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Title pictures clearing up
Lut Williams
BCSP Editor
Black college football crowned its first 2009 champion Saturday.
One more will be crowned this week.
CIAA
Kenny Phillips' Fayetteville State (6-3, 5-1) squad thrashed St. Augustine's 56-6 Saturday to claim the CIAA West Division title and a spot in Nov. 7 league championship game in Durham, N. C.
After closing out the season Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Livingstone (0-9. 0-6), Phillips will be taking his team to the championship game for the fourth time since the game was reinstituted in 2000. The Broncos claimed championship game wins in 2002 and 2003.
In the East Division race, Bowie State (6-3, 5-1), who could have booked a date opposite FSU in the title game with a win Saturday over Virginia Union, could not get it done, suffering a close 17-16 loss to the Panthers.
VUU (6-3, 5-1) is now in the driver's seat and needs a win Saturday (1 p.m.) over Elizabeth City State (6-3, 4-2) in Richmond, (Va.) to claim the division title and a date in Durham.
Here are the scenarios.
If Virginia Union defeats Elizabeth City State Saturday and Bowie State prevails over Virginia State, VUU and BSU will have identical 6-1 division records but VUU will win the East by virtue of its head-to-head win over BSU and represent the East vs. Fayetteville State in next Saturday's CIAA title game.
Should ECSU defeat VUU and Bowie State get by Virginia State on the road Saturday in Ettrick, Va., Bowie State wins the outright East Division title by virtue of a better divisional record (6-1).
If both VUU and BSU lose Saturday, it would create a three-way tie for the East Division title between ECSU, BSU and VUU with identical 5-2 division marks.
Anticipating the possibility of this three-way tie, the CIAA released its tie-breaking procedures a week ago and confirmed that the winner would be determined by a coin toss after the first two procedures (head-to-head and common division opponents) still resulted in the three-way tie. The coin toss would be administered by an independent accounting firm on Sunday, Nov. 1.
SIAC
In the SIAC, Tuskegee (6-2, 6-1) took a big step towards winning its fourth straight league title with a big 21-19 victory Saturday at Albany State which knocked the Golden Rams (7-1, 6-1) from the unbeaten ranks and from atop the conference standings.
Head coach Willie Slater's Golden Tigers now need wins over teams at the bottom of the league standings, this Saturday at winless Lane (0-8, 0-7) and next Saturday at home vs. Stillman (3-4, 2-5) to claim another title.
Albany State, who is still alive for an NCAA Div. II playoff berth, has tough dates left against Morehouse (6-2, 5-2) at home Saturday (2 p.m.) and in Columbus, Ga. vs. Fort Valley State (5-4, 4-3) on Nov. 7 to close out the regular season.
Going into play this weekend, Albany State is third in the NCAA's Div. II Super Region II, Morehouse is sixth, Benedict (6-3, 5-3) is seventh and Fort Valley State is tenth.
FVSU hosts Kentucky State (5-4, 3-4) for homecoming Saturday (1 p.m.). Benedict is at Stilllman.
SWAC
Prairie View A&M's 16-14 victory at Southern Thursday puts Henry Frazier's Panthers (5-1, 4-0) closer to playing for its first SWAC title in 45 years. With Thursday's win, the Panthers now have wins over West Division rivals Southern (4-3, 1-2) and Grambling State (4-3, 2-1). in the same year for the first time in Frazier's six-year tenure and lead the West Division by a half-game over Grambling and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Panthers are off this week.
Still lurking are head coach Monte Coleman's Golden Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-2, 2-1) who host Southern in a key West Division battle Saturday (2:30 p.m.).
In the East, Jackson State (2-5, 2-2), Alcorn State (2-4, 2-2) and Alabama A&M (4-3, 1-2) are tied atop the division with two losses each headed into this weekend.
A&M and Alabama State (4-3, 1-3) hook up this weekend in the 68th Magic City Classic in Birmingham (2:30 p.m.). Alcorn State travels to Houston for Texas Southern's (2-4, 1-1) homecoming (2 p.m.). Jackson State is off.
MEAC
MEAC leader and defending champion South Carolina State (6-1,4-0), coming off a 21-9 win over Hampton last week, has homecoming in Orangeburg, S.C. Saturday vs. Delaware State (2-5, 2-3). The Hornets handed Morgan State its first MEAC loss of the season Saturday, 35-22.
MSU hosts Florida A&M (5-2, 3-1) Saturday (4 p.m.) in a battle for second place in the MEAC. N. C. A&T (5-3, 3-2) has its homecoming in Greensboro, N.C. (1:30 p.m,) vs. Bethune-Cookman (2-5, 1-3) while Norfolk State (3-4, 2-3) has its homecoming vs. Howard (2-5, 0-4).
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