Stars Falling In Alabama

Alabama A&M and Alabama State are rising to the top of the SWAC

Sept. 17, 2007

By Eric N. Moore

Special to CSTV.com

	Eric Moore Eric contributes a twice-weekly HBCU column for CSTV.com. E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- HBCU FOOTBALL 12/15: Oliver The Catalyst 12/13: Old Rivals Meet Again 12/3: Tuskegee Completes Perfect Season 11/29: Pioneer Powers 11/21: Final Weekend Of HBCU Features Classics 11/19: The Last Hurrah 11/15: Last Division Standing 11/12: CIAA, MEAC Crown Champs 11/8: Title Time In CIAA And MEAC 11/5: East Meets West As CIAA Title Game Set 11/1: Judgment Day In HBCU 10/29: Homecoming Hurts 10/25: Weeks Winding Down 10/22: Two Tigers Teams Take Steps Toward Titles 10/18: SWAC Division Leaders Set For Showdown 10/15: Hampton's Pirates Walk The Plank 10/11: Queen Isn't Only Title At Homecoming 10/8: Southern Goes South 10/4: Classic Games Take Center Stage 10/1: Hello To October 9/27: Battle Of Unbeatens In Atlanta 9/24: The Pursuit Of Perfection 9/20: SIAC Leaders Showdown In Tuskegee 9/17: Stars Falling In Alabama 9/13: Rematch of '06 CIAA Title Game Set For Big Time 9/10: Pirates, Bulldogs and WWHornets Strike Early 9/6: Who's HU In HBCU 9/3: Southern Breaks The MEAC Streak 8/30: Calling Their Bluff 8/27: HBCU Opening Week Recap 8/23: Beginning With A Rematch 4/12: A Great American Is Laid To Rest 4/4: A Coaching Legend Has Passed Away 12/18: Alabama A&M Finally Wins A SWAC Title 12/4: Winding Down 11/23: Playoffs, Bayou Classic, Dominate HBCU Weekend 11/20: Two HBCUs Fall in Playoffs 11/16: Six HBCU Schools Heading to Postseason 11/13: Three Down, One To Go 11/6: It's Title Time 11/6: Rams Are First...Who's Next? 11/2: CIAA Championship Game Berth On The Line 10/30: Surprise Results Revise SIAC Title Race 10/26: MEAC Logjam Could Be Broken On Saturday 10/23: Pirates Walk The Plank 10/19: Showdown Saturday in HBCU Football 10/16: Jackson State No Longer SWAC Pushover 10/12: Homecomings Abound In HBCU Football 10/9: Albany State Takes SIAC Lead 10/5: SIAC Leaders Face Off in Albany, GA 10/1: Pirates Keep Win Streak Alive 9/28: Hampton Tries to Extend MEAC Winning Streak 9/25: NCC Wins Game, Loses Belongings 9/21: Eagles, Jaguars Meet for First Time 9/18: Panthers Get Over the Hump 9/11: Traditional Powerhouses Hit Bumps 9/7: Conference Play Begins in Earnest 9/5: Grand Stages Open Season 8/28: All Sorts of Change In 2006 HBCU BASKETBALL 2/23: North Carolina Central Earns First National Ranking 2/23: Virginia Union Returns To Top Of CIAA Tournament 2/15: North Carolina Central Is So Hot Right Now 2/15: Returning Courtside 2/9: Delaware State, Mississippi Valley Among HBCU Standouts 2/9: HBCU Notebook: It's Title Time

        ---   HBCU Links   --- MEAC Standings MEAC Scoreboard SWAC Standings SWAC Scoreboard CIAA Standings CIAA Scoreboard SIAC Standings SIAC Scoreboard

The cream has begun to rise in the SWAC while Virginia Union has become the team to beat in the CIAA.

SWAC standoffs

Two of the top three teams in the SWAC western division met in Baton Rouge, La., and it was Southern University who avenged last season's loss by knocking off Prairie View A&M, 12-2.

Both teams came into the game averaging nearly 30 points per game but defense took over in this matchup.

Southern broke a scoreless deadlock with just 52 seconds remaining in the first half when QB Bryant Lee connected with Gerard Landry on a 15-yard touchdown pass to give the Jaguars a 6-0 halftime lead.

Southern's only other score came in the fourth quarter when Nicholas Benjamin hit tight end Evan Alexander on a 12-yard pass after a fake field goal attempt.

SU gave PVAM its only points in the fourth quarter when the Jags were penalized for holding in the endzone, resulting in a safety for the Panthers.

Southern improves to 3-0 overall and remains tied with Grambling on top of the SWAC west at 2-0.  GSU had the weekend off.

PVAM suffers its first loss of the season and falls to 2-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Alabama A&M and Alabama State continued their dominance in the SWAC eastern division making next month's Magic City Classic even more significant.

A&M hosted Mississippi Valley and easily knocked off the Delta Devils with a 21-point outburst in the third quarter.

Kelcy "I'm tired of being overlooked for SWAC recognition" Luke had another banner day with 315 yards of total offense (276 passing, 39 rushing) to keep the Bulldogs undefeated and hand MVSU their second loss of the season, 45-14.

Luke didn't make the all-conference team last year despite leading the Bulldogs to the SWAC Championship.  He was also left off of the 2007 preseason all-conference team and seems on a mission to overcome the slight.

A&M is now undefeated at 3-0 (SWAC 1-0) while Mississippi Valley falls to 1-2 (SWAC 1-2).

Not to be outdone by its intrastate neighbor, Alabama State continued its resurgence under new head coach Reggie Barlow.  The Hornets rolled into Arkansas this weekend and left with a come-from behind, 12-10, victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 

ASU quarterback Chris Mitchell found Fred Ragsdale in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown on fourth down in the fourth quarter to help the Hornets escape with the win.

Alabama State (3-0, SWAC 2-0) remains undefeated and keeps its half game lead over Alabama A&M and Jackson State in the SWAC east division.

SIAC showdowns

The Stillman Tigers had a chance to knock off four-time defending SIAC champion Albany State on their home field but came up short, 24-17.

The Tigers had hoped to make a step into the SIAC elite but the Golden Rams used a 21-point second quarter and produced 347 yards of total offense to eliminate any doubt about the outcome.

Tuskegee remained at the top of the SIAC standings with a 44-8 thrashing of Benedict in Columbia.  Golden Tiger QB Jacary Atkinson had 292 yards of total offense to earn SIAC offensive player of the week honors for the second straight week.

Fort Valley State continued to reclaim its spot as one of the SIAC's big three with a 24-0 shutout of Miles College.  The last time a team other than Albany State, Tuskegee or FVSU has won a conference title was 16 years ago.

CIAA woes continue

The only CIAA team having any success this season is Virginia Union, who spoiled Livingstone's home opener with a 45-7 win.

In their final weekend of non-conference play, CIAA teams went 0-7 losing by a combined score of 270-62.

HBCU Football Scoreboard

September 13

Jackson State 28, Texas Southern 7

Tennessee Tech 55, Concordia 7

September 14

Lincoln (MO) 39, Southern Virginia 23

September 15

Alabama A&M 45, Miss Valley State 14

Alabama State 12, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 10

UAB 22, Alcorn State 0 

Albany State 24, Stillman 17 

Belhaven 55, Texas College 43

Bethune-Cookman 45, Savannah State 13

California (PA) 57, Cheyney 0

Carson Newman 45, Saint Augustine's 6 

Catawba 46, Fayetteville State 7 

Charleston Southern 44, Johnson C. Smith 20  

Dayton 40, Central State 0

Florida A&M 30, Howard 17

Fort Valley State 24, Miles 0

Hampton 59, NC A&T 14 

Kent State 38, Delaware State 7 

Kentucky State 30, Clark Atlanta 20

Lane 25, Langston 15

Morehouse 13, Shaw 12 

NC Central 18, Elizabeth City State 10

Rutgers 59, Norfolk State 0 

Slippery Rock 35, Bowie State 7 

South Carolina 38, SC State 3 

Southern 12, Prairie View A&M 2 

Tennessee State 33, Austin Peay 32 (OT)

Tusculum 69, Saint Paul's 0 

Tuskegee 44, Benedict 8

Virginia Union 45, Livingstone 7

West Virginia State 14, Fairmont State 7

Winston-Salem State 19, Morgan State 17