The Division II ranks take the spotlight in week 10 of the HBCU football season in the final week of their regular.
While Fayetteville State awaits the winner of the de facto CIAA North championship game in Richmond, Benedict’s opponent in the SIAC championship game still needs to be decided.
Meanwhile, Benedict itself is on the verge of adding another huge accomplishment to its history book.
That said, the SWAC has an interesting matchup with first place in the SWAC West up for grabs.
Here are the five games you should watch on Saturday.
1. Virginia State vs. Virginia Union
The CIAA North division crown and a trip to Salem are on the line when the Virginia State Trojans go up against the Virginia Union Panthers.
Both teams enter this contest off monstrous wins over Lincoln (PA) and Bluefield State, respectively, in which they set season-highs for points scored.
Virginia Union has won its last two, including three of its four contests against Virginia State. The Trojans have not beaten the Panthers in Richmond since 2016. However, Virginia State is the only team in the CIAA that is undefeated on the road.
Virginia State is looking to make its first CIAA championship appearance since 2017, while Virginia Union is looking for its first since 2007.
2. Southern vs. Alcorn State
A tiebreaker will be broken at the top of the SWAC West on Saturday when the Southern Jaguars face the Alcorn State Braves.
Following Prairie View A&M’s loss to Florida A&M last Saturday, a three-way tie for the lead was cut to two, with Southern and Alcorn State each holding 4-1 conference records.
Alcorn State is looking for its first win against Southern since joining the SWAC West, having lost its last two against them (not including its forfeit loss in the 2021 spring season.
On the other hand, Southern has lost its last four games in Lorman, including the 2018 and 2019 SWAC championship games.
3. Tuskegee vs. Miles
In pursuit of their first SIAC championship appearance since 2017, the Tuskegee Golden Tigers will go on the road for a clash against the Miles Golden Bears.
Tied with Fort Valley State for second place in the SIAC, the Golden Tigers would need a win or a Fort Valley State loss to secure their second straight conference title game appearance.
Meanwhile, Miles was eliminated from contention for a SIAC championship berth following its 48-7 loss last weekend against Albany State.
The Golden Bears will be in the role of spoiler against a Tuskegee team they lost to in an overtime thriller last season, snapping a three-game win streak against them.
4. Albany State vs. Fort Valley State
On the other end of the spectrum, the Fort Valley State Wildcats make their push for the SIAC championship against the team that eliminated Miles, the Albany State Golden Rams, in the Fountain City Classic.
Last year, the Wildcats snapped a four-game losing streak against the Golden Rams. To clinch a conference title slot, they must make it two straight, along with a Tuskegee loss.
This will not be an easy feat playing against an Albany State team that they have not beaten in consecutive years since 1984, six years before the series became officially known as the Fountain City Classic.
5. Allen vs. Benedict
The Benedict Tigers have a chance to add to what has been a historic run when they close their regular season against the Allen Yellow Jackets.
Having already clinched a SIAC championship berth, Benedict is on the verge of its second undefeated regular season.
In their way is a Yellow Jackets team that is having their best season since their football program was rejuvenated in 2018.
Following a decisive 59-21 win over Edward Waters in the AME Classic, Allen improved its record to 7-2.
A win in this game against Benedict would not only hand them its first regular season loss since 2021 but would be a huge confidence builder entering the offseason into the 2024 season.
