As the season draws closer to its completion there was a host of movement in Week 9 of Dr. Cavil’s Inside the HBCU Sports Lab’s Mid Major Top 7. Only two teams from top 7 held on to its spot from the previous week.
7.Fort Valley State (6-3, 6-1)
The Wildcats enter this week’s poll ranking at no. 7 after being unranked the previous week. In their most recent outing Fort Valley built a 35-0 first-half lead en route to a 44-20 defeat of Benedict. FVSU quarterback completed 10-of-19 passes for 182 yards and four touchdowns, three of which went to tight end Gentry Sparks, which accounted for all three of his recepetions on the day. Wildcat ruuning back Brandon Marshall also got it done running for 160 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Up next for Fort Valley is a meeting with rival Albany State in the 34th Fountain City Classic. The Golden Rams defeated the Wildcats 13-7 in last year’s iteration of the contest.
6.Clark Atlanta (5-2, 4-2)
Clark-Atlanta is the only team in the top 7 that remains in the same postion from the previous week. Saturday CAU took down Tuskegge 36-28, which was their first victory over the GOlden Tigers since 1995. Up next for the Panthers , who are still alive in the SIAC Championship game , is a meeting against Morehouse in the Battle of the AUC. The Maroon Tigers defeated the Panthers 35-21 last season.
5.Winston-Salem State ( 6-3, 4-2 )
Winston-Salem falls a spot in this week’s poll rankings. The Rams were on a bye week following their 24-15 loss to then. no.1 Johnson C.Smith. After the week off, its homecoming at WSSU and the week long celebration will culminate with a meeting with the Broncos of Fayetteville State. In their last meeting, November, 4, 2023, it was Fayetteville that emerged victorious, 40-34.
4. Virginia State ( 6-3, 5-1)
The Trojans enter this week’s rankings after being unranked last week. In their last outing, Virginia State obliterated Lncoln (PA) 55-0. It was the fourth conscutive game VSU scored 30 points of more, all of which were wins. Up next is their season finale with in state rival, Virginia Union, who defeated Virginia State 30-20.
3.Miles College ( 7-2 , 7-0)
Miles was one of two teams, along with Clark-Atlanta, whose spot in the polls was the same from the pevious week. In the Golden Bears’ most recent outing, they handily cleaned up Morehouse 37-3 for their seventh consecutive win. At 7-0 within th SIAC, Miles has solidifed their spot in the SIAC Championship game. The Golden Bears will look to compete an undefeated run through conference play when they take on Tuskegee on Saturday. Last season Miles laid a 35-10 beatdown on Tuskegee.
2.Johnson C. Smith (8-1, 5-1)
After sitting atop the rankings for .several weeks Johnson C. Smith falls to number 2. Saturday JCSU took an eye-raising 27-0 defeat at the hands of the Broncos of Fayetteville State, handing the Golden Bulls their first loss of the season and ending their 8-game winning streak. Johnson C. Smith will look to bounce back against Livingstone College. The Golden Bulls put it on the Bears 38-17 in their meeting last season.
1.Virginia Union (7-2, 6-0)
The Panthers of Virginia Union move up to the top spot in the poll rankings. In their most recent outing, Union exploded on Bluefield State with the force of a 10-megaton bomb, obliterating the Blue 91-0. The Panthers blew the game open with a 41-point second quarter en route to a 48-0 halftime lead. A pair of VUU receivers eclipsed the 100-yard barrier – Reginald Vick Jr hauled in 6 passes for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns; Mykey Anderson caught 2 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Virginia Union wraps up the regular season with a faceoff with no.4 Virginia State.
Dropped Out: Tuskegee Golden Tigers-(5-4, 5-2) Langston Lions-(5-3, 4-2)
Receiving Votes: West Virginia State Yellow Jackets-(6-3, 5-2)-114, Florida Memorial Lions-(5-2-1, 4-1)-112, Tuskegee Golden Tigers-(5-4, 5-2)-111
