LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
The last week of regular season play in the CIAA and SIAC is upon us and there are only a couple of things that are clear.
One is that Miles, at 7-2 overall, 7-0 in the SIAC, has clinched the top spot in the SIAC and is one of the teams to play in the Nov. 16 SIAC Championship game.
Additionally, head coach Sam Shade’s Golden Bears will host the championship game at their home field – Sloan-Alumni Stadium in Fairfield, Alabama. Miles finishes out the regular season Saturday at homecoming (1 p.m., ESPN+) at Tuskegee (5-4 5-2).
Who Miles’ opponent will be and which two teams will play in the Nov. 16 CIAA Championship Game in Salem, Virginia will be determined in this weekend’s games. SIAC
Currently in the SIAC, Fort Valley State (6- 3, 6-1 SIAC) is the only team with one conference loss and is in second place behind Miles. The Wildcats of head coach Shawn Gibbs can clinch the spot opposite the Golden Bears in the title game with a win Saturday vs. Albany State (5-4, 5-2).
Albany State and FVSU meet in Columbus, Ga. at their traditional season-ender, the Fountain City Classic at 2 p.m. (ESPN+).
A loss by FVSU however brings Albany State, Clark Atlanta and Tuskegee into the title-game picture.
Clark Atlanta (6-2-1, 5-2) closes Saturday (1 p.m.) at Atlanta neighbor Morehouse (1-8, 1-5. A CAU win against the Maroon Tigers coupled with an FVSU loss to Albany State gives the title game spot to the Panthers as they beat FVSU 45-42 to open the season. A win by CAU also eliminates Tuskegee as CAU beat Tuskegee 36-28 last week in Atlanta.
To earn the title game spot Albany State needs to beat FVSU, have Clark Atlanta lose to Morehouse and Tuskegee lose to Miles.
CIAA
CIAA title game scenarios opened up when undefeated conference leader Johnson C. Smith was shockingly shut out at home 27-0 Saturday by
Fayetteville State when a win would have clinched a championship game spot for JCSU.
As it is now, JCSU (8-1, 5-1 CIAA) has to win at Livingstone (5-4, 3-3) Saturday (2 p.m.) to punch its title-game ticket. A win puts the Golden Bulls in the championship game vs. the winner of Saturday’s season-ending match up in Ettrick, Virginia between new conference leader Virginia Union (7-2, 6-0) and Virginia State (6-3, 5-1).
A loss by JCSU and a win by Virginia State eliminates the Golden Bulls and would set up a VSU vs. VUU rematch in the Nov. 16 title game.
A loss by JCSU and a win by Virginia Union would cast the Golden Bulls and VUU into the title game. MEAC
South Carolina State’s 24-21 win over North Carolina Central Thursday in Orangeburg has put head coach Chennis Berry’s Bulldogs (6-2, 2-0 MEAC) at the top of the conference race headed into the final three games of the regular season. SCSU travels to Howard (4-5, 1-1) this week (3:30 p.m., ESPN+).
Morgan State (4-5, 1-1) is at Delaware State (1-8, 0-2) in the only other MEAC contest (12noon, ESPN+).
SWAC
Jackson State (7-2, 5-0 E) enters the last three regular season games as the SWAC East Division leader while Southern (5-4, 4-1 W) leads the West.
State (5-3, 4-1 E) and a game-and-a half lead over Florida A&M (5-3, 3-1 E). Alcorn State (4-5, 3-2 W) is a game behind Southern in the West.
JSU is hosting Mississippi Valley State (0-9, 0-5 E) Saturday (2 p.m.), Alabama State plays at Grambling State (4-5, 1-4 W) (2 p.m., ESPN+) and Florida A&M is at Prairie View A&M (4-5, 2-3 W).
Southern is hosting Bethune-Cookman (2-7, 2-3 E) and Alcorn State hosts Texas Southern (3-5, 2-3 W) both at 2 p.m.
