We are officially on the road to championship season in Week 9 of the HBCU football season, with the MEAC entering its first full slate of conference games.
This is highlighted by a matchup of the conference’s top two offenses that could decide who wins the MEAC title.
A pair of SWAC rivalries, including one that will begin what is hoped to become a new tradition in black college football.
Also highlighted in the Week 9 slate is a Battle of the Undefeateds in the SIAC and a CIAA team hoping to keep its championship hopes alive.
Here are the 5 Games to Watch in Week 9 of the HBCU football season.
Delaware State vs. North Carolina Central
When: October 25; Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: ESPN+
MEAC play officially begins in week nine of the HBCU football season, seeing a battle of dynamic offenses between the Delaware State Hornets and the North Carolina Central.
Both teams come into this game after a week off last weekend, having secured wins over Southern Connecticut State and Florida A&M in their respective last outings.
History is on the side of the Eagles in this matchup, having beaten the Hornets 10 times out of 12 since re-joining the MEAC in 2010.
Currently holding a 4-3 overall record, including a 2-2 record against FCS opponents, Delaware State has already doubled its win total over the past two seasons (2-21 in 2023 and 2024 combined).
They are averaging a MEAC-leading 38.3 points per game and have the most lethal rushing attack in the FCS, putting 327.0 yards per game.
North Carolina Central, on the other hand, has the number one passing offense in the MEAC (262.1) while also averaging 36.1 points per game (13th in FCS).
The winner of this game will be the strong favorite to win the MEAC title and a trip to Atlanta for the Celebration Bowl.
Winston-Salem State vs. Johnson C. Smith
When: October 25; Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: CIAA Sports Network
Johnson C. Smith fights to keep its hopes of a CIAA championship berth alive when it welcomes Winston-Salem State into Charlotte.
For the first time since 1976, the Golden Bulls have won two straight against the Rams, beating them 24-15 in their matchup last season.
This win streak comes after having gone 27 years without a win in the series (21 straight losses from 1997 to 2022).
Johnson C. Smith enters this game after playing spoiler to Shaw on its homecoming, pitching a 52-0 shutout. This marked the second shutout win in the career of head coach Maurice Flowers and JCSU’s first shutout win since 2011.
Meanwhile, Winston-Salem State snapped a two-game win streak last week, following a 42-10 win over Livingstone in its homecoming contest and home finale.
In what will be the Rams’ penultimate game of the season, they have a chance to deter the Golden Bulls in their goal of a CIAA championship appearance.
Currently trailing Fayetteville State and defending champion Virginia Union in the standings (each 4-0 in conference play), a win is crucial for the Golden Bulls to remain in the title hunt.
Albany State vs. Benedict
When: October 25; Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: ESPN+
The last two teams with unbeaten records in SIAC play, Albany State and Benedict, clash in Columbia, South Carolina, with a spot in the conference championship game potentially on the line.
This is the first time these two teams have faced each other since they met in the 2023 SIAC championship game, seeing Benedict cruise to a 47-10 victory to claim back-to-back conference titles.
Last weekend, Benedict retained its title as the last remaining unbeaten team in black college football after knocking off Edward Waters 31-27 thanks to a last-second go-ahead touchdown.
Albany State, on the other hand, engaged in a defensive chess match in its homecoming contest against Tuskegee, needing a last-second interception to escape with a 7-3 win.
The Golden Rams’ win came despite being decimated by injury, seeing another quarterback being unable to return after going down (initial starter Isaiah Knowles is yet to return from the injury suffered against Allen on September 27).
With Kentucky State waiting in the wings, sporting a 5-1 conference record and idle this weekend, the loser of this contest could risk being overtaken pending the results in the final two weeks.
Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State
When: October 25; Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: ESPN+
The most heated rivalry in HBCU football is renewed at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, when Alabama A&M faces off against Alabama State in the Magic City.
Alabama A&M still holds a slim lead in the all-time series (44-42-3 overall) despite Alabama State currently riding a three-game win streak (longest since 1995).
In their last matchup, the Hornets survived a fourth-quarter flurry from the Bulldogs to come away with a 27-19 victory.
Alabama State comes into this game after a week off, looking to bounce back from a nail-biting loss against Jackson State in an outing to determine first place in the SWAC East.
Despite the loss, the Hornets still have a chance to claim their first division title since 2010, needing help from Jackson State’s remaining opponents to do so.
First, they will need to beat an Alabama A&M team that snapped a two-game losing streak last weekend, earning its first conference win of the season against Mississippi Valley State.
Jackson State vs. Grambling State
When: October 25; Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: HBCUGo
HBCU football takes over Sin City when the defending SWAC champion Jackson State Tigers face the Grambling State Tigers in the inaugural Las Vegas HBCU Classic.
This matchup will serve as the 75th in the series between these two historical programs, with Grambling leading, holding a 47-26-1 record over its Tiger counterpart.
Although Jackson State ended the 2024 regular season a perfect 8-0 In SWAC play (also beat Southern in a non-conference contest), Grambling State them the only FCS blemish of the season, beating the eventual conference champs 41-20.
Turnovers were the key contributor in JSU’s loss, committing five in the game, two of which were returned for GSU touchdowns.
While Jackson State enters this game after an idle weekend, last seen beating Alabama State in its homecoming contest two weeks ago, Grambling State earned its first conference win of the season last week after beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff on a go-ahead score in the final two minutes.
Grambling State is searching for consecutive wins in conference play for the first time since 2023, while Jackson State is hoping to extend its conference win streak to 12 games dating back to last season.