Last weekend, HBCU FCS Football was filled with surprises (Alcorn State, North Carolina Central, and Texas Southern), dominating performances (Howard, Jackson State), and a historic win (Morgan State).
This week, the three undefeated teams – Jackson State, North Carolina Central, and Hampton (yes, I forgot about the Pirates last week) – look to extend their win streaks, the SWAC will be fully immersed into conference play, and rivals from neighboring states will face off while Delaware State, Morgan State, Southern, and Tennessee State will be on bye.
Here are my top five matchups and predictions for this week.
Predictions Record:
2022 record: 41-9
Week 3: 10-4
Top 5 Games
Mississippi Valley State (0-3, 0-0 SWAC) at No. 11 Jackson State (3-0, 2-0 SWAC), Saturday, 2:00 PM (ESPN3/ESPNU, 10:30 PM)
Easily the talk of HBCU Football, the nationally-ranked Tigers have laid waste to everyone they’ve faced so far this season, outscoring their opponents 141-30.
This week, the winless Delta Devils come to The ‘Sip.
After falling to Division II Delta State last week, MVSU has been outscored 98-30 this season. Things won’t be easier for them this weekend when first-time starting QB Jamari Jones will face the nation’s best defense.
Tigers 56, Delta Devils 6
Hampton (3-0, 0-0 CAA) at No. 8 Delaware (3-0, 1-0 CAA), Saturday, 6:00 PM (FloSports)
With three wins over out-of-conference HBCU opponents, the unbeaten Pirates are off to their best start since 2007. This week, they will be welcomed to the CAA by the highest-ranked team in the league, Delaware.
Coach Prunty believes that Hampton will “have to do everything right” if they expect to pull off the upset. Translation: their offense will have to find ways to put up points on the seventh-best scoring defense in the nation along with figuring out how to slow down Delaware QB Nolan Henderson. Last week’s Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week completed 29 of his 34 attempted passes for a career-high 379 yards and a career-best four touchdowns in the Blue Hen’s 42-21 victory over No. 17 Rhode Island.
Blue Hens 38, Pirates 14
Virginia Lynchburg (0-3) at No. 25 North Carolina Central (3-0), Saturday, 4:00 PM (ESPN+)
By now, you’re already familiar with NCCU’s current accolades at this point of the season.
3-0 for the first time as a Division I program (since 2008). The longest active winning streak in FCS football, 6 games. Defeated a nationally ranked opponent for the first time in six years.
Sandwiched in between games against New Hampshire and Campbell, this week’s game could be considered a trap game, but Coach Oliver is not looking past VUL. I am.
Over the past ten seasons, the Dragons are 7-62.
Eagles 49, Dragons 7
Alabama A&M (0-3, 0-0 SWAC) at Florida A&M (1-2, 0-1 SWAC), Saturday, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
These division rivals have only played once in 43 years, a FAMU 35-31 win in Huntsville last year.
Since losing QB Aqeel Glass to graduation, the Bulldogs have struggled to find their footing offensively, averaging 6.7 points per game, fifth worst in the nation.
Equally as bad on defense, AAMU will need to slow down QB Jeremy Moussa and WR Xavier Smith if they want to win their first road game of the season and stay out of the East Division’s basement.
Rattlers 30, Bulldogs 14
South Carolina State (1-1) at North Carolina A&T (0-3), Saturday, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Fresh off a bye week, the Bulldogs are back on the road for the third time this year to face a familiar foe.
Even though the winless Aggies are statistically one of the worst teams in the nation on both sides of the ball, Coach Buddy Pough refuses to fall for the banana in the tailpipe. The loser of six straight against the Aggies, Pough believes that “A&T is still A&T” and that they have a legitimate chance of winning the Big South.
A&T will look to take advantage of SC State’s young cornerbacks, but how successful will the Aggies be with their three-man QB by committee now that Eli Brickhandler has entered the battle at signal-caller.
Aggies 24, Bulldogs 21
MEAC
St. Francis (PA) (1-2) at Norfolk State (0-3), Saturday, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Red Flash 24, Spartans 10
Merrimack (1-2) at Delaware State (1-1), Saturday, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Hornets 27, Warriors 24
SWAC
Grambling State (1-1, 0-1 SWAC) at Bethune-Cookman (0-2, 0-0 SWAC), Saturday, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Tigers 30, Wildcats 14
Texas Southern (1-2) at Texas-San Antonio (1-2), Saturday, 3:30 PM (Stadium)
Road Runners 42, Tigers 21
Prairie View A&M (1-2, 1-0 SWAC) at Alabama State (2-1, 0-0 SWAC), Saturday, 6:00 PM (Bounce TV/WSFA Live Stream)
Hornets 21, Panthers 17
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-1, 0-0 SWAC) at Alcorn State (1-2, 0-0 SWAC), Saturday, 7:00 PM (HBCU Go)
Braves 24, Golden Lions 14
