Clinching time has arrived
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
Fayetteville State did it Saturday. The balls are in Virginia Union's and Kentucky State's court this weekend to do it.
It's clinching time on the gridiron. Win your conference or division and you're in to the next round of play.
That's exactly what the FSU Broncos accomplished Saturday with a 42-36 win over
St. Augustine's that wrapped up the CIAA
West Division title. As a result, Kenny Phillips
will be taking his Broncos to the CIAA Championship Game (Nov. 15 in
Durham, N.C.) for the second year in a row.
Who will represent the CIAA East Division will be determined this Saturday when Virginia Union (6-3, 5-1 CIAA E), fresh from knocking off defending E. Div. champion Bowie State last week, faces the 1-8 Vikings of Elizabeth City State. Willard Bailey's Panthers only need to knock off ECSU Saturday to punch their ticket for the title game. A loss to the Vikings and a win for Bowie State over Virginia State would give the division title to BSU.
Kentucky State (7-2, 6-0 SIAC) can register its first-ever SIAC football championship if the Thorobreds can put away Fort Valley State (6-3, 4-2 SIAC) at home Saturday (MBC, 1 pm). Donald Wayne Smith's 'Breds knocked off Miles, 30-22 Saturday, and only need to win one of their final two games, FVSU this weekend or Tuskegee on Nov. 15, to win the conference crown.
Everyone else will have to wait.
North Carolina A&T (8-1, 4-0 MEAC) took a big step towards its quest for an MEAC title with a 13-7 road win Saturday over defending champion Bethune-Cookman. The Aggies remain undefeated in conference play, tied for first with Hampton (6-2, 5-0 MEAC). A&T hosts winless Delaware State (0-8, 0-4 MEAC) Saturday while Hampton travels to Daytona Beach to face B-CC (6-2, 3-2 MEAC, on MBC, 4 pm). A&T hosts Hampton on Nov. 15.
BCSP No. 1, Grambling State (7-2, 6-0 SWAC W) knocked Texas Southern from SWAC West Division contention with a 45-14 win Saturday and now has only Southern (8-1, 4-1 SWAC W) standing between it and a fourth straight trip to the SWAC Championship Game (Dec. 13 in Birmingham). The G-Men face Alabama State Saturday in a game that does not count on either teams' divisional record.
Southern, who faces Lincoln in an out-of-conference game this week, plays Texas Southern on Nov. 15. A win against TSU would set up a showdown at the Nov. 29th Bayou Classic for the West Division title.
All Alabama A&M (6-3, 3-2 SWAC E) has to do is win its final two division games, this Saturday at home vs. Jackson State (2-8, 2-3 SWAC E) and Nov. 15 at Alcorn State, no easy tasks, and it will repeat as East Division champ. Losses in either of those games opens the door to Alabama State and Alcorn State, who both are tied in the loss column with A&M.
Alcorn State (4-5, 2-2 SWAC E) has three division games left beginning with Saturday's date at home against Mississippi Valley State. Alabama State (5-3, 3-2 SWAC E) is at Grambling in a non-divisional contest. The Hornets have division games against MVSU (Nov. 15) and Texas Southern (Nov. 22) remaining on their schedule.
Despite five losses in a row, Jackson State is still alive but needs to beat their final two opponents, A&M Saturday and Alcorn State on Nov. 22, and hope that Alabama State loses both its division games.
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