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’ve made it to Week 8 of the college football season and the road to the post-season, be it the FCS playoffs or the Celebration Bowl, is starting to take shape. Homecoming Season continues this weekend with three schools celebrating. Half of the SWAC is on a bye this weekend but don’t worry, one of the best HBCU FCS Game of the Year will be played between two MEAC powerhouses. If you wanted to know who is not playing, it’s Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling State, Howard and North Carolina Central..
Here are Duane's picks for this week's games:[divider]
BIG SOUTH
Hampton (3-3, 0-1) at Campbell (4-1, 1-0), Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN+: The Pirates are looking to reload after coming up short to Gardner-Webb last week, 35-27. The second (Hampton) and third (Campbell) highest-scoring offenses in the Big South, they are also the most penalized defenses teams in the conference. Hampton will look to control the time of possession and exploit the Camels run defense, which allows almost 260 yards a game, with RB Shai McKenzie. This same game plan should have worked against the Big South’s worst-rush defense…but Hampton was penalized 14 times. Pirates 30, Camels 28
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MEAC
North Carolina A&T (4-1, 2-0) at Florida A&M (5-1, 3-0), Sunday, 2:00 PM, ESPN3: Both of these teams are exactly who I thought they would be. Coming into this game, both teams have a combined record of 9-2, 5-0 within conference play. Both teams are in the top 3 in the MEAC in the following statistical categories, scoring offense, total offense, rushing defense and interceptions. I expect to see A&T attempt to control the clock by force feeding RB Jah-Maine Martin but I’m intrigued by what the Aggies pass defense, which has given up at least 200 yards passing in three of their four wins, will do to stop last week’s MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week Rattler QB Ryan Stanley. Stanley tossed for a career-high 427 yards and three touchdowns in FAMU’s 42-38 win over SCSU. Forget about the Rattlers not beating the Aggies at home in eight years, NCAT will be looking to redeem themselves from last season’s 22-21 loss to FAMU at home. Aggies 28, Rattlers 24
Norfolk State (2-5, 1-2) at Bethune Cookman (5-1, 3-0), Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN3: Both teams, which are led by talented QBs, are coming off road wins last weekend. The question is can Spartan QB Juwan Carter, who had 433 yards of total offense and 6 touchdowns in Norfolk’s 49-21 win over Howard, keep pace with Bethune’s Akevious Williams. Yes, NC Central held the QB to 150 yards of total offense, but he was responsible for three of the Wildcats’ four touchdowns. Wildcats 28, Spartans 17
Morgan State (1-5, 1-2) at South Carolina State (3-2, 1-1), Saturday, 1:30 PM, ESPN3: It’s Homecoming at “The Mecca”. Tyrone Wheatley has his first coaching victory under his belt. Now, his Bears will try to stop Bulldogs head coach Buddy Pough from getting his 129th. Morgan State, which scored over 30 points for the first time this season in their 34-3 win over Delaware State last week, will need to have a similar output if it expects to defeat SC State which averages 30.8 points per game. SCSU QB Tyrece Nick will look to bounce back after being pulled from last week’s loss to FAMU due to lack of production (6/17, 107 pass yds, 62 rush yds, INT). Bulldogs 30, Bears 12
Delaware State (1-5) at Merrimack (2-4), Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN3: After losing to Morgan State on their homecoming last weekend, coach Milstead’s hornets will face non-conference opponent Merrimack at home. This is the first ever meeting between the two schools. Both teams are 1-4 in their last 5 game. The Warriors average over 33 points per game, which is kind of deceptive. In their two wins, over Virginia of Lynchburg and NAIA’s Mayville State, Merrimack has scored a combined 121 points. In their four losses, 72 points. Hornets 35, Warriors 31
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OVC
Austin Peay (4-2, 2-0) at Tennessee State (1-6, 0-3), Saturday, 5:30 PM, ESPN+: If Coach Reed had hair, he’d be pulling it out right now. The Tigers are currently riding a six-game losing streak. TSU has turned the ball over eight times in their last two games. Their defense has allowed at least 450 yards of offense for the sixth time this season. Doesn’t help that the Governors average 424 yards of offense per game. TSU can’t lose on Homecoming, can they? Governors 30, Tigers 24
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SWAC
Texas Southern (0-6, 0-2) at Southern (3-3, 2-0), Saturday, 3:00 PM: Now in sole possession of first place in the West, with wins over UAPB and Prairie View in consecutive weeks, the Jags can gain more control on the division with a win over TSU this Saturday. Southern, who haven’t scored more than 34 points all season, should have a field day against a defense that is statistically the nation’s worst in total yards, passing yards and points allowed. Jaguars 42, Tigers 7
Virginia-Lynchburg (0-5) at Prairie View A&M (2-4), Saturday, 3:00 PM: The Panthers let one slip away from them last week in Baton Rouge. That’s ok. The SWAC’s best offense should rebound against Virginia-Lynchburg of the NCCAA. The Dragons, who are currently on a ten-game losing streak dating back to last season, are giving up 50 points per game this season. Homecoming should be very enjoyable for the Panthers. Panthers 49, Dragons 7
Jackson State (1-5, 0-1) at Mississippi Valley State (1-5, 0-2), Saturday, 3:00 PM, ESPN3: So, this is the SWAC game The Mothership decided to air this weekend? Can they just show the game from 1983? A combined 2-10 for the year, both teams are looking for their first conference win of the season. If the Tigers want to extend their five-game win streak over the Delta Devils, they will have to slow down the versatile, dual-threat QB Dejerric Bryant. Delta Devils 17, Tigers 14
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