Closing in on crowning champions
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
As football conference races go, there are three weeks left in the CIAA regular season which ends on Oct. 29, and four weeks to go in the SIAC ending the weekend of Nov. 5.
The MEAC goes until mid-November (11/19) while the SWAC, because of games re-scheduled after hurricanes caused postponements, could stretch into December.
Here's how things look in the four conferences and how key games this week figure into the title picture.
In the exciting CIAA, entering games this Saturday Virginia State and Shaw are tied atop the East Division with 3-1 records after both survived overtime thrillers last week. Winston-Salem State and undefeated St. Augustine's are tied in the West Division with perfect 4-0 conference marks. By no means have either races been decided and things appear headed for a rousing finish.
St. Aug's is 7-0 overall and the top team
in the NCAA Div. II Southeast Region for the second week in a row as they head to
Salisbury, N.C., Saturday to take on Livingstone
(1-6, 1-3). The real tests for the Falcons are expected
to be in their final two contests, in Raleigh
(10/22) vs. three-time defending division champ
Fayetteville State and at Winston-Salem
State (10/29).
WSSU has a key date at home this week (6 p.m.) against rival North Carolina Central (6-1, 3-1), who only trails St. Aug's and the Rams in the West Division by a single game. While the game has serious implication for the race in the West, it also could figure greatly in the regional picture. NCCU is currently fourth in the region and would need a win over the Rams to stay there. The top six teams in the region get berths to the Div. II playoffs.
In the East, Virginia State hosts Virginia Union (2-5, 1-3) Saturday (1:30 p.m.) in its bid to hold on to the top spot while Shaw has homecoming (1:30 p.m.) in Raleigh vs. Elizabeth City (1-6. 0-4). Bowie State (5-2, 2-2) and St. Paul's (3-4, 2-2) meet at Bowie's homecoming in a battle of teams that trail the East Division leaders by one game. The loser is likely out of the East title picture.
Fort Valley State (6-1, 6-0) is at Tuskegee (5-1, 4-1) for a 1 p.m. showdown that is the SIAC Game of the Week. FVSU holds a one-and-a-half game lead over both Tuskegee and Albany State (4-1, 4-1), who plays at Clark Atlanta (2-5, 2-3).
If the Wildcats get by Tuskegee, the title could come down to their Nov. 5 date with Albany State in Columbus, Ga. at the Fountain city Classic.
Alabama State (5-1, 5-0) in the East and Grambling State (3-1, 3-0) in West have what amounts to two-game leads in their respective divisions and have what should be relatively easy dates this weekend.
Alabama State hosts Prairie View (1-3, 0-3) while Grambling travels to Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-4, 1-2). The two division leaders meet on Nov. 5 in Montgomery, Al., a game that will likely be repeated at the Dec. 10 SWAC Championship Game in Birmingham.
Undefeated BCSP No. 1 Hampton (6-0, 4-0) received nine first-place votes in the latest Sports Network I-AA poll and has risen to seventh nationally. South Carolina State (4-1, 2-0) trails them in the MEAC standings and in the poll, holding down the 21st spot, but the MEAC race is far from over.
Hampton travels to improving Norfolk State (1-4, 0-3) Saturday for the Battle of the Bay Classic (7 p.m.). SC State has a tough date at home (1:30 p.m.) against Florida A&M (2-3, 1-1), one of three teams with just one conference loss. Both Hampton and SCSU have the meat of their schedules ahead of them including a showdown next week (10/22) for Hampton's homecoming.
The other teams with one conference loss, Delaware State (3-3, 2-1) and North Carolina A&T (3-3, 2-1), meet Saturday for the Aggies homecoming (1:30 p.m.).
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