If you’re like most Americans, this time of year is a magical time for sports fans. The World Series is about to start, college football is reaching its zenith, and the NFL is in full force. The NBA opened this week and the NHL has been playing games since the early part of October. Alas, the end of the month of October is a special time of year, and there’s literally sports on multiple channels each and every day of the week.
For college football fans in general and HBCU football aficionados in particular, the FCS holds two special conferences where the annual Homecomings are far more than just football games and tailgate parties. HBCU football means that the MEAC and the SWAC conference races are tightening up by the end of October, with the road to the annual Celebration Bowl game in Atlanta well within sight.
The NCAA does a great service to HBCU FCS football programs by providing a weekly power ranking for the top-tier programs. I’ve decided to run with this format, but adding a bit of a twist for readers by ranking my own “Fab Five” and “Flop Five” HBCU teams this week. As the weather continues to cool down a bit on the East Coast and in the southeastern United States, the MEAC and SWAC races are heating up, and there’s plenty of football action that will quickly help shape the top and bottom of the HBCU football rankings as the FCS postseason looms not far off in the distance.
The FCS HBCU Fab Five (as of October 24th)
1. Jackson State (5-1 Overall, 3-0 SWAC)
There’s no way I’m going to dispute the NCAA.com rankings with Jackson State remaining the top HBCU program in the FCS. The Tigers remain a dominant force in the SWAC, and I expect them in the conference championship come December. JSU also holds strong in the FCS overall top 25 rankings and currently sits at 11th in the AFCA coaches’ poll.
2. North Carolina Central (5-2 Overall, 0-0 MEAC)
NCCU is just a great overall football program, and after taking care of business 45-7 against Florida A&M, NCCU and its top-flight offense look to continue taking care of business against fellow MEAC opponents. Could a Jackson State-North Carolina Central matchup in Atlanta be in the works come December?
3. Prairie View A&M (5-2 Overall, 4-0 SWAC)
Can you say dominance this week? PVAMU is coming off a bye week last week and should be rested as they host Lincoln (CA) this weekend at home. I fully expect to see that Prairie View will be 6-2 by Saturday evening.
4. Alabama State (4-2 Overall, 2-1 SWAC)
The ASU Hornets have only dropped one SWAC game so far to Jackson State, and that was a bitter pill to swallow. Could ASU be looking for a bit of redemption down the road? A bounce-back win against Alabama A&M could be just what the doctor ordered to keep one of the SWAC contenders going as the postseason is just around the corner.
5. Delaware State (4-3 Overall, 0-0 MEAC)
It’s showtime for the DSU Hornets and first-year HC DeSean Jackson. Is this program a contender or just another HBCU pretender? With the MEAC conference play opening up this weekend, the proof will be in the pudding, but with some convincing wins the next couple of weeks, the Hornets could be really looking at a possible postseason opportunity.
The HBCU Flop Five
I certainly don’t like being rude or hateful towards college football programs, and I have the deepest respect for my fellow coaches and the young men in their charge as student-athletes. Unfortunately, football is a numbers game, and there have to be winners and losers every game.
1. Norfolk State (1-6 Overall, 0-0 MEAC)
Welcome to college football coaching, Michael Vick. With a round of coach firings and a flailing season to boot, Coach Vick is discovering really fast that the coaching side of football is not nearly as clear-cut as the playing side of the sport. With a big October 31st game in Philadelphia against Delaware State and former teammate DeSean Jackson, Norfolk State will be on a big stage. Anything but a big win could be disastrous for this program for years to come.
2. North Carolin A&T (1-6, 1-2 CAA)
While not in an HBCU conference, NCAT, of course, is an iconic HBCU football program, but losing the majority of their homecoming games this decade doesn’t bode well with the alumni. Is it time to move to another conference yet?
3. Tennessee State (1-5 Overall, 0-3 OVC-Big South)
The TSU Tigers look and play like they’re out of their element in the OVC-Big South and their record conveys that feeling all too well this season. Maybe playing on the same home field as the Tennessee Titans is rubbing off the wrong way for this program. See the above final question for NCAT and it equally applies to TSU.
4. Alcorn State (1-5 Overall, 0-2 SWAC)
Seriously folks – the only win this season is against poor Lincoln (CA), who keep getting fed to the slaughter at the hands of FCS programs. Plus, you have to remember that the Lincoln Oaklanders aren’t an NCAA program.
5. Southern University (1-6 Overall, 0-3 SWAC)
I saved the proverbial hot seat for the last since head coach Terrence Graves picked up a few banker’s boxes and emptied out his office this week as the ex-head coach of the Southern Jaguars. Coach Graves took the Jags to an 8-5 season and a SWAC Championship appearance last year, so this program has clearly fallen off the edge. The 2025 season looks to finish up as a rebuilding year under interim HC Fred McNair, who coached Alcorn State from 2016-23.
Photo Credit to North Carolina Central University Athletics
