With Week 1 of the 2023 college football season on the horizon, we’ve already seen a very strong showing from last year’s Southwestern Athletic Conference champions.
After a 30-point shellacking over South Carolina State in Week 0, could Jackson State headline this week’s slate of games that are filled with Classics, intradivisonal contests, and a few “Money Games.”
This season, FCS HBCU Football features six new head coaches, a plethora of transfer players, and 21 teams that all have postseason aspirations. With all this turnover, will a new champion arise amongst Black College Football, or will North Carolina Central become the second team to win back-to-back Celebration Bowls?
But before we even think about Atlanta in December, we must get through the season opener.
Here are my top five matchups and predictions for this week.
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All times are Eastern Standard
Week 1 HBCU Top 5 Games
5. Tennessee State at #13 Notre Dame, Saturday, 2:30 PM (NBC)
This makes my Top 5 for two reasons: I didn’t want to include one of the Intraconference HBCU matchups versus a Division II program (even though I was highly tempted to add a potential upset), and the historical significance of the Irish facing an FCS and HBCU opponent for the first time since the subdivision split. I don’t anticipate this being close.
Fighting Irish 49, Tigers 7
4. Grambling State vs. Hampton, Saturday, 3:00 PM (NFL Network)
An intriguing Intraconference matchup between two FCS HBCUs that are looking to rebound this season after a subpar 2022. The inaugural Brick City HBCU Kickoff Classic will be the first time these two programs will meet since 2006, a 27-26 win for Hampton, who leads the all-time series 6-2.
Tigers 28, Pirates 24
3. Southern at Alabama State, Saturday, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
In their first contest since February 2021, we could very well see this matchup again in December. With eight defensive preseason all-conference selections between the two programs, ASU is looking to earn their first victory over the Jags in 11 years in this potential slugfest.
Hornets 20, Jaguars 17
2. Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern, Saturday, 8:00 PM (ESPN+)
After finishing 2022 at 5-6, their best record since 2014, TSU is looking to prove to the SWAC that they could have a breakout year this fall. To do so, quarterback Andrew Body will have to go into the Labor Day Classic and lead the Tigers to a divisional win over Prairie View, a feat they haven’t been able to accomplish since … 2014.
Tigers 24, Panthers 21
1. Jackson State vs. Florida A&M, Sunday, 3:00 PM (ESPN)
Quarterback Jason Brown (26/33, 361 yards, 3 TDs) was impressive in his first game as JSU’s new signal-caller in new Tiger head coach T.C. Taylor’s season opener. Next up for Jackson State, a potential de facto SWAC East Division Title Game against the favorite to win the league title Florida A&M and the conference’s preseason offensive player of the year, quarterback Jeremy Moussa. Can Willie Simmons get his first victory over JSU as a head coach since 2017?
Rattlers 31, Tigers 28
CAA
North Carolina A&T at Alabama at Birmingham, Thursday, 8:00 PM (ESPN+)
Blazers 38, Aggies 17
MEAC
Howard at Eastern Michigan, Friday, 6:30 PM (ESPN+)
Eagles 42, Bison 21
Bowie State at Delaware State, Saturday, 1:00 PM (ESPN+)
Bulldogs 28, Hornets 24
Virginia State at Norfolk State, Saturday, 2:00 PM (ESPN+)
Trojans 24, Spartans 21
Morgan State at Richmond, Saturday, 6:00 PM (FloFootball)
Spiders 38, Bears 10
South Carolina State at Charlotte, Saturday, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
49ers 49, Bulldogs 7
Winston-Salem State at North Carolina Central, Saturday, 6:00 PM (ESPN+)
Eagles 31, Rams 12
SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Tulsa, Thursday, 8:00 PM (ESPN+)
Golden Hurricane 35, Golden Lions 12
Bethune-Cookman at Memphis, Saturday, 3:30 PM (ESPN+)
Tigers 41, Wildcats 24
Mississippi Valley State vs. Central State, Saturday, 4:00 PM
Delta Devils 26, Marauders 21
Alabama A&M at Vanderbilt, Saturday, 7:00 PM (ESPN+/SEC Network)
Commodores 41, Bulldogs 17
Alcorn State at Southern Miss, Saturday, 7:00 PM (ESPN+)
Golden Eagles 31, Braves 20
