Stats Carry out is bringing a larger highlight to athletes, college students and tales at Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities via a partnership with City Edge Community. Included within the 2024 school soccer season are each HBCU FCS Participant and Crew of the Week awards and a season-ending HBCU FCS Nationwide Participant of the 12 months Award, every introduced by HBCU+.
The arrival of the 2024 school soccer season brings with it the race for HBCU supremacy throughout the FCS.
This seems to be one of many extra wide-open seasons in latest historical past, as a handful of various groups may characterize the MEAC and the SWAC within the season-ending Celebration Bowl, which is all however thought-about the HBCU nationwide championship recreation.
Alongside the best way, school soccer followers might be witness to among the finest matchups within the FCS.
Let’s check out 10 key HBCU video games that ought to go a great distance towards deciding which groups will punch their ticket to Atlanta for the Dec. 14 finale.
Florida A&M vs Norfolk State (Cricket MEAC-SWAC Problem)
Kickoff: Aug. 24 in Atlanta
What to Know: The sport that kicks off the HBCU season options reigning Celebration Bowl champion Florida A&M. The query is, will the “Strike and Strike Once more” mantra stay following the departure of coach Willie Simmons (now Duke’s working backs coach) and quarterback Jeremy Moussa. The Rattlers, now guided by coach James Colzie III, may have their palms full with a Norfolk State staff that returns numerous younger expertise from the 2023 season. The Spartans are enjoying for the primary time within the season-opening matchup between the 2 HBCU conferences, which started in 2005.
(For extra, right here’s our MEAC season preview and SWAC season preview)
Texas Southern vs Prairie View A&M
Kickoff: Aug. 31 in Prairie View, Texas
What to Know: Final season, these two groups kicked off what turned out to be an thrilling, aggressive 12 months for the SWAC with Prairie View profitable 37-34 in additional time. Each groups would go on to document large wins all through the season. Within the SWAC’s 2024 preseason ballot, Prairie View was chosen to complete second within the West Division, one season after attending to the convention championship recreation. Texas Southern will look to complete the job it left simply brief to start final 12 months’s marketing campaign. Though the Tigers had been picked to complete final within the West, they positioned six gamers on the All-SWAC preseason staff. That is an early recreation that might have late-season implications.
North Carolina Central at Alabama State (Orange Blossom Basic)
Kickoff: Sept. 1 in Miami Gardens, Florida
What to Know: This can be a MEAC-SWAC crossover recreation that matches two groups with a reputable probability of reaching the Celebration Bowl. It is going to be a check for NCCU because it seeks to exchange do-everything quarterback Davius Richard, a four-year starter. The Eagles additionally misplaced a bevy of gamers to transfers following a 9-3 season. Alabama State is coming off a 7-4 season and is penciled in because the preseason favourite to characterize the SWAC East within the convention championship. The Hornets had eight gamers named to the preseason All-SWAC first and second groups, together with 4 defensive picks on the primary staff.
Jackson State at Grambling State
Kickoff: Sept. 21 in Grambling, Louisiana
What to Know: Jackson State travels to Grambling State in one of many season’s key HBCU video games, though it doesn’t depend towards the SWAC’s convention standings. These groups, who didn’t meet final season, function two of the higher offenses within the convention. The final time they met, JSU racked up 66 factors at residence, so the Grambling devoted might be overrated for his or her squad to play at residence. The visiting Tigers boast vast receiver Fabian McCray, who was named to the HBCU+ FCS Nationwide Participant of the 12 months Award preseason watch checklist. It’s a listing that features Grambling State quarterback Myles Crawley.
Morgan State at North Carolina Central
Kickoff: Oct. 26 in Durham, North Carolina
What to Know: This can be a huge recreation within the MEAC. Final season, Morgan State protection held a vaunted NCCU offense to a few factors via three quarters. Within the fourth quarter, although, the Eagles took flight behind three scoring drives and held off the Bears for a 16-10 victory. This regardless of Morgan State outgaining NCCU on the bottom and thru the air. This season, the Bears consider their offense will carry somewhat extra duty, and with a loaded protection, that may very well be sufficient to shift this recreation towards the Bears even whereas touring into the Eagles’ homecoming recreation.
Jackson State at Alcorn State
Kickoff: Nov. 23 in Lorman, Mississippi
What to Know: Alcorn State is predicted to complete first within the SWAC West, signaling lofty expectations for first-year coach Cedric Thomas, who guides a squad that fell simply in need of a spot within the 2023 convention championship recreation. Rival Jackson State has returned to being a perennial SWAC East contender and might be extremely motivated contemplating the Braves made their approach out of Jackson final season with a 28-24 victory. The Tigers had 5 gamers named to the preseason All-SWAC preseason staff after having just one participant acknowledged (sure, a motivation) earlier than coach TC Taylor’s first season. Can he return the Tigers to Atlanta after they loved the journey in back-to-back seasons beneath former coach Deion Sanders? This crossover recreation will maintain vital worth to the winner.
Florida A&M at Bethune-Cookman (Florida Basic)
Kickoff: Nov. 23 in Orlando, Florida
What to Know: A much-improved Bethune-Cookman staff that’s led by one of many higher defenses within the SWAC might be locked and loaded for the Florida Basic, and there may very well be main East Division ramifications from this recreation. The Wildcats are attempting to go from the basement, after posting solely seven whole wins over the previous three seasons, to the penthouse. What higher approach for the ‘Cats to do it than by defeating their archrival and preserving it from a title repeat? This may very well be one of many collection’ higher video games just lately.
Howard at Morgan State
Kickoff: Nov. 23 in Baltimore
What to Know: Final season, a late-game comeback over Morgan State punched Howard’s ticket to the Celebration Bowl. Now the defending MEAC champion Bison are the favorites to characterize the convention as soon as once more. They’ve the convention’s preseason offensive (working again Jarett Hunter) and defensive (security Kenny Gallop Jr.) gamers of the 12 months in addition to 10 different gamers on the preseason first and second groups. Nevertheless, Morgan State ought to have the most effective defenses within the FCS, led by linebacker Erick Hunter and defensive lineman Elijah WiIliams. A protection that held the Bison to 14 factors of their 2023 conflict additionally boasts three different preseason all-conference alternatives. If they’ll discover consistency on offense behind sophomore quarterback Tahj Smith, they could flip the desk on Howard. As one of many season’s key HBCU video games, it has the potential to be a de facto MEAC championship recreation.
Grambling State at Southern (Bayou Basic)
Kickoff: Nov. 30 in New Orleans
What to Know: These rivals had been picked to complete third (Southern) and fourth (Grambling State) within the SWAC West. That’s handy when you think about the magnitude of this rivalry. It’s much more juicy when you think about each groups are in reputable rivalry to characterize the West within the convention championship recreation. Grambling is led by Crawley, the SWAC preseason offensive participant of the 12 months, whereas Southern boasts preseason defensive participant of the 12 months Ckelby Givens. It’s a traditional battle of offense versus protection that might determine the SWAC West.
SWAC Championship Recreation
Kickoff: Dec. 7 at TBD
What to Know: The SWAC is the one FCS convention to carry an annual championship recreation, and it’s been hosted by the top-ranked regular-season staff since 2018. The winner between the East and West champions will advance to play within the Celebration Bowl one week later, versus the 2 weeks of previous years. Florida A&M beat Prairie View A&M 35-14 final season, however the 2024 SWAC matchup can go in one in every of many various instructions. Grambling State (eight) and Alcorn State (4) have received the championship recreation probably the most occasions since its begin in 1999.
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