HBCU Football Featured Games of Week 11
Football season is dwindling down as we come up on one of the last weeks of the regular season. Week 11 will be critical to some teams regarding their post-season hopes and conference rankings.
For the CIAA (Chowan vs. Fayetteville State) and the SIAC (Benedict vs. Tuskegee), tomorrow is the Conference Championship. Aside from the teams having the ability to bring their institutions a championship, this can also help their chances post-season. While there are no automatic bids in DII football championships, the teams are looking to show the committee why they belong in the Super Regional rankings that will eventually lead them to the football championship tournament.
In the SWAC and MEAC, teams like Jackson State and Prairie View are looking to keep their division's top spots in hopes of representing the SWAC in the Celebration Bowl. Teams like Florida A&M are looking to win out their schedule to receive a bid to the FCS Playoffs.
HBCU Legends' featured football games across the conferences to watch this weekend.
Chowan vs. Bowie State; Credit: Tim Rice
CIAA
Chowan (5-0; 7-3) vs. Fayetteville State (5-0; 8-2)
CIAA Conference Championship
Chowan and Fayetteville State meet in the CIAA Championship in Salem, Virginia, on Saturday, Nov. 12. The teams earlier battled on Sept. 29, where the Broncos would win by a close score of 13-10. FSU has the upper hand on Chowan, beating them the last four times they've competed against each other.
Fayetteville State is ranked number one in total offense, only allowing their opponents to average 246.0 yards and allowing less than 20 touchdowns to be scored on them. The Broncos also have weapons like Cameron Merrell, who is ranked in the top ten in the conference with 74 tackles, with 8.5 being sacks.
Chowan outranks them in total offense, averaging 361.6 yards per game and having players like Rashad McKee, ranked at number seven in the conference for total offense. McKee has 1,223 yards of total offense this year and averages 135.9 yards a game.
The Broncos have lost four straight conference championship games, with three being to Bowie State. Since the Bulldogs aren't in the title game, FSU is looking to win their fourth CIAA Championship and first since 2009.
Players to watch:
- Montre Moore (LB, Chowan): Moore has 100 tackles, 13 TFL and 6 sacks.
- Barry Elliot (WR. Fayetteville State): Elliot has 505 yards and 8 touchdowns.
How to watch: Kickoff is on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 2 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN3.
SIAC
Benedict (7-0; 10-0) vs. Tuskegee (7-0; 8-2)
SIAC Conference Championship
The SIAC Championship will feature two teams that haven't been beaten in a long time. Benedict is currently undefeated winning 12 straight games, but Tuskegee has won eight straight since beginning the season with two losses.
The Golden Tigers will have to play well on both sides of the ball as they face the number one defense and third-ranked offense in the SIAC. Benedict only allows their opponents 259.7 yards and has only had nine touchdowns scored on them this season. Offensively, the Golden Tigers have weapons in running back Taurean Taylor, who has 790 yards and eight touchdowns on the season, and wide receiver Antonio Meeks who has 516 yards and four touchdowns.
They will all have to unite to defeat Benedict, who boasts the No. 1-ranked defense with a tenacious defensive line. Loobert Denelus has 44 tackles, with 32 being solo and ten being sacks for 70 yards. He also has partner John Hannibal who has 43 tackles, with 29 solo, six tackles for a loss, and 2.5 sacks.
In addition to both teams wanting to win the conference championship, for Tuskegee, this is an excellent opportunity to improve their standing in the Super Region Rankings. Tuskegee currently ranks No. 9, and a win over the top-ranked team in the Super Region II could serve as a statement to the committee.
Players to watch:
- Loobert Denelus (DE, Benedict): Denelus has 44 tackles, 10 sacks and 16 TFL.
- Taurean Taylor (RB, Tuskegee): Taylor has 790 yards and 8 touchdowns.
How to watch: Kickoff is on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 2 p.m. and the game will be televised on the CIAA Sports Network.
Credit: NCCU Athletics
MEAC
North Carolina Central (3-1; 7-2) vs. Norfolk State (1-8; 1-2)
With a win over the Norfolk State Spartans, the North Carolina Central Eagles can clinch their first MEAC championship since 2016 and earn a spot in the 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl.
The Spartans have their hands full as they are currently ranked second to last in the conference in offense and last in defense. The Spartans allow 432.8 yards which bode well for the Eagles, averaging 439.4 yards per game, and have a dual-threat quarterback in Davius Richard, who leads the team in rushing.
Richard has 614 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the season and is also accompanied by Latrell Collier in the backfield, who has 655 yards and six touchdowns on the season. Defensively they've got Khalil Baker, who is ranked second in the conference in interceptions with four, and Jaki Brevard is ranked seventh in the conference in tackles for loss.
The Spartans lost vital pieces last year, like Justin Smith, De'Shaan Dixon, and Chris Myers can still challenge the Eagles. Tyler Long is second in the conference in tackles with 79 and more than half of them solo; he also has three sacks. Offensively, Otto Kuhns is third in the MEAC, completing 86 of 158 pass attempts for 1088 yards and five touchdowns. Kuhns favorite target Da'Quan Felton is ranked seventh in the conference for receiving 361 yards and three touchdowns.
The Eagles have won six of the last eight matchups and currently lead the all-time series. The head coaches are also graduates of NCCU and former teammates. Trei Oliver and Dawson Odums graduated one year from each other - Odums in 1997 and Oliver in 1998.
Players to watch:
- Tyler Long (LB, Norfolk): Long has 79 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks and one interception.
- Davius Richard (QB, NCCU): Richards has led his team to an almost perfect season completing 146 passes on 231 attempts, 1996 yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and 20 passing touchdowns.
How to watch: Kickoff is on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 2 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN+.
Andrew Body vs. Jackson State on Nov. 5, 2022; Credit: Kyle A. Mosley, HBCU Legends
SWAC
Grambling State (2-4; 3-6) vs. Texas Southern (3-3; 4-5)
Saturday's game may not immediately decide the teams' post-season chances, but it's a good matchup between two rising squads in the SWAC. Grambling is coming off back-to-back wins against Alcorn State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. While Texas Southern lost to Jackson State, they were previously on a three-game win streak.
Grambling has a change in morale after a slow start and has changed quarterbacks from Quaterius Hawkins to Julian Calvez. Since taking over as the starter, the true freshman signal-caller Calvez has completed 43 of 112 passes and three touchdowns.
Their backfield also features Nebraska transfer Maurice Washington who has 501 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Defensively, they've got multiple weapons, including Lewis Matthews, who ranked first in the SWAC and 28th nationally in solo tackles.
Texas Southern didn't have their best game against Jackson State, with quarterback Andrew Body throwing for 132 yards and one touchdown. Body is emerging as one of the best quarterbacks in the conference throwing for 1,418 yards and nine touchdowns.
TSU seeks to bounce back after being held to 262 yards of total offense when they usually average 324.6 yards of total offense. Grambling's defense is ranked at No. 8 in the conference allowing their opponents to have 401.8 yards per game.
In addition to Body, the G-Men will have to face LaDarius Owens, ranked at number nine in the conference for rushing yards with 539 yards and four touchdowns.
Defensively, the Tigers have players like Jacob Williams, who has 63 tackles, half solo and six being a tackle for loss. He's accompanied by Demontario Anderson, who is not only the Tigers' defensive leader, but also leads the team in sacks.
Players to watch:
- Demontario Anderson (DE, TXSO): Anderson is not only a leader of the defense but has 38 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 2.5 TFL.
- Lyndon Rash (WR, Grambling): Rash has 428 yards and four touchdowns.
How to watch: Kickoff is on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN+.