LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
The Black college SportS page begins its fourth decade this month – its 31st year of publication – and as usual will open with football on the main stage.
Dominance has been the theme recently for gridiron races in the four Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) conferences.
In the CIAA, it has been Bowie State and Fayetteville State as the dominant programs. In the MEAC, it’s been North Carolina Central and Howard. Benedict has ruled the SIAC roost over the past two seasons while Jackson State and Florida A&M have been top dogs in the SWAC.
All that could be changing.
The departure of winning coaches to greener pastures or environs is certainly part of this change. But also, there’s a palpable feeling that programs trapped in also-ran status over the past few seasons are ready to break out.
Coaching changes in those programs are certainly part of the equation. Perhaps, more than part. They are likely at the root of a budding resurgence of these programs.
It should make for some scintillating races in 2024.
CIAA
Someone other than Bowie State (2018, 2019, 2021) and Fayetteville State (2022) won the 2023 CIAA title as the Panthers of Virginia Union under head coach Dr. Alvin Parker came thru with the crown for the first time in 22 years.
With the league abandoning the North/South Divisions in 2024 the race for the title takes on new dimensions.
Most have recognized that the power in the CIAA has rested for several years with teams formerly in the North Division who have won five of the last six titles. The three-peat of Bowie State (2018-21) came under former head coach Damon Wilson who has taken his talents to Morgan State of the MEAC. More on that later.
Richard Hayes Jr.’s Broncos of Fayetteville State have had the South to themselves winning six straight division crowns and championship game berths and the 2022 league title.
Now that the division format has been abandoned, the door is open for change. The teams of a trio of third-year coaches seem to be in best position to capitalize on the new format.
League coaches voted Virginia State under resurgent veteran third-year head coach Dr. Henry Frazier III as the 2024 favorite to win it all. Johnson C. Smith, coming off a 7-3 finish – its second straight seven-win season under head coach Maurice Flowers – was the fourth pick behind VUU and FSU. Bowie State, entering its third year under Kyle Jackson, is the fifth pick.
Expect the champion to come from amongst these five.
Howard and North Carolina Central have battled to the wire for MEAC supremacy over the past two seasons. But both can hear the footsteps of Morgan State under Wilson gaining on them.
Third-year coach Wilson’s Bears opened the 2023 season with a stunning 17-10 win over Richmond (who went on to the FCS playoffs where it defeated NC Central) and threw a serious scare into FBS program Akron (a 24-21 loss) in Week Two. They fell to NCCU by six (16-10) and to Howard by seven (14-7). The Bears are coming.
New South Carolina State head coach Chennis Berry joins the fray and brings his infectious energy and some of that Benedict talent to the league after leading the Tigers to back-to- back dominating SIAC titles.
There will likely be a fierce battle between these four for MEAC supremacy in 2024.
SIAC
With the surprisingly successful Berry gone from Benedict, the door is wide open for a number of SIAC programs to step to the fore.
Coaches believe it will be Quinn Gray’s Golden Rams of Albany State. Unlike the other third-year mentors, Gray is just in his second season. But a couple of other third-year head men have their teams on the rise.
Shawn Gibbs at Fort Valley State has gone 16-5 in two seasons and is expected to be solidly in contention. Sam Shade was 1-9 in his first season (2022) leading Miles before turning that around to a 7-3 finish last season. The Golden Bears were the only SIAC team to really test Benedict in 2023 (a 27-24 loss) and had a win (21-17) over 2024 SWAC favorite Alabama State.
SWAC
Deion Sanders won back-to-back titles at Jackson State (2021 and 2022) and then bolted to Colorado. Willie Simmons won the 2023 title for Florida A&M and then he bolted to Duke (as running backs coach).
Neither JSU nor FAMU, both from the SWAC East, is picked by coaches to win in 2024. That designation now falls to another third-year head coach, Eddie Robinson Jr. of Alabama State in the East.
Alcorn State – a former East Division program – was picked to win the West under new head man Cedric Thomas. The Braves are picked over Prairie View A&M, led by another third-year man, Bubba McDowell. Thomas is among five new coaches in the SWAC including new leaders at Southern, Grambling, Texas Southern and FAMU.
Don’t expect Robinson to go anywhere if he wins this year’s title. Remember, the ‘Bama State alum says “he’s SWAC” (you had to have been there).
