Williams-less Grambling Takes on Lincoln; Tuskegee and Albany State Battle; Other Big HBCU Games

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

The Missouri Classic just got a little more interesting this week.

Grambling will head to Kansas City, Missouri without Tigers legend Doug Williams as head coach after he was fired Wednesday.  The storied program has lost 12 of their last 13 games and were 1-10 last season and has been outscored 71-19 in two games this season.

"We recognize Doug Williams' many contributions to our football legacy and we express our deep appreciation for his service to Grambling State University and we wish him well in the future," Grambling president Frank Pogue said in a school statement.

Now the Tigers, with Williams' son, D.J., at quarterback, will go into this weekend's game with Lincoln with running backs coach George Ragsdale serving as interim head coach.

Ragland will attempt to turn around a Grambling offense that is the worst in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and a defense that is ranked seventh out of the 10 SWAC teams.

Lincoln is a member of the Division II Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association.  The Blue Tigers were 1-10 last season, but feature quarterback Jacob Morris who had 1,718 yards passing, 390 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns last season.

Albany Hosts Tuskegee in Big SIAC Match-up

It may only be the second week of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season, but the game of the year may actually be occurring this week (until another one comes along a few weeks later).

Albany State hosts Tuskegee Saturday night, two of the top teams in the SIAC lock horns after big games last week -- big for Tuskegee as they manhandled Alabama A&M of the FCS/SWAC 22-7 while Albany State fell on a late field goal to North Greenville 26-24.

Neither season-openers were SIAC games, but this one is.  Both teams are in the SIAC's Big Four (along with Miles and Fort Valley State) and among the group many expect the SIAC Championship game matchup will come from.


In other games this weekend:

SWAC

- Texas Southern goes to Sam Houston State
- Alabama State visits Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- Alabama A&M is at South Carolina State
- Jackson State plays Tennessee State in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis
- Alcorn State takes on Mississippi Valley State
- Prairie View goes to Southern
- Grambling visits Lincoln

MEAC

- North Carolina Central heads to Charlotte
- Florida A&M hosts Samford
- Howard goes to Old Dominion
- North Carolina A&T hosts Elon
- Bethune-Cookman takes on Florida International
- Hampton hosts Tennessee Tech
- Savannah State is home against Fort Valley State
- Morgan State is at Liberty
- Delaware State goes to Towson

CIAA

- Chowan hosts Alderson Broaddus
- Elizabeth City State is at Tusculum
- St. Augustine's goes to Wingate
- Johnson C. Smith hosts Bowie State
- Virginia State takes on Benedict in the 41st New York Urban League Classic
- Winston Salem State hosts Virginia University of Lynchburg
- Livingstone hosts Catawba
- Lincoln goes to Sacred Heart
- Fayetteville State hosts Pembroke
- Shaw is at Virginia Union

SIAC

- Lane hosts Morehouse
- Kentucky State is at Central State
- Miles is at West Georgia
- Clark Atlanta hosts Stillman
- Tuskegee is at Albany State
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