A lot of surprises in Week 7 led to disaster for your intrepid HBCU Sports picker – this was the worst week I’ve had record-wise since I started, outdoing the madness of Week 4, but that’s okay. The more upsets we have, the better. It’s what makes college football fun.
Looking to get back on track in Week 8, we have the final non-conference week for the MEAC, some pivotal SWAC contests, and the always exciting battles in the CIAA and the SIAC. There are not a lot of games on the schedule, but all have some importance.
Should be a fun week…for the teams, not me, of course.
Let’s look back at Week 7 and then get to Week 8’s predictions.
Last Week’s Record: 15-11
2024 Overall Record: 139-56-1
Best Pick: Howard 27, Sacred Heart 22 (Howard won 21-14)
Worst Pick: All 11 losses were bad, so let’s just go with that.
Game Of the Week: Florida A&M (3-2, 1-0 SWAC East) at Jackson State (4-2, 1-0 SWAC East), Saturday Oct. 19, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPNU
For the fourth consecutive year, this game will likely decide the SWAC East’s champion. Both teams are coming off bye weeks, so they should be well-rested and ready to go.
Jackson State’s defense came into question after nearly squandering a huge lead against Alabama A&M in Week 6, so the Tigers will have something to prove on that end against a Rattler offense that has a quality quarterback (Daniel Richardson) and several weapons around him.
JSU has the home-field advantage, but Rattler Nation travels really well, so there could be a loud, competitive, and contentious atmosphere that makes this a game-of-the-year candidate.
Prediction: Florida A&M 30, Jackson State 27
BONUS Game of the Week: Tennessee State (5-2, 3-1 Big South-OVC) at Howard (3-3, 0-0 MEAC), Saturday, Oct. 19, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN+
We couldn’t leave Howard’s 100th homecoming out of the excitement and they have a very fitting opponent in Tennessee State, currently playing their best ball in the Eddie George era.
The Bison, defending MEAC champs, rallied to turn away Sacred Heart, while the Tigers handled Eastern Illinois with ease for their homecoming. This will be a game of runs, as Howard and TnSU both have shown the capability to rack up points quickly.
The Bison must find a way to neutralize Draylen Ellis, while Howard quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins will need his offensive line to be at their best against a fearsome Tennessee State front seven.
This should be a great game as well as a display of HBCU culture and community that is second to none.
Prediction: Howard 27, Tennessee State 25
Miles (4-2, 4-0 SIAC) at Clark Atlanta (5-1-1, 3-1 SIAC), Saturday Oct. 19, 1 p.m. EST, ESPN+
The Golden Bears forcefully took first place in the SIAC last weekend, hammering preseason favorite Albany State. Meanwhile, the Panthers needed a late rally to hold off a pesky Central State team that wanted a homecoming win.
Clark Atlanta has had some problems up front, and that could mean even more trouble if Miles’ lightning-quick defensive line, led by ends Jamichael Rogers and Roc Dowdell, can make David Wright III rush his throws.
CAU is never out of a game, but they’ll need to do more than just keep Miles in sight as the Golden Bears appear poised for a trip to the SIAC championship game.
Prediction: Miles 24, Clark Atlanta 20
Alcorn State (4-3, 2-0 SWAC West) at Southern (3-3, 2-0 SWAC West), Saturday Oct. 19, 7 p.m. EST, ESPN+
The preseason favorite Braves have played as such in recent weeks, knocking off UAPB and Grambling to secure a first-place tie with the surprising Jaguars, whose two SWAC West wins will make them very unpopular in the Houston metro area for the foreseeable future.
This will be a matter of which quarterback shows up first and shows up the longest. Xzavier Vaughn has given the Alcorn State offense a different dimension with his legs and a competent arm, while Southern’s Noah Bodden engineered a late comeback against TxSU that could be a confidence booster for him moving forward.
The winner will hold a tight grip on first place in the SWAC West, while the loser will likely need some help later.
Prediction: Alcorn State 35, Southern 31
Winston-Salem State (5-2, 3-1 CIAA) at Livingstone (5-2, 3-1 CIAA), Saturday Oct. 19, 4 p.m.
If you had Winston-Salem State and Livingstone battling it out to stay in the CIAA championship chase this late in the season, you should share the Powerball numbers with us.
Kidding aside, the Rams and Blue Bears are each looking to stay alive in the title hunt and secure winning records—LC’s last winning season was 2015, while WSSU’s previous such season was 2018.
Winston-Salem State will have the advantage offensively, as quarterback Daylin Lee and running back Trevon Hester have been the constants on that team all season long. Livingstone, meanwhile, has played four different quarterbacks this season, though they do have the CIAA’s second-leading rusher in Mohamed Nyanamukenga.
If the Blue Bears can chew up the clock, that’s a bonus for them. Get into a track meet with the Rams, and they could be left in the dust.
Prediction: Winston-Salem State 33, Livingstone 27
Division I
South Carolina State 28, Fort Valley State 17
Bethune-Cookman 20, Mississippi Valley State 19
Grambling State 23, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 18
Hampton 27, North Carolina A&T 17
Division II/NAIA
Johnson C. Smith 24, Shaw 19
Bowie State 29, Bluefield State 21
Virginia Union 34, Lincoln (Pa.) 20
Virginia State 30, Elizabeth City State 14
Albany State 31, Morehouse 21
Tuskegee 32, Kentucky State 28
Central State 25, Lane 21
Savannah State 26, Edward Waters 18
Benedict 28, Allen 16
West Virginia State 35, Wheeling 17
Virginia University of Lynchburg 12, Atlantis University of Miami 10
Florida Memorial 35, Webber International 34
Langston 32, North American 23
Louisiana Christian 34, Texas College 24