LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
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+)
