HBCU Football: Tight Races Define Week 9 Schedule

The final Saturday of October brings a critical slate of games for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Several conferences are entering the final weeks of the regular season with slim margins between contenders. In the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Morgan State plays South Carolina State on Thursday, October 29. Morgan State sits at 0-1 in conference play after an overtime loss to Howard. That defeat came after the Bears squandered a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. South Carolina State enters the matchup with a 1-0 conference record after a 22-7 win over Norfolk State. A victory for the Bulldogs would extend their lead in a five-team race. A loss would leave Morgan State 0-2 with only five league games remaining to determine the champion.

The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference offers a head-to-head contest on Saturday, October 31. Edward Waters, which routed Clark Atlanta 62-14 in Week 8, hosts Central State. Central State defeated Miles 48-20 during the same period. Both teams hold 5-1 records in conference play. A win for either squad creates separation from the rest of the field before the final week. Kentucky State remains in the mix while Benedict and Albany State are also within striking distance of the championship.

In the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Johnson C. Smith faces Virginia State. The Golden Bulls dropped their first conference game of the season to Bowie State, 16-13. That loss altered the dynamics of the CIAA race. Virginia State enters the game 6-0 in conference play. Johnson C. Smith is 5-1. The outcome will determine if the Golden Bulls remain in contention for a top two spot or fall into the Friday Night Blitz portion of championship weekend.

Benedict, ranked third in the Division II poll, hosts Savannah State on Saturday. Benedict is 7-1 overall. Savannah State is 1-7. The game is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Charlie W. Johnson Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. Meanwhile, Albany State visits Clark Atlanta in Georgia. Both teams are attempting to recover from a difficult Week 8. Albany State is 3-5, while Clark Atlanta is 2-6.

The Week 9 schedule includes a matchup between Alabama A&M and Alabama State in Birmingham. Both teams play at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Alabama A&M is 6-2, and Alabama State is 4-3. Virginia Union, ranked second in the poll, plays Lincoln in Philadelphia on Friday. Virginia Union is 7-1, while Lincoln is 1-7.