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Bold predictions, anyone? We've got 'em.
LUT WILLIAMS So, here we go. There will be no repeat champions in black college football this year! That means no three-peat for Grambling in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Florida A&M won't win its third straight in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title, Tuskegee won't win its fourth straight Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference crown and there'll be no repeat for Virginia Union in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. With that said, now we'll tell you who will win the respective titles and why.
The power shift in the SWAC is to the East. After five consecutive titles by West Division teams three straight by Southern and the last two by Grambling the East Division looks more solid and more talented in 2002. One of the chief reasons is the East has the two best quarterbacks in the conference in Jackson State's Robert Kent and Donald Carrie of Alcorn State. Couple that with the fact that both Southern and Grambling, the leading contenders in the West, are undergoing significant changes on offense including breaking in new QBs, and you have the basis for the change. Alcorn State head coach Johnny Thomas returns his entire offensive line, all his skill position players and has added more playmakers. And many feel that Carrie (2,743 yds., 23 TDs, 14 ints.), who as a freshman led the Braves to their first winning season since the Steve McNair days, is the best young QB in the league, and that includes Kent. While Kent put up fabulous numbers as a sophomore (3,641 yds., 31 TDs) and was among the nation's total offense leaders (347.6 ypg.), he also threw 21 picks and contributed to the Tigers' woes defensively. Carrie and Kent should only get better. They'll have to be to overcome either Grambling or Southern, who, along with Alabama A&M, have the best defensive units in the league. If anyone other than Southern, Grambling, Jackson State or Alcorn State makes it to the conference's Dec. 14 championship game in Birmingham, it will be a monumental upset. SWAC PREDICTION:
Deservedly, Florida A&M transfer quarterback Casey Printers, probably the highest-profile Div. I transfer ever in black college football, has gotten a lot of ink and his presence has made the Rattlers the choice of coaches and most media for the 2002 MEAC title. But I'm not so sure. While Printers may be a special player, the Rattlers didn't show last season that they have a lot of other special players, particularly on offense. Raising his teammates' level of play will be quite a task. But if he's the talent they say he is, and the first guy in black college football since McNair to garner Heisman Trophy consideration, he may pull it off. Bethune-Cookman and head coach Alvin Wyatt have been unsuccessfully chasing FAMU the last four years despite going into their season-ending battle with a chance at the MEAC crown. We say here the Wildcats will get it done in 2002. After all, they do have the preseason player of the year in QB Allen Suber and five other preseason all-conference picks, more than any other MEAC team. This time the talent disparity may be in the Wildcats favor. North Carolina A&T, Hampton and South Carolina State will all be in the race but the Nov. 23 game in Orlando between FAMU and B-CC will likely decide things again. MEAC PREDICTION:
The seniors that won 42 of 48 games for head coach Rick Comegy at Tuskegee over the last four years are gone and the rest of the conference is saying 'good riddance.' This is the time for new blood at the top and it could come from any of four places. Morehouse, the only team to beat Tuskegee over the last two seasons, probably has more incentive than most. The Maroon Tigers were unceremoniously dumped from the SIAC championship picture a year ago and denied their first shot at the Pioneer Bowl. New head coach Willard Scissum has the players and the motivation to win it all. Fort Valley State head coach Schoolfield lost plenty but his cupboard is not as bare as Comegy's. That means he could again be a thorn in the side of Morehouse as the Wildcats have been every year since 1997. They open the season this week in Macon, Ga. The two sleepers are Miles and new SIAC member Benedict. SIAC PREDICTION:
In the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the power is shifting away from Virginia Union (E. Div.) and Winston-Salem State (W. Div.). After two consecutive trips by them to the re-instituted conference title game, look for some different faces in 2002. The leading candidates are Bowie State (East) and Fayetteville State (West). Bowie State threw a scare into both powers last year losing 17-14 to WSSU and 14-8 to VUU. But the Bulldogs under Henry Frazier have gotten better, particularly on defense with the addition of Rico Walker and Damien Walker both transfers from Howard, the latter a preseason I-AA all-American. Meanwhile VUU and WSSU have gotten worse. Fayetteville State also showed last year it was a small step from knocking off the kingpins, losing 14-2 to WSSU and 17-14 to VUU. The Broncos got a taste of winning, posting their best record (6-4) since 1987 in head coach Kenny Phillips' second season. Nothing less than the W. Division title will do. CIAA PREDICTION:
© 2002 Azeez Communications, Inc.
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