As the calendar turns to October, the storylines of the 2025 HBCU football season are coming into focus across stadiums from the SWAC to the MEAC and beyond.
From surprise contenders and dominant stars to shifting conference landscapes, here are five critical lessons revealed through the season’s opening five weeks.
Andrew Body has set the quarterback standard
Alabama State has emerged as a serious contender in the SWAC East thanks to the play of dual-threat quarterback Andrew Body.
Body, who has established himself as the Deacon Jones Trophy favorite, has powered a Hornets offense that has outscored SWAC foes 72-21, including a 42-14 win over Florida A&M last Saturday. If this level of consistency continues, Alabama State’s 21-year title drought could be nearing its end.
Jackson State & North Carolina Central are on a course to meet again
Jackson State and North Carolina Central continue to hold firm as the top teams in the MEAC and SWAC, respectively.
The Tigers have won 13 consecutive games dating back to 2024 against HBCU opponents, including 10 straight wins against SWAC opponents.
NC Central, on the other hand, has once again found itself atop the MEAC at this point in the season for the third year in a row. The Eagles’ offense is averaging over 50 points per game through six contests, scoring at a better rate than the 2022 HBCU championship team.
The best running back you never heard of has broken out
Individual performances have set the season alight, most notably North Carolina Central running back Chris Mosley. Mosley stands atop the FCS in rushing and all-purpose yards, including five touchdowns against North Carolina A&T.
Benedict Tigers have defied the odds
Picked seventh in the SIAC preseason poll, Benedict College has exploded out of the gate to a 4-0 record. Their versatile victories — scoring touchdowns via kickoff returns, fumble returns and interceptions — highlight a multidimensional threat. The Tigers’ defense ranks sixth in the SIAC in scoring, and their four defensive touchdowns lead Division II. Benedict’s accelerated return to contention has redefined the SIAC outlook.
These HBCU football teams have surprised
From Virginia Union’s offensive eruption in the CIAA (633 total yards, 59-7 win) to upsets and close calls elsewhere, no conference is safe from shakeups.
Teams like Bethune-Cookman, Alabama A&M, Delaware State, and Howard have flirted with spoiler status, winning tough games and rallying back when trailing late.
Meanwhile, first-year head coaches Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson have seen mixed results. The Spartans are 1-4 under Vick and have lost three straight games. Jackson and the Hornets have been competitive in each game and are off to their best start in more than a decade.
North Carolina A&T hasn’t improved significantly under Shawn Gibbs, and the program has a culture issue that the longtime HBCU coach is attempting to address. The Aggies still have a long way to go to be competitive.
