedict heads into Fairfield, Alabama, unbeaten and, for the most part, untested against a Miles team that has upset Alabama State, was within possession of doing the same to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and has won their last two conference matchups by a combined 95-21 count.
These are the top two SIAC teams in scoring defense, so this game could come down to who strikes first rather than who strikes the most. An entertaining duel between the Tigers’ Aeneas Dennis and the Golden Bears’ Edwin Kleinpeter Jr. at quarterback will be the one to watch. Still, the battle in the trenches will be the key as both teams have considerable bulk along their offensive and defensive lines, so when push comes to shove, whoever can shove the other team’s unit around likely wins.
Prediction: Benedict 27, Miles 23
Virginia State (5-0, 3-0 CIAA) at Bowie State (3-2, 2-1 CIAA), Saturday October 7, 2 p.m. EST
In the CIAA North opener for both teams, each squad comes in on a different note. Virginia State has beaten everyone they’ve encountered, from Division I Norfolk State to CIAA South contender Shaw. Bowie State, meanwhile, has struggled after a big season-opening win at Delaware State, culminating in their first loss to Livingstone College in at least a decade last weekend.
The Trojans have many ways to beat you offensively, led by quarterback Jordan Davis and receivers Lucas Nunez and Roy Jackson III. Defensively, they have all-American candidate Willie Drew in the secondary and Tyrone Fisher and Miquel Pillow-Smiley leading a hefty and quick front seven.
Bowie State has a dynamite defense themselves (led by linebacker Uvel Paul Jr.), but the offense has been the biggest question mark for the Bulldogs this season. They have to find a way to score points because as good as their defense is, Virginia State’s might be just that much better.
Prediction: Virginia State 20, Bowie State 17
Division I
Stony Brook 24, Morgan State 19
Central Connecticut State 27, Delaware State 24
North Carolina Central 33, Elon 21
South Carolina State 35, Virginia University of Lynchburg 13
Northwestern 28, Howard 10
Alabama State 17, Bethune-Cookman 10
Jackson State 26, Alabama A&M 17
Prairie View A&M 31, Mississippi Valley State 13
Campbell 35, Hampton 27
Villanova 26, North Carolina A&T 18
Tennessee State 30, Kennesaw State 17
Division II/NAIA
Shaw 24, Johnson C. Smith 21
Fayetteville State 32, St. Augustine’s 12
Winston-Salem State 28, Livingstone 27
Virginia Union 23, Elizabeth City State 14
Lincoln (Pa.) 30, Bluefield State 22
Allen 27, Clark Atlanta 14
Fort Valley State 29, Savannah State 21
Albany State 34, Central State 20
Edward Waters 37, Lane 34
Grand Valley State 28, Kentucky State 18
Tuskegee 36, Morehouse 17
West Virginia State 35, Notre Dame (Oh.) 28
Lincoln (Mo.) 23, Northeastern State 21
Florida Memorial 38, Warner 24
Oklahoma Panhandle State 24, Langston 22
