HBCU Football: Scores, Storylines, and Season Highlights

The world of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) football is filled with exciting games, passionate rivalries, and exceptional talent. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the HBCU football landscape, including scores, key storylines, and season highlights.

Week 11 Scoreboard and Conference Updates

Here's a look at the HBCU football scores from Week 11, covering various conferences and independent teams: SWAC, MEAC, SIAC, CIAA, OVC, CAA.

(Note: Specific scores for Week 11 were not provided in the source text. Week 10 scores are not available.)

CIAA Storylines

The CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) is always a hotbed of football action. Here are some key storylines:

VA Union's Championship Hopes: Should Virginia Union defeat Virginia State, the Panthers will be heading to their third consecutive CIAA championship game.
Johnson C. Smith's Title Game Aspirations: Johnson C. Smith will make the title game with a victory over Livingstone.
CIAA Championship: The 55th Annual CIAA Football Championship will take place Saturday, Nov. at Durham County Memorial Stadium in Durham, North Carolina.

SIAC Storylines

The SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) also boasts compelling narratives:

Albany State's Championship Awaits: Albany State awaits either Benedict or Kentucky State as their opponent in the 2025 SIAC Championship game.
Benedict's Path to the Championship: Since Benedict has the better win percentage versus common opponents (.469 to .438), should the Tigers defeat Savannah State, they will face Albany State.

Key Events and Developments

Celebration Bowl Matchup: MEAC Champion South Carolina State took on SWAC Champion Prairie View A&M for HBCU football supremacy in the Celebration Bowl. The game was on Saturday, Dec.
MEAC Players of the Year: North Carolina Central quarterback Walker Harris and South Carolina State cornerback Jarrod Washington were named conference offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively.
SWAC Championship: Prairie View A&M won the 2025 SWAC Football Championship Game, defeating Jackson State 23-21 in Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Coaching Changes and Appointments

The offseason saw several significant changes in coaching personnel:

Hampton Hires Van Malone: Hampton hired Van Malone as its 23rd head football coach. Malone joined Hampton from an assistant coach role at Kansas State.
Florida A&M Fires James Colzie III: Florida A&M fired head football coach James Colzie III.
Southern Hires Marshall Faulk: Southern officially hired Marshall Faulk as the 22nd head coach of the football team. Faulk's impressive resume includes being a three-time Heisman Trophy finalist, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, 1994 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and 2000 NFL MVP. Faulk played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams, earning seven Pro Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXIV.
Southern Fires Terrence Graves: The Southern Jaguars fired head football coach Terrence Graves. Graves most recently lost in blowout fashion on homecoming, dropping Southern's 2025 record to 1-6. Graves won the 2024 SWAC West title last season with an 8-5 record, going 7-1 in SWAC play. Fred McNair took over as interim head coach this year. McNair was the co-offensive coordinator under Graves, where Southern had the worst scoring offense and total offense in SWAC.
Hampton and Trenton Boykin Part Ways: Hampton and head coach Trenton Boykin are parting ways. Hampton finished 2-10 this year after a 5-7 season during the first year of Boykin's tenure.

Conference Teams

The MEAC, SWAC, OVC-Big South and CAA have announced all-conference teams.

Individual Accolades and Recognition

Jerry Rice Award Watch List: Alabama A&M quarterback Eric Handley is the lone HBCU football representative on the 22-player Jerry Rice Award watch list.
SWAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week: DB B.J.
AFCA Trailblazer Award: Legendary Jackson State coach W.C. Gorden was named the American Football Coaches Association’s recipient of the 2025 Trailblazer Award. The AFCA Trailblazer Award honors leaders in the football coaching profession who coached at HBCUs.
Top Edge Rushers: Southern defensive end Ckelby Givens was named one of the top edge rushers in the FCS at the midseason mark.

HBCU Attendance and Fan Engagement

HBCUs continue to excel in attracting large crowds to their football games:

FCS Attendance Leaders: HBCUs again set the pace in FCS attendance, with Jackson State's average of 28,733 fans leading the FCS. Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State still have one more home game to add to their total.

Other Notable Events

"First Take" Visits HBCUs: The hit daily sports talk show "First Take" visited its third HBCU football game this season, hitting Delaware State ahead of DSU's matchup with Norfolk State in Philadelphia. First Take previously visited Norfolk State and the Magic City Classic. The hit daily sports talk show "First Take" visited its second HBCU football game this season, hitting the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, AL featuring Alabama A&M and Alabama State. First Take previously visited Norfolk State. Anyone watching Cam Newton get into it with the Alabama A&M Mascot?
Georgia Football Classic Cancellation: The Georgia Football Classic is no more. The game that was going to feature Mississippi Valley State and Florida A&M will no longer be played in Atlanta, Georgia's Mercedez-Benz Stadium - home of the Atlanta Falcons and Celebration Bowl.
Tampa Bay Football Classic Cancellation: The Tampa Bay Football Classic is no more.

Preseason Outlook and Predictions

Tennessee State in the CAA: Tennessee State was predicted to finish 8th in the CAA.

Season Timeline

Season Start: The 2025 HBCU football season began with the MEAC/SWAC Challenge on Saturday, Aug.
FCS Playoffs: The 2025 FCS Playoffs started on the weekend of Saturday, Nov.
SWAC Championship Game: The 2025 SWAC Football Championship Game was on Saturday, Dec.
Celebration Bowl: The 2025 HBCU football season concluded with the Celebration Bowl on Saturday, Dec.

Read also: Top HBCU Bands

tags: #hbcu #football #scoreboard