Duane Nash is our resident HBCU expert and operator of The Yard-HBCU Sports. You can follow Duane — like 7,000 other big-time HBCU fans have — on Twitter @TheYardHBCU. Duane will give readers weekly insight into what teams will win the big games, which individuals are in contention for big honors … and much, much more.
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FOR STARTERS … We’re still about a week away from a full tilt of conference play in HBCU FBS Football but there are still a bunch of great matchups here in Week 3. A heated rivalry is renewed, another one is back after a brief hiatus, five matchups against Big South opponents and a cluster of other non-conference games. Oh yeah, could there be a possible FCS win over an FBS opponent this week? Here are my picks for this week’s games! [divider]
MEAC
Hampton (1-1) vs Howard (0-2) in Chicago, IL
The “Battle of the Real HU”. These former conference rivals will meet again for the first time in two seasons at the Chicago Football Classic. Howard QB Caylin Newton’s looking for redemption after coming up short to Hampton in 2017. WR Kyle Anthony (10 catches, 146 yards, 3 touchdowns) will look to take advantage of a Hampton squad that just had a 7-game win streak broken at home by Division II Virginia Union. THE PICK: Bison 31, Pirates 24
North Carolina A&T (1-1) at Charleston Southern (0-2)
Both teams are looking to rebound after tough outings against FBS opponents last week. A&T hasn’t loss consecutive games to non-conference opponents since 2011. I expect that trend to continue this season. THE PICK: Aggies 24, Buccaneers 14
North Carolina Central (0-2) at Gardner-Webb (0-2)
The third MEAC team to face a Big South opponent this weekend. Both teams are off to bad starts and are looking to get their first win of the season. The Eagles haven’t started a season 0-3 in ten years. This one might be ugly. THE PICK: Eagles 13, Bulldogs 10
Fort Valley State (0-1) at Florida A&M (0-1)
Rattler Nation needed an extra week to clear their minds of their 62-0 shutout against No. 17 UCF. FAMU and Coach Willie Simmons needs a tune-up before their big game against Southern next week. Insert Division II Fort Valley State, who the Rattlers throttled 41-7 last season. THE PICK: Rattlers 35, Wildcats 7
Lincoln (PA) (0-1) at Delaware State (0-1)
Even though the Hornets dropped their Week 1 matchup to Delaware 31-13, they were still able to put up 344 yards of offense. Cut down on those penalties (11) and increase 3 rd down efficiency (20%) and they should have an easy time against Division II Lincoln (PA). THE PICK: Hornets 28, Lions 10
South Carolina State (2-0) at South Florida (0-2)
Bulldog Nation just might have a reason to get a little excited. Coach Buddy Pough has SC State off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2009, where they finished the season as the outright champion of the MEAC and Pough was named MEAC Coach of the Year. USF is off to a slow start. Is there a way that the SC State can go to Tampa and make things a little interesting? THE PICK: Bulls 37, Bulldogs 17
Norfolk State (1-1) at Coastal Carolina (1-1)
QB Juwan Carter (402 yards, 6 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) is having a pretty good start to 2019. The Spartan defense, well, that’s a different story. You can’t give up 514 yards of total offense to the Chanticleers like you did in their 44-21 win over Division II Virginia State. Oh yeah, Coastal Carolina is a little confident this week, fresh of their 12-7 win over FBS Kansas. THE PICK: Chanticleers 31, Spartans 15
Morgan State (0-1) at James Madison (1-1)
The Bears didn’t have a lot of bright spots in their Week 1 loss to Bowling Green. Things won’t be easier for Morgan State this week as they travel to Harrisonburg to face No. 2 JMU. THE PICK: Dukes 35, Bears 7
Bethune Cookman (1-0) at Miami (0-2)
Thankfully, the Wildcats were able to survive one hurricane last week (Dorian). I don’t think they will be so lucky when they take the field on Saturday. BCU is 0-5 against FBS opponents, giving up at least 40 points per game. THE PICK: Hurricanes 42, Wildcats 7[divider]
SWAC
Jackson State (0-2) vs Tennessee State (1-1) in Memphis, TN
The 2019 season isn’t starting the way Jackson State would’ve hoped. 0-2 start, the injury bug is hitting this team early and now, you’re about to play one of your biggest OOC rivals in a few days. TSU is currently riding a six-game win streak at The Southern Heritage Classic. If Coach John Hendricks doesn’t want that streak to continue, Jackson State will have to slow down The Rowland Brothers, especially WR Chris Rowland who currently has 374 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns over the first two games. THE PICK: Tennessee State 30, Jackson State 14
Alcorn State (1-1) at McNeese (1-1)
McNeese held on against Southern in Week 1 (34-28), it took a late touchdown for the Cowboys to beat the Braves in 2017 and, guess what? Looks like Alcorn’s three-pronged rushing attack could be making a return, this time with RB Niko Duffey, who scored three total touchdowns and rushed for 138 yards in the Braves’ 45-7 victory over Mississippi College. THE PICK: Braves 35, Cowboys 28
Edward Waters (0-1) at Southern (0-2)
This is the second time that coach Dawson Odums has started consecutive seasons 0-2 in Baton Rouge. The first time happened in his first two seasons at Southern (2012-2013). In those other three seasons, the Jags won in Week 3. Insert Division II Edward Waters, who haven’t won a game since October of last season. I expect that trend of being victorious in Game 3 to continue. THE PICK: Jaguars 30, Tigers 10
Langston (1-0) at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-1)
The Lions of Langston University won nine games and made the NAIA playoffs in 2018. Also, last season, Langston went toe-to-toe with the eventual SWAC West Divisional Champs before falling 33-18 to Southern. Had this been last season, I might have picked Langston to win. Last week’s 52-34 win over AAMU, UAPB’s first since 2014, has changed my mind. 632 yards of total offense?!!? RB Keshawn Williams had 301 all-purpose yards by himself! My lawd! THE PICK: Golden Lions 30, Lions 13
Nicholls (0-1) at Prairie View A&M (1-1)
Both of these teams had a rough go at it, in their last games, against FBS opponents and will look to rebound in this FCS OOC matchup. Going against my better judgement, I’m going to pick this game based upon last week’s Southland vs. SWAC game where Lamar, last season’s Southland Champion, needed overtime to defeat Mississippi Valley State, who has only won four games over the last three seasons. That means I’m looking for PV to redeem themselves after falling to No. 11 Nicholls in the school’s only other matchup in 2017. THE PICK: Panthers 21, Colonels 18
Kennesaw State (1-1) at Alabama State (1-1)
Another HBCU vs Big South matchup. Both teams almost upset FBS opponents earlier this season. If the Hornets want to upset No. 7 Kennesaw State, it would be great if they could get a complete game from their offense, led by QB KHA’Darris Davis, who put up 347 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception against rival Tuskegee. THE PICK: Owls 23, Hornets 21
Alabama A&M (1-1) at North Alabama (1-1)
The last of the HBCU vs Big South matchups for this weekend. Both teams took their lumps last week, losing by a combined score of 113-51. The difference is, the Lions lost to No. 18 Montana while the Bulldogs fell to UAPB for the first time in five years. A thrilling win in Week One and a surprising loss in Week Two. Coach Conell Maynor is probably wondering like the rest of us, “which AAMU team will we see THIS week?” The one consistent, in the first two weeks, has been QB Aqeel Glass, who is averaging 375 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes. THE PICK: Bulldogs 27, Lions 24
Texas Southern (0-2) at Louisiana (1-1)
In this week’s SWAC Press Teleconference, Coach Clarence McKinney said it plain and simple, “(the defense) gave up too many big plays” and “tackling is just something that we physically got to be able to get better at”. The stats prove that. Over the first two games of the season, the Tigers have allowed a combined 1361 total yards and 107 points. The TSU Defense is going to have to make plays if they plan on beating anyone, let alone the Ragin’ Cajuns who have put up 1023 yards of total offense over the past two weeks. THE PICK: Ragin’ Cajuns 42, Tigers 14
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