Homecomings feature pitched battles

LUT WILLIAMS

BCSP Editor

It’s mid-October and that means just one thing – Homecoming games – a season-high sixteen (16) of them this week. There are three homecomings each in all four conferences and four amongst the independents. But this week also pits major contenders in each of the conferences, most in homecoming venues, in games that will help define the tenor and direction of league races.

SWAC

Two of the three homecoming games in the SWAC are among teams currently at the top of the league’s standings.

Defending SWAC champion and BCSP No. 1 Alcorn State (4-1, 3-0 SWAC E) hosts BCSP No. 4 and traditional interdivisional rival Grambling State (4-2, 4-0 W) for its homecoming (2 p.m.) Saturday in Lorman, Ms. And defending West Division champ and BCSP No. 3 Southern (3-2, 3-0 W) has a key divisional match-up and homecoming date with top contender Prairie View A&M (3-2, 3-1 W) in Baton Rouge Saturday (4 p.m.).

Alcorn State has a two-game lead over Alabama A&M in the East Division. Grambling is a half-game ahead of Southern in the West with Prairie View another half-game back. The four are considered top contenders for honors in the high-scoring SWAC this year with prolific players under center.

Alcorn State is averaging 38.6 points on the strength of 2014 Offensive Player of the Year senior John Gibbs Jr., who is throwing for 154.8 yards per game and rushing for another 54.6 ypg. with six touchdowns. Grambling, led by senior quarterback Johnathan Williams, who is passing for 289.3 yards per game with 21 TDs, leads the league averaging 44.5 points per game.

Southern sophomore QB Austin Howard is passing for 212.8 ypg. while the Jaguars are scoring at a 33.2 points per game clip. Prairie View, with talented junior QB Trey Green and his 288.2 yards per game with 13 TDs and just two interceptions, is second in scoring at 42.8 ppg. Shootouts appear to be in order for both games.

In other SWAC games, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-4, 0-3 W) hosts Alabama State (2-4, 2-3 E) Thursday (6:30 p.m.) in a game to be carried live on ESPNU. Alabama A&M (1-4, 1-2 E) hosts Jackson State (1-4, 1-2 E) in the first game for new JSU interim head coach Derrick McCall Saturday at 1 p.m. And in the other homecoming contest, Mississippi Valley State (0-6, 0-4 E) hosts Texas Southern (2-3, 1-3 W) at 2 p.m. Saturday.

MEAC

The biggest non-homecoming game is in the MEAC where BCSP No. 5 North Carolina A&T (4-1, 2-0) hosts BCSP No. 2 Bethune-Cookman (5-1, 3-0) in a game for a share of the league lead.

This is the third consecutive game for B-CU facing off against one of their four 2014 league co-champs. So far the Wildcats are 2-0, escaping with a 28-26 win over North Carolina Central two weeks ago and downing South Carolina State last week, 17-14. A&T is coming off back-to-back road wins in the Virginia Tidewater, knocking off Hampton 45-31 two weeks ago and handling Norfolk State 27-3 last week.

The game will likely be a defensive struggle with the winner boiling down to who gets the best play at quarterback and running back. Bethune senior Quentin Williams, the MEAC passing efficiency leader (158.9), has been hot lately totalling over 300 yards of total offense vs. NCCU and scoring the winning TD vs. SC State. BCU RB Anthony Jordan has rushed for 181 yards over the last two games.

A&T has been utilizing the running ability of senior QB Kwashaun Quick and passing skills ofredshirt freshman QB Lamar Raynard. Both are expected to see action Saturday. A&T junior RB Tarik Cohen leads the league in rushing at 106 yards per game and in scoring with seven TDs.

2014 co-champion Morgan State (3-2, 3-0) is also tied atop the MEAC headed into its critical homecoming contest against Hampton (3-3, 2-2) Saturday (1 p.m.). This will be a big test for the Bears and head coach Lee Hull who looked solid in downing Savannah State, 42-3 last week. Fellow co-champ SC State (2-3, 1-1) is hosting Howard (0-5, 0-3). The other co-champ, BCSP No. 8 North Carolina Central (2-3, 1-1), is at homecoming (2 p.m.) at Savannah State (1-4, 1-2).

CIAA

The big homecomings in the CIAA are in the hotly contested North Division. Division co-leader Virginia Union (5-1, 3-0) is hosting Chowan (4-2, 2-1) for its homecoming in Richmond, Va. (1 p.m.). while fellow co-leader Bowie State (5-1, 3-0) is at homecoming (2 p.m.) at Virginia State (4-2, 2-1). VSU and Chowan are only a game back of VUU and BSU.

Also in the North, Elizabeth City State (3-2, 1-2), has its homecoming vs. Lincoln (3-3, 1-2). Fayetteville State (3-3, 3-0) has a one-game lead over Winston-Salem State (2-4, 2-1) in the South Division. FSU is on the road (3 p.m.) at Johnson C. Smith (1-5, 0-3). WSSU is also on the road (1 p.m.) at winless Saint Augustine’s (0-6, 0-3). Shaw (0-6, 0-3) hosts Livingstone (2-2, 1-2) in Durham, N.C. (1 p.m.).

SIAC

Divisional play that will determine champs in the SIAC begins in earnest this week. Defending East champion Albany State (2-3, 0-0) gets underway at its homecoming (2 p.m.) vs. Morehouse (3-3, 1-0). Fort Valley State (4-2), already with a 2-0 divisional record, has a non-conference date with Florida Tech. Benedict (0-6, 0-1 E) has homecoming (2 p.m.) vs. Clark Atlanta (0-6, 0-2 E). In the West, Tuskegee (5-1, 1-0 W) has a showdown (1 p.m.) vs. rival Stillman (3-2, 1-0 W). Kentucky State (2-4, 1-0) is at Miles (2-4, 1-0) and Lane (2-4, 0-2) has homecoming (2 p.m.) vs. Central State (2-4, 0-2).