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Tough early season Challenges on tap
Lut Williams
BCSP Editor
There's a little bit of everything on tap this weekend as the black college football season kicks into high gear with a full 31-game schedule.
While the majority of teams will play games out of the black college circle
this weekend, there are some major inter-conference battles and some key
intra-conference battles that will take center stage.
Enter the Inters
Topping the list of games between black college conferences is Sunday's aptly named MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando's Citrus Bowl where the defending champions from both conferences South Carolina State of the MEAC and Grambling State of the SWAC square off in a game for bragging rights, national prestige and early season rankings. The 2 p.m. game will be carried live on ESPN2.
Not only are Grambling (25th) and South Carolina State (16th) the only black college teams ranked in the Sports Network's Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Top 25, but the teams are 1-2 (with GSU ahead of SCSU) in both the Heritage Sports Radio Network Div. I and Sheridan Broadcasting Network black college polls.
Both teams are tied for second behind Florida A&M in the BCSP ranking.
With a 3-1 series lead, the MEAC has the cachet headed into the match-up of defending champions the first in the five-year history of the series.
In last year's contest, the first in Orlando after three years in Birmingham, the MEAC's Hampton downed the SWAC's Jackson State, 17-13. The only SWAC win in the series was Southern's 33-27 win over Florida A&M in 2007.
So the onus may be more on Rod Broadway's Grambling team to uphold the SWAC and Grambling name in Sunday's showdown.
The G-Men, who were a perfect 7-0 in the SWAC last season, return quarterback Greg Dillon, who led the SWAC in passing efficiency while throwing for nearly 1,400 yards including 18 TDs and just 8 interceptions. Dillon also rushed for 667 yards and 4 touchdowns. The running back tandem of Cornelius Walker and Frank Warren, who accounted for over 1,200 rushing yards and 8 TDs, also returns. The G-Men are led on defense by the SWAC's preseason Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end Christian Anthony, who had 8 sacks and 17 tackles for losses last year.
Buddy Pough's South Carolina State squad, who ran the table (8-0) in the MEAC a year ago, counters with last year's league offensive player of year in Bulldog senior running back Will Ford, who ran for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs. Ford needs less than 1,000 yards to become the league's all-time leading rusher. Junior QB Malcolm Long also returns after leading the Bulldogs to their first MEAC title since 1994. Long threw for 1,985 yards with 14 TDs and 9 interceptions.
The Bulldog defense, which lost leading tackler Marshall McFadden to a preseason injury, will be keyed by DB Markhee Hamlin.
Coming off last year's playoff loss to three-time FCS national champion and 2009 preseason No. 1 Appalachian State, a slight edge goes to SC State.
PREDICTION: SCSU 34, GSU 32 in a down-to-the-wire classic.
The MEAC has two black college inter-conference battles with the CIAA Saturday.
Darrell Asberry's two-time defending CIAA champ Shaw Bears (1-0) travel to Daytona Beach, Florida to tangle with Alvin Wyatt's Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (0-0) Saturday (4 p.m.) in another intriguing match-up. It's the first meeting ever between the two schools.
The MEAC's Norfolk State opens its season at home vs. former CIAA rival Virginia State (0-0, 1-0) at their traditional Labor Day Classic battle (6 p.m.).
Black college independent Tennessee State out of the Ohio Valley Conference plays at home Saturday (6 p.m.) in its John Merritt Classic vs. SWAC member Alabama A&M in the opener for both schools.
Rattlers' debut at No. 1
BCSP No. 1 Florida A&M gets to open its season at home Saturday (6 p.m.) in a critical MEAC date with Delaware State.
The highly touted Rattlers, who were voted second behind South Carolina State in the preseason MEAC coaches' poll and third behind Grambling and SCSU in the HSRN and Sheridan polls, are looking to break a four-game losing streak to the Hornets. DelState won last year's season-opener in FAMU head coach Joe Taylor's debut, 35-28 in overtime.
Look for Taylor and the Rattlers to get revenge on Al Lavan's rebuilding Hornets' squad.
PREDICTION: FAMU 42, DSU 20
In other conference battles, Morehouse (1-0, 1-0 SIAC) looks to follow crosstown rival Clark Atlanta into the winner's circle vs. Fort Valley State (0-1, 0-1). CAU knocked off FVSU 30-24 in double overtime Saturday while Morehouse took care of Benedict, 34-13. The two Atlanta schools are vying to challenge conference kingpins Albany State and Tuskegee in this year's SIAC race.
Tuskegee (1-0, 1-0) has a Sunday date in Birmingham with Billy Joe's Miles' team (1-0, 1-0) Sunday in that city's Labor Day Golden Classic. Miles was impressive last week in a 35-18 win over Lane.
Albany State (1-0, 0-0) hosts Kentucky State (1-0, 1-0) at 7 p.m. while Clark Atlanta (1-0, 1-0) plays at Stillman (0-1, 0-1) at 5 p.m.. KSU beat Stillman last week.
In the SWAC, Prairie View A&M, looking to capitalize on a 9-1 2008 campaign, takes on Texas Southern in the traditional Labor Day Classic opener (7 p.m.) for both schools. ESPNU will broadcast the game by tape delay at 10:30 p.m.
Other games to watch include Alonzo Lee's debut as North Carolina A&T head coach as the Aggies travel down I-40 to take on rival Winston-Salem State (6 p.m.) in both teams' opener. Donovan Rose also debuts as Hampton's third head coach in three years as the Pirates entertain North Carolina Central (6 p.m.)
SWAC Mississippi schools Jackson State and Alcorn State have tough openers against in-state BCS programs. Rick Comegy's JSU Tigers tangle with Mississippi State in Starkville (2:30 p.m.) in a game to be carried live by ESPNU. New Alcorn coach Ernest Collins debuts in Hattiesburg vs. Southern Mississippi (6 p.m.).
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