SWAC's Alcorn State and MEAC's North Carolina A&T Battle in the First Celebration Bowl

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

The first-ever Celebration Bowl in Atlanta today is the final HBCU football game of the season, but probably one of the most important.

The two best teams of the two FCS HBCU football conferences, Alcorn State from the Southwestern Athletic Conference and North Carolina A&T from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, are battling to see who should be on top of the HBCU football world.

The game will be telecast live on ABC at noon eastern time from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Alcorn State, at 9-3 and fresh off of winning their second straight SWAC title, is looking to show that a mid-season hiccup where they lost two of three games is less indicative of a team that has the SWAC's top rated offense and defense and avenged one of those losses two weeks ago easily against a strong Grambling squad in the SWAC Championship game.

The Braves have won four straight since those regular season losses to Grambling (which they avenged) and Prairie View have outscored those four opponents 172-54 (21 of those 54 points came against Grambling in a title game that was decided early on).

"This is a team that has had some adversity," said ASU head coach Jay Hopson to the Sun Herald.com.  We had injuries, lost five or six starters, and battled back. I think we're a team - in basketball terms - we're getting stronger toward tournament time. I'm seeing a football team that really has gotten stronger as the season wore on."

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/sports/article50533420.html#storylink=cpy

Quarterback John Gibbs Jr., who has passed for nearly 1,000 yards and rushed for nearly 400 more, has been injured.  Lenorris Footman has ably stepped in, passing for 962 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 961 and 11 touchdowns. Footman threw for 202 yards and three TDs and rushed for 101 yards and another touchdown in the SWAC championship game.

"The reality is we've got two outstanding football players at that position," Hopson told The Vicksburg Press.  "It just so happens one is 100 percent completely healthy and the other is in that 90 percent range.

Behind whoever starts at quarterback, something Alcorn State head coach Jay Hopson has been coy about, stands Ragsdale Darry who has rushed for 1,141 yards and eight touchdowns.

On defense, the Braves are led by Darien Anderson's 69 tackles and five sacks, Damon Watkins who had 65 stops and five sacks and two others who had six sacks each in Michael Brooks and Stacey Garner.

That all means a tough challenge for a North Carolina A&T team that hasn't played in nearly a month since a loss to rival North Carolina Central in a game that resulted in a three-way tie for the MEAC crown between A&T, Central and Bethune Cookman.  Had A&T won, they would have won the title outright.  But tiebreakers meant the Aggies earned the Celebration Bowl bid.

Now the Aggies are looking to show the world that not only do they belong in Atlanta today, they are the team to beat.

At 9-2, North Carolina A&T marched through the MEAC schedule, winning seven straight games (eight overall with a win over Elon), mainly on the calling-card strength of one of the nations's nastiest defenses.

The Aggies led the MEAC in defense, but most notably were easily the stingiest squad against the run, something that will be important against a great running offense in Alcorn State.  North Carolina A&T only allowed 84 yards rushing a game, 930 yards for the ENTIRE season.

"We must stop the run," A&T head coach Rod Broadway said to The Charlotte Observer. "We can't have a lot of turnovers and we've got to tackle well.  The month off gave the players time to heal so I'm anxious to see how we play."

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/football/article50595400.html#storylink=cpy

On offense, the leader is running back Tarik Cohen, the two-time defending MEAC Offensive Player of the Year. The junior who became the school's all-time leading rusher earlier this season, rushed for 1,248 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 113 yards a game.

Kickoff for the Celebration Bowl is at noon in Atlanta.

Grambling, Alcorn State Battle for SWAC Title and Berth in the Celebration Bowl

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

(photo by The Vicksburg Post)

Saturday's SWAC Championship football game is a game that both Grambling and Alcorn State have been looking forward to, but for very different reasons.

Both teams are looking to claim the SWAC title, which for Alcorn State, would be their second in a row.  The winner will also play in the inaugural Celebration Bowl, which pits the SWAC champion versus the MEAC champion on Dec. 19.

But the Braves have had problems with a Grambling football team that has been on a steady climb since the dreadful days of 2013 when the team lost most football games and even boycotted a game because of the horrible conditions of their football facilities.

They've been the most consistent team in the SWAC for the past two years, the only main bump in losing a close battle last year to Southern that would have put them in last year's title game.

This season, the Tigers are 9-2, have won nine games in a row, and most importantly, they've defeated Alcorn State two years in a row.

They have SWAC Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Johnathan Williams who has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards and 36 touchdowns this season for the SWAC's second best offense.  The 34 points they scored last week was the fewest they've scored this season, besides the 14 points they had against Pac-10 team California in their opening game loss.

But they are the second best offense in the SWAC.  The top offensive team is Alcorn State.

The Braves averaged nearly 45 points and 487 yards of offense a game this season and are led by Ragsdale Darry, a rusher who only 44 yards from the 1,000 yard mark this season and has run for seven touchdowns.  But they have questions at quarterback as Footman Lenorr has had to step in for injured star quarterback John Gibbs Jr., a dual passing and rushing threat.  Footman has been solid, but head coach Jay Hopson has been coy about who will start today.

"All that stuff will kind of be game time," Alcorn head coach Jay Hopson told the Monroe News Star.  "We will see how that all plays out."

Alcorn State also has the SWAC's stingiest defense, giving up only 270 yards and 21 points a game this year.

Overall defense isn't Grambling's strong suit, but they do have the SWAC's best defense against the rush.

That all came into play earlier this season when Grambling needed a blocked extra point on the last play of the game to hold off Alcorn State.

Besides winning the SWAC title for the second year in the row, Alcorn State wants to finally defeat their nemesis while Grambling is looking for that elusive SWAC championship.

"It has been a stellar year for your program," said Grambling's Brandon Fobbs, the SWAC Coach of the Year, to The Advocate.  "I felt very confident in our blueprint for success.  I'm very pleased with with what we've been able to accomplish, but we still have a few more steps to go.  We will definitely have our hands full with Alcorn."

Tuskegee Meets Old Playoff Foe West Georgia Saturday in NCAA Division II Football Playoffs Quarterfinals

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Tuskegee is only a few steps away from a possible NCAA Division II championship game berth.  But that road winds its way 45 minutes west of Atlanta in Carrollton, Ga. where the Golden Tigers take on West Georgia in the Division II playoffs quarterfinal round Saturday.

Tuskegee (10-2) knocked off North Alabama in the waning seconds last Saturday in the playoffs' second round 35-31.

Now they face a West Georgia (11-1) team that is the top ranked team in Super Region Two bracket. Tuskegee is ranked sixth.  At stake is a place in the Division II playoffs semifinals.

It's the second consecutive year that the two teams meet in the D-2 playoffs.  Last year, Tuskegee lost a close 20-17, first-round game in Carrollton.

West Georgia had to come from behind last weekend to defeat rival Valdosta State 27-20.  But they are a team that has a strong running game with three players (Devontae Jackson - 910 yards; Lamarcus Franks - 339, and Aares McCall - 455) combined for nearly 2,000 yards on the ground this season. Quarterback Dallas Dickey has thrown for 1,721 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 529 yards and four touchdowns.

The rushing stats are big because Tuskegee is 9-1 when they hold opposing offenses to under 150 yards rushing this season. They've held opponents to an average of 110 yards rushing per game this season.

On defense, the Wolves have only allowed 15.3 points a game and are led by Dylan Donahue who has 11 sacks and 15 tackles for loss this season while Marlon Chapman led the team with 66 tackles.

With last season's loss fresh on their minds, Tuskegee head coach Willie Slater's team is hungry and ready.

"I haven't forgotten about last year," senior receiver Travis Hawkins told The Montgomery Advertiser.  "Definitely motivated, definitely hungry.  They're the team everybody's trying to beat. They're on top.  I don't think many people are expecting us to win, and that's how I like it.  But I know I'm ready. I know my team's ready and I'm excited to play them."

"We're playing a team, I feel like one of the best teams in the whole country," Slater told the Advertiser.  "But as crazy as it sounds, we're kind of excited about it.  They have like 26 Division I players, guys that've played Division I football.  So that's what we're up against.  Which makes our kids excited because they get a chance to play against the best and see how good they really are.  I think we have some good players too.  It's going to be an interesting game."

Kickoff in Carrolton is at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Tuskegee Tops Final 2015 ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT Division II Top Ten Football Poll; Crowned As AHSR HBCU D-2 National Champions

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

While some teams finished playing nearly a month ago, Tuskegee is still on the field.

The Golden Tigers are still in a historic run in the NCAA Division II football playoffs, with a quarterfinal matchup against West Georgia tomorrow.

It continues a season in which they finish as the best Division II HBCU football team in America, according to the final ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT Division II Top Ten football poll for 2015.

The Golden Tigers only had two slip ups this year, a 29-17 loss to a strong UNC Pembroke team and a surprising 26-23 loss to Miles in their regular season finale, a game that determined who went to the SIAC championship game.  Miles eventually won the SIAC title.

Miles finished 7-5, but won the SIAC championship and defeated Tuskegee on the final day of the season to claim the No. 4 spot.  They started the season off losing three of their first four, but two of those losses were two of the best Division II teams in the country in North Alabama and West Georgia.  But the Golden Bears went on to win six in a row, the final game a win over sixth ranked Albany State in the SIAC championship.

Bowie State's stellar season was marred by the loss of star quarterback Matthew Goggan after he was ruled ineligible, but the Bulldogs kept winning.  They won seven in a row before losing to fifth ranked Winston-Salem State in the CIAA championship game.

Here is the entire 2015 ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT Division II Top Ten:

1) Tuskegee (10-2)
2) Bowie State  (9-3)
3) Virginia Union (8-3)
4) Miles (7-5)
5) Winston-Salem State (6-5)
6) Albany State (6-4)
7) Virginia State (6-4)
8) Fort Valley State (5-4)
9) Chowan (6-4)
10) Morehouse (5-5)

Late Tuskegee TD Lifts Golden Tigers Over North Alabama 35-31; Tuskegee Advances to NCAA D-2 Football Playoff Quarterfinals

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Tuskegee nearly blew an 11-point, third quarter lead, but got a 2-yard Dennis Norfleet touchdown run with 19 seconds remaining to surprise North Alabama 35-31 in the NCAA Division II football playoffs Saturday.

Tuskegee's second round win, their first ever, moves them into the quarterfinals where they visit West Georgia Saturday in Carrolton, Ga.

In a game that close throughout, Tuskegee (10-2)  erased a 17-14 deficit in the third quarter with a Kevin Lacey touchdown pass and Branden Wilson touchdown run to go up 28-17.

North Alabama followed in the fourth quarter with a touchdown and two field goals, seemingly putting the game away with 3:54 left on their final field goal to go up 31-28.

Lacey shook off an interception from earlier in the final quarter to move the Golden Tigers downfield as time ticked away.  The biggest play in the drive was his 33-yard completion to Desmond Reese on third and 10 to get to the UNA two yard line. Norfleet scored the game-winner on the next play.

"That was probably the most confident pass I threw all day," Lacey said on SIAC.com.  "Coach (Slater) made the call and we just had to execute.  I felt a little bit of butterflies through the game, but knew I had to execute to give us a chance."

Norfleet rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns while Lacey threw for 176 yards and a TD and rushed for another score.

The win avenges a close 30-27 first round Division II playoff loss to North Alabama in 2013.

"I am just tickled to be back up here," Slater said.  "It' is just great to be back in this area.  I am stunned and it is unbelievable the way the game ended.  My hats to our players. They played hard adn played with their hearts.  I am just happy for them."

North Carolina Central Win Over A&T Means A&T, Central and Bethune-Cookman Share MEAC Title; A&T Goes to Celebration Bowl; Alcorn State Win Sets Up Rematch With Grambling in SWAC Championship; Recap of ALL of Saturday's HBCU Football Action

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

North Carolina A&T will be the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference representative in the inaugural Celebration Bowl football game on Dec. 19, but it's not because they won Saturday.

The Aggies were knocked off Saturday by rival North Carolina Central 21-16, leaving the MEAC championship as a three-way tie between A&T, Central and Bethune-Cookman who defeated Florida A&M Saturday.  Because of the tie-breaker system, the Aggies will head to the Celebration Bowl to face the winner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

North Carolina A&T, who claimed a share of the MEAC title last week, could have won the MEAC title outright with a win over Central.

But that didn't happen Saturday as the Aggies managed only one offensive touchdown, a fourth-quarter Kylil Carter touchdown pass to Dequan Swann.

The Aggies led early, picking up a first quarter field goal.  But North Carolina Central got touchdowns Malcolm Bell and a 67-yard punt return TD by LaVontis Smith to put them up to stay.

Tarik Cohen rushed for 112 yards to lead the Aggies offensively, while Lorenz Suttles and Denzel Jones each had seven tackles for the A&T defense.

Theo Livingston had a big game for the NCCU defense as he had 13 tackles and forced a fumble. Jordan Miles had nine tackles, while Richard Mitchell had two sacks.

The win gave North Carolina Central a share of the MEAC title for the second consecutive year as they end the season 8-3, 7-1 in the MEAC.

North Carolina A&T is now 9-2, 7-1 in the MEAC, with one game left to play.

"This is big for our program," A&T Head Coach Ron Broadway said according to the school's athletic web site. "This is why we do this - to have an opportunity to play in a bowl game.  Our guys have done a great job of trying to build this program back from 1-10 and losing 27 in a row.  When you think about where the program was when we came here and the fact that we're back-to-back champions of our league and the representative of our league in the first-ever Celebration Bowl five years later shows how much hard work has been put in by so many people around this university.  It also shows how much hard work our players and our coaches have put in.  This is a great honor for our outstanding university."

Alcorn State Wins SWAC East With Easy Win Over Alabama A&M 

Alcorn State rolled up 500 yards rushing with three players with more than 100 yards rushing and at least a touchdown as the Braves defeated Alabama A&M 44-10 and win the SWAC East title.

The win sets up a rematch with Grambling in the SWAC Championship game.  Grambling defeated Alcorn State 35-34 in October, the second consecutive year they've beaten Alcorn State.

Footman Lenorr rushed for 142 yards and a TD, Ragsdale Darry had 125 yards and a touchdown and Marquis Warford 118 yards and two touchdowns as Alabama A&M (2-7, 2-5 SWAC) struggled with the Alcorn State running game.  The Alcorn State running game worked so well that they only completed two passes the entire game.  Footman completed those two passes, one of them for another touchdown.

Defensively the Braves were just as dominant, with eight sacks and an interception.  Darien Moody had eight tackles and three sacks for ASU.

Here are recaps of the rest of Saturday's HBCU football action: 

MEAC

Bethune-Cookman 35, Florida A&M 14 - Quentin Williams threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to lead Bethune-Cookman (9-2, 7-1 MEAC) to the win over Florida A&M (1-10, 1-7 MEAC).  The win gives BCU a share of the MEAC title for the second consecutive year. Anthony Jordan rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats and Jawill Davis caught six passes for 115 yards and a TD.  FAMU was led by Devin Bowers who rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Delaware State 32, Howard 21 - Dae-Hun Cheung's 64-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run lifted Delaware State (1-10, 1-7 MEAC) to their only win of the season.  The Hornets had been down 12 points midway in the third quarter before Kobie Lain's 32-yard TD toss to Aris Scott and Cheung's run gave them the come-from-behind win.  Howard (1-10, 1-7 MEAC) was led by Ricquaz Brannon's 126 yards and a touchdown rushing.

Norfolk State 17, Morgan State 10 -  Greg Hankerson's second touchdown of the day, a 57-yard run, gave Norfolk State (4-7, 4-4 MEAC) the win over Morgan State (4-6, 4-4 MEAC).  Hankerson passed for 128 yards and a touchdown and ran for 88 yards and his late score. Morgan State was led by Moses Skillon who threw for 185 yards and a TD and rushed for 51 yards.

South Carolina State 52, Savannah State 29 - Adrian Kollock Jr. threw 188 yards and two touchdowns and Jalen Simmons ended his career with 77 yards and a TD rushing to lead South Carolina State (7-4, 6-2  MEAC) to the win.  Savannah State (1-9, 1-7 MEAC) was led by Arshon Spaulding's 66 yards and one TD passing and 63 yards and a touchdown rushing. Leonardo Myers had 17 tackles for Savannah State.

SWAC

Prairie View A&M 56, Jackson State 14 - Johnta Hebert rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns, including a 76-yarder, to lead Prairie View (8-2, 8-1 SWAC) to the win.  The Panthers rushed for 355 yards and six touchdowns.  Raleigh Johnson had 13 tackles and Brandon Medina had 11 stops to lead PVAM defensively.  Jackson State (3-7, 3-5 SWAC) was led by Jarin Morikawa's 151 yards and two TDs passing and Javancy Jones' 11 tackles and one sack.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff 25, Mississippi Valley State 19 - Brian Handley's 8-yard TD run in overtime gave Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-9, 1-8 SWAC) their first FCS win of the season (their other win was over Division II Morehouse). Handley finished with 98 yards and a TD on the ground.  Mississippi Valley State (1-10, 1-8 SWAC) tied the game late with a 38-yard interception return for a TD by Le'Trey Jones.  Slade Jarman led MVSU with 182 yards and a TD passing and 52 yards rushing.

Alabama State 26, Miles 7 - A week after Division II Miles (7-5) won the SIAC championship, they fell to FCS Alabama State (6-5) in the Turkey Day Classic. Ellis Richardson rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown and replaced injured Daniel Duhart at quarterback, going 6-of-10 for 78 yards. Khalid Thomas added 78 yards and a touchdown on the ground for ASU.

OTHERS 

Tennessee Tech 30, Tennessee State 24 - Ladari Vanlier rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns to lead Tennessee Tech (4-7, 3-5 OVC) to the win over Tennessee State (4-6, 1-6 OVC). Erick Evans led TSU with 111 yards and two touchdowns while O'Shay Ackerman-Carter threw for 221 yards threw for 221 yards and a TD.

Dante Nania's Three TDs Lead Slippery Rock to 40-21 Win Over Virginia Union in NCAA Division II Playoffs

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Dante Nania threw three touchdown passes midway through the game to lead Slippery Rock to a 40-21 victory over Virginia Union in the first round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs Saturday.

Slippery Rock (11-1) goes on to host Assumption (11-1), a 51-29 winner over Bowie State Saturday, in the second round next week.  Virginia Union finishes the season 8-3.

Slippery Rock jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter, but VUU's Shawheem Dowdy threw a 5-yard TD pass to Devin Anderson to pull to 13-7.  But then The Rock went on a 20-0 run on three Nania TDs that put the game out of reach.

Slippery Rock also got a huge game from running back Shamar Greene who rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns, including a 59-yarder late in the game.

Dowdy led Virginia Union with 375 yards and one passing TD while also rushing for two touchdowns.

Kevin Lacey Throws Two TDs As Tuskegee Defeats Catawba 26-16 In NCAA Division II Playoffs; Advances To Second Round for First Time in Program History

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

It's on to the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs for Tuskegee as Kevin Lacey threw two touchdown passes and linebacker Jewell Ratliff picked off a pass at the goal line for another touchdown to lead the Golden Tigers to a 26-16 win over Catawba.

It's the program's first NCAA playoff win after two years of close defeats.

Tuskegee (9-2) now heads across the state to play North Alabama, a 50-7 winner over Newberry, next weekend.  Catawba finishes the season 8-3.

"This was a big win for us," said Tuskegee head coach Willie Slater according to the school's athletics web site.  "It's our first playoff win and now we have to focus on the next win.  The next one is the most important one.  We just have to get back to work.  I have seen some strange things happen in the playoffs."

Tuskegee used a balanced offense and a tough run defense to keep Catawba at bay.  Lacey threw for 219 yards while the Golden Tigers rushing game had 121 on the ground.  Dennis Norfleet had 88 yards rushing to lead Tuskegee.

The Golden Tigers took their first drive straight down field as Lacey hooked up with Peyton Ramzy on a 39-yard touchdown pass.  Tuskegee went up 14-0 nine minutes later after Jerome Lewis' one-yard TD run.

Catawba followed up with a touchdown in the third quarter and a field goal early in the fourth, but Lacey followed immediately with his second TD toss.  Then midway through the fourth quarter, Ratliff's interception put the game out of reach.

Ratliff finished with ten tackles while Osband Thompson had 13 stops. Daryl George had two sacks for Tuskegee.

They now head to North Alabama, a team that finished 8-2 this season.  Tuskegee has played North Alabama three times, losing each time.  They last played in 2013 when North Alabama defeated the Golden Tigers 30-27 in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

"We are excited," Slater said.  "We have been telling them all year this is a great opportunity because we are considered to be one of the top 28 teams in the country.  They listened to us and we are excited to make it past the first round."

Marc Monks Throws Four TDs to Lead Assumption to 51-29 Win Over Bowie State in NCAA Division II Football Playoffs

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

(Photo by Paul Connors/Worcester Telegram)

Marc Monks threw two of his four touchdown passes in a first half in which Assumption jumped out to a 21-0 lead that proved too much Bowie State as Assumption went on to win 51-29 in the first round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs Saturday.

Assumption, now 11-1, goes on to play Slippery Rock, a 40-21 winner over Virginia Union, next week in the second round.  Bowie State ends the season 9-3.

Monks finished with 257 yards and four TDs passing while James Ward ran for 82 yards and two touchdowns as Assumption rolled up 450 yards of total offense.  Ashton Grant caught six of Monks' passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns.

Bowie State only mustered 35 yards on the ground, but Trevon Bennett, staring instead of freshman Nyema Washington, threw for 309 yards and a touchdown for BSU.  But Bennett was picked off three times and was sacked five times.  Nyme Mimms caught 14 passes for 127 yards and a TD.

North Carolina A&T-North Carolina Central Has MEAC Title and Celebration Bowl Berth On the Line; Alcorn State Can Claim SWAC East Title With Win Today; A Look At ALL Of Today's HBCU Football Action

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

The final day of the regular season has huge implications in Greensboro, North Carolina as two old rivals battle for a football championship.

Actually, one of them, North Carolina A&T (9-1, 7-0 MEAC) has already claimed at least a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title.  A win over visiting North Carolina Central would give them the outright championship.

But North Carolina Central (7-3, 6-1 MEAC) can also claim a share of the title with a win today and serves as the MEAC's representative in the inaugural Celebration Bowl, the Dec. 19th game pitting the SWAC and MEAC conference champions.

"Not only being another rivalry game, but the situation is similar as last year with this being for a share of the conference championship," said North Carolina Central head coach Jerry Mack, according to WRAL.com.  "Those two things make this all that more special for our guys."

Bethune-Cookman (8-2, 6-1 MEAC) also plays into the mix.  If North Carolina Central wins and the Wildcats defeat Florida A&M (1-9. 1-6 MEAC) today, Bethune-Cookman would share in a three-way tie for the MEAC title with Central and A&T, with A&T going to the Celebration Bowl.   If Florida A&M pulls off the upset over their state rival, Central and A&T share the title and North Carolina Central goes to the Celebration Bowl.

All are still eligible for an NCAA FCS Football Playoff at-large berth.

Kickoff in Greensboro is at 1 pm.

Alcorn State Plays Today for SWAC East Title and Rematch With Grambling in SWAC Championship

Alcorn State (6-3, 5-2 SWAC) looked like they were making a mad dash towards the SWAC championship game, until they stubbed their toe in losing to Grambling a few weeks ago.

They have an opportunity to avenge that loss and win the SWAC East and get a rematch with Grambling in the SWAC title game if they win today against Alabama A&M.   But a loss would leave Jackson State alive in the race and set up a huge Jackson State-Alcorn State game next weekend.

But thats looking ahead.

"(The players) aren't really talking about it (winning the division), but the game is that, so at the end of the day, certainly you don't talk about any of that until that so-called championship game shows up," Alcorn State head coach Jay Hopson said to the Jackson Clarion Ledger.  "Now we're at that game, so I think everybody understands the implications, and everybody understands we ahve to be ready to play our best game."

Alabama A&M (2-7, 2-5 SWAC) would love to be the spoiler.  But they are ranked last in the SWAC in total defense and today face the SWAC's third best offense and top rushing offense.  The Bulldogs do feature linebacker Bryan Brower, who is the SWAC's third-leading tackler with 76 so far this season while De'Angelo Ballard has thrown for 1,247 yards and seven touchdowns for a team looking towards the future.

But for Alcorn State the future is now.  Unless they lose.  If they lose, it sets up a huge rivalry game next week against Jackson State, provided they beat a tough Prairie View A&M team this week.

Here is the today's entire HBCU FCS football schedule:

MEAC

Norfolk State at Morgan State
South Carolina State at Savannah State
Howard at Delaware State
North Carolina Central at North Carolina A&T
Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M

SWAC 

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Mississippi Valley State
Miles at Alabama State

Jackson State at Prairie View A&M - Jackson State (3-6, 3-4 SWAC) has had a tough season. But all the bad things can be forgotten as they have a chance to play in the SWAC Championship game against Grambling if they win today and next week against Alcorn State (if Alcorn State loses today). They have a tough foe in Prairie View (8-2, 7-1 SWAC), a team still hoping for an at-large NCAA FCS playoff berth.  The Panthers have won six games in a row.
Alabama A&M at Alcorn State


OTHERS

Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech - Tennessee State (4-5, 1-5 Ohio Valley Conference) will try to close out a disappointing 2015 season with a chance to get to the .500 mark if they defeat OVC rival Tennessee Tech.  The game can be seen nationally on MASN.

Bowie State, Virginia Union and Tuskegee Make First Round NCAA D-2 Football Playoff Appearances Today

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Today, three HBCU football teams take on higher ranked opponents in the first round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

Two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association teams, Virginia Union and Bowie State, and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Tuskegee, all are on the road today as the 14-team road to the championship begins.

Virginia Union (8-2, 7-1 CIAA) goes to Slippery Rock, a team that finished the season 10-1 and won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship. (kickoff at noon).  The Rock features a high octane offense that averaged nearly 49 points and 517 yards of offense a game.

They are led by running back Shamar Greene, who has rushed for 129 yards a game, and quarterback Dante Nania, who has thrown for 2,471 yards and 24 touchdowns this season.

VUU brings their own offensive fireworks into the game.  They led the CIAA in scoring with 33 points a game, touchdowns (45) and was second in total points with 330.  Quarterback Shawheem Dowdy and running back Hakeem Holland led the Panthers offense as Dowdy was the CIAA's second best QB with 2,035 yards and 19 TDs passing while Holland was fifth in rushing yards (1,012) and yards per game (101).   The Panthers will look for Miles Pace to put pressure on Nania as he led the CIAA in sacks with 10 and forced four fumbles.

Bowie State (9-2, 7-0 CIAA) finished just behind Virginia Union in scoring this season, averaging 32.6 a game in the CIAA and led the conference in total points with 359, touchdown passes (31), passing yards and yards passing per game.   Much of that was with Matt Goggans at quarterback, but who who was ruled ineligible midway through the season.

But the Bulldogs haven't missed a beat with freshman Nyema Washington taking over behind center. In five games, Washington has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, though he has six interceptions.  He has also rushed for three touchdowns.   The Bulldogs will look for one of the CIAA's top defenses to shut down Assumption (10-1).  (kickoff at 1 pm}

Third-seeded Assumption has won nine consecutive games on the strength of a balanced offense and defense.  The led the Northeastern 10 Conference in scoring and points.  The Bowie State defense will look to shut them down as they gave up less than 200 yards a game passing, had 37 sacks, 16 fumble recoveries and picked off 12 passes this season.

What's big for both of those games is that if both Bowie State and Virginia Union win, it sets up a second round game that will be a rematch of the tough Oct. 24 battle between the two CIAA foes in which BSU won 23-19.

Tuskegee (8-2, 4-1 SIAC) takes the SIAC's leading offense (30 points per game) along with the conference's Defensive Player of the Year in Jewell Ratliff to Catawba (9-2) for the first meeting for the the two schools.  (kickoff is at 1 pm)

Catawba has a balanced offense with Cary Littlejohn rushing for nearly 1,000 this season and quarterback Mike Sheehan throwing for 1,300 yards this season and rushing for 704 and 12 TDs.  Its on defense where Catawba shines.  Kyle Kitchens had 60 tackles and ten sacks to lead a Catawba defense that had 25 sacks this year and led the South Athletic Conference in total defense this year.

Tuskegee led the SIAC in scoring defense, giving up just under 15 points a game and was second in total defense.  Ratliff was dominant, leading the SIAC with 118 tackles.

Tuskegee, Bowie State and Virginia Union Chosen For NCAA Division II Football Playoffs

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

While surprises reigned in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, the conferences best teams season-long have been tapped to play in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Bowie State and Virginia Union of the CIAA and Tuskegee in the SIAC are three of the teams in the 14-team playoff field.  Only BSU made their conference championship games, losing Saturday to a 6-5 Winston-Salem State team.  Tuskegee fell in their regular season finale to eventual SIAC champion, Miles.

Bowie State, ranked sixth in the playoff field, visits third-ranked Assumption (10-1) Saturday while 7th ranked Virginia Union (8-2) goes to second-ranked Slippery Rock (10-1). The winner of those two games play the following weekend, with the higher ranked team hosting.

Tuskegee (8-2), ranked sixth on their side of the bracket, visits third-ranked Catawba (8-2) Saturday

Bowie State was 9-2 this season, but five games were nullified after an eligible player was found to have been competing for the team.  The player wasn't named, but numerous reports were that the player was star quarterback Matthew Goggans, who is not listed on the team's roster anymore.  But the team's won-loss percentage wasn't affected by the nullification and they were allowed to participate in postseason play.

Goggans was replaced by Nyema Washington.  Washington threw for 209 yards and a touchdown in the Bulldogs' loss to Winston-Salem State in the CIAA title game Saturday.

This is Bowie State's second-ever playoff appearance.  They lost to Portland State 34-17 in the 1998 playoffs.

"Hats off to our guys and coaching staff... We've done a great job all year," said Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson Sunday, according to the school's athletics web site.  "We lost a tough game [Sunday] but have an opportunity to continue playing [post season] football for the second time in history.  This is an exciting time."

Virginia Union only lost one conference game this season, a tough 23-19 loss to Bowie State which ended up keeping them out of the CIAA championship game.  Their game against Slippery Rock will be the school's first NCAA Division II playoff appearance since a 1991 loss to Indiana (Pa).

Tuskegee was at the top of most Division II HBCU football polls all season until they lost to Miles in their regular season finale.  Saturday's game marks their school's third consecutive NCAA Division II playoff berth.  Last season, the Golden Tigers lost a first-round home game 20-17 to West Georgia last season and in 2013, in their first playoff appearance, they lost to powerful North Alabama.

Tarik Cohen Becomes North Carolina A&T's All-Time Leading Rusher and Helps A&T Claim a Share of the MEAC Title With Win Over Delaware State; Recaps of All the HBCU Action from Saturday

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Tarik Cohen ran for 132 yards, becoming North Carolina A&T's all-time leading rusher, to help the Aggies to an easy 27-6 win over Delaware State and enable North Carolina A&T to claim at least a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship for the second consecutive year.

The Aggies (9-1, 7-0 MEAC) can win the title outright with a win over North Carolina Central next Saturday.  A loss would give NCCU a share of the conference title.

Cohen has 3,623 yards rushing in his career, moving past Mike Mayhew.  Cohen, a junior, has another year of eligibility left, is only 1,049 yards short of the MEAC career rushing record, set by South Carolina State's William Ford.

"It's an honor to have a record like this considering all of the great running backs who came before me," Cohen said on the school's athletic web site. "This school has produced some great running backs like Maurice Smith, Maurice Hicks, and the guy's record who I broke today, Mike Mayhew."

Kylil Carter threw two TD passes and rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown to lead North Carolina A&T Saturday.  The Aggie defense had four sacks, two interceptions and 12 tackles for losses in holding Delaware State (0-10, 0-7 MEAC) to just 174 yards of total offense for the day.

"Right now, Central is the furthest thing from our mind," said NCA&T head coach Rod Broadway after the game. "We have to focus on us and making us better fundamentally and execution-wise."

Delaware State will try to avoid a winless season when they host a one-win Howard team next week.

Here is a rundown of all of Saturday's HBCU football action: 

MEAC

North Carolina Central 41, Howard 6 - Malcom Bell threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to lead North Carolina Central (7-3, 6-1 MEAC) in easily defeating Howard (1-9, 1-6 MEAC) and keeping their MEAC title hopes alive.  The Eagles have won six games in a row but head to Greensboro to face rival North Carolina A&T in a game that will determine whether Eagles can at least get a share of the the MEAC championship.
South Carolina State 17, Norfolk State 10 - Justin Taylor's 4-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds remaining capped a 14-point 4th quarter that gave South Carolina State (6-4, 5-2 MEAC) a come-from-behind win over Norfolk State (3-7, 3-4 MEAC).  Kollock threw for 255 yards on the day. Norfolk State's Greg Hankerson threw for 241 yards and NSU's only touchdown.
Morgan State 21, Florida A&M 7 - A glimmer of hope for a second win of the season for Florida A&M (1-9, 1-5 MEAC) was dashed when after they led 7-0 early in the second quarter, Morgan State (4-5, 4-3 MEAC) only allowed FAMU 99 yards in offense and shut them out the rest of the way. The Bears got a touchdown run by quarterback Moses Skillon and an 83-yard TD toss by him to Andrew King. Orlando Johnson also had a touchdown run for Morgan State.
Hampton 42, Savannah State 3 - David Watford threw for 263 yards and four touchdowns to lead Hampton (6-5, 5-3 MEAC) an easy win over Savannah State (1-8, 1-6 MEAC).  Twarn Mixon caught nine of Watford's passes for 172 yards and a TD while Sequan Gooding had five catches for 75 yards and two TDs.  The Pirates picked off three Arshon Spaulding passes.

SWAC

Alcorn State 65, Texas Southern 13 - Alcorn State (6-3, 5-2 SWAC) looked like the balanced team of old as they had 519 yards of offense and held Texas Southern (3-6, 2-6 SWAC) to 52 yards rushing to get the easy win.  The Alcorn State running game accounted for 334 yards - Ragsdale Darry ran for 115 yards and a TD, quarterback Footman Lenorr had 75 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and Joe Price rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown - as the Braves controlled the game. Lenorr also threw two TD passes.
Prairie View 38, Alabama State 13 - Trey Green threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and another TD to lead Prairie View A&M  (7-2, 7-1 SWAC) to the win over Alabama State (5-5, 5-4 SWAC).  Johnta Hebert rushed for 101 yards, caught four passes for 26 yards and completed a 16-yard pass for PVAM.  Daniel Duhart led ASU with 204 yards and a touchdown passing.
Southern 46, Alabama A&M 7 - Austin Howard threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two TDs to lead Southern (6-4, 6-2 SWAC) to the easy win over Alabama A&M (2-7, 2-5 SWAC).  Leonard Tillery rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown while Malcolm Crockett ran for 99 yards and two TDs.  Southern rolled up 631 offensive yards while Alabama A&M only had 110.

OTHERS

Langston 50, Texas College 0 - Kenrick Robertson rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown while Mark Wright Jr. threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns to lead Langston (7-3, 5-1 CSFL) over Texas College (2-8, 2-4 CSFL).  Cedric Jackson caught six passes for 119 yards and three TDs and Sheldon Augustine grabbed seven passes for 100 yards.  While IUPA had 407 yards of offense, Cheyney only had 44, with -4 rushing.
Indiana University (Pa) 62, Cheyney 0 - Indiana University of Pa. rushed for 274 yards and six touchdowns - three of them Luigi Lista-Brinza's three TDs - to lead them to a blowout over Cheyney (0-11).  Lenny Williams led them with 75 yards passing and two TDs rushing.
West Liberty 42, West Virginia State 36 - Dakota Conwell threw for 280 yards and five TDs, including two fourth quarter TD passes and a touchdown run in a 22-point fourth quarter that lifted West Liberty to the win over West Virginia State (5-6, 5-5 MEC).
Southwest Baptist 62, Lincoln (Mo.) 19 - Tren Edwards threw for 279 yards and five touchdowns and added another TD rushing to lead Southwest Baptist to the rout of Lincoln (Mo) (1-10, 0-8 GLVC).  Bubba Jenkins added a big day on the ground with 167 yards rushing and a touchdown. Dennis Vinson led Lincoln (Mo) with 208 yards and three touchdowns passing.

Jamarcus Nance Rushes for 140 Yards and Two TDs to Lead Miles to 20-7 Win Over Albany State in CIAA Championship Game

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Jamarcus Nance rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns to lead Miles to a 20-7 win over Albany State in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game Saturday.

The win was the sixth straight for Miles (7-4) and is the second SIAC football championship for the Golden Bears. It also avenges a 29-16 Albany State win over Miles earlier this season.

Miles gave up 105 yards rushing to SIAC rushing leader Jarvis Small and Caleb Edmonds completed 21 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown, but Albany State (6-4) could only muster seven first downs

"We stalled a little bit offensively and our defense bent but they didn't break," said Miles head coach Reginald Ruffin according to ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, Ala.  "We came up with the big plays when we needed to. The resiliency that these guys have.  They never gave up and that's so important."

Miles jumped out early as Cedric Poole returned the opening kickoff 90 yards to set up a Golden Bears field goal just 1:36 into the game.

Albany State got into Miles territory twice, but missed a field goal and couldn't convert a fourth down on Miles' 28.  Meanwhile, Nance's first half touchdowns helped push Miles out to a first half 17-0 lead.

Late in the third, Edmonds engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in his 14-yard TD toss to Thomas Smith to pull Albany State to within ten at 17-7.

But Miles shut down Albany State when they needed to in the fourth quarter, twice stopping the Golden Rams on two fourth down plays in the Miles territory and picking off a pass late in the game at the Miles 33.

Nance was named Miles Most Valuable Player for the game while star linebacker Tavarius Washington, who had 14 tackles, was named Albany State's MVP.

Miles actually has another regular season game left.  The Golden Bears head to Montgomery to take on the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Alabama State next Saturday.

Final Play FG Gives Winston-Salem State Win Over Bowie State and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Title

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Will Johnson's 23-yard field goal on the game's final play lifted Winston-Salem State a 17-14 over Bowie State in the hard-fought CIAA Championship game.

WSSU kicker Will Johnson

It caps a CIAA season that started out with the Rams (6-5) losing four of their first five games in a season that looked like it would end nowhere near a berth in the conference title game.

But the Rams turned things around by winning four of their last five games, the only loss being an overtime defeat to Shaw.

Saturday, the Rams took on a Bowie State team that marched through the regular season, but weren't at full strength after an eligibility issue led to the declaration that their quarterback was actually ineligible.

That didn't slow down Bowie State (9-2)  Saturday as quarterback Nyem Washington had a 1-yard TD run and a 64-yard touchdown pass to Kerrick Pollock in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead.

Winston-Salem State got on the board just before halftime on the following drive, going 75 yards in four plays buoyed by two long Rod Tinsley passes to Rashan Williams.  Tyree Massey ran four yards for the TD to cap the drive and pull the Rams to within seven just before halftime.

The second half belonged to a stingy Winston-Salem State defense, which kept Bowie State out of the end zone the rest of the game.  The Bulldogs had their chances, as Washington fumbled the ball away early in the third quarter inside WSSU territory and Christopher Palmer missed a 37-yard field goal midway through the third quarter.  And early in the fourth, the Bulldogs couldn't convert on a fourth and 6, ending their drive at the WSSU 32 yard line.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Rams got the ball on the Bowie State 45 after their defense shut down BSU and forced a 30-yard punt.  Tinsley then hit Reggie Wilkins on a 25-yard pass and followed immediately with a 20-yard TD toss to Wilkins to tie the game at 14-14.

Winston-Salem State got the ball for the final time with 5:35 left in the game with Tinsley moving the Rams downfield, 75 yards in 14 play.  The 15th play was Johnson's game-winning kick as time expired.

Tinsley finished with 175 yards and a TD passing while Massey had 69 yards and a TD rushing. Williams caught five passes for 105 yards.

Washington had 209 yards and a TD passing to lead Bowie State.

The Bulldogs are still in the running for a NCAA Division II playoff berth.  Heading into the game, Bowie State was ranked second in the NCAA Division II Super Region I poll.  Pairings will be announced Sunday.

"This was a tough loss for us today, but hopefully we'll get a chance to see these seniors play more games this year," said Bowie State head coach Damon Wilson.

Big Games in Final SIAC and CIAA Regular Season Weekend to Determine Next Week's Football Championship Games; Rundown of ALL of Today's HBCU Games

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

It's the final regular season weekend in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and a handful of games will determine who will move on to conference championship games next weekend.

In the CIAA, as unlikely as it may have seemed most of this season, but Winston-Salem State could return to the conference championship game with a win over Fayetteville State Saturday.

A young Rams team has struggled this season, losing four of their first give games and carrying a 4-5 overall record heading into the weekend.  But the Rams lost to UNC Pembroke, Valdosta State, Tuskegee and Chowan, with the first three having strong changes to go to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

But since then, they have defeated CIAA South Division rivals Johnson C. Smith, St. Augustine's and Livingstone before last Saturday's overtime homecoming loss to Shaw.

"It's a one-game season, and there's nothing else to focus on but this one game," WSSU head coach Kienus Boulware told the Winston-Salem Journal.

Bowie State can win the Northern Division outright with a win over Elizabeth City State.  But if Bowie State loses and Virginia Union beats Virginia State today, then Union is headed to the title game.

Things are a little simpler in the SIAC as two games determine which teams will play in the conference title game on Nov. 14 in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Western Division representative will be determined in Tuskegee's homecoming game when they host a hot Miles team Saturday.  Both teams are 4-0 in SIAC play.  Tuskegee defeated Miles last year to advance to the title game.

"It's been 365 days since that we've been waiting for it, so now we get the opportunity," Miles head coach Reginald Ruffin said on the school's athletics web site.

"It's big. Every time I talk about it, I catch chills," Tuskegee star linebacker Jewell Ratliff told the Montgomery Advertiser. "It's a big one."

Miles started off the season with three straight losses to three of the nation's best Division II football programs in North Alabama, West Georgia and West Alabama.  But since then, the Golden Bears have won five of their last six games, including the last four.

Tuskegee, the nation's top Division II HBCU football team in the ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT football poll, has only lost this season to UNC-Pembroke, the 10th ranked team in the latest NCAA Division II Super Region III rankings.  But at 8-1 and sporting the SIAC's top offense and defense, Tuskegee is the third ranked team and is poised for another Division II playoff appearance, as well as representing the SIAC West in the conference title game with a win Saturday.

The winner faces the winner of the 26th Annual Fountain City Classic between Albany State and Fort Valley State.  Both teams are 5-3 overall and 3-0 in SIAC play.

Albany State started the season by losing three of their first four, though those losses came against three of the nation's top D-2 football programs in Valdosta State, Tuskegee and Delta State.  Since the 1-3 start, the Golden Rams have won four straight using a balanced offense and a stingy defense ranked second overall to Tuskegee in the SIAC.

Fort Valley State's three losses came in blowout losses to Delta State and Florida Tech and a heartbreaking 7-point defeat to Alderson Broaddus.  But their SIAC wins have all been convincing, including last week's 35-3 rout of Morehouse.





Here is the entire HBCU football schedule for Saturday

SIAC

Stillman at Kentucky State
Concordia (Ala) at Central State
Southeastern at Benedict
Lane at Morehouse
Clark Atlanta at Samford

MEAC

Stony Brook at Howard
Florida A&M at Hampton
North Carolina A&T at South Carolina State - South Carolina State is trying to claim a share of the MEAC lead with a huge game today.  A&T has only lost one conference game while A&T is still undefeated in conference play.  A loss will make last year's multi-team MEAC tie another possibility. NCAT's Tark Cohen only needs 88 yards to become the school's all-time leading rusher, but that'll be tough as the Bulldogs sport one of the MEAC's toughest defenses, particularly against the run.
Savannah State at Norfolk State
Delaware State at North Carolina Central - North Carolina Central needs to win today and next week against North Carolina A&T to challenge for the MEAC title. An NCAT loss today would be a huge help for the Eagles.
Morgan State at Bethune-Cookman - Morgan State's slim conference title hopes hinge on the next two games and a little help.  They've lost two MEAC games while Bethune-Cookman, sitting in second place, is 5-1.  Bethune-Cookman is hoping for a South Carolina State win over NCAT today, which would put them just short of first place (A&T narrowly defeated BCU in Octoer).

CIAA

Chowan at Lincoln (Pa)
Johnson C. Smith at Livingstone
St. Augustine's at Shaw

SWAC

Mississippi Valley State at Alabama A&M
Prairie View A&M at Alcorn State
Texas Southern at Grambling
Southern at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Alabama State at Jackson State

OTHERS

Murray State at Tennessee State
Cheyney at Millersville
West Virginia State at Concord
William Jewell at Lincoln (Mo)
Lyon at Texas College
Langston at Wayland Baptist

Tuskegee and North Carolina A&T Remain On Top of ADD'S HBCU SPORTS REPORT Football Top Ten FCS and Division II Polls

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

FCS

1) North Carolina A&T
2) Grambling
3) Alcorn State
4) Bethune-Cookman
5) South Carolina State
6) Prairie View A&M
7) North Carolina Central
8) Hampton
9) Southern
10) Morgan State

Division II

1) Tuskegee
2) Bowie State
3) Virginia Union
4) Virginia State
5) Fort Valley State
6) Chowan
7) Albany State
8) Miles
9) Fayetteville State
10) Elizabeth City State/Winston-Salem State

Tuskegee Survives Defensive-Minded Central State; Recaps of EVERY HBCU Football Game from Saturday

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Central State may not have the sterling record, but Tuskegee knew what they were in for Saturday.

The Marauders, sporting the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's toughest defense, held Tuskegee, the nation's top-ranked Division II HBCU football team, to less than 300 yards of total offense in a hard-hitting game in which Central State actually led at halftime

But Tuskegee's defense was tougher as they held the Marauders to 133 offensive yards in a 19-7 win.

While Tuskegee quarterback Kevin Lacey threw a touchdown pass, he was only 7-of-20 for 129 yards on the day.  Running back Dennis Norfleet gave the Golden Tigers offense stability, gaining 106 tough yards on 14 carries.

Deonate Gary led the hard hitting Central State (4-5, 2-3 SIAC) defense with nine tackles, forced and recovered a fumble and had a quarterback hurry. Gervell Morton added eight tackles and a sack.

Tuskegee (8-1, 7-0 SIAC) got monster defense efforts from Jewell Ratliff, who had 19 tackles and an interception that he returned for a touchdown, and Osband Thompson who had 15 tackles and was in on a sack.

Ratliff's defense gave the Golden Tigers their first lead and energized his team.

"It was big, bigger than we think," Ratliff told the Montgomery Advertiser. "It was dead on our sideline.  Our energy wasn't like it usually is, but after that pick, I saw the energy pick up."

The Tuskegee victory, head coach Willie Slater's 90th, sets the stage for next week's battle with Miles to determine who will win the SIAC West Division and go to the Nov. 14 SIAC Championship game.

Central State closes out their season with Concordia (Ala).

Here are recaps of EVERY HBCU football game from Saturday

MEAC

North Carolina A&T 28, Florida A&M 10 - North Carolina A&T (7-1, 5-0 MEAC) won their sixth straight game and sits on top of the MEAC standings with a solid win over Florida A&M (1-7, 1-4 MEAC).  Tarik Cohen continued his stellar season with 163 yards and a TD rushing, along with catching two passes for 25 yards.  Cohen is only 88 yards away from becoming A&T's all-time rushing leader.  The Rattlers on the other hand only had four yards rushing all day.
North Carolina Central 24, Norfolk State 16 - Dorrel McClain rushed for 93 yards and two TDs while Malcolm Bell passed for 193 yards and a touchdown as North Carolina Central (5-3, ?-? MEAC) outscored Norfolk State (2-6, ?-? MEAC) 17-9 in a wild fourth quarter to get the win. Greg Hankerson Jr. led Norfolk State with 89 yards and two touchdowns rushing and 230 yards passing.
Bethune-Cookman 49, Delaware State 21 - Bethune-Cookman (7-2, 5-1 MEAC) rushed for 353 yards and five touchdowns as they powered their way over winless Delaware State (0-8, 0-5 MEAC). Larry Brihm led the Wildcats with 141 yards and two TDs rushing while Michael Jones added 98 yards and a TD.  Quentin Williams also threw two touchdown passes.  The Wildcats are a game behind A&T in the conference championship race.
Howard 55, Savannah State 9 - Howard (1-7, 1-5 MEAC) got their first win of the season as quarterback Kalen Johnson threw for 219 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another score. Leon Prunty threw a TD to lead Savannah State (1-6, 1-4 MEAC).
South Carolina State 34, Hampton 20 - Jalen Simmons rushed for 135 yards while Caleb York threw three touchdowns to lead South Carolina State (5-3, 4-1 MEAC) to the win. Jerrell Antoine led Hampton (4-5, 3-3 MEAC) with two touchdowns passing and another TD rushing.  South Carolina State sits in a third place tie with North Carolina Central in the MEAC race.

CIAA

Virginia State 32, Chowan 28 - After being down 28-13 midway through the third quarter, Virginia State (6-3, 4-2 CIAA) scored 19 unanswered points to get the comeback win. Jordan Watkins had thrown two TD passes and ran for another touchdown to lead Chowan (5-4, 3-3 CIAA) to the early lead. Trenton Cannon rushed for 105 yards and a TD for VSU while Tyree Lee had 108 yards and a TD on the ground for Chowan.
Shaw 32, Winston-Salem State 25 (2OT) - A tough season for a young Winston-Salem State (4-5, 4-2 CIAA) team continues as Marquise Grizzle ran a 25-yard TD in the game's second overtime and Bruce Parker Jr. intercepted a WSSU pass to give Shaw (1-8, 1-5 CIAA) their first win of the season, spoiling WSSU's homecoming day. Grizzle rushed for 209 yards and became Shaw's all-time rushing leader.  Terrence Shambry threw for 267 yards and three TDs for Shaw.
Livingstone 42, Fayetteville State 35  (OT) - Latrell Flowers ran a two-yard TD in overtime and then Billy Moore picked off a Fayetteville State pass to give Livingstone (4-3, 3-3 CIAA) the win. Drew Powell led Livingstone with 364 yards and two TDs passing and two more touchdowns rushing.  Derek Bryant led Fayetteville State (4-5, 4-2 CIAA) with 262 yards and two touchdowns passing.
Virginia Union 43, Elizabeth City State 31- Shaheem Dowdy threw for 221 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score as Virginia Union (7-2, 5-1 CIAA) held off Elizabeth City State (4-4, 2-4 CIAA). Daquan Neal led ECSU with 255 yards and two TDs passing and rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Johnson C. Smith 22, St. Augustine's 3 - Johnson C. Smith (4-5, 3-3 CIAA) gave up only 141 yards of offense and forced five turnovers as they kept St. Augustine's (0-9, 0-6 CIAA) winless.  The Golden Bulls defense returned a fumble for a TD and had a safety.
Bowie State 57, Lincoln (Pa) 3 - A balanced Bowie State offense rumbled past Lincoln (Pa) (3-6, 1-5 CIAA). Bowie State (8-1, 6-0 CIAA) was led by Nyeema Washington's three touchdown passes and one rushing TD, along with Kendall Jefferson's 95 yards and two TDs rushing.  Bowie State clinched a spot in the CIAA championship game as they own the tie-breaker with second place Virginia Union and Virginia State in the CIAA North.

SWAC

Alcorn State 48, Southern 7 - A week after a big loss to Grambling, Alcorn State (5-2, 4-1 SWAC) had no problem with Southern (4-4, 4-2 SWAC).  It's Alcorn State's fifth consecutive win over Southern.
Jackson State 23, Mississippi Valley State 16 - Jackson State (3-5, 3-4 SWAC) got 17 fourth quarter points to keep Mississippi Valley State (0-9, 0-7 SWAC) winless. Jordan Williams rushed for a TD while La Montiez Ivy threw a 24 yard TD during that fourth quarter. Ryan Deising had four field goals for JSU.  Slade Jarman threw a TD and rushed for another to lead MVSU.
Alabama State 35, Alabama A&M 20 - Daniel Duhart threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for three other scores to lead Alabama State (4-4, 4-3 SWAC) to the win. Brandon Eldemire rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns to lead Alabama A&M (2-5, 2-3 SWAC).
Prairie View A&M 54, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 29 - Trey Green threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another TD to lead Prairie View (5-2, 5-1 SWAC) to the win. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-7, 0-6 SWAC) was led by Brandon Duncan's 308 yards and three TDs passing.
College of Faith at Texas Southern - GAME WAS CANCELLED

SIAC

Fort Valley State 35, Morehouse 3 - The Morehouse (4-5, 2-3 SIAC) offense sputtered as they mustered only 137 yards of offense against a ferocious Fort Valley State defense on homecoming day. Meanwhile Malcolm Eady threw two touchdown passes while Otis Brown tossed another and ran for a TD to lead Fort Valley State (5-3, 5-0 SIAC).
Albany State 35, Benedict 9 - Albany State (5-3, 3-0 SIAC) held Benedict (0-9, 0-4 SIAC) to -17 yards rushing and didn't allow a touchdown as the Rams got an easy win.  Jarvis Small continued his strong running, rushing for 103 yards and a TD. Caleb Edmonds added 80 yards and a TD on the ground and threw for 182 yards and another touchdowns. Tavarius Washington led the Albany State defense with 12 tackles while Darien Corley had 2.5 sacks and recovered a fumble. Mason Duckett led Benedict with 193 yards passing.
Lane 21, Kentucky State 14 - After being down 14-0 at halftime, Lane (3-6, 2-5 SIAC) scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second half to defeat Kentucky State (2-7, 2-4 SIAC).  Marcus Reynolds threw two second half TD passes while Carias Moore added two field goals. Kentucky State's Reginal Harris rushed for 142 yards and two TDs.
Miles 37, Stillman 7 -
Clark Atlanta at Concordia (Ala) - NO CONTEST BECAUSE OF WEATHER

OTHERS

Tennessee State 20, Austin Peay 6 - The Tennessee State (4-4, 1-4 OVC) looked like the TSU defense of old as they only allowed a pair of field goals in getting their first conference win. Blair Edwards led the TSU defense with 13 tackles, six of them solo.
UNC-Pembroke 45, West Virginia State 21 - UNC Pembroke erased an early 6-point deficit with five unanswered touchdowns and cruised to the win. Patrick O'Brien, who threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns, and B.J. Bunn hooked up from for three TD passes during that streak. Matt Kinnick threw for two TDs for West Virginia State (5-4, 5- MEC).
Panhandle State 62, Texas College 7 - Thirty-four first quarter points ended this game early. Panhandle State had 570 yards in total offense to rout Texas College (1-7, 1-3 CSFL).  Shane Truelove threw three touchdowns, Brandon Ramon tossed two and Eddie Thomas added one the Panhandle State passing game accounted for 379 yards.
McKendree 65, Lincoln (Mo) 0 - Issac Fisher threw for 308 yards and three TDs and rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown to lead McKendree to the rout of Lincoln (Mo) (1-8, 0-6 GLVC). McKendree had 31 first downs and 587 yards of offense.
West Chester 41, Cheyney 20 - Cheyney (0-9, 0-6 PSAC) kept it close early, but couldn't handle a balanced West Chester offense in the end.  Pat Moriarty threw for 251 yards and three TDs while Eerin Young rushed for 131 yards.  Dominick Trautz threw for only 74 yards for Cheyney, but three of his seven completions were for touchdowns.
Langston 48, Lyon 14 - Langston (5-3, 3-1 CSFL) piled up 537 yards of offense as they sped past Lyon for the win. Mark Wright rushed for 129 yards while Kendrick Robertson added 103 yards and two touchdowns for Langston.  Langston will need wins in their final two games to keep hopes alive for a CSFL conference title.

Alcorn State Tries to Regain Swagger at Southern; Rundown of ALL HBCU Football Scheduled Saturday

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Alcorn State has an important date in Louisiana today, mainly because their last time in Louisiana didn't turn out so well.

Today, Alcorn State faces a Southern (4-3, 4-1 SWAC) team that is looking to get back into the SWAC title game picture in the SWAC West as they trail Grambling and Prairie View.

Two weeks ago, the Braves (4-2) fell to Grambling, a team Alcorn State most people expect to meet the Braves in this year's SWAC title game.

But after a bye week, Alcorn State won't be facing a pushover.  Two of Southern's three losses have come to FBS teams Louisiana Tech and Georgia, while their lone FCS loss was a wild 47-42 defeat at the hands of a solid Prairie View squad.

The Jaguars feature the SWAC's leading rusher in Lenard Tillery, who has averaged nearly 105 yards a game and has rushed for nine touchdowns. Quarterback Austin Howard is one of the SWAC most efficient quarterbacks as he's thrown for nearly 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns against only three interceptions.

Still, Southern is facing the SWAC's top defensive unit in Alcorn State. with the league's top pass defense unit.

It shapes up to be a tough one in Baton Rouge.  Kickoff is at 4 p.m. CST.

Here is today's entire HBCU football schedule

SIAC

Central State at Tuskegee - The SIAC's top defensive unit, Central State, takes on the nation's top-ranked Division II HBCU football team.  The Marauders have also won four straight road games.
Benedict at Albany State
Morehouse at Fort Valley State
Kentucky State at Lane
Clark Atlanta at Concordia (Ala)

SWAC

Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Prairie View A&M
College of Faith at Texas Southern
Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State

CIAA

Elizabeth City State at Virginia Union
Lincoln (Pa) at Bowie State
Johnson C. Smith at St. Augustine's
Fayetteville State at Livingstone
Shaw at Winston-Salem State
Virginia State at Chowan

MEAC

Savannah State at Howard
Hampton at South Carolina State
Norfolk State at North Carolina Central
Bethune-Cookman at Delaware State
North Carolina A&T at Florida A&M

OTHERS

Austin Peay at Tennessee State - Tennessee State (3-4, 0-4 OVC) returns to their traditional home, "The Hole" on campus to take on OVC rival Austin Peay.  The Tigers are in the midst of a disappointing season and are seeking their first OVC win of the season.
West Chester (Pa) at Cheyney
West Virginia State at UNC-Pembroke
Lincoln (Mo) at McKendree
Lyon at Langston
Texas College at Oklahoma Panhandle