Based off Saturday's results, it seems conference play can't come quick enough for most of HBCU football. Outside of a few exceptions, HBCUs struggled heavily against non-HBCUs in Week Three. That held true across both the FCS and Divsion II levels.
The top ranked program in HBCU football, Bethune-Cookman, had a struggle against a Grambling State program that has won two games in two years. BCU came away with a 37-23 win against Grambling, which helped it jump to no. 12 in the FCS Coaches poll.
Tennessee State, the other HBCU ranked in the FCS Poll, had a much easier time against Jackson State. TSU dominated the game from start to finish, coming up with a 35-7 win over their rivals from the SWAC in the Southern Heritage Classic. TSU is now ranked 20th in the coaches poll.
Winston-Salem State entered Saturday's matchup against Valdosta State looking to avenge its 2012 D2 Championshp loss, but was unable to find redemption in Georgia. VSU escaped with a 22-17 win, knocking WSSU from 12th to 18th in the AFCA Poll. WSSU will have to rebound quickly as it hosts SIAC favorite Tuskegee on Saturday. Tuskegee beat Albany State 20-12 on Saturday.
Other than North Carolina A&T's 17-12 win over Elon and Bethune's win over Grambling, there wasn't much going right in the MEAC. Coastal Carolina pounded South Carolina State 30-3, Norfolk State was blanked by William and Mary and Savannah State was soundly beaten by D2 Fort Valley State.
The same could be said for the SWAC and the CIAA as well. Alabama State beat up Mississippi Valley State and Texas Southern picked up its third win in a row to start the season, but that was against D2 Central State. And Southern…well lets just say when you have three starters pulled in Week Three due to eligibility issues, you know you are off to a rough start.
Week Four has to be better…right?
