Say what you will about Deion Sanders’ first season at
Colorado, because you have to say something. It’s the law.
No matter which side you’re on, silence isn’t an option after
he stirred up college football like no one ever. There are plenty of talking
points to bolster whichever stance you take, whether Colorado’s four wins were
an astounding success, or the eight losses represent an unmitigated failure.
The Buffaloes were 1-11 last year before Sanders rolled into town and gutted the roster. Las Vegas oddsmakers set the win total at 3.5 wins and one analyst said Sanders might have the nation’s worst roster. In the end, both predictions were close to accurate, though each seemed off when Colorado improved to 3-0 on Sept. 16.
In this corner is LSU star forward Angel Reese, the “Bayou
Barbie,” fresh off winning a national title and waving it in Caitlin Clark’s
face before enjoying newfound wealth and fame.
In the other corner is LSU head coach Kim Mulkey, the Louisiana
native and Hall of Famer, fresh off signing a $32 million contract after snagging
the title in her second season back home.
If giving up or no longer exerting maximum effort is ever understandable, Arkansas-Pine Bluff might’ve been in that position Saturday in the final game this year.
The Golden Lions were on the road, trailing by 24 points at halftime, with dim prospects for their second victory overall and their first in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
But instead of packing it in, UAPB poured it on. Quarterback Mekhi Hagens ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns and special teams contributed a touchdown for a stunning 35-34 victory against Texas Southern at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. The Lions scored the final 22 points in the final 12 minutes to complete the surprising finish. They finished 2-9 overall, 1-7 in the SWAC).
If Saturday marks the end for fifth-year Texas Southern head
football coach Clarence McKinney, he’ll always have fond memories of his penultimate
game last week.
A scheduling conflict with the Houston Dynamo FC forced Texas
Southern to move its game to Sunday, against an Alcorn State team that
controlled its destiny for a title shot. Instead, the Panthers administered a 44-10 beating that knocked Alcorn State from the
driver’s seat in the Southwestern Athletic Conference West division and gave Prairie
View and Grambling State new life.
“That was a big win for us,” McKinney said during a media call Monday, before reports circulated that his contract won’t be renewed after Saturday’s finale against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. “It was unusual playing on Sunday, but our guys went out and played a complete game. We played complimentary football – offense, defense and special teams – and beat a really good opponent. I’m just proud of the way our guys competed.”
Stereotypes come in all shapes and sizes, from who’s super
athletic and takes prison calls from their dad, to who’s super smart and takes
advanced STEM classes in college. The problem comes when we ascribe such oversimplified
concepts to one group of people, ignoring the fact that every group has members
with similar attributes.
NFL rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud grew up near Hollywood, under
circumstances often depicted in movies involving young Black men. He’s the star
athlete whose life changed at 13 when his father went to jail. Struggles followed but mom held it
together for the family, and now Stroud has sped from Rookie of the Year talk to
Most Valuable Player discussions.
Where’s the anonymous NFL executive who issued a “red alert” before the draft? He warned teams to avoid Stroud because he performed miserably on a standardized test. Fortunately, the leaked score didn’t stop Houston from drafting Stroud with the No. 2 pick, and it didn’t stop him from torching rookie passing records through nine games.
Styles make fights in boxing, where opponents with certain traits
are tailor-made for a champion, but opponents with a different form are threats
to the belt holder. The same holds true in football and the adage played out
Saturday in the Central Intercollegiate
Athletic Association finale.
Virginia Union’s suffocating defense smothered Fayetteville
State’s anemic offense for a 21-10
victory that didn’t seem that close. The Panthers were
never seriously threatened after taking a 14-0 and dominating time of
possession throughout the contest, winning their first CIAA championship in 22
years and ruining FSU’s bid at back-to-back titles.
“I’m just happy, that’s all I can say,” Panthers head coach Alvin Parker said following the game, a day after being named CIAA Coach of the Year. “I was here in 2001 when we went down to Winston-Salem and won it. I remember how it felt then, but this is a little bit better. I was the leader of the program and I felt like I was leading us in the right direction, but all of the guys bought into the process, even though it wasn’t easy.”
When Fayetteville State hired Richard Hayes in December 2015,
he sounded like many head coaches who step to the microphone when they’re
announced. He wanted his new team to consistently compete for championships.
Eight seasons into his tenure, he’s accomplished the mission.
The Broncos have reached their sixth straight title game in the Central
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, this time as defending champs after winning
the crown last season. “Going six years in a row, I mean the proof’s in
the pudding that we’re doing something right around here,” Hayes said
Wednesday on “FSU Broncos Pigskin Press Talk.”
FSU (8-2 overall, 8-0 in the CIAA) goes for back-to-back rings Saturday when it faces Virginia Union at Salem Stadium in Salem, Virginia. The Panthers (9-1, 7-1) are seeking their first league championship since 2001; they lost in 2007, their most recent attempt.
The 2023 HBCU Week national conference took place in September,
near Washington National Airport (never Reagan National), with the theme of “Raising
the Bar: Forging Excellence Through Innovation and Leadership.” Activities included an address from U.S. Secretary of
Education Miguel Cardona, a college fair, step show and the Virginia State
University gospel choir.
But unofficially – at least in sports – HBCU Week was Monday
and Tuesday.
That’s when media stars Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe returned to their respective alma maters, Winston-Salem State and Savannah State, for live broadcasts of their popular TV show “First Take.” ESPN viewers were treated to a slice of HBCU culture in a packed gymnasium, with the band, cheerleaders, dancers, homecoming court, and the whole vibe.
Nothing in college football creates higher stakes than a season-ending rivalry game that dates to 1900, played between schools like Virginia Union and Virginia State, a mere 25 miles apart. A win in those conditions is priceless, regardless of either team’s success or failure.
Such matchups couldn’t be more meaningful, except when the foes vie for a division title in addition to the usual bragging rights. Virginia Union won both prizes Saturday in the L. Douglas Wilder Classic, defeating Virginia State, 30-20, before 15,000 fans at Hovey Stadium in Richmond. The Panthers improved to 9-1 overall and 7-1 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, winning the North Division crown and punching their ticket to the CIAA championship.
The record crowd was treated to a wild game that featured 802 yards of total offense, five interceptions, and a blocked PAT that Virginia Union sophomore Raylyn Manley returned 98 yards for 2 points shortly before the halftime show. That play caused a huge swing in momentum; Virginia State had just scored its second consecutive touchdown and otherwise would’ve tied the game at 14 apiece.
An old adage among lawyers suggests they should pound the facts
or pound the law – whichever works in their favor – and if neither is a
strength then pound the table.
Football coaches can revise that formula slightly when presenting
their case to the public. They can pound the record or pound the statistics; if
neither looks good, then pound the process.
“We’ve got an opportunity to finish this thing strong,” Arkansas-Pine Bluff head coach Alonzo Hampton said Monday on a media call. “The guys are playing hard. We went into every game thinking we could win and it won’t be any different this week or any other week.”
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