Week 1 of the College Football Season is done and I’m ready for Week 2! For the most part, teams will continue to face out-of-conference opponents this weekend. There will be two in-state rivalry games in the state of Virginia, Grambling could almost walk to their game on Saturday and an FCS vs FBS matchup that might make history. Here are my picks for this week’s games!
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Big South
Virginia Union (0-0) at Hampton (1-0)
Hampton is currently riding a seven game “win streak” over opponents with a combine record of 18-49 from 2018, but a win is a win. Last week, Former Florida State transfer QB Deondre Francois scored three touchdowns to lead the Pirates to a 65-7 win over Division II Elizabeth City State. This week, Hampton will face another D-II opponent, but not like ECSU. Virginia Union RB Tabyus Taylor led the nation in 2018 with 196.2 total yards per game while the Panthers offense average over 45 points per game. This won’t be no easy win… Hampton 24, Virginia Union 21[divider]
MEAC
North Carolina A&T (1-0) at Duke (0-1)
Over the past four seasons, A&T non-conference wins have been rather impressive, including their 24-21 win over #21 Elon this past weekend. What the Aggies need now is a win over a Power 5 opponent. Enter, Duke. Now, the Blue Devils have fallen to FCS opponents in the past and this would have been a little easier for me to pick an upset here, if the 2018 version of the Aggies were heading to Durham this weekend. Even though QB Kylil Carter was able to put up 220 yards of total offense and two touchdowns against the Phoenix, he will be facing an ACC defense. Not necessarily a good one but an ACC defense none the less. Blue Devils 28, Aggies 17
Lane (0-1) at South Carolina State (1-0)
The Bulldogs are coming off a HUGE 31-19 victory over #19 Wofford last week, led by QB Tyrece Nick’s 241 yards of total offense and two touchdowns. I expect SCSU to win big over an opponent that hasn’t had a winning record since 2013. Bulldogs 35, Dragons 7
Virginia State (0-0) at Norfolk State (0-1)
Behind QB Juwan Carter’s 250 yards of total offense and three total touchdowns, the Spartans almost stole one from Old Dominion so you would think that Norfolk State should be able to dominate Division II Virginia State, right? Not in this battle of “Big State vs Little State”, where these teams have split their last two games. Spartans 23, Trojans 13
Howard (0-1) at Youngstown State (1-0)
So, the Terps scored more points (79) than Howard gained total yards (68) this past weekend!??! SHEEESH!! Well, the Bison should have a better chance competing against Youngstown State. Even though the Penguins were able to put up 45 on Samford and have won 23 of their last 24 home openers, I don’t expect Caylin Newton and the Bison offense to have a repeat performance in Ohio. Penguins 30, Bison 21
North Carolina Central (0-1) at Towson (1-0)
It’s been a rough week for North Carolina Central. They fall to Austin Peay 41-10 last Thursday, their former QB Chauncey Caldwell, who started for the Eagles last week, announced Saturday via Twitter that he was leaving the program and they have to travel to Maryland to face Towson, who pushed past The Citadel 28-21 in their season opener. This season is starting out very rough for Eagles Head Coach Trei Oliver. Tigers 30, Eagles 7[divider]
OVC
Tennessee State (1-0) at Middle Tennessee (0-1)
Even with WR Chris Rowland finishing with 11 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown in TSU’s 26-20 win over MVSU, the Tigers were penalized 14 times for 115 yards. If TSU can’t clean that up, they are going to have problems with the Blue Raiders, who now have a little confidence after MTSU QB Asher O’Hara gained 249 yards of total offense and 3 touchdowns in a competitive 40-21 loss to No. 7 Michigan. Blue Raiders 38, Tigers 10[divider]
SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-1) at Alabama A&M (1-0)
The Bulldogs are coming off a thriller, where QB Aqeel Glass threw for 397 yards and four touchdown passes, including a 20-yarder to Brian Jenkins Jr. with 3 seconds to play, beating Morehouse 35-30. The Golden Lions, on the other hand, were handed a 39-7 loss to TCU. I don’t believe things will get easier for UAPB, who are 1-7 in their last eight against A&M. Bulldogs 30, Golden Lions 20
Grambling State (0-1) at Louisiana Tech (0-1)
Both teams are coming off tough losses last week, LT’s 45-14 loss to No. 10 Texas and Grambling’s 31-9 loss to Louisiana-Monroe. If the Tigers expect to get a win right up the street in Ruston, they will have to slow down LT QB J’Mar Smith who had 331 passing yards and two touchdowns last week in Austin. Bulldogs 35, Tigers 17
Jackson State (0-1) at South Alabama (0-1)
Say what you will, Wavy Dave (the Jackson State Mascot) wasn’t the reason why the Tigers loss on Sunday, unless he plays defense. Even after the 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against the mascot, Bethune Cookman scored 29 unanswered points to defeat Jackson State 36-15. Things won’t get easier, as the Tigers will travel to Mobile to face the Jaguars, who are coming off a 35-21 loss to Nebraska. Jaguars 30, Tigers 14
Mississippi Valley State (0-1) at Lamar (1-0)
Ok, Weird Stat of the Day. The Delta Devils have lost their first two games on the season dating back to 2015. They gave up 447 yards in their close loss to Tennessee State, and now, they’ll have to travel to Beaumont, TX and face a Lamar offense that put up 658 yards of offense in their 65-16 win over Bethel (TN). Cardinals 45, Delta Devils 17
Texas Southern (0-1) at Incarnate Word (0-1)
Ok, weird stat of the day. The Tigers haven’t won its second game of the season since 2015. Good news, TSU’s QB De’Andre Johnson had 259 passing yards and two touchdowns in the Tigers 44-23 loss to Prairie View. Bad news, they travel to San Antonio to face the 2018 Southland Conference Champions. Cardinals 30, Tigers 14
Southern (0-1) at Memphis (1-0)
Good news, the Jags were able to put up 342 yards of total offense last week. Bad news, the jags lost 5 fumbles in their 34-28 loss to McNeese. Even badder news, Coach Odums will be taking Southern to Tennessee this Saturday and will face Memphis, who held off Ole Miss 15-10 behind RB Patrick Taylor’s 128 rushing yards and a touchdown. Tigers 30, Jaguars 10
Prairie View A&M (1-0) at Houston (0-1)
Uh oh! Dawonya Tucker is starting 2019 the same way he did 2018. The Panthers RB tallied 298 all-purpose yards in the Panthers 44-23 win over Texas Southern last Saturday. Yeah, the Panthers put up 615 yards of offense against the Tigers, but will Prairie View be able to steal one from Houston, who’s coming off a 49-31 loss to No. 4 Oklahoma? Cougars 35, Panthers 14
Tuskegee (0-0) at Alabama State (0-1)
The Hornets must forget about what could have been in their 24-19 loss to FBS Alabama-Birmingham. Why? Because Tuskegee is coming to town. “But Tuskegee is a DII school, Duane!” Yup, and the Golden Tigers are 13-5 against Alabama State dating back to 1995. And if ASU wants to win back-to-back games against TU for the first time since 1994-95, getting a consecutive 100+ yard performance from RB Duran Bell would help. Hornets 24, Golden Tigers 21
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