How Will The SWAC West Be Won?

Week 4 on your pleasant neighborhood HBCU soccer prognosticator was stuffed with nice finishes, shocking outcomes…and loads of losses.

After a tremendous Week Three, I fell sooner than Disney inventory due to some nice video games across the nation. That’s the fantastic thing about HBCU soccer; you get no less than one shock every week. Hopefully I can get again on observe for Week 5.

Let’s revisit the airballs I threw up in Week 4 first.

Week 4 Report: 16-9

2025 total report so far: 95-24

Greatest decide: Prairie View 31, Northwestern (La.) State 28 (Panthers gained 27-24. The State Truthful Traditional has some which means this 12 months…)

Worst decide: Take. Your Choose. For the sake of choosing one, Edward Waters 28, Bethune-Cookman 22 (Wildcats gained 35-9. BCU mentioned, “Not once more. Not this 12 months.”)

Sport of the week: Jackson State (2-1) at Southern (1-3), Saturday Sept. 27, 7 p.m. EST, ESPN Plus

The much-anticipated rematch of final season SWAC’s championship recreation (and the annual Boombox Traditional) includes a Jackson State crew coming off of a bye with a 2-1 begin and a weary Southern crew searching for some type of confidence booster.

The Jaguars’ downside this season has been an offense that ranks within the backside quarter of the SWAC in complete offense, and solely Texas Southern has a worse passing assault. The hope is Fred McNair’s elevation to offensive coordinator and one in all their three quarterbacks (Ashton Strother, Cam’Ron McCoy, Jalen Woods) can put up sufficient factors to maintain the sport shut.

The defending HBCU nationwide champs may have questions of their very own at QB as freshmen Jared Lockhart and Parker Stofa have seen time alongside Jacobian Morgan.

Fortunately for the Tigers, their SWAC-best protection must be sufficient for a victory within the rematch. What which means for Southern transferring ahead is anyone’s guess.

Prediction: Jackson State 24, Southern 13

Grambling State (3-1, 0-0 SWAC West) vs. Prairie View A&M (2-2, 1-0 SWAC West), The State Truthful Traditional, Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas, Saturday Sept. 27, 7 p.m. EST, SWAC TV

May the SWAC West be determined earlier than October begins? Probably. Prairie View and Grambling are coming off good non-conference wins at dwelling and with the Panthers taking the Labor Day Traditional, a State Truthful Traditional win with struggling applications in Southern, Alcorn State and UAPB left, they’d management their very own future.

A Grambling win would muddle up the division image yet another 12 months and with the crew off to a strong 3-1 begin since Mickey Joseph vowed modifications coming into this season, the “G” appears to revive order within the SWAC. Ought to be a enjoyable recreation.

Prediction: Prairie View 27, Grambling 26

Allen (2-2, 2-0 SIAC) at Albany State (2-1, 1-0 SIAC), Saturday Sept. 27, 1 p.m. EST, SIAC Community

The Yellowjackets, picked ninth within the convention preseason polls, have taken that personally, defeating Lane and preseason contender Clark Atlanta for a 2-0 begin in convention play.

It will get harder this weekend after they go to the crew picked to win the entire thing.

Albany State has blasted Shaw of the CIAA and SIAC foe Kentucky State earlier than giving Florida A&M a scare final week, so these Rams are prepared for battle.

QB Isaiah Knowles is finishing 64 % of his passes and has thrown eight landing passes towards only one interception to this point.

Tiant Wyche leads ASU’s SIAC-leading floor recreation with 201 yards on simply 32 carries and three scores.

A beefy defensive position led by Abraham Clinkscales (2 ½ sacks) and Derrick Drayton (2 sacks) have saved opponents at bay this season.

Can Allen match ASU stride for stride? The winner places themselves in nice place for what guarantees to be a race all the way down to the wire for the SIAC crown.

Prediction: Albany State 35, Allen 27

Alabama State (2-1, 0-0 SWAC East) at Florida A&M (1-2, 0-0 SWAC East), Saturday Sept. 27, 3 p.m. EST, HBCU GO

With Andrew Physique wholesome at quarterback and their swarming protection at their most ferocious, Bama State pulls into Bragg this Saturday assured and sure favorites towards a Rattler crew who has struggled early on.

FAMU might want to discover a method to neutralize the Hornet offense and rating towards a protection that trails solely Jackson State for fewest factors allowed within the SWAC.

1-0 in what appears to be a crowded and aggressive SWAC East is significant. The loser may have to start out interested by 2026.

Prediction: Alabama State 31, Florida A&M 17

Virginia State (2-1, 0-0 CIAA) at Fayetteville State (1-3, 1-0 CIAA), Saturday Sept. 27, 1 p.m. CIAA Community

The Trojans survived a late Winston-Salem State rally in a non-conference matchup final week and their reward is a Broncos crew who dropped 50-plus factors on Elizabeth Metropolis State’s Viking helmets in Week 4.

The Trojans offense has confirmed to be explosive in their very own proper. Behind redshirt freshman quarterback Rahsaan Matthews Jr., VSU leads all CIAA groups in passing and is barely second behind, right here’s a shocker, Virginia Union, in dashing offense.

Fayetteville State has a reasonably good passer in Demari Daniels, passing for practically 500 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

These groups are in the course of the pack defensively, so this appears like your traditional “Who has the ball final” recreation. Ought to be a enjoyable one as two groups with CIAA title hopes will attempt to acquire an edge on the opposite.

Prediction: Virginia State 34, Fayetteville State 31