Tennessee State football finds spot in postseason rankings

title image via SI The FCS Stats Perform Postseason Poll Rankings were announced and Tennessee State finished 19th.  Tennessee State also landed on the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) rankings, placing 19th in the polls.  In Coach Eddie George’s fourth season at the helm, Tennessee State went 9-4 this season and won a share of the Big Sputh-OVC crown, a feat the program has not achieved since L.C. Cope led the Tigers to the conference-promised land in 1999. In addition, TSU also earned a berth in the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 2013 when Rod Reed guided the program…

Read More

Tennessee State lands former Arizona quarterback Damante

Tennessee State secured a commitment from former Arizona quarterback Adam Damante. After a prolific senior season in which he threw for 4,769 yards and 59 touchdowns, leading American Leadership Academy Gilbert North to the 4A State Championship game. The Gilbert, AZ native was also named a finalist for the Ed Doherty Award, which is given to the best high school football player in Arizona., committed to Northern Arizona.  As a true freshman at NAU, Damante appeared in 7 games, starting 5, completing 116 of his 168 pass attempts for 1,146…

Read More

Alabama A&M to introduce new head football coach on Monday

title image via AAMU Athletics Courtesy of Brian Howard, Assistant AD for Communications THE HILL | Alabama A&M University President Dr. Daniel K. Wims and Director of Athletics Dr. Paul A. Bryant will welcome new head football coach Sam Shade in an introductory press conference at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 6 at the AAMU Event Center. Shade was announced as the 22nd head football coach in Bulldog history on December 29 during the From the Hill Podcast and comes to The Hill after spending three seasons as the head coach at Miles College.…

Read More

Dr. Cavil’s Inside the HBCU Major Division Top 7, Week 16: A Champion is crowned

The 2024 campaign was It was an action-infused roller coaster ride . Although ultimately only one team can drink from the championship chalice, this season saw new stars ascend who could have a say in who hoists championship hardware in the coming years.  7. Southern University (8-6, 7-1)  As was the case with the previous week Southern Jaguars sit no.7 in the rankings. Under first-year coach Terrence Graves, Southern was able to bring home the SWAC Western Division crown. The Jaguars were also able to best their rival Grambling 24-14…

Read More

Dr. Cavil’s Inside the HBCU Sports Lab Week 14 Mid Major Poll: A champion is crowned

After 14 weeks of exciting gridiron have brought us to the final week of Dr. Cavil’s Inside the HBCU Sports Lab poll ranking. Throughout the season, teams rose and fell, but only one team will reign supreme atop polls as the Inside the HBCU Sports Lab Mid-Major National Champion.  7. Livingstone College ( 6-4, 4-3) Livingstone ends the season 7th in the poll rankings. A 15-10 defeat of Johnson C. Smith in the season finale put a bow on the Blue Bears’ most successful season since posting a 5-4 mark…

Read More

Tennessee State’s Sanders Ellis named FCS Football Central Freshman All-American

For his gridiron exploits this season Tennessee State linebacker Sanders Ellis was named an FCS Football Central Freshman All-Amwrican. Thrust into a starting role when Micah Gay was sidelined for the season with an elbow injury, the Nashville, TN was an immediate impact player.  The true freshman appeared in 14 contests, recording 86 total tackles (59 solo, 27 assisted), 15.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 passes defended. Ellis was named Big South-OVC Freshman of Week 5 times on the season, with the fifth coming after…

Read More

MEAC names Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year

Title image via the MEAC Courtesy the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference South Carolina State quarterback Eric Phoenix and Morgan State defensive lineman Elijah Williams have been named the 2024 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. The announcement was made during the 66th Annual National Football Foundation (NFF) Hall of Fame Press Conference, broadcast live on ESPN+.“Congratulations to Eric and Elijah on being named the MEAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year,” said MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills. “These exceptional student-athletes have demonstrated excellence on the field…

Read More

Virginia Union’s season ends at the hands of Valdosta State, 49-14

title image via Virginia Union Athletics via VUU Athletics 14 VUU 49 Winner VSU Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F VUU 0 7 0 7 14 VSU 7 21 14 7 49 Virginia Union University’s greatest season in the program’s history came to an end as #1 Valdosta State University defeated the Panthers 49-14 in the NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals of the Division II Playoffs on Saturday, December 7, in Valdosta, Ga. The loss marked an end to a season which saw the Panthers advance further in the NCAA Playoffs,…

Read More

Jackson State pulls away in second half, wins SWAC Championship 41-13

title image via Jackson State Football Courtesy of Jackson State Athletics | Zy McDonald came off the bench late in the first half, sparking a rally from Jackson State and leading the Tigers to a 41-13 victory over Southern in the 2024 Pepsi SWAC Championship Game presented by GM at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The championship is the third in four years for Jackson State (11-2), winners of nine straight games, and the first for head coach T.C. Taylor. McDonald was named the Offensive MVP after coming in late in the…

Read More

North Carolina A&T names Shaun Gibbs new football coach

title image via Kevin L. Dorsey Courtesy ot North Carolina A&T Athletics Shawn Gibbs will return to Aggieland. Only this time, he returns as the 23rd head football coach in North Carolina A&T State University football program history. A&T Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III announced Gibbs’ hiring on Friday. Gibbs, 49, replaces Vincent Brown, who spent two seasons at A&T. An introductory press conference for Gibbs is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, at 11:30 a.m. in Deese Ballroom inside the A&T campus Student Center.  A native of Black Mountain, N.C., Gibbs…

Read More