It's championship Saturday in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Tuskegee at Fort Valley State - 2 p.m. Eastern (ESPN3)
In the SIAC today, Tuskegee visits Fort Valley State in the SIAC Championship game. The Golden Tigers (8-2, 6-0 SIAC) overcame a couple of bad bumps in the road earlier in the season (a loss to Albany State that didnt count in the conference standings, and a 61-0 blowout at the hands of Findlay), to win their last six games. The last one was a 50-20 defeat of Miles to give the SIAC West championship and a chance to win their 31st SIAC title.
Fort Valley State's record - 5-4 - may now seem gaudy, but they were most imporantly 5-1 in the SIAC this year. They won four of their last five, with the loss coming to Albany State a week after they claimed the SIAC East title.
The other thing: Fort Valley State is the defending SIAC champ, having defeated Kentucky State 33-30 in last year's title game.
"Last year, we inherited some seniors who were really hungry and really looking for a new direction, so that helped us," said FVSU head coach Kevin Porter to the Macon Telegraph. "This year, we have just grown into it, trying to play better each week."
Fort Valley State sports the SIAC's top scoring offense (27.2 points per game) and second best total offense. They are led by quarterback Slade Jarman, who has thrown for 1,530 yards and 14 TDs this season.
Tuskegee on the other hand is ranked fourth in total defense (just ahead of FVSU) and allow just 19 points a game as the SIAC's second-best in scoring defense.
That unit is led by linebacker Osband Thompson, who was named the SIAC's Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Thompson is second in the nation in tackles. Also, the Tuskegee defense hasn't allowed more than 200 yards passing in their last six games.
Kickoff is at 2 p.m. EST and the game is on ESPN3.
Fayetteville State vs. Virginia State - 4:30 p.m. Eastern (ESPN3)
At the beginning of the season, this probably wasn't the CIAA championship game that everyone expected. Bowie State lost to Virginia State and Fayetteville State defeated Winston-Salem State.
So now the FSU Broncos (6-4, 5-2 CIAA) will take on a Virginia State team that is undefeated at 9-0, 7-0 in CIAA play.
A little over a month ago, Fayetteville State was 1-4 and didn't look much like they were going to any championship game. But things changed drastically after a 64-31 loss to Bowie State. The Broncos won five straight games, including last weekend's nail-biter over Winston-Salem State that put them into the championship game.
"Early on, we lost those heartbreakers, but then we started winning those heartbrekers and breaking other people's hearts," said FSU head coach Richard Hayes to the Fayetteville Observer. "It's just been our year. Things fell our way and we'll take it."
The Broncos average 30 points a game and are led by a young core - sophomore running back Stevie Green (1,113 yards and 14 TDs rushing) and freshman quarterback Richard Latimer (1,074 yards and six TDs passing).
Virginia State has been a bit more straight-forward. The Trojans have averaged 43 points a game in steamrolling through their schedule this year. That includes a huge 47-35 win over Bowie State that for all intents and purposes was the CIAA North title game.
Their offense is led by dual-threat quarterback Corderial Cook (1,353 yards and nine TDs passing, 662 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing) and star running back Trenton Cannon, who has rumbled for 1,387 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He was named the CIAA's Offensive Player of the Year this week.
Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. Eastern and the game will be on ESPN3.
Here is the rest of today's slate of HBCU football games:
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Norfolk State at Howard
Savannah State at North Carolina A&T
Hampton at South Carolina State
Morgan State at Delaware State
Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina Central
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Jackson State at Alabama A&M
Arkanasas-Pine Bluff at Prairie View A&M
Mississippi Valley State at Alcorn State
Southern at Texas Southern
Grambling at Alabama State
OTHERS
Langson at Wayland Baptist
Lyon at Texas College
Edinboro at Cheyney
Lincoln (Mo) at Southwest Baptist
West Virginia State at West Virginia Wesleyan
Southeast Missouri at Tennessee State
