The first full slate of HBCU football games begins this weekend, and we have some entertaining matchups with high stakes on the docket.
Three Sunday matchups feature, including one that could serve as a preview of the Celebration Bowl and two contested between top Division II contenders.
Here are the 5 Games to Watch in Week 1 of the HBCU football season.
Clark Atlanta vs Fort Valley State
When: August 31; Time: 1 pm ET
How to Watch: TheGrio Network
Clark Atlanta begins the Teddy Keaton era when they go on the road for their season opener against Fort Valley State.
Keaton comes to the Panthers after leading Allen to a 7-3 overall record and brings reigning SIAC Player of the Year David Wright along with him.
They will have a tough test in their first outing against a Fort Valley State team that was in contention for an SIAC championship berth until the final week of the season last year.
In their first season under head coach Shawn Gibbs, the Wildcats finished with an 8-3 overall record, culminating with a win in the inaugural Florida Beach Bowl.
While Fort Valley State will be in the thick of the SIAC championship race, Clark Atlanta is out to prove they are ready to be a contender.
Florida A&M vs South Carolina State
When: August 31; Time: 6 pm ET
How to Watch: ESPN+
Coming off a comeback win in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Florida A&M takes another detour to the MEAC when it faces South Carolina State in its home opener.
Florida A&M began its Celebration Bowl championship defense by overcoming an early 14-point deficit to defeat Norfolk State
This is South Carolina State’s first game with Chennis Berry as its head coach after saying goodbye to legendary coach Buddy Pough.
Berry and many of his SIAC championship team members at Benedict come to a South Carolina State team that has finished with a losing record in the last two seasons.
This game will help determine whether South Carolina State is truly a sleeper team in the MEAC.
North Carolina Central vs Alabama State
When: September 1; Time: 3 pm ET
How to Watch: ABC
We get a potential preview of this year’s Celebration Bowl when the North Carolina Central Eagles clash with the Alabama State Hornets in the Orange Blossom Classic.
Both teams come into the season with lofty expectations. They were picked to win their respective conferences in the preseason predicted order of finish.
North Carolina Central enters its first game in the post-Davius Richard era, coming off a year in which they finished with a 9-3 record.
Meanwhile, Alabama State is in its third season under head coach Eddie Robinson. They are seeking their third straight winning season and first division title since 2010.
This game will help determine whether these teams are legitimate threats to win the Celebration Bowl or if more work still needs to be done.
Benedict vs Virginia State
When: September 1; Time: 4 pm ET
How to Watch: NFL Network
The Benedict Tigers will begin their quest for a third straight SIAC championship when they face the Virginia State Trojans in the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
As previously mentioned, the Tigers moved on from former head coach Chennis Berry, who led the team to back-to-back SIAC championships.
The Benedict roster will be completely different this time, with SIAC Defensive Player of the Year Loobert Denelus and All-SIAC selections Jayden Broughton and Deondra Duehart all gone from the team.
They have a tough first test in a Virginia State team that fell short of its goal of a CIAA championship last season.
After winning their first seven games of the season, the Trojans lost two of their last three, including their loss to Virginia Union, which knocked them out of CIAA title contention.
While Virginia State is fighting for its first CIAA title since 2017, Benedict is out to prove they are still here to compete at a championship level.
Johnson C. Smith vs Tuskegee
When: September 1; Time: 7 pm ET
In the final game of the first full weekend of HBCU football, Johnson C. Smith goes up against Tuskegee in the Red Tails Classic.
Johnson C. Smith was one of the most improved teams in HBCU football last season, upgrading from a 2-7 record in 2022 to a 7-4 record last season.
This improvement was powered by a defensive unit that led the CIAA in scoring defense (13.2 points allowed per game).
On the other hand, Tuskegee finished short of a SIAC championship berth, posting a 7-4 overall record.
Another matchup of two top Division II HBCU programs, these two teams will be involved in their respective conference championship races and could face off again in the Florida Beach Bowl.
