Return to Front Page
Non-conference, conference tilts close out first month
Lut Williams
BCSP Editor
The last weekend of September is offering up a nice mixture of conference and non-conference gridiron match-ups.
At the top of the non-conference schedule are a couple of crosstown tussles sure to attract some local fan interest.
In Durham, N.C., Saturday, newly minted
MEAC member North Carolina Central (0-3) takes on
its crosstown ACC counterpart Duke (1-2) in the
first football game between the schools tabbed the
Bull City Gridiron Classic (7 p.m.). The Durham
neighbors have collaborated on a host of activities
planned during the week to celebrate this first meeting.
Up in Washington, D.C., Georgetown (0-3) hosts Howard (0-2) Saturday (1 p.m.) in the second annual DC Cup contest. Georgetown won last year's inaugural affair, 12-7.
The biggest non-conference game involving a Top Ten BCSP team is in Atlanta where BCSP No. 1 Florida A&M (3-0) battles Tennessee State (1-2) in the Georgia Dome (3:30 p.m.). The 21st Annual Bank of America Atlanta Classic is expected to draw a crowd of over 60,000.
In Stillwater, Oklahoma, BCSP No. 3 Grambling State (2-1) takes on Big 12 contender Oklahoma State (2-1).
On the conference side, in the SIAC, Albany State (3-0, 2-0) has an early homecoming date (2 p.m.) against Benedict (3-2, 1-2). The other homecoming Saturday is in the SWAC, where Alabama A&M (2-1, 0-0) entertains Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-1, 1-0) at 3 p.m.
In other SIAC action, Clark Atlanta (3-1, 3-1) hosts Miles (2-2, 2-1) in somewhat of an elimination game. Both teams come in tied with Tuskegee and Morehouse with one conference loss behind Albany State. Miles beat Tuskegee to open the season while CAU fell to the Golden Tigers 31-21 last week.
Elsewhere in the SIAC, Kentucky State (2-2, 1-2) takes on Tuskegee (3-1, 3-1) at the 18th Gateway Classic at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis (3 p.m.). Morehouse is off this week.
In the SWAC, Southern (2-1, 0-0) hosts winless Alcorn State (0-2, 0-0) in a 6 p.m. start in Baton Rouge while winless Mississippi Valley State (0-2, 0-1) and Alabama State (3-0, 0-0) travel to the Windy City to play in the 10th Chicago Classic at Soldier's Field (4 p.m.).
BCSP No. 4 Prairie View (1-1, 1-0) is off for the second straight week as it looks towards its big Oct. 3 date with Grambling at the State Fair Classic next week in Dallas. The resurrected Prairie View program under Henry Frazier has beaten every SWAC school except Grambling.
In key MEAC contests, Hampton (2-1, 1-0) entertains Delaware State (0-2, 0-1) while Norfolk State (0-2, 0-1) hosts Bethune-Cookman (0-2, 0-1) in the Fish Bowl Classic (4 p.m.) that will be seen on tape delay on ESPNU at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
The NSU/BCU rivalry is made spicier by BCU coach Alvin Wyatt and NSU coach Pete Adrian, who was Wyatt's defensive coordinator before being hired by the Spartans five years ago. Wyatt's troops have won three of the four hard-hitting contests. The game will be televised live on ESPNU.
The CIAA has Bowie State (2-2, 1-0) hosting conference front-runner and BCSP No. 5 Shaw (4-0, 1-0) in the Prince George's Classic (2 p.m.), St. Augustine's (1-3, 1-0) welcoming a hot Elizabeth City State (3-1, 1-0) team to Raleigh (1:30 p.m.), Virginia State (2-2, 0-1) playing (6 p.m.) at Fayetteville State (2-2, 1-0) and Virginia Union (2-2, 1-0) hosting (1 p.m.) Chowan (0-4, 0-1).
© 2009 Azeez Communications, Inc.