LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor

THE UNDEFEATEDS: (L. to r.) North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver, Virginia Union head man Dr. Alvin Parker, Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Doc Gamble and Hampton head man Robert Prunty all carry their teams into battle this week with unblemished 2-0 records. Oliver and the Eagles are on the road at New Hampshire, Parker is hosting Livingstone in Richmond, Va., Gamble takes the Golden Lions into Stillwater, Oklahoma to face Oklahoma State and Hampton is crossing the bridge in Tidewater Virginia to play at Norfolk State.

It’s just Week Three of the 2022 football season and it is already down to just seven undefeated (2-0) HBCU teams.

There’s just one undefeated team left in the CIAA, MEAC and SIAC. The SWAC has two and the non-HBCU conferences have two.

CIAA

The lone 2-0 team in the CIAA is Virginia Union. The Panthers and head coach Dr. Alvin Parker, behind a record 313 rushing yards from sophomore RB Jada Byers, are coming off a big 45-40 upset win at NCAA Div. II No. 3 Valdosta State Saturday. Valdosta State beat VUU in Richmond (Va.) last season, 51-7.

D2football.com rates the Panthers 23rd in its Div. II national poll this week, just ahead of three-time CIAA champion Bowie State. This marks the first time a VUU football team has been ranked in the nation’s Top 25 ranking since 2019.

BSU fell from 11th to 24th after its 40-12 loss to Saginaw Valley State Saturday.

This week VUU entertains Livingstone (1- 1) Saturday (6 p.m.). Bowie State plays at 0-2 Shaw at 1 p.m. Elsewhere in the conference, Fayetteville State (1-1) is at Lincoln (1-1) at 7 p.m. and in a battle of 0-2 teams, Elizabeth City State hosts Winston-Salem State. Virginia State is hosting Saint Augustine’s (6 p.m.).

MEAC

Head coach Trei Oliver has his North Carolina Central team out of the MEAC at 2-0 after wins over former rivals NC A&T and Winston-Salem State. The Eagles will be traveling to face another 2-0 team, New Hampshire of the CAA, on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN+).

Other MEAC teams are also playing non- conference games.

Norfolk State (0-2) is hosting unbeaten CAA member (2-0) Hampton (2 p.m., ESPN+), Morgan State (0-2) is playing at home vs. Sacred Heart (1-1) at 12 noon.

Howard (0-3) faces Morehouse (0-2) of the SIAC at the new HBCU New York City Football Classic at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ (3 p.m., CNBC).

SWAC

Jackson State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff of the SWAC are both 2-0.

JSU and head coach Deion “Coach Prime Sanders has their first home game Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN3) vs. Grambling State (1-1). Grambling got its first win and the first for new head coach Hue Jackson Saturday 47-21 over Northwestern (La.) State.
UAPB and head coach Doc Gamble will have a hard time keeping its record clean as the Golden Lions play (6 p.m., ESPN+) at 2-0 Oklahoma State of the Big 12.

Prairie View (1-1) is home (6 p.m.) vs. Incarnate Word (2-0).

Southern (1-1) meets 0-2 Texas Southern in Arlington, Texas in a SWAC West Division game to carried live on HBCUGo.

Alabama A&M and Alcorn State will be trying to get off the 0-2 schneid. A&M hosts (2 p.m.) 1-1 Austin Peay in the Louis Crews Classic while Alcorn plays (7 p.m., ESPN+) at McNeese State (2-1).

SIAC

Fort Valley State with new head coach Shawn Gibbs is the surprise SIAC team at 2-0. The Wildcats will attempt to add another notch to their belt hosting 0-1 Allen (2 p.m., ESPN+) Saturday.

The SIAC schedule begins Thursday as Savannah State (1-1) meets Benedict (1-1) in Columbia, SC (7:30 p.m, ESPNU).

Winless Miles (0-2) and new head coach Sam Shade is hosting (6 p.m.) what’s sure to be an ornery Valdosta State team (1-1) after its loss to Virginia Union. Defending SIAC champ Albany State (1-1) is at undefeated Shorter (2- 0) Saturday at 12 noon.

Central State (1-1) is at Bluefield State (1-1) at 12 noon Saturday while Lane (0-2) hosts 1-1 Clark Atlanta at 2 p.m.

Non-HBCU conferences

In addition to Hampton and head coach Robert Prunty of the CAA, Langston of the NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) is 2-0. The Lions, led by head coach Quinton Morgan, will host 1-1 Wayland Baptist Saturday (2 p.m.).

North Carolina A&T, playing in the Big South, is off to an 0-2 start and tries to avoid an 0-3 start playing at ACC member Duke (2-0) Saturday (6 p.m., ACC Network).

Tennessee State (0-2) of the OVC, coming off a tough, close 16-3 loss to Jackson State, plays at Middle Tennessee (6 p.m., ESPN+)

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