Nation's Oldest HBCU Classic Has A Lot Riding for Morehouse and Tuskegee Today
A lot is riding on today's installment of the nation's oldest continuously running matchup between historically black college and university football teams, the 77th Annual Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic in Columbus, Ga.
Tuskegee (4-1) can start to truly assert themselves in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference western division, where three teams are unbeaten in conference play. They'd also avenge a loss to Morehouse last season, which snapped a long winning streak in the series.
The Maroon Tigers (2-3) have had two heartbreakingly-close losses this season and then seen injuries to their two top running backs - last year's SIAC Player of the Year David Carter and Shelton Hamilton. A win would keep them in contention for the SIAC East Division crown and give them the pick-me-up they need.
Carter returns to action today while the SIACs other top back, Tuskegee's Derrick Washington tries to keep pace. Carter and Washington are tied for first in the SIAC with 101 yards per game rushing averages this season.
It's also a game where the conference's top scoring defense, Tuskegee who only gives up 13.7 points per game, faces the SIAC's second-best scoring offense in Morehouse, which puts up a little over 31 points a game.
Kickoff in Columbus is 2 p.m.
UNDEFEATED TENNESSEE STATE, ALABAMA A&M AND WINSTON-SALEM TRY TO STAY UNBLEMISHED
HBCU top-ranked Tennessee State faces a stiff test as they step back into Ohio Valley Conference play to host Eastern Kentucky.
The Big Blue Tigers (5-0) easily has the toughest game of the nation's three undefeated HBCU football teams. Eastern Kentucky is 4-1 this season and is ranked 16th in the country among Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA) teams, their highest ranking since 1999. That year they lost to Tennessee State the week they were ranked this high. But the Colonels have already defeated one ranked FCS team this year, 24th ranked Southeast Missouri. Tennessee State, now ranked 24th in the country in the FCS, has beaten EKU twice in the schools' last three meetings.
Alabama A&M (5-0) goes down to the Delta to take on a Mississippi Valley State team that is 1-3 after being shellacked by Northwestern State 45-14 last week. A&M's Deaunte Mason will try to continue his astounding streak of throwing for at least three touchdowns and rushing for two TDs in three straight games.
Winston Salem State (5-0), Division II's fourth ranked team nationally, goes to Charlotte to take on Johnson C. Smith, a 1-3 team that scores a lot of points. They average nearly 31 points a game and nearly 400 yards of total offense. The problem for them is they give up 32 points per game. Winston Salem drilled Bowie State 35-3 last week and leads the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in offense and defense.
Schedule for Week of Oct. 4-6
SWAC
Southern vs. Alcorn State (ESPNU - 9:30 pm tape delay)
Jackson State vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff (SWACTV 6 pm)
Texas Southern vs. Alabama State
Alabama A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State
Prairie View vs. Grambling
MEAC
South Carolina State vs. North Carolina Central (Circle City Classic, Indianapolis, Ind)
Florida A&M vs. Howard
North Carolina A&T vs. Bethune Cookman
Delaware State vs. Norfolk State
Morgan State vs. Savannah State
CIAA
Bowie State vs. Chowan
Elizabeth City State vs. Virginia State
Fayetteville State vs. Shaw
Winston Salem State vs. Johnson C. Smith
Lincoln vs. Virginia Union
St. Augustine's vs. Livingstone
SIAC
Morehouse vs. Tuskegee (77th Annual Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic, Columbus, Ga)
Albany State vs. Lane (Music City Classic, Macon, Ga)
Stillman vs. Benedict
Clark Atlanta vs. Miles
Kentucky State vs. Fort Valley State
INDEPENDENTS/OTHER CONFERENCES
Eastern Kentucky vs. Tennessee State
Missouri University of Science and Technology vs. Central State
