Week 2 in the SIAC

August 31-Sept. 2

Skegee/FAMU/FVSU

Week 1 Review and Week 2 Prognostications

Week one is in the books. I’m sitting here on this Sunday beginning to doubt my prognosticating abilities. Maybe I’m just not as smart as I really think I am. I went 3-4 in this first week. That level of performance will get you fired everywhere but in government work. If I don’t get any better, I may end up being the subject of my own smack. While I won’t categorize any of the games as an upset, I was surprised at a couple of the scores. To those of you who primarily follow the MEAC, this past weekend just proves how unpredictable HBCU football on the D-2 level can be in general, how unpredictable it can be in particular in the SIAC. Without any further delay, lets get on with last week’s review and the upcoming week’s predictions.

Da Review from Week One:

The AlbSU Rams were the first team to let me down. Not only did the Rams get “caught in the bush”, the offense didn’t even leave Albany. Looks like dem Eagles are flying high. They played a well-played game. Congrats to the Eagle Nation. Now we know why A&T were so eager to get NCCU off the schedule. Looks like NCCU are properly grooming themselves for MEAC membership.

WSSU didn’t represent, plain and simple. If you can’t beat Catawba, how in the name of Clarence “Big House Gaines” are you going to beat anyone in the MEAC? They have a lot of work ahead of them in order to be competitive in the MEAC. 

Props to KySU for beating KY Wesleyan. KySU may be one of the sleepers in the SIAC this season.

Lane made a complete fool of me. I mean they left Lincoln, MO completely bent over. Props to Lane, and Johnnie Cole. However, I still not convinced about Lane. Now, if they have this type of performance against the big three of the SIAC, then I’ll get religion and become a believer.

Congrats to Coach Willie Slater and Staff down on the yard at Skegee for his first victory as a head coach. If there’s one team that you can usually bank on in the weekly picks, it’s them peanut butter, sweet potato eating Golden Tigers from Tuskegee. 

I was dead on the money on the Ft. Valley/CAU prediction. Congrats to Coach Deondri Clark on his first victory at FVSU. They, like them AlbSU Golden Rams, need to find some offense. On the other hand, let’s give some props to Coaches Ted Bahur and Keith Higdon at CAU.

Morehouse did pull their game out against Benedict. This was a game that could have gone either way.

JCSU got off the slide against EWU. I had El Jay all the way in this one, but as I said earlier, HBCU football on this level is unpredictable.

The featured game of week 2:

Hampton and Grambling in the MEAC vs SWAC Challenge. This should be a great game, involving two of the elite HBCU programs. Anytime there is a match-up between the MEAC and the SWAC, there are going to be bragging rights at stake. I’m going to predict a split. Hampton will win the game. Grambling will win the battle of the bands. 

SIAC GAMES

Albany State vs Valdosta St In Albany:
If the Golden Rams don’t find more offense than they had in Durham last Saturday night, they are going to get sacrificed on their own altar. Chances are, they will work on their offense this week, and will score some points. I’m hoping that they pull this game out, but I still feel that they will still come up just a little short. 

Ft. Valley vs Morehouse in Ft. Valley:
Could this be the year that Da House finally breaks through against FVSU? I think that FVSU walks out alive strictly on the strength of their defense. 

Benedict vs Savannah St in Columbia:
Without even wasting a lot of bandwidth, please go with Benedict. SSU isn’t even the best team in the City of Savannah. What’s so sad about that is that SSU is the only team on the collegiate level in Savannah. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions from there.

Samford vs Miles in Birmingham:
Again I split on this one. Samford wins the football game. Miles wins the battle of the bands, hands down.

Kentucky St vs Ferris St. in Frankfort, KY:
KySU. will defeat a PWC for the second time in as many weeks. Looks like the horses are getting out of the starting gate in fine fashion.

Lane vs St. Augustine’s in Raleigh:
Even though Lane just left Lincoln, MO bent completely over last week, I’m still not jumping on the Lane bandwagon just yet. I’m just not convinced as of yet. It takes a lot to make a believer out of this brother. Give St. Aug the home advantage. 

Clark-Atlanta vs Cheyney in Atlanta:
Clark Atlanta in a rout over Bush/Cheyney.

Bye Week:
Tuskegee, Stillman

MEAC/SWAC PICKS

Delaware St. vs FAMU in Detroit:
Both teams are picked to be in the upper half of the MEAC. I really think that FAMU is this year’s sleeper team in the MEAC. They will be wide-awake in Detroit. Like my old folks used to say, “any live rattlesnake is dangerous”. The Rattlers will get at least two strikes, enough to exterminate the Hornets.

Norfolk St. vs Virginia St. in Norfolk:
I’m giving NSU the nod because of them being the home team, and the fact that they should be an improved team over last year. Could this be the year that NSU at long last, becomes a factor in the MEAC?

South Carolina St. vs Wofford in Spartanburg:
As Luther says in his hit, “It’s your time to shine”. SCSU feels that they have the coaching and the talent to not only win the MEAC, but to also be a playoff participant. Well, a victory over Wofford would go a long way in directing SCSU towards its goals. In other words, this is kind of an early season put-up or shut up game for SCSU. My feelings are that SCSU is ready to take its place among the D1-AA elite. 

Southern vs Bethune Cookman:
I see a fairly evenly matched game, an evenly matched battle of the bands. Give Shine a couple of points for the wardrobe. Something tells me that Petey isn’t going to out dress Shine. Give the Beachcats a slight edge.

NC A&T vs WSSU in Greensboro:
Judging from their most recent performance, WSSU definitely isn’t ready for MEAC competition, I honestly don’t think that A&T is going to be much more ready for MEAC competition this season, either. However, being that A&T has been a long time member of the MEAC, plus having home field advantage, I give A&T a very slight benefit of the doubt in this version of the I-40 battle.

Morgan St. vs Towson in Towson, MD:
Even though MSU is supposed to have an improved defense, I think that they still come up a little short. (Towson)

Alabama St. vs Troy in Troy, AL:
I’m afraid the bee species will be 0 for 2 after Saturday. (Troy)

Alabama A&M vs Tennessee State in Nashville:
I’m going with AAMU on this one.

Jackson St vs Paul Quinn in Jackson, MS:
JSU easily. Comegy notches his first win at JSU. If they lose this game, they should forfeit the remainder of the season.