The Weekly HBCU Football Underdogs and Favorites are back.
Back in 2019 we began posting score predictions from MasseyRatings.com to get a picture of what the week in HBCU football could look like. The ratings are not generated by us (you can go here to view Massey’s rating criteria) but they do generate quite a bit of conversation.
Here’s what the lineup looks like for HBCU Football in Week One. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Bowie State 14 at Delaware State 35
Win Margin: 20.5 Win Probability: DSU 89/11
Bowie State has been arguably the most consistent HBCU football program of the last half-decade along with North Carolina A&T. But the back-to-back CIAA champions find themselves as underdogs to a Delaware State team that has been down for years and has struggled with CIAA teams at times in that span.
Virginia Union 17 at Hampton 38
Win Margin: 20.5 Win Probability: HU 87:13
Two years ago, Virginia Union marched down to old CIAA rival Hampton’s backyard and came up with a win. But according to the Massey Ratings, VUU is the underdog once again.
South Carolina State 24 at Alabama A&M 27
Win Margin: 2.5 Win Probability: 55/45 AAMU
SC State will travel to Normal, AL to return the trip that Alabama A&M made this spring. It is hopeful for a better result against the SWAC Champs this time around after a 31-7 loss in Orangeburg.
North Carolina A&T 21 at Furman 28
Win Margin: 6.5 Win Probability: FU 69/31
North Carolina A&T is set to start the Big South chapter of its history on Saturday in South Carolina. It will do so as the underdog. But the last time Furman played an HBCU, it came out on the wrong end of the scoreboard.
Florida A&M 30 vs. Jackson State 28
Win Margin: 2.5 Win Probability: FAMU 53/47
Easily the most-anticipated game of the weekend, Florida A&M will be a slight favorite over Deion Sanders’ new-look Jackson State game.
Miles 12 at Alabama State 35
Win Margin: 22.5 Win Probability: ASU 93/7
Lane 13 at UAPB 41
Win Margin: 27.5 Win Probability: UAPB 94/6
Prairie View 28 at Texas Southern 27
Win Margin: – 0.5 Win Probability: PVAMU 51/49
Clark Atlanta 28 at Livingstone 21
Win Margin: 6.5 Win Probability: CAU 68/32
Fayetteville State 27 at Elizabeth City State 24
Win Margin: 2.5 Win Probability: FSU 55/45
Grambling State 23 vs. Tennessee State 30
Win Margin: 6.5 Win Probability TSU: 65/35
Tuskegee 24 vs. Fort Valley State 28
Win Margin: 4.5, Win Probability
Shaw 20 at Wingate 35
Win Margin 15.5 Win Probability: WU 82/18
Tusculum 35 at St. Aug 17
Win Margin: 17.5 Win Probability: TU 86/14
Savannah State 20 at Valdosta State 31
Win Margin 10.5 Win Probability: VSU 76/24
Albany State 17 at Mississippi College 31
Win Margin: 13.5 Win Probability: MC 80/20
Morehouse 14 at West Alabama 31
Win Margin: 17.5 Win Probability: WA 86/14
Virginia State 21 at Lenoir-Rhyne 35
Win Margin: 13.5 Win Probability: LR 79/21
Southern 14 at Troy 41
Win Margin: 26.5 Win Probability: TU 93/7