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FOR STARTERS … We’re at Week 5 of the College Football season already? Well, a third of the year is done. So far, we are seeing usual suspects and a few surprises jockeying for pole position in their respective conferences while some other teams just might be ready to hit the panic button. This week’s slate has a prime-time matchup in the middle of the week, a game that could decide a division and a bunch of teams looking to start conference play 1-0 while Alabama State, Hampton and South Carolina State will be on a bye. Here are my picks for this week’s games! [divider]
MEAC
Delaware State (1-2) at No. 18 North Carolina A&T (2-1), Thursday, 7:30 PM, ESPNU
Coming off a tough 24-9 loss to Howard on their Homecoming, the Hornets, on a short week, will be traveling out of the State of Delaware for the first time this season to face the 2018 MEAC Champs. Bad news, North Carolina A&T is coming off a bye and the Hornets haven’t beaten the Aggies since 2013 but the nation’s fourth leading rusher (Jah-Maine Martin, 435 yards, 4 TDs) will be facing the MEAC’s best rushing defense, allowing 76.3 yards per game. THE PICK: Aggies 30, Hornets 12
Bethune Cookman (2-1) at Howard (1-3), Saturday, 1:00 PM, ESPN3
Both teams are coming of wins last week. Last season, Howard beat Bethune Cookman 41-35 in Chicago. Bison QB Caylin Newton and Wildcat QB Akevious Williams combined for almost 600 yards of total offense and six touchdowns. I’m expecting this to be another duel between two talented dual threat quarterbacks. THE PICK: Wildcats 30, Bison 24
Florida A&M (2-1) at Norfolk State (1-3), Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN3
The Spartans, tied for fourteenth in the nation in turnovers gained (9), will square off against the best offense in the MEAC. In their 27-21 win over rival Southern, Rattler WR Xavier Smith racked up 209 receiving yards and the game-winning touchdown with 3:32 remaining in the game. The Spartans may have their hands full defensively. Florida A&M averages 371 yards per game and have only allowed 3 sacks in four games. THE PICK: Rattlers 28, Spartans 17
North Carolina Central (1-3) at Morgan State (0-3), Saturday, 6:00 PM, ESPN3
Statistically, Morgan State the worst team in the MEAC, both offensively and defensively. North Carolina Central, fresh off their 45-7 win over Division II Elizabeth City State, turned the ball over two times, was penalized sixteen times for 141 yds and are, statistically, the second-worst scoring offense in the conference but the Eagles lead the nation with 13 turnovers gained. Whoever makes the least mistakes will walk away with their first conference win this season. THE PICK: Bears 20, Eagles 14
SWAC
Southern (1-3) at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-1), Saturday, 7:00 PM, ESPN3
How real are the Golden Lions? We’ll find out this weekend. UAPB is currently riding a three-game win streak, their first since 2012. They are currently the highest scoring offense in the SWAC and ranked eighteen nationally, scoring 37.3 points per game. Southern is coming off a heartbreaking 27-21 loss to FAMU. If Coach Cedric Thomas can lead the Golden Lions to their first win over Southern since 2012, they will be the front-runners in the SWAC’s West Division. THE PICK: Golden Lions 30, Southern 24
Mississippi Valley State (0-3) at Alcorn State (2-2), Saturday, 7:00 PM
Even though the Delta Devils are winless so far this season, they currently have the best scoring defense in the SWAC (23.7 points per game). The 2018 SWAC Champs pulled out a 45-41 victory over Prairie View without All-Conference quarterback Noah Johnson and a very limited pitch count (2 carries) for running back DeShawn Waller. If Johnson can’t play again this coming weekend, back-up quarterback Felix Harper showed that he is highly capable, gaining almost 300 total yards and scoring three touchdowns. THE PICK: Braves 30, Delta Devils 23
Grambling State (0-3) vs Prairie View A&M (1-3) in Dallas, TX, Saturday, 5:00 PM
Welp. The Tigers dropped a close one to the Hornets last week, 23-20. The last time Grambling lost to Alabama State and started the season 0-3 was 2014. You can’t expect to win games when you lose the turnover battle and are penalized ten times, but Grambling did win seven-straight after that slow start five years ago. If Coach Fobbs expects to repeat that feat, the second-best scoring defense in the SWAC will have to slow down Prairie View A&M and the second-best scoring offense, which put up over 500 yards of offense. THE PICK: Panthers 30, Tigers 28
Central State (1-2) at Alabama A&M (2-2), Saturday, 5:00 PM
The Bulldogs are coming of a tough 55-21 loss to Samford. I expect AAMU quarterback Aqeel Glass (1121 yards pass, 10 TDs), running back Jordan Bentley (409 yards rush, 5 TDs) and the Bulldogs offense to outscore Division II Central State, which averages 12.3 points per game and allows a SIAC worst 441.3 yards per game. THE PICK: Bulldogs 35, Marauders 7
Kentucky State (1-1) at Jackson State (1-2), Saturday, 3:00 PM
Fresh off a bye, Jackson State will face Division II Kentucky State. Should be an easy one for the Tigers. If they were able to keep pace and beat Tennessee State, which averages 31.8 points per game, JSU shouldn’t have a hard time with an offense that is averaging 10 points per game and passing for a combined 104 yards over two games. THE PICK: Tigers 35, Thoroughbreds 7
Texas Southern (0-3) at Houston Baptist (3-1), Saturday, 7:00 PM, ESPN3
The Tigers are facing a repeat of 2017 this week. That’s the last time TSU started the season 0-4, which included a 24-17 loss to FCS Houston Baptist. Well, the Tigers are allowing 61.3 points and 703 yards per game. Doesn’t help that the Huskies are averaging 53 points and 584 yards per game during their first ever three-game win streak in the school’s history. THE PICK: Huskies 48, Tigers 20
OVC
Tennessee State (1-3) at Eastern Kentucky (2-2), Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN3
This is going to be a classic strength versus strength matchup when one of the Ohio Valley Conferences’ offenses in Tennessee State (462 yards and 31.8 points scored per game) will face one of the conferences’ best defenses (324.5 yards and 19.5 points allowed per game). The question is can the Colonels (23.8 pts/gm) take advantage of a Tiger defense that has allowed almost 44 points during their three-game skid? THE PICK: Tigers 24, Colonels 21
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