UAPB plays for SWAC West title
East Division champ Alabama State's opponent in the SWAC title game will be decided Saturday as the Hornets host Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-2, 5-1 SWAC W) in a game postponed from Sept. 18 because of Hurricane Ivan.
If UAPB defeats the Hornets, the two will play again a week later on Dec. 11 for the SWAC title in Birmingham. A win by the Golden Lions would tie them with Southern for the West Division title at 6-1 but UAPB would get the berth because of its win over Grambling State. Southern lost to GSU at Saturday's Bayou Classic. If Alabama State wins, the West Div. title and spot opposite the Hornets in the SWAC title game will go to Southern (8-3, 6-1 SWAC W).
UAPB head coach Mo Forte's team has been off nearly a month since its 24-23 win over Prairie View on Nov. 6.
This game features the top two rushing and scoring teams in the conference. UAPB, in eight games, ranks first in scoring offense (34.6 ppg) and rushing offense (210.0 ypg) while Alabama State, in ten games, is second in scoring (34.9 ppg) and rushing (197.0 ypg).
Individually, four of the top five SWAC rushing leaders come from these two teams. Alabama State's Keldrick Williams is the top ranked rusher (110.3 ypg), followed by UAPB's James Johnson (91.1 ypg.) and Billy Moody (77.6 ypg.). The Hornets' Robert Randolph is fifth (67.8 ypg).>
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