bernard
THEE Realist
We’re less than a week away from HBCU football games kicking off the college football season. Here are the biggest questions facing HBCU football teams entering the year.
It’s not the first time Alabama State has been a preseason No. 1, ranking as high in 2024. That year, the Hornets only finished No. 8 in my rankings going 3-3 in SWAC play. Last season, Alabama State finished one game shy of a SWAC East title.
This year, if everyone is healthy, the expectations are high at Alabama State. Will the Hornets finally finish on top?
There’s been plenty of talk this offseason about HBCUs playing DII programs or non-NCAA programs, but Prairie View A&M did the complete opposite by playing some of the subdivision’s best. The Panthers chose to do so after winning a SWAC Championship during a season where it played non-NCAA school Lincoln (CA).
Will a different strategy in scheduling pay off for the Prairie View A&M as they try to repeat atop the SWAC?
That’s a big jump to become a head coach, even if for Faulk it means dropping down a Division I level. We saw last year — more on that in a bit — that NFL stardom doesn’t always translate to year one success. All eyes will be on Faulk to see how his first year goes in Baton Rouge.
Will this be the year Alabama State finally gets it done?
Alabama State is preseason No. 1 in my power rankings and received six other first-place votes in the inaugural Black College Football Poll. The Hornets have the best player in HBCU football in quarterback Andrew Body and six total preseason All-SWAC players.It’s not the first time Alabama State has been a preseason No. 1, ranking as high in 2024. That year, the Hornets only finished No. 8 in my rankings going 3-3 in SWAC play. Last season, Alabama State finished one game shy of a SWAC East title.
This year, if everyone is healthy, the expectations are high at Alabama State. Will the Hornets finally finish on top?
Will a difficult nonconference schedule prepare Prairie View A&M for another SWAC title run?
Prairie View A&M opens the season with a Week 0 contest against preseason No. 5 Tarleton State before playing preseason No. 13 Stephen F. Austin in mid-September. Of course there’s the Labor Day Classic against Texas Southern and an FBS game against Baylor in between, but those two nonconference FCS games stand out the most.There’s been plenty of talk this offseason about HBCUs playing DII programs or non-NCAA programs, but Prairie View A&M did the complete opposite by playing some of the subdivision’s best. The Panthers chose to do so after winning a SWAC Championship during a season where it played non-NCAA school Lincoln (CA).
Will a different strategy in scheduling pay off for the Prairie View A&M as they try to repeat atop the SWAC?
Is Marshall Faulk ready to be a head coach?
The newest former NFL star to become an HBCU football head coach is Marshall Faulk at Southern. Faulk is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, but he never has been a head coach. Faulk does have coaching experience at Colorado last year where he was the running back coach, but the rushing attack was the worst in the Big 12 last year.That’s a big jump to become a head coach, even if for Faulk it means dropping down a Division I level. We saw last year — more on that in a bit — that NFL stardom doesn’t always translate to year one success. All eyes will be on Faulk to see how his first year goes in Baton Rouge.
Will 2026 be an empty year for Florida A&M or will the Rattlers be the kings of the upset?
Florida A&M can’t compete for a Celebration Bowl this year because of APR violations. However, that doesn’t mean that the Rattlers can’t shake up the SWAC title race by knocking off top contenders. FAMU plays SWAC East contenders like Alabama State and Jackson State and the defending Celebration Bowl champion South Carolina State in nonconference. Florida A&M might not have a championship to play for, but they still can play spoiler throughout the season.
10 questions entering the 2026 HBCU football season
We’re less than a week away from HBCU football games kicking off the college football season. Here are the biggest questions facing HBCU football teams entering the year.
www.ncaa.com
10 questions entering the 2026 HBCU football season
We’re less than a week away from HBCU football games kicking off the college football season. Here are the biggest questions facing HBCU football teams entering the year.
www.ncaa.com
