Dr. Kenyatta Cavil contributed to this report.
While no team dropped out of the top 7 Week 11 of Dr. Cavil’s Insode the HBCU Sports Lab Mid-Major Poll rankings certainly saw its share of shuffling, with 4 teams changing positions from the previous week.
7. Livingstone (6-4, 5-3)
The Blue Bears ended their season with a 15-10 defeat of Johnson C.Smith, who in addition to Livingstone, was one of the surprises of the CIAA. The victory over the Golden Bulls allowed the Blue Bears to finish the season with a 6-4 overall and 4-3 within the CIAA, their best marks since a 5- 4 overall and 4-3 conference records achieved in the 2015 campaign.
6. Winston-Salem State (7-3, 5-2)
WSSU was one of the teams whose position was unchanged, remaining at 6th in the rankings. The Rams wrapped the 2024 season at 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the CIAA. Winston Salem State defeated Fayetteville State 37-31 to end their 2024 campaign on a high note and end a streak of seasons below .500 that dates back to the 2019 season.
5. Clark-Atlanta (7-3-1, 6-2)
After winning 8 games in the last 5 seasons including a pair of winless seasons including 0-10 in 2023, first-year Panthers coach Teddy Keaton was able to lead CAU to 7 wins and a trip to the SIAC Championship Game. Though they were handily defeated by Miles, 53-25, it was an impressive and unexpectedly rapid turnaround that transferred a program that in recent years opponents could pencil in CAU for a nearly guaranteed win to a contender for the SIAC crown. Quarterback David Wright III threw for 2,915 yards and 28 touchdowns as he was named SIAC Most Valuable Player. Wright was also named to the SIAC All-Conference First Team, along with wideout Amone Harris, offensive lineman Austin Euler, and cornerback Dahlil Watkins; defensive lineman Kurtis Waye, offensive lineman Denzell Moore and kicker Leonardo Cabrera earned Second Team honors.
4. Virginia State ( 7-4, 6-1)
The Trojans fall two spots in this week’s rankings. Virginia State nested top 7 Virginia Union in the season finale 35-28. The win gave VSU a share of the CIAA regular season crown and propelled the Trojans to the CIAA Championship game, which was a rematch with their in-state rival. Virginia State came up short in their quest to stand atop the CIAA, as they fell to Virginia Union 17-13. Sophomore running back Jimmyll Williams just missed breaking the 1,000-yard mark, running for 972 yards and 11 touchdowns. Trojans quarterback completed 140-of-224 passes for 2275 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions and was named a BOXTOROW HBCU Player of the Week and garnered CIAA conference honors on the season. The 7 victories on the year continue a run of three seasons in which the Trojans have won at least 6 games.
3. Johnson C. Smith (8-2, 5-2)
The Golden Bulls moved up a pair of spots in the rankings from no.5 of a week ago. JCSU was defeated 15-10 by Livingstone in their season finale. The loss was the second straight defeat for the Golden Bulls and for JCSU the losses could not have come at a worse time in the season. After starting the season 8-0, the back-to-back losses took Smith out of the CIAA Championship picture. Coach Maurice Flowers was named CIAA Coach of the Year and linebacker Benari Black was named CIAA Defensive Player of the Year. Several Golden Bulls garnered conference honors, with offensive lineman Kyle Estep, wideout Brevin Caldwell, quarterback Darius Ocean, defensive lineman Lamone Hill Jr, the aforementioned Benari Black, and defensive back Shama Bake all named to the All-CIAA First Team. Offensive linemen Jamari Mason and Joshua Beatty, kick returner and defensive back Ja’Qun Wilkins, and linebacker Jack Smith earned Second Team honors while defensive end Kevin Haynes Jr was named to the CIAA All-Rookie Team.
2. Virginia Union (8-3, 6-1)
The Panthers of Virginia Union moved up to no.2, up one spot from last week. A 35-28 defeat at the hands of Virginia State forced VUU to split the regular season CIAA crown with their in-state foes. Union would get a measure of revenge, defeating the Trojans 17-13 in the CIAA Championship game. The Panthers now move on to the Division II Playoffs, where CIAA Offensive Player of the Year Jada Byers and company will take on Wingate in the first round.
1. Miles College (9-2, 8-0)
Miles remains atop the poll rankings. The Golden Bears took the SIAC crown by emphatically dispatching Clark-Atlanta 53-25. The win completed Miles’ romp through the conference in which they left every team unfortunate to oppose them in their wake and earned the Golden Bears a berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Miles is the no.4 seed in Super Region 2 and will host a NCAA postseason for the first time in program history. Miles faces Carson-Newman with kickoff scheduled for 11 am CST.
Receiving Votes: Shaw Bears-(6-4, 4-3)-112, Albany State Golden Rams-(6-4, 6-2)-111, Fort Valley State Wildcats-(6-4, 6-2)-110
