Week Four features rivalry games and conference showdowns

Week Three was an excellent one on your pleasant neighborhood HBCU soccer prognosticator, however Week 4 ramps up with rivalry video games, convention battles and non-conference matchups that may have everybody’s consideration all week lengthy, beginning Thursday evening.

Let’s have a look again at Week Three earlier than we break down this weekend’s video games.

Week Three Document: 26-3

Finest choose: Clark Atlanta 26, Fort Valley State 21 (Panthers received 28-23, giving themselves an early edge in what seems to be to be a wild SIAC race.)

Worst choose: Hampton 23, North Carolina A&T 14 (A&T received 33-30 in double additional time. Large win for a crew beginning over.)

Recreation of the week: Howard (2-1) vs. Hampton (1-2) within the Fact & Providers Basic, Audi Area, Washington, D.C., Saturday Sept. 20, 4 p.m., ESPN Plus

The battle of the Actual HU guarantees to be one other intense scrap, particularly with each groups coming into D.C. in several instructions.

Howard took care of enterprise in opposition to Morehouse within the HBCUNY Basic whereas Hampton blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead in shedding at North Carolina A&T.

The Pirates, nevertheless, have received eight straight on this rivalry, a streak that predates the Larry Scott period at Howard.

To win, the Bison will want one other strong recreation from quarterback Tyriq Starks, who handed for 241 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to Morehouse.

Hampton seems to be to have handed their QB job to Lincoln (Pa.) switch Isaiah Freeman, who handed and ran for over 100 yards every within the loss to the Aggies.

Each defenses are very sturdy, so this seems to be like one other HU battle that goes all the way down to the wire. The winner will be assured about the remainder of their season. The loser must do some rapid soul looking out.

Prediction: Howard 24, Hampton 20

North Carolina Central (2-2) at North Carolina A&T (1-2), Saturday Sept. 20, 4 p.m. EST, FloSports

A&T’s emotional win over Hampton provides them a lift in one of the crucial bitter feuds in HBCU soccer. Shawn Gibbs already has the Aggies enjoying higher in three weeks than in two years below Vincent Brown, however the Eagles want to get on strong floor, even after defeating Fayetteville State by 30.

Can A&T neutralize Walker Harris and Chris Mosley or in some way, all the way down to their deepest reserves at quarterback, put collectively sufficient factors to win?

One factor is for certain; this recreation has way more that means now that the Aggies seem like a soccer crew.

Prediction: North Carolina Central 31, North Carolina A&T 23

Johnson C. Smith (3-0, 0-0 CIAA) at Virginia Union (1-1, 0-0 CIAA), Saturday Sept. 20, 6 p.m. EST, CIAA Community

An early CIAA showdown takes middle stage Saturday evening as JCSU, who needed to sweat out an in depth win at Elizabeth Metropolis State, hits the street once more to tackle defending convention champion Virginia Union, who misplaced a recreation of the yr state of affairs to Edward Waters.

The Golden Bulls sport Fort Valley State switch Kelvin Durham at quarterback and he, in addition to that Smith offense, has been pretty much as good as marketed. The Panthers, to the shock of nobody, have continued to punish opponents on the bottom with Curtis Allen within the backfield.

This may very well be a recreation of who stops who or who has the ball final. The winner has an early benefit within the race to the CIAA title recreation.

Prediction: Johnson C. Smith 27, Virginia Union 24

Edward Waters (3-0) at Bethune-Cookman (0-3), Saturday Sept. 20, 3 p.m. EST, HBCU Go

Edward Waters is undoubtedly the story of the yr in HBCU soccer in the intervening time.

Shedding their head coach weeks earlier than preseason follow started, integrating a brand new quarterback and training workers collectively, the Tigers are 3-0 with a mean of 42 factors per recreation scored.

Bethune-Cookman in the meantime has struggled mightily, together with giving up 55 factors to South Carolina State final weekend.

The Wildcats misplaced to final yr’s CIAA Cinderella (Clark Atlanta) at dwelling in 2024; can lightning strike twice once more this season?

Prediction: Edward Waters 28, Bethune-Cookman 22

Tuskegee (2-1, 1-0 SIAC) at Benedict (2-0, 1-0 SIAC), Thursday Sept. 18, 7 p.m. EST, ESPN Plus

Benedict has received each video games this season by matching 10-0 scores. That might be put to the check in opposition to a Tuskegee crew seeking to rebound after being shut out by Jackson State final weekend.

Each groups make use of bodily protection, however contemplating Tuskegee hung 34 on Central State and was in a position to rating sufficient factors to beat Winston-Salem State within the Purple Tails Basic, the Golden Tigers would possibly have the ability to crack Benedict’s brick wall sufficient occasions to take care of an edge within the SIAC title recreation race.

Prediction: Tuskegee 21, Benedict 14